A wine tasting, also known as a wine degustation among experts, is the chance to get to know a range of different
wines and to assess their quality. At a conventional wine tasting, one starts to examine the colour of the wine,
generally called the "visual phase". To do so, the wine is held up against the light and searched for sediments.
Consequently, the age and the manner of storage can be detected, since especially oak barrels influence the colour
and therefore the taste of the wine. Subsequently, the main phase, also called the "smell" or "nose-phase" begins.
By smelling, the wine taster attempts to determine the flavours and the quality of the wine. Primary flavours, such
as fruity or flowery, are produced by the grapes themselves. Secondary flavours emerge from the process of fermenting
and ripening, for example in oak barrels, and are often characterised by smoky or roasted tasting notes of coffee or
almonds. The third phase is all about the actual taste of the wine, the so-called "mouth-phase". One perceives retronasally
for example the acid, sweetness and the bitterness of the wine. The last phase, the finish, describes the persistent
impression of the wine. Depending on the kind of finish, one speaks of a long or short finish or aftertaste.
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