Note: The following required skills should be applied as appropriate to the equipment and processes that are used in the particular winery or workplace. Ability to: access workplace information to determine wine evaluation requirements confirm supply of necessary products and materials prepare product and materials as required confirm equipment status and condition as required implement and maintain appropriate tasting conditions. This will include consideration of: environment: eradication of odours natural light white surfaces room temperature ventilation noise and distraction eradication taster: nil perfume clean palate refreshed and alert glasses: appropriate shape and style clean and polished neutral odours undamaged equipment: spittoons water wine: optimum temperature opening and breathing decanting tasting wines in the most appropriate order. This may include consideration of: colour age sweetness weight and body still or sparkling alcohol content flavour open bottles safely. This may include: clean cutting and removal of foil ensuring lip of bottle is free from dirt or debris operating a corkscrew removing cork cleanly taking necessary precautions to avoid cork disintegration techniques specific to sparkling wine pour tasting samples. This should be completed cleanly and without drips and ensure quantities poured are appropriate to the wine style tasted complete a visual appraisal of wine. This may include: wine swirling and glass handling techniques use of light and background assessing clarity and recognising faults describing intensity and type of colour identifying ‘legs’ or ‘tears’ to assess alcohol content complete a smell or nose appraisal of the wine, including: implementing techniques to release the wine aromas recognising ‘off’ odours assessing intensity of aromas describing smell characteristics (e.g. fruity, vegetal and spicy) assessing age of wine complete a taste appraisal of the wine. This may include: implementing techniques to release wine flavours, such as sucking in air and swirling wine over all the taste buds in the mouth and tongue spitting technique recognising acidity recognising sweetness recognising weight or body recognising length describing intensity and types of flavour recognising common wine faults assessing the balance of wine features on the palate evaluate the quality of wines tasted. This may include consideration of: wine faults length balance describe how wine is made and identify the key factors affecting the resulting wine style verbally describe a wine style answer questions about wines tasted taste wines ‘blind’ and accurately identify: key wine styles key grape varieties consistently identify key wine styles and grape varieties using sensory evaluation techniques and ‘trigger’ characteristics, for example: fruit characteristics: black currants (Cabernet) petrol (Riesling) balance: higher acidity (cooler climate) higher alcohol (warmer climate) record workplace information maintain work area to meet housekeeping requirements use oral communication skills/language to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation, including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor work cooperatively within a culturally diverse workforce. |