Question: What flavors should I look out for when tasting Spanish white wine?
Professional wine tasters seem to find every type of flavor possible in red wine - every flavor but grape! For those of us who don't have a developed wine palette, these suggests of what to look for (given to me by Mary of Planeta Vino Wine Tasting School in Madrid) should help you notice the subtle flavors in Spanish white wine.
Answer: These are ten of the most common types of flavors you are likely to taste when drinking white wine. Mary of Planeta Vino says that it doesn't matter what flavors you can taste, as long as you can remember them and recognize them in future. However, for those of us who can only taste grape, these suggestions should give you some hints:
- Floral (rose, orange blossom, honeysuckle etc.)
- Citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit, orange etc.)
- White fruit (apples, pear, peaches, melon etc.)
- Tropical fruits ( pineapple, banana, lychee, mango etc.)
- Herbaceous (hay, fresh-cut grass etc.)
- Mineral (stones, slate, flint etc.)
- Honey
- Vegetal (asparagus, celery, dill etc.)
- Nuts (almond, hazelnut, marzipan etc.)
- Salty (especially sherries)
