How objective are wine tasting notes from one taster to another?

Question

Is there an objective standard that would prompt two tasters to identify the same taste characteristics in a wine or are tasting notes totally subjective?

Answer 1

Opinions of others are highly influential in the wine tasting biz. If I tell you I taste a hint of root beer, you'll bequite likely to agree. If tasted independantly, many will come up with the same basic ideas (dry, sweet, fruity, cherry, earthy, etc). However, even if you tasted the wine and did not think you tasted "black pepper", when you go back and search for it, you may magically taste that note.

I guess my answer is convoluted. Sorry! I guess it's to say that wine tasting is a little of both. : )

Great Question!!

Answer 2

The best tasters will come up with the same characteristics. This is not easy, so wine tasters meet often and compare notes. It's a huge part of wine tasting. If they didn't get together and do this then their judgements would be much more subjective.

Wine tasters actually prove the whole open question of "how do you know that chicken tastest the same for two different people?" A wine taster would know that yes, they taste the same.

Answer 3

Here's the deal...wines are supposed to taste the same to everyone, but whether they like it or not is subjective.

Basically there are typical characteristics for each wine, like Merlot shoud be reminicent of blueberry and Pinot Noir is distinctly leather. There are some wine tasters who know these 'key phrases' and will use them if they know what the wine is.

The critics will use the 'key words' as well as descriptors that over time you would learn to be able to taste. Ultimately, most people will agree on what they taste in a wine and the more you taste the more you'll be able to talk about what you taste...and you'll learn what the 'key words' are...but some people will taste something and you may not taste it but a few months later you'll taste the same wine and then you'll go, ah-ha! I taste it...

Answer 4

Unless a taster is a trained pro, I think wine tasting is highly subjective. The flavors that come up to the surface depend a great deal upon how varied your palatte has been in the past for foods, wines, and alcohol. For ie, someone who's never had alcohol before, well, all they taste is the alcohol burn. But someone who drinks red wines regularly can pinpoint a burnt oak flavor vs. a chocoalte flavor vs. a raspberry flavor. But what tastes good TO YOU is highly subjective.

Answer 5

For the most part, I believe that most critics can taste the more common or dominant traits in a wine. as far as the hints, or smaller flavors in wine, it all depends on the critic's pallate, and how developed or sensitive it is to certain flavors.