Can experts really judge the quality of wines accurately? What’s the science behind the tasting process?

Posted on: July 9th, 2019 by

I’ve been answering wine queries on the question and answer site Quora. I’ll share some of the most interesting questions I’ve been asked and, of course, my answers. I limit myself to spending a couple minutes on each response, not doing any research or “cheating.” I rely on my experience and opinion, which is probably not a bad way handle most things.

Question: Can experts really judge the quality of wines accurately? What’s the science behind the tasting process?

One way to determine the quality of wines via scoring.Answer: I’m going to say yes, but it’s very subjective and not scientific. The key takeaway from tasting a wine and recognizing quality is balance. Are alcohol, fruit, oak, acidity all working together? Of course, then you have massive, blockbuster “hedonistic” reds that get your attention as a taster with their power & opulence. Just like zesty white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and any high acid wine can really perk up your palate.

You can tell if a wine is well-made which I would equate with quality. Poorly made wines tend to expose themselves with obvious things out of whack. And this can happen with $10 wines and $100+ wines.

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