Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis from Coursera

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Syllabus

Wine Styles

In this first module, we’ll take the first steps on our journey through the various categories of wines, starting with the flavor profiles of classic New World and Old World wines. We’ll also identify and describe flavor groups of wine and discuss sensory physiology including the visual, olfactory, textural, and taste aspects of various wines. We’ll also analyze how climate can affect the grape and wine flavor expression, and we’ll discuss the concept of "terroir". Finally, you will create a set of basic taste standards for practicing blind tasting.

Wine Flavor and Aroma

In this module, the journey continues and we will compare and contrast the flavor profiles of eight classic red varietals and eight classic white varietals. We’ll also discuss the growing requirements for each varietal as well as their cultural and historic background and growing locations. At the conclusion of this module, you will write a descriptive analysis of the aroma attributes you identify in a particular wine. Finally, you’ll create flavor standards to help you develop your sensory vocabulary.

Common Wine Faults

Is there something wrong with this wine? This week we’ll examine the philosophy behind what actually constitutes a fault in wine. We’ll identify the most often-encountered faults and explain how to recognize them as well as determine what caused them. We’ll also examine the Old World and New World sensibilities toward some of these faults, and discuss how some so-called faults may really be attributes that contribute to a wine’s complexity. We’ll differentiate between a fault and a defect and examine the range of classic faults and their origins. You’ll learn techniques for spotting problems and create wine defect sniff standards to practice fault recognition.

Wine and Food Pairing

Can you drink red wine with fish? In this module we’ll discuss the often perplexing question of how to pair wine with food, and the physical, structural, textural, and aromatic aspects of both the "wine side" and the "food side" of the equation. We’ll discuss ways to improve your ability to make flavorful choices and determine the structure and "weight" of a wine. To help you predict a good food match, we’ll talk about the process of flavor profiling and how to decide whether to change a wine or food to make a pair work. Finally, we’ll discuss the "seven deadly sins" of wine and food pairing, and you’ll develop a personal wine and food scoring system.

Project: Fully Describe a Wine From an Unusual Region or Varietal

In this final module, we’ll conclude our journey into wine tasting with a project that will demonstrate your understanding of the physiological process of wine tasting and the sensory techniques required for accurate wine analysis. You’ll apply the skills you have developed throughout this course to making a critical evaluation and description of a specific wine. Working with fellow learners in this peer review process, you will demonstrate your ability to describe the appellation, climate, winery, varietal and winemaking style as well as describe the visual, and tactile aspects of the wine. You’ll also describe the flavor and aroma of the wine, and make decisions about the best and worst food pairings for the wine.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Helps learners understand the physiological process of wine tasting and the sensory techniques required for accurate wine analysis

Builds learner's sensory vocabulary and knowledge of a range of classic wines and varietals

Develops foundational skills and knowledge for further exploration of wine

Taught by John Buechsenstein, an experienced wine educator and author

Examines various wine styles, flavor profiles, and food pairings

Provides opportunities for peer review and discussion

Reviews summary

Comprehensive wine analysis techniques

Learners say this course is largely positive. It's an engaging and informative course that covers the sensory techniques involved in wine tasting and analysis. The course covers topics such as wine tasting, wine analysis, and wine pairing. The interactive activities and practical exercises help reinforce the learning material.

Well-structured and organized with clear instructions

"Very well conceived, organized and executed. The video instructions were excellent - clear and easy to follow."

Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and effective

"I really enjoyed the course. it was a stress buster for me and gave me a knowledge of different wines."

"This course was awesome, you learn a deep understanding on the sensorial appreciation of the wine, the way wine taste won't the same after this course. "

Enhance the learning experience through hands-on application.

"Having assignments to purchase, taste and describes wines as well as their pairing with food enhanced greatly the learning experience."

Comprehensive and informative

"An excellent introductory course into the world of wine, beginning with wine tasting techniques."

"This course is an exceptional way to start in sensory analyisis techinques for wine and not only for wine! I highly reccomend it. "

Frustrating and time-consuming

"Amazing course! Full of interactive activities which makes the class so fun! I enjoyed learning the wine-tasting skill!"

"I think overall it was a very good course. It is what I expected and in general I want to congratulate Mr. John Buechsenstein for the effort to make an online wine course that really allows to learn so many important concepts."

Additional costs for wine purchases.

"The course does not make it clear that you will not be able to audit every week. PLEASE indicate this at the beginning of the course. I enrolled as an audit, purchased wine, and now cannot watch any lectures after the middle of week 2."

"I understand that to taste wine means one must buy wine, but the added cost of the course makes this too expensive for me to even look into. "

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis with these activities:

Read 'Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine'

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of wine, including information on winemaking, tasting, and pairing.

View Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide on Amazon

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Review the book.
Obtain a copy of the book.

Watch a Wine Tasting Tutorial

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Watching a wine tasting tutorial can help you improve your technique and learn from experts.

Browse courses on Sensory Evaluation

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Find a wine tasting tutorial online or in a book.
Watch the tutorial and follow the instructions.

Take an Online Wine Tasting Course

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Taking an online wine tasting course allows you to learn from experts and get feedback on your tasting skills.

Browse courses on Wine Tasting

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Find an online wine tasting course.
Enroll in the course and complete the lessons.

Five other activities

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Review or Update Your Tasting Kit

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Examining your tasting kit will refamiliarize you with the tools you'll need for the course and prepare you for tasting exercises.

Browse courses on Wine Tasting

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Gather your tasting kit.
Check that you have all the necessary items, such as wine glasses, a spittoon, and a notepad.
Clean your wine glasses thoroughly.

Practice Identifying and Describing Aromas

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Practicing aroma identification and description helps develop language and vocabulary for the sensory evaluation of wine.

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Purchase an aroma kit or use online resources.
Smell each aroma and identify it.
Describe the aroma using specific language.

Join a Wine Tasting Group

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Joining a wine tasting group allows you to taste wines with others and get feedback on your tasting skills.

Browse courses on Wine Tasting

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Find a wine tasting group in your area.
Attend wine tasting events.

Write a Wine Tasting Journal

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Writing a wine tasting journal helps develop your tasting memory, language, and vocabulary for sensory evaluation.

Browse courses on Sensory Evaluation

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Choose a wine to taste.
Taste the wine and record your observations.
Describe the wine's appearance, aroma, taste, and finish.
Reflect on your tasting experience.

Host a Wine Tasting Party

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Hosting a wine tasting party allows you to share your knowledge of wine with others and practice your tasting skills.

Browse courses on Wine Tasting

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Choose a theme for your party.
Select the wines you will taste.
Invite your friends.
Host the party and lead the tasting.

Career center

Learners who complete Wine Tasting: Sensory Techniques for Wine Analysis will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Winemaker

Winemakers are responsible for every step of the wine making process, from harvesting the grapes to bottling the finished product. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of grapes and wine, and to make decisions about how to adjust the winemaking process to produce the desired results.

See salaries and explore the career path for Winemaker

Sommelier

Sommeliers are responsible for selecting, storing, and serving wine in restaurants. They also provide information about wine to customers and make recommendations. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make recommendations to customers based on their preferences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sommelier

Wine Educator

Wine educators teach people about wine. They may work in schools, wineries, or other settings. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to communicate your knowledge to others.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Educator

Wine Critic

Wine critics evaluate the quality of wine and write reviews for magazines, newspapers, and websites. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to communicate your findings to others.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Critic

Wine Importer

Wine importers bring wine into a country from other countries. They are responsible for selecting, storing, and transporting wine. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make decisions about which wines to import.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Importer

Wine Distributor

Wine distributors sell wine to retailers and restaurants. They are responsible for selecting, storing, and transporting wine. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make decisions about which wines to distribute.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Distributor

Wine Retailer

Wine retailers sell wine to consumers. They may own their own stores or work for a larger company. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make recommendations to customers based on their preferences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Retailer

Wine Journalist

Wine journalists write about wine for magazines, newspapers, and websites. They may also write books about wine. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to communicate your findings to others.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wine Journalist

Food and Beverage Manager

Food and beverage managers oversee the food and beverage operations of a restaurant or hotel. They are responsible for selecting, storing, and serving food and wine. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make decisions about which wines to serve.

See salaries and explore the career path for Food and Beverage Manager

Culinary Instructor

Culinary instructors teach students how to cook. They may work in schools, colleges, or other settings. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to teach students about wine pairing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Culinary Instructor

Chef

Chefs prepare and cook food. They may work in restaurants, hotels, or other settings. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to pair wine with food.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chef

Restaurant Manager

Restaurant managers oversee the operations of a restaurant. They are responsible for hiring and training staff, managing the budget, and making decisions about the menu and wine list. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make decisions about which wines to serve.

See salaries and explore the career path for Restaurant Manager

Bartender

Bartenders prepare and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. They may work in bars, restaurants, or other settings. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make recommendations to customers based on their preferences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Bartender

Waiter/Waitress

Waiters and waitresses serve food and drinks to customers in restaurants. They may also make recommendations about wine pairings. This course would help you develop the sensory skills necessary to evaluate the quality of wine, and to make recommendations to customers based on their preferences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Waiter/Waitress

Customer Service Representative

Customer service representatives answer questions and resolve problems for customers. They may work in a variety of settings, including retail stores, call centers, and online chat services. This course may help you develop the communication skills necessary to interact with customers and answer their questions about wine.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Service Representative