Beyond Flavour: The Indispensable Handbook to Blind Wine Tasting

by Nick Jackson M.W.

Beyond Flavour is a practical guide to blind wine tasting which will help wine lovers increase their knowledge and improve their blind tasting skills. The book offers detailed descriptions of the key attributes of major grape varieties and wine producing regions, and argues that assessing a wine's structure - acid structure in white wines and tannin structure in red wines - is a more reliable indicator of a wine's identity than the traditional reliance on flavour. Beyond Flavour includes analysis of wine style by country and region; descriptions of recent vintages for classic European origins; and tips for blind tasting exams. Beyond Flavour is an indispensable guide to blind wine tasting for wine students, professionals and others seriously interested in understanding why wines taste like they do.

Genres: Wine, Nonfiction, Food and Wine

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2020

Reviews

[Kathryn Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great perspective on blind tasting, a great read and fabulous tool for someone (me) studying for blind exams! I wish there were more wine books like this one.

[Ben Labe · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Beyond Flavour..." is a useful reference for intermediate to advanced wine tasters looking to take their understanding of wine structure to the next level. The primary structural components of red and white wines, respectively tannin and acid, are each deconstructed into three categories. When tasting a white wine, one should focus on the acid's "level," referring to its intensity; its "type," referring to its quality; and its "shape," referring to the way in which it evolves on the palate from start to finish. "Level" and "type" remain important categories for identifying the tannin structure of red wines, but there, the third most important area of focus is "location," referring to where in the mouth the tannins are most felt. Assuming that one already understands how to analyze aroma and bouquet, the author, Nick Jackson, claims, learning to map wines based on their structure can improve one's blind tasting skills substantially. Because I am not in the habit of regularly blind tasting wines, I cannot attest to the system's efficacy at increasing blind tasting accuracy. What I can attest, however, is that this book has already helped me to conceptualize the structure of the wines I am drinking in a more intelligible way than ever before.

[Rhys · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting approach to tasting. Certainly a way to expand your blind tasting abilities and understand different varieties in more depth. I’m looking forward to incorporating it in my wine tasting moving forward, hopefully it works.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has helped improve my wine-tasting abilities and has helped me to better understand acid and tannin structure and tasting sensations. Indispensable for anyone studying for WSET or sommelier certification and recommended for wine lovers everywhere.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here. A self-published discussion of a person't subjective view of tasting. Don't waste your time here - listen to the Guild Some podcast, that is plenty to get the drift of his premise.

[Evamarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

En øjenåbner for, hvordan man blindsmager vin. Kan varmt anbefales til alle, der arbejder professionelt med, eller har en privat interesse for, vin.

[Paul Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good reading time.

It is a great book!! This book is useful and helpful for everyone who are professionals and laymen alike. Thank you.

[Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackson's book is revolutionary. I wish I'd had this book while completing my WSET Diploma! He fills in the gaps where the WSET and CMS blind tasting grids fall short. Most people learning how to blind taste focus far too much on flavor and not enough on wine structure. Where Jackson stands apart is that he's categorized certain characteristics (e.g, acid structure, tannin structure) about each grape variety that are consistently identifiable, no matter what region the wine comes from. This is a bold claim, but his reasoning is generally sound and accurate. Any serious wine student will appreciate this clear, concise guide to blind tasting!