What Flavors Should I Taste When Red Wine?

Question: What Flavors Should I Taste When Red 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 red wine.

Answer: These are ten of the most common types of flavors you are likely to taste when drinking red 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:

1. Red fruits (cherry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry etc.)
2. Black fruits (Plum, prune, blackberry, cassis, blueberry etc.)
3. Spicy (clove, cinnamon, black pepper etc.)
4. Earthy
5. Herbal (anis, black olive etc.)
6. Balsamic (pine, cedar etc.)
7. Vanilla
8. Dairy (yogurt, butter, milk)
9. Vegetable (Green pepper, tomato)
10. Animal (tobacco, leather, stable)