Palate

Palate has two common meanings in wine and food. In tasting, it refers to the sensations and flavours experienced in the mouth. It can also refer to a person’s ability to perceive and evaluate flavour, as in “a trained palate.” A wine’s palate description generally follows its appearance and nose in a structured tasting note.

What is assessed on the palate?

• Sweetness: the perception of residual sugar.
• Acidity: freshness and mouth-watering tartness.
• Tannin: drying grip and structure, especially in red wines.
• Alcohol: warmth and contribution to body.
• Body: the wine’s weight and fullness.
• Flavour intensity and character: fruit, floral, herbal, spice, savoury and other notes.
• Finish: the character and persistence of sensations after swallowing or spitting.

Palate versus nose

The nose describes aromas detected by smelling the wine before tasting. The palate describes what is experienced in the mouth, including taste, texture and retronasal aromas. The two should be considered together when assessing a wine.

Example: a tasting note might read: “The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with crisp acidity, red cherry fruit, fine tannin and a long savoury finish.”

Chef’s note: a good palate description is specific and balanced. Avoid listing every possible flavour; focus on the wine’s defining structure and character.