iPhone app for creating detailed wine tasting notes
Meniscus helps you taste wines in a systematic fashion, then turns your observations into detailed tasting notes which can be saved or shared with others.
For more information on systematic tasting, visit the website of the Wine & Spirit Educational Trust (WSET).
This is what a Meniscus tasting note looks like.
A temporary name used to identify wines during blind tastings.
Wines in good condition should be clear, or hazy if they are unfiltered.
The meniscus is the rim of the wine and is best examined by tilting the glass. Older wines tend to have rims that gently fade through a range of colors.
Together, intensity and shade describe the wine's color.
Petillance describes the tiny bubbles that sometimes form in still wine.
A wines's viscosity can be determined by swirling the wine around in the glass and observing the tears or sheeting of the liquid that is left on the sides of the glass.
Many wines will have a layer of sediment that is visible at the bottom of the bottle.
The condition of the wine is determined by sniffing at the top of the glass. Off-odors generally indicate a problem with a wine; it should be clean.
This is the strength of the wine's aromas. Does the wine jump out at you from halfway across the room? Or can you barely smell anything at all even with your nose stuck in the glass?
What does the wine smell like? Choose from a wide variety of typical wine aromas.
The nose provides clues as to the relative age of the wine. Younger wines tend to have simpler, more vigorous, noses, while older wines may take a bit of time to open up and have more complex aromas.
The sweetness of the wine. Wines with high acidity may come off as drier than they actually are.
The acidity of a wine can be judged by paying attention to the saliva that shoots into one's mouth after having a swallow of wine. The more saliva, the higher the acidity.
Tannin produces the drying sensation typically experienced after having a cup of black tea. Tannin is a typical characteristic of red wine.
Yes, wine is alcoholic.
Body describes the mouthfeel of a wine. Wines that are light and watery would be very light-bodied. Wines that are high in alcohol, acid, and tannin are full-bodied.
This describes the strength of the wine's flavor.
What does the wine taste like? Choose from a wide variety of typical wine tastes.
Balance is the degree to which different characteristics of a wine exist in harmony. Winemakers strive to make well-balanced wines.
Mousse describes the effervescence of sparkling wine and can be an indicator of production methods.
Finish describes the length of time that the flavor lingers in the mouth after a sip of wine. Extremely long finishes - over 15 seconds - can be an indicator of quality.
This is an overall judgement of the wine's quality.
Different styles of wine and vintages will have different aging requirements and potential. Having evaluated the characteristics of this wine, does it appear to be too young to drink? Too old? Or just right?
Many reviewers report on quality using a 100-point score - that really only registers values between 70 and 100. The Meniscus slider shares this bias.
Other reviewers report on quality using a 5-point scoring system.
This is a field that can be used to contain scores for the wine from magazines - or any other information, for that matter.
The name of the wine as it appears on the label. (Meniscus uses this field to populate the name of the tasting note)
The year the wine was produced, as it appears on the label. (Meniscus uses this field to populate the name of the tasting note)
The Appellation of the wine, if relevant. (Meniscus may use this field in populating the name of the tasting note)
Either the retail price of the wine or the price paid.
Distributed under the MIT License.