In this Specialization, you’ll learn practical sensory techniques to analyze wine with clarity and confidence. You’ll build a repeatable tasting process, strengthen your ability to notice and name aromas and flavors, and communicate what you taste using simple, structured language.
Across the courses, you’ll compare common red and white styles, connect aroma to grape and winemaking choices, and practice pinpointing what you’re perceiving on the nose and palate. You’ll also learn to recognize common wine faults, understand what causes them, and explain how they change a wine’s aroma, flavor, and texture. Finally, you’ll apply your sensory analysis to real dining scenarios by using pairing principles—how sweetness, acidity, salt, fat, spice, and bitterness interact with wine.
This Specialization is designed for curious beginners and enthusiasts who want a more systematic way to taste. No prior experience is required.
By the end of this Specialization, you will be able to: use a step-by-step tasting framework to evaluate appearance, aroma, flavor, and structure; identify and describe key aroma and flavor families across common styles; diagnose frequent wine faults and explain likely sources; and recommend food-and-wine pairings based on the dish and the wine’s key traits.
Applied Learning Project
You’ll complete guided tasting and reflection activities that help you calibrate your senses and build a consistent note-taking habit. Practice exercises include labeling aroma and flavor descriptors, comparing wines side by side, and translating sensory impressions into clear tasting notes that others can understand. You’ll work through fault-detection scenarios by matching symptoms (like cork taint, oxidation, or volatile acidity) to likely causes and deciding how a fault affects quality. For pairing practice, you’ll analyze sample menus and dish components, then propose pairings and explain your reasoning based on acidity, sweetness, tannin, body, and key flavor matches. Knowledge checks reinforce each technique so you can apply it in everyday wine choices.
