Useful wine tasting notes record the wine, the date and your impressions of its appearance, aromas, flavour and finish. Add what you enjoyed and whether you would choose it again. A short, specific note is a lovely place to start.
Start with the bottle and the moment
Write down the producer, wine name and vintage as shown on the label. Add the tasting date and where you tried it. If the vintage is unclear, leave yourself a reminder to check it. A photo can help you recognise the bottle later.
The occasion belongs in the note too. “At Emma’s, with mushroom pasta” may bring back the wine faster than a technical description. Keep the dish and the people in a separate context line, so you can still compare the wine itself with your next tasting.
Look, smell, sip
Take a moment to look at the colour. Then gently swirl the glass and smell. Start with broad families: fruit, flowers, herbs, spice. Pick a couple of aromas you recognise. Your kitchen and garden are excellent places to build that memory.
With a small sip, notice sweetness, mouth-watering freshness and texture. In a red wine, you might feel a drying grip from tannin. Describe the weight of the wine and how long the flavours stay with you. “Light and lively, with a short lemony finish” is already useful.
Curious where those scents come from? Explore primary and secondary wine aromas with familiar examples.
A tasting note example
This example shows the shape of a note. Let your own glass provide the details. If you smell pear where your friend smells apple, write pear and compare your impressions together.
Give your score a reason
If you use a score, pair it with a sentence. “8/10: I loved the freshness and would buy it again” tells future-you much more than a number on its own. Keep your scoring approach consistent as your collection of notes grows.
In CellarMemo, scores use whole points from 0 to 10. You can also record a guest wine and where you tasted it. Recording a tasting and changing your bottle count are separate actions, so your notes can include wines you tried at a friend’s house.
Make the next note easy
Use the same few headings each time. Our wine tasting notes template gives you a printable starting point. With practice, the words come more easily — and the memories stay a little sharper.
For dinner inspiration, try keeping a note of your favourite food pairings. When you return to the same vintage later, add a fresh note so you can follow its development.