WINE FAULTS - ADVANCED

Beschreibung

Wine Faults Detection Course This intensive course is designed for sommeliers and wine professionals who want to sharpen their sensory skills and confidently identify common wine faults in professional tasting and service environments. Over two days (12 hours) of guided classroom instruction and sensory evaluation, participants learn to recognise wine faults directly in the glass through systematic smell and taste analysis. Each fault is evaluated by comparing affected wines with clean control samples, allowing students to clearly understand the sensory differences. The course explores the chemical origins, sensory markers, and practical implications of the most common wine faults, including Lightstrike, Reduction, Oxidation (Acetaldehyde), Volatile Acidity, Cork Taint (TCA), Brettanomyces (4-Ethylphenol), and Mousiness (ATHP). Additional topics such as heat damage and smoke taint are also discussed. Participants will also examine the important boundary between true wine faults and stylistic deviations, particularly in the context of low-intervention wines and very mature bottles. A key component of the course is the introduction to the DAF – Deductive Approach to Faults, a structured tasting method developed in collaboration with Sietze Wijma (Art of Tasting). This systematic framework allows professionals to identify wine faults confidently and communicate their observations clearly. Beyond sensory training, the course also addresses best practices for cellar management and wine service, including how faults occur during storage, handling, and by-the-glass service. Participants will learn practical strategies for identifying, managing, and responding to faulty wines in professional environments. Learning Outcomes By the end of the course, participants will: Develop stronger sensory detection skills for wine faults Understand the chemical causes and sensory signatures of common faults Learn a systematic tasting approach to identifying faults Gain confidence in evaluating wines during service and professional tastings Be equipped to train staff and teams in wine fault recognition and prevention This course provides an essential foundation for wine professionals seeking to improve quality control, tasting accuracy, and professional confidence when assessing wines.