It is the stage in the process which allows the taster to assess the impact of the wine on the tongue in terms of its primary elements, referred to in tasters' parlance as mellowness, acidity and astringency.

The sensation of mellowness or sweetness ("moelleux" in French), often well developed in Bourgogne wines, is perceived by receptors on the tip of the tongue. Acidity which confers on wines their freshness and vivacity, is detected by taste buds along the edges of the tongue. Astringency, which derives from the tannins in the wine, is perceived as a rough or harsh sensation affecting the palate and gums and sometimes as a slight bitterness at the back of the throat.

Take the wine into your mouth and gently draw in a little air through your lips. After a few seconds, spit the wine out. 

1. The attack
The first impression in the mouth.

Flabby, supple, straightforward or lively.

2. Balance of flavours
Acid, sweet, bitter, salty.

For red wines, do not forget to describe the tannins *
*The grape tannins, found in red wines, react with the protein in saliva making it lose its lubricating qualities and giving a typical impression of dryness.
They can be:
+ : supple, gentle, silky, full, elegant, etc.
-: raspy, rough, harsh, dry, bitter, green, etc.

3. Body

+: Full-bodied, ample, full, dense, fleshy, etc.
- : thin, lean, light, scrawny, etc.

4. Finish in the mouth

The finish in the mouth is an important aspect of tasting wine - it should be non-aggressive, pleasant and aromatic. This is the point at which a bitter finish, dryness and astringency are detected in wines*
*The astringency caused by the tannins and an excess of tartaric acid can be measured by the dry sensation remaining in the mouth once the wine has been swallowed or spat out) and the burning sensation from the alcohol.

5. Lenght

The pleasant sensation of the wine being present in the mouth after it has been drunk or spat out.
It can be very long, medium, short or very short.

Comments: the tingling sensation from the carbonic gas must not systematically be taken as a weakness! This is a factor of freshness in dry white wines.
In crémants, carbonic gas adds freshness and the sensations created by it must of course be taken into account.