Swirl, Sip, Describe: Unlocking the Language of Wine Appreciation

Step into the world of wine tasting and learn to recognize, understand, and describe what’s in your glass with precision and nuance.

Wine is a complex and highly specialized field, with its own structures, sensory frameworks, and descriptive conventions. For language professionals, this can pose a significant challenge when working with wine-related content without a solid understanding of how wine is evaluated and described. This webinar offers a clear, practical pathway into wine appreciation through a structured sensory approach.

You will be guided step by step through the process of technical wine tasting, exploring the visual, olfactory, and gustatory phases and learning to identify key structural elements, such as acidity, tannin, alcohol, body, and finish. The webinar will also introduce the main aroma clusters, the stages of wine development, and the factors that influence wine styles. Special attention will be given to the jargon and descriptive terminology commonly used in sensory, technical, and review/rating contexts, as well as to the identification of common wine faults.

By the end of the webinar, you will have gained not only an essential knowledge of wine but also the confidence to engage with wine-related materials more effectively in both English and Spanish. This webinar represents a valuable opportunity to expand subject-matter expertise, enhance professional versatility, and approach wine content with greater precision and insight.

By attending this webinar, you will gain:

1. A structured sensory framework for analyzing wine through sight, smell, and taste, supporting accurate comprehension of wine-related language.
2. A clear understanding of the key structural elements of wine (acidity, tannin, alcohol, body, and finish), enabling greater precision when working with specialized texts and a deeper appreciation of wine in tasting experiences.
3. An increased familiarity with major aroma clusters, stages of wine development, and common wine faults, enhancing the ability to interpret wine discourse and explore the notion of quality in everyday contexts.
4. An increased command of English wine-related vocabulary, practical examples involving specific translation considerations into Spanish, and actionable insights for T&I professionals in this field of specialization.

About the Presenter

Ivana D’Agostino is a certified sommelier with a specialization in trade and marketing, holding the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines (Pass with Distinction). She is also the winner of the SOMM2025 Contest (2022), sponsored by Vinventions Sudamérica and the Argentine Sommelier Association. She conducts wine tasting events in Spanish and English for social and corporate audiences. She is a sworn Spanish to/from English translator and English as a foreign language instructor with over 20 years of experience. She has an extensive track record designing, facilitating, and coordinating courses for Spanish speakers in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), including corporate and legal English as well as preparation for TOEFL, IELTS, and Cambridge language exams. An expert in wine terminology in both languages, she delivers specialized training for wine industry professionals and translators at the Professional Association of Translators of Buenos Aires (Colegio de Traductores Públicos de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires). She is also experienced in translating legal, financial, and oenological documents for international companies/wineries operating in Argentina.