wine o’clock
THE CORRECT WAY TO JUDGE
secondary and tertiary aromas, which are often referred to as the wine bouquet. These are from chemical reactions that occur during the fermentation process, such as the wine’s exposure to wood or the type of yeast used. You can also assess whether the wine is dry, sweet, acidic and whether it contains a lot of tannins, which add balance and complexity to the flavor. FIND THE BALANCE A balanced wine will be pleasant to drink if all of its components—taste, sweetness, body, and level of tannins—are balanced and complement each other well. OVERALL IMPRESSIONS Once you’ve considered all the factors mentioned above, you should be able to paint an overall impression of the wine you’re tasting. It can take some time before you develop a good nose for great wine, and you may want to practice your skills by taking wine tasting courses. Many wine guides will provide detailed reviews for various wines. You can test your abilities by judging a glass of wine and then refer to guides and see if your assessment is similar. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHICH WINES ARE WORTH YOUR MONEY, YOU’LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE WHICH WINES ARE THE BEST. BEGINNERS OFTEN MAKE THE MISTAKE OF BUYING WINES THAT HAVE ATTRACTIVE PACKAGING. HERE ARE SOME PROFESSIONAL TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU JUDGE WINE MORE ACCURATELY.
LOOK FOR CLARITY You should start by assessing a wine based on its clarity. Start by swirling some wine in a glass, and you’ll notice that some of the wine sticks to the side of the glass. If you spot any residue or particles on the side of the glass, that is a sign that the wine hasn’t been properly bottled. This would lead to poor clarity. Cloudy wines that have poor clarity are not very flavorful and can taste rather dull. CHECK FOR COLOR There are many types of wine, and each has its own unique color. Familiarize yourself with what shade the wine you’re looking at should be to assess if it meets those criteria. Even if the wine has good clarity, it’s not worth buying if the color is off, as this usually indicates a problem in the fermentation process that can affect its taste. Rosé wines should appear either pale to deep pink or dark salmon color. Red wines are typically pale to deep ruby, garnet, or purple. White wines are usually pale to deep gold, straw, or yellow. Sherry and port are usually pale to deep brown or amber. Some ports and red wines can even have a tawny color. IF YOU’RE STARTING OUT AS A WINE COLLECTOR AND CONNOISSEUR, YOU MIGHT FEEL OVERWHELMED— THERE’S SO MUCH TO LEARN. MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS TO LEARN, HOWEVER, IS HOW TO EVALUATE WINE.
ASSESS THE BODY AND TASTE Body, in terms of wine assessment, refers to the fullness of its taste. A full-bodied wine will have a robust taste and flavor. You need to learn what the body should be for the variety of wine you’re tasting. Some wines are meant to have more body than others. To assess the body, swirl the wine in a glass and notice how the sides drip back down into the glass—it should fall in sheets if it’s full-bodied and will break into lines if it’s medium-bodied. Light-bodied wines shouldn’t cling to the sides of the glass and will fall back down immediately. When you taste wine, you should be able to note fruity aromas, which will differ according to the kind of fruit that makes up the wine, as well as the kinds of flowers that grow nearby. You might also pick up some
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