How to analyze the quality and vintage of red wine?

When tasting wine, the color of wine naturally becomes the first element to be felt. The color of wine can show the year, sweetness, grape variety and even the brewing process.

Pick up the glass and observe the color of the wine on a white background. Observe the purity, and the color turbidity indicates that there is something wrong with this wine.

Evaluate the color of wine. White wine may be pale yellow, lemon yellow or golden yellow. Green means that this wine is relatively new and very young. Dark yellow or golden yellow indicates that the wine has a certain age and is relatively mature.

For red wine, purplish red is the characteristic of young wine, and brown is the characteristic of mature wine. The color of each wine represents the specialty of the wine-try to evaluate the color of the wine with descriptive words.

2. Smell angle

People's sense of smell has better judgment than taste. Before you taste wine, the smell of wine will bring enough information. The "aroma" of wine will change not only because of the year and grape variety, but also because of the weather, soil quality and brewing technology (whether it is brewed in oak barrels or stainless steel containers) in grape growing areas.

Put your nose close to the glass and concentrate on the smell-is it strong, complicated or light and simple? Does the aroma last or disappear immediately? Describe the taste of wine in your own words. Many people in China are not familiar with blackcurrant and black plum, so it is better to describe them with words they are familiar with, such as related words (such as Yangmei), which is more accurate. There is no absolute right or wrong in describing wine-just grasp how to convey helpful information to others.

The smell of wine proves its age. Old white wine is usually sweeter and more mellow, while young white wine is usually described as having fresh fragrance of flowers, fruits and grass.

3. Taste angle

Finally, taste the winemaker's masterpiece! A good wine should balance four flavor elements: acidity and sweetness in white wine, sweetness, acidity and tannin in red wine.

Take a sip of wine and judge the sweetness of the wine with the tip of your tongue. The root of your tongue will tell you how sour the wine is. The roots of front teeth can help you judge the tannins of wine. Finally, turn the wine in your mouth and swallow it. The most important thing is "taste"-is it "soft" or "rough"?

Pay attention to the change of taste and the dissipation speed of taste after swallowing. This is called the "aftertaste time" of wine, which can have a great influence on the quality of wine. In a good wine, the "aftertaste time" of the wine can exceed 1 minute or even longer, creating a reverie space that other wines cannot bring.

The year and place of origin (place of origin) require us to read the wine label:

How to read wine labels

The label on the bottle has its own language-the wines brewed in different regions "speak" different languages. Therefore, if you want to know about wines around the world, you must be proficient in the "wine language" on various labels.

Generally speaking, the labels of wines produced in "old world producing areas" (Europe) contain more comprehensive information than those produced in "new world producing areas" (Australia, North America, South America and South Africa). But there is an obvious exception: the new world producing areas will indicate the types of grapes used for wine making, while the traditional producing areas will generally omit this information. The reason is that the types of grapes used for wine brewing in the old world are well known and are generally strictly restricted by local laws. For example, almost all white wines in Burgundy are made from Chardonnay grapes, while red wines in Burgundy are made from Pi Nuo. The Burgundy label "assumes" that the buyer has mastered this "basic knowledge of wine".

The "year" of wine refers to the year of grape picking when wine is brewed.

Almost all still wines are made from grapes of a single year, and the year on the label refers to the year of grape picking and fermentation. Wine is usually aged for a long time before it goes on the market, so the label of wine just on the market often indicates a long year. Spirits and sparkling wines, including champagne, are generally "unlabeled" wines. Because in order to achieve "unique style", it is often necessary to blend wines from different years. In this case, the label of the bottle will be marked with "NV" (undated).

Why are wines from different years different?

The main reason lies in the climate. The weather in grape-growing areas is different every year, and sometimes there are great changes. Different grape varieties have different reactions to weather changes. For example, Syrah/Shiraz grows well in warm and dry conditions, and the fruit is mature and full. Because of this, this grape grown in Barossa Valley, South Australia produces excellent wine. Sauvignon Blanc is suitable for growing in a cold and humid environment, so this grape grows well in the Loire Valley of France and the southern islands of New Zealand.