How to judge the quality of wine
The quality of wine is affected by many factors, including production area, vintage, brewing process and storage conditions. For ordinary consumers, how to quickly judge the quality of a bottle of wine? This article will combine recent hot topics and structured data to provide you with practical identification methods.
1. Observe the appearance
The appearance of a wine can provide a lot of information. First, pour the wine into a clear glass and observe its color and clarity. High-quality wines are usually bright in color, clear and free of impurities. The following are common wine color characteristics:
| wine type | color characteristics |
|---|---|
| red wine | Deep red, purple or ruby red with a slight orange or brown edge (after aging) |
| white wine | Light yellow, golden or amber (after aging) |
| Rosé wine | Pink or salmon color, high transparency |
If the wine is cloudy or has suspended solids, it may be a sign of improper storage or poor quality.
2. Smell the aroma
Good wines have complex and layered aromas. Swirl the glass gently to allow the liquid to come into contact with the air, then smell carefully. The following are common wine aroma types:
| Aroma type | describe |
|---|---|
| Fruity | Such as black currant, cherry, lemon, peach, etc. |
| Floral fragrance | Such as rose, violet, jasmine, etc. |
| oaky | Such as vanilla, smoke, coconut, etc. (from oak barrel aging) |
| Other aromas | Such as spices, leather, chocolate, etc. (produced after aging) |
If you smell a pungent smell of alcohol, musty or acetic acid, there may be a problem with the quality of the wine.
3. Taste the taste
Taste is the key to judging the quality of wine. High-quality wine should have the following characteristics:
| Taste elements | describe |
|---|---|
| Balance | Acidity, sweetness, tannins and alcohol harmonize with each other |
| Tannin | The tannins of red wine should be fine and supple, not rough. |
| Aftertaste | High-quality wines have a long aftertaste, usually more than 5 seconds |
If the wine feels flat, sour or bitter after entering the mouth, it may be of average quality or has not reached the drinking period.
4. Understand the production area and year
The region and vintage of wine have a great influence on the quality. Recommended recent popular production areas and years are as follows:
| Production area | Recommended year | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux, France | 2015, 2016 | Rich tannins and strong aging potential |
| Tuscany, Italy | 2018, 2019 | Intense fruit aroma and balanced structure |
| Napa Valley, USA | 2017, 2018 | Full-bodied wine with prominent oak aroma |
5. Reference to authoritative ratings
If you have limited knowledge about wine, you can refer to professional ratings. The following are the ratings of recent popular wines (data from Wine Spectator):
| wine | Rating (out of 100) | price range |
|---|---|---|
| Château Lafite Rothschild 2016 | 98 | ¥5000+ |
| Opus One 2018 | 97 | ¥3000-4000 |
| Penfolds Grange 2017 | 96 | ¥2500-3500 |
Conclusion
Judging the quality of wine requires comprehensive information such as appearance, aroma, taste, and production area. Through the above methods, even beginners can quickly improve their tasting skills. Recently popular high-scoring wines and high-quality production areas deserve attention, but the final choice must be based on personal taste preferences.
(The data in this article are based on hot topics and authoritative wine ratings on the Internet in the past 10 days)
check the details
check the details
en
