5 Ways to Distinguish a Good Wine
A good wine is a wine that you like.
All oenophiles know that wine can be a complex and fascinating beverage. Good wine doesn’t need to be expensive or old – the most important thing is that we like it! Although “good” wine may be subjective, here are some tips that will help you distinguish the best from the rest..
1) Pay Attention to the Color
For red wines, color can provide significant insights into the wine’s quality. The pigmentation primarily comes from the grape skin, not the juice, which is typically clear. When the juice has extended contact with grape skins during fermentation—a process known as maceration—it extracts color, tannins, and flavor compounds. This leads to deeper-colored red wines. A young, high-quality red wine usually sports a vibrant, deep hue, often a rich ruby or purple. As it ages, the color tends to shift towards a brick red, signifying the development of more complex, mature flavors. However, a brownish or overly faded red can indicate that the wine is past its prime.
Moving on to white wines, the color-quality relationship is equally intriguing but follows a slightly different course. White wines are typically made without skin contact post-crushing, which is why they’re lighter to start with. The color spectrum for white wines ranges from pale straw-yellow to deeper gold or amber tones. Young, high-quality white wines tend to have a lighter, more vibrant color, indicating a fresh, crisp character. Similar to reds, if a white wine turns too brown or loses clarity, it’s often a signal that the wine has oxidized and likely deteriorated in quality.
An exception to this rule comes with white wines made with skin contact. Silk Road’s Georgian qvevri wines are made using at least 6 months of maceration on the skins in a clay vessel buried underground. The resulting wines have an orange/amber hue, indicative of firmer tannins and a depth of texture not typically achieved in whites. Some of these wines may develop a brownish tint as they become exposed to air, so don’t be alarmed. The deeper the color of a skin-contact white wine, the richer the flavor.
2) Smell the Wine
The aroma of a good wine should be pleasant, inviting and complex. A well-made wine should have a balanced aroma with notes of fruit, flowers, herbs, spices, and other flavors that don’t overwhelm your senses. Try to name as many as you can before tasting.
The primary aromas of wine come from the land where it was grown and the grape that was its raw material. Wines that are higher in alcohol or tannins may have a more astringent nose on the front end, and will benefit from decanting, which gives these more intense components time to “blow off.” Note that a good wine should not smell like wood. Also, if a wine has gone bad it will smell vinegary or have chemical or bacterial smells like acetone. Those characteristics are usually the consequence of the wine being “corked”—an unfortunate scenario where air infiltrates the bottle, affecting the wine’s quality. That air exposure can lead to a tainted wine that’s less than pleasant to taste. A seasoned sommelier has the expertise to catch this before it reaches your palate. By simply smelling the cork, a good somm can identify any signs of spoilage without even needing to taste the wine. It’s one of those lesser-known skills in the wine world that ensures you always have the best wine experience possible.
3) Taste the Wine
The taste of a good wine should be well-balanced combining sweetness, acidity, and tannins. When you taste a wine, let the liquid move around your tongue. Then figure out how many different flavors you can pick up on. The finish—the taste and sensation that lingers after swallowing—is a crucial component of its overall quality. A high-end wine usually offers a long, complex finish with layered flavors that mirror and amplify the initial palate, providing an enduring and pleasant aftertaste. If the finish is brief or ends with a harsh or unpleasant taste, it may indicate a lower quality wine. However, the length of a wine’s finish isn’t always an absolute indicator of quality. In fact, some excellent wines are characterized by a short but pleasing finish. This is particularly true for lighter-bodied reds such as Gamay, the grape behind the well-loved Beaujolais wines of France. These wines often deliver bright, fresh fruit flavors that charm the palate but don’t necessarily linger for a long time. This shorter finish is part of the style and appeal of such wines, underlining their easy-drinking nature and making them an excellent choice for a variety of occasions.
Exploring specific instances could provide clarity in this context. The act of tasting is inextricably tied to linking perceptions with expectations. For instance, one typically associates Pinot Noir with a light-bodied texture. However, if your palate detects pronounced alcohol and tannin content, it’s plausible that the production method deviates from tradition. California, in particular, is famed for crafting full-bodied, bold Pinot Noirs that may vary significantly from their counterparts in other regions.
Delving further, if your wine reveals a pronounced acidity, it suggests that the grapes were likely harvested early in their development. Conversely, a wine rich in alcohol signifies grapes left on the vine well into the season, thereby escalating their sugar content. The presence of substantial tannins can often point to barrel aging or extended skin contact during the wine’s maturation process. Through these cues, one can glean insights into the intricate journey from grape to glass.
Regardless of a wine’s price, red wine is better enjoyed between 10°C (50°F) and 16°C (60°F), the lighter and fruitier the wine, the colder you should serve it within this range. Full-bodied, aged wines are more pleasant when warmer, closer to the 16°C (60°F) mark. White wines, on the other hand, are best enjoyed slightly warmer than fridge temperature, between 49-55 degrees F (7–12 °C).
4) Check Out the Back
Sometimes the front labels of wine bottles are so enticing. But you should be sure to read the back labels as well!. Sometimes there is some important information about the wine like the flavor profile including the flavors of certain fruits, the aging process, importers and region. Any stamps of approval like awards or reviews may be signs of a good wine.
Other important label indications include:
- What’s the grape variety? If it’s a blend, what’s included in the mix?
- What region did the grapes come from? Are there specific appellations mentioned beyond the country?
- Is the winemaker or any of the farming practices mentioned in the description?
- What’s the vintage?
- Are there other people involved that I’m familiar with (i.e. importers or distributors)?
- What’s the alcohol content?
If you don’t understand what something means, don’t be shy to ask questions or for recommendations.
5) Check the Wine’s Price
Though price is not always the same as quality, it can be a general way to determine whether a wine is worth trying. More expensive wines are generally made with higher-quality grapes as a raw material and are aged longer. Natural wines made in smaller quantities may be more expensive (see our certified organic and biodynamic Qvevri Rose with only 1300 bottles made), and wines from household names may also be more expensive because people are familiar with the label. However, a wine’s price should only be considered as one quality indication among the many others we have shared. The most important takeaway is always your enjoyment.