Wine is one of the most beloved drinks all over the world. The first traces of wine date back thousands of years, and it has been mentioned through the centuries all over the world. As they say, wine is the drink of gods. Yet people know very little about it in general.
One doesn’t need to be a sommelier to know the difference between good and bad wine. If you know what the qualities of the best wine are, you’ll quickly learn to taste the difference. A wine guide won’t tell you the quality of the wine you are having. But if you learn what to look for, you’ll be able to determine it yourself.
Balanced Taste
When it comes to the qualities of the best wine, the taste is the most important one. Some wines are sweet; some are bitter. But as long as you have taste buds on your tongue, you’ll be able to distinguish the taste of the wine you’re having.
Professional sommeliers and wine connoisseurs can differentiate dozens of specific wine tastes just by smelling it and taking a small sip. It’s a skill that requires years of practice and experience to master. But, for regular people, knowing the basics is more than enough to distinguish good from bad wine.
The thing you should know is that a good-quality wine will never have a specific taste or aroma you’ll be able to tell right away. Sweetness, sourness, a bit of acidity, and saltiness should all be noticeable but not overwhelming. If the wine you’re having tastes bitter, it means that it’s full of tannin. It comes from the grape skin and seeds and is greatly responsible for the taste.
Complex but Reveals Clarity in Flavor
Every type of wine has one or two specific tastes in combination with a mixture of other tastes. One of the qualities of the best wine is that many aromas are mixed, but one should be dominant and clearly noticeable.
When you take a look at the wine guide, you should be able to easily find the aroma or flavor of the wine you’re having. Sommeliers are able to differentiate most of the flavors in a specific wine. But as an amateur enthusiast, you’ll be overwhelmed by the complexity of flavors many wines have.
Concentration is important when trying to determine the taste, so avoid crowded areas or any other form of distraction. You should also have a neutral biscuit before tasting the wine to get rid of any residue flavors from food or drinks you had previously.
When you have good conditions to properly taste the wine, you’ll be able to tell by the flavor whether you’re presented with a bottle of good quality wine or not. Proper taste is one of the main qualities of the best wine. So take your time the next time you go wine-tasting.
Well-Known Wine Origin
Wine comes from fermented grapes. Many people think that wine tastes the same, no matter where the grapes come from. But the place of origin plays a significant role when it comes to wine quality.
Now, it’s only natural to mention the top places the top wines come from. France is the first country that comes to mind when people think about wine, and for a good reason. Some of the world’s most famous names come from France. They include Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and many more.
Italy is just as famous as France. The two countries are currently battling for first place on the wine list. Italy has significantly improved wine production in the past couple of years. Now, some of the most famous Italian wines include Prosecco, Merlot, Trebbiano Toscano, Sangiovese, and Nero d’Avola.
When it comes to famous wine regions in the U.S., California is by far the leader. The world’s largest wine producer, Gallo, is located in Modesto, California.
Good Level of Alcohol
When it comes to wine alcohol percentage, there’s no perfect amount. Each type of wine has a specific amount of alcohol that goes perfectly with it. Every wine guide should include the percentage of alcohol and what is considered the perfect pour of wine.
You might have noticed that different types of wine are poured into different types of glasses and in different amounts. Wine with a smaller percentage of alcohol is usually poured freely. On the other hand, wines with a larger percentage of alcohol are served in smaller glasses.
The percentage of alcohol in a wine is important for pairing it with specific foods. Of course, alcohol percentage is one of the important qualities of the best wine. But it varies from type to type. When it comes to food pairing, wine with a lower percentage of alcohol is mostly recommended with seafood, appetizers, and soft cheeses such as Brie or Mascarpone.
Wine with a medium amount of alcohol usually goes with salmon, pasta, and pork chops. Wine with a high percentage of alcohol goes great with meat. They’re great as dessert wines as well, and you can sip them without eating anything.
Leaves a Long-Lasting Sensation
Wine-lovers who like to have a few glasses enjoy the taste occasionally. But the taste that is left after is what creates the biggest impression. The initial aroma and flavor are the first impression that determines whether a person will continue drinking a specific type of wine or not. The aftertaste is important for people who only drink the wine without pairing it with any food. Having a sweet taste for half an hour after finishing the glass is what makes people fall in love with a brand.
When you come across a low-quality wine, not only will the taste feel artificial, but the sensation after having a few sips will last only a minute or two. Not that the long-lasting sensation is a sign you should be looking for, but there’s a distinctive difference between the two. You could say that it’s one of the qualities people notice first. Even if they don’t have experience in wine-tasting.