A visual examination of a wine will give you several
types of information. First, the color, will allow you
to start determining the grape varietal used, based on
your current knowledge of red and white wine varietals.
The color or tint of a wine around the “Meniscus”
or the edge of the glass where the wine still
clings to the side of the glass will give you hints as
to the age of the wine. Observed in natural sunlight,
tip the glass at an angle, and observe the coloring of
the wine from the center of the wine in the glass, to
the edge where the wine rests. Now follow the table
below and make an educated guess. Remember…White wine
vintages available in a present year are generally 2 to
3 years old. (Example: In the year 2000, current
vintages of white wine will be 1997 and predominantly
1998) Red wine vintages are generally 3 to 4 years old.
(Example: In the year 2000, current vintage red wines
will be 1996 and predominantly 1997)*
*These are called 90% rules…you make an educated guess and 90% of the time you will be either right on or close enough that you wont be embarrassed.
VISUAL OBSERVATIONS
| COLOR | SHADE | REFLECTION | INTERPRETATION | |
| WHITE WINE | STRAW GOLDEN |
PALE DARK |
GREEN GOLD CHESTNUT |
< 2 YEARS 2 TO 5 YEARS 6+ YEARS |
| BLUSH | PINK | LIGHT DEEP |
WHITE GREY AMBER |
< 2 YEARS 2 TO 5 YEARS 6+ YEARS |
| RED WINE | RED | RUBY GRENADINE |
VIOLET BRICK BROWN |
< 2 YEARS 2 TO 5 YEARS 6+ YEARS |
Still holding the glass at an angle, determine the thickness of the meniscus or “disc” and compare to the chart below. Next swirl the glass and allow the wine to rise up the sides of the glass. As the wine starts to move back to the bowl of the glass it forms “drip lets” or “Legs” that work their way down the inside of the glass…compare this observation to the chart below.
FLUIDITY
| THICK WINE – THICK MINISCUS | RICH IN ALCHOHOL & TEXTURE |
| FLUID WINE – THIN MINISCUS | LOW ALCHOHOL CONTENT |
| THIN FAST LEGS | DRIER, MORE ASTRINGENT HIGH ALCHOHOL |
| FULLER, SLOWER LEGS | FRUITIER, LOWER ALCHOHOL POSSIBLE SWEETNESS |
In the case of sparkling wines there is one very evident visual factor that reflects the quality of how the wine was made. Pour the “ Champagne or Sparkling Wine” into a tall fluted glass. The reason for this is that it gives the wine less surface area for the bubbles to escape, and will stay “lively” for a longer period of time. An old rule of thumb is that “The larger the bubbles…the less expensive the production was, and the less expensive the wine is. Also the larger the bubbles…the larger the headache after.” The inverse is true for higher quality production…the bubbles will be smaller, tighter and rise to the surface much faster…sometimes referred to as “Pearlage” or strings of pearls raising to the top of your glass.
EFFERVESCANCE
| SIZZLING, WHITE FOAM WITH SMALL TIGHT BUBBLES | METHODE CHAMPENOISE OR TRADITIONAL METHOD – HIGHER QUALITY |
| UNEVEN EFFERVESCENCE, LARGE BUBBLES – YELLOWED OR DULL FOAM | POOR DEVELOPMENT OR BULK PROCESS – LOWER QUALITY |
