Our Life in Wine

This month, we wanted to address another question that we’ve received from friends. 

How to Judge Wine Quality: It's All About You

Trying to determine whether a wine is "good" or not can be tricky, especially if you're just starting out as a wine drinker.  Professionals use guidelines and methodical tastings to judge wine quality, but the real test is really your own preferences. Everyone has a different taste, and that's why wine is so interesting! Knowing why you like or dislike certain wines can help you know what to ask for and select the right bottle the next time around.

So what we want to do is help you discern what you like or dislike.  Don’t worry about what other people think about a wine. 

In general, human nature is about balance. We desire completeness. Adding complexity, details, and nuance stimulates the brain. Sometimes we like opposites coming together, sometimes we like harmony. When thinking about what the human brain might enjoy in wine, consider all of these things. 

The Role of Balance in Wine Tasting

A good wine has balance, so there will not be too much of any one component. Each component will work together, or one thing will help to counteract the other. Not too much alcohol, not too much viscosity, but just enough weight to the liquid in your mouth. Or a good dose of acidity off-set by nice fruit or other earthy flavors. A good analogy you can experiment with is to try eating a grilled cheese sandwich on its own. Tasty. But it can be overwhelmingly cheesy/greasy. Now, eat that grilled cheese with tomato soup - the tomatoes have acidity and a tang to them, that balance out the cheesy richness of the sandwich. A complete wine can do this - have elements that are unctuous and others that are crisp, coming together to create balance. 

Tasting for "Completeness" in Wine

Does the flavor linger in your mouth? Do you feel like a spectrum of tastes and textures were on your tongue? Or is there a hole where no flavor appeared? A story has a beginning, middle and an end - stories ending in cliffhangers always leave me dissatisfied. Wine is the same. If you feel like the sip started, intensified, finished, lingered and then settled down, or if you had a full story arc in your mouth, before it faded away, that's a complete wine.

Recognizing Nuance: Finding the Complexity in a Glass of Wine

This is where the complexity of wine comes in. Is there a hint of smoke? Or a whiff of flowers? Or a spark of spice? All of these are nuances that can come through in a wine, and all of them can add to its complexity and interest. 

Understanding Wine's Texture and Mouthfeel

Then finally texture can also play a role.  Some people prefer a softer texture, while others enjoy a rougher feel or a silky-smoothness. A good analogy is a blanket - do you like yours to feel like velvet, cotton, or cold silk? Consider the texture of the wine in your mouth and whether it is soft, angular, rough, silky, etc. 

By describing these components, a wine shop associate can find something similar. By practicing, you will learn to recognize what characteristics you like and dislike without writing down anything. (And what better homework than drinking more wine?) With that, you won't even need to memorize grape varieties - it's all about the components of the wine, and what makes you happy and satisfied.

Please feel free to reach out whenever you have a question for us!  No question is too small, and every question you have, we 100% guarantee someone else is asking the same thing.  Until next time.

Cheers!

-Sarah & Skye