When it comes to blind tastings, the structure of a wine plays a crucial role in helping you determine its origin, grape variety, and quality. By analyzing the structure of a wine, you can uncover important clues about how it was made and where it comes from. Here’s how you can analyze the structure of a wine in blind tastings:
What is the structure of a wine?
The structure of a wine refers to its combination of acidity, tannins, alcohol, and sweetness. These elements work together to create the overall mouthfeel and balance of the wine. Understanding the structure of a wine can give you insights into its style, age, and potential food pairings.
How to analyze the structure of a wine
- Color: Start by examining the color of the wine. Hold your glass against a white background and take note of its hue, intensity, and clarity. The color can give you clues about the grape variety, age, and winemaking techniques used.
- Acidity: Take a sip of the wine and pay attention to how your mouth feels. Does your mouth water? That’s a sign of high acidity. Acidity gives a wine its crispness and freshness, balancing out sweetness and richness.
- Tannins: Tannins are compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems that give red wines their astringency and structure. Tannins can make your mouth feel dry and puckered. Swirl the wine in your glass and note the level of tannins.
- Alcohol: Alcohol content can affect the body and texture of a wine. Higher alcohol wines tend to feel fuller and richer on the palate, while lower alcohol wines may feel lighter and more delicate.
- Sweetness: Determine if the wine is dry, off-dry, sweet, or dessert-style. Sweetness can impact the overall balance and perception of fruitiness in a wine.
Clues to look for in blind tastings
When analyzing the structure of a wine in a blind tasting, keep an eye out for these clues:
- Old World vs. New World: Old World wines from Europe tend to have higher acidity and lower alcohol levels, while New World wines from regions like California and Australia may have riper fruit flavors and higher alcohol content.
- Grape variety: Different grape varieties have distinct structural characteristics. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon often has high tannins, while Riesling is known for its high acidity.
- Winemaking techniques: Oak aging can add tannins and texture to a wine, while malolactic fermentation can soften acidity. These techniques can influence the overall structure of a wine.
- Age: Older wines tend to have softer tannins and more integrated flavors, while younger wines may be more tannic and acidic.
Practice makes perfect
The key to becoming proficient at analyzing the structure of a wine in blind tastings is practice. The more wines you taste and analyze, the better you’ll become at identifying structural elements and making educated guesses about the wine’s origin and style.