Wine tasting has been an ongoing practice for centuries. There are even professional tasters that claim to determine what you should seek in a good wine. These are all personal opinions though, since we all have different tastes. While in most cases it is usually a matter of personal taste, some distinct qualities are characteristics of a good wine. You do not need to be a professional wine taster to determine which is best for you, as you can do this yourself with the more wines that you sample. The best way is to identify the fundamental traits in a wine is to try them to determine the best for your taste preference. Here are a few qualities you should look out for when testing wines.
- Sweetness
Sweetness is relative to most, but in general, it is the residual sugar that is left after the wine is made. Sweet wines usually have a relatively high level of this sugar. Sour, or dry wines have most of their sugar fermented to alcohol. While determining the sweetness of a wine, focus more on the tip of your tongue for a tingling sensation. You will also taste the sweetness while swallowing. It does not mean though, that the higher the residual sugar level, the better the taste. Taste is mainly determined by what the wine was made from. Another characteristic of sweet wine is an oily sensation in the middle of your tongue. You can get some of the sweetest wines from Acker wines.
- Alcohol Content
Different wines contain varying alcohol content. Most range from 5% to 20%. Alcohol has a warming sensation to your throat, and is the element that makes you tipsy. If you want to just enjoy wine with your family including your children, you might have to consider alcohol free wines, or those with mild traces of this ingredient. If you are enjoying wine with your peers, then you can consider one with a higher percentage. Wines that have a high alcohol content tend to taste bolder and a little bit more oil, while those without alcohol or a lower concentration taste lighter.
- Acidity
Acidity is how tart wine is. This element is not synonymous with alcohol content, but is mostly confused as such. Tartness is brought about by the addition of tannin that helps add bitterness to the wine. It helps balance the sugar and the bitterness, making wine get that distant taste of sweetness while maintaining some level of bitterness. This ingredient leaves a dry feeling when you rub the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Tannin is good for your health as it helps break down meat proteins when you take wine with red meat.
- Aroma and Fragrant
Apart from the taste, how a wine smells is an important pointer of the taste of that particular wine. Good wine is likely to have a sweet aroma. You should make it a habit of sniffing wines before buying to determine which one to buy. The sweeter the aroma, the better the wine will be, and the better your drinking experience.
- Color
Wines are mostly red and white. When you are setting up a table, the color of the wine use plays a part in determining the outlook of your presentation. Secondly, red wines tend to leave a shade of red on your lips. Color is particularly a matter of personal taste, and does not to a great extent determine the quality of your wine. White wine looks classier though, than its red counterpart.