Tuesday, August 30, 2011

(Eno)Logically Speaking - Tasting & Grading Wine by Clive S. Michelsen

Some quotes from "Tasting & Grading Wine" by Clive S. Michelsen. 

Tasting & Grading Wine covers the essential aspects of wine analysis. It begins by describing viticulture and vinification, the use of oak in winemaking, styles of wine, defects, sensory analysis, taste, balance, grape typicity, storage potential and acerating of wines. This work offers a complete reference to practical wine-tasting and grading for winemakers, the trade, students and wine enthusiasts.

  • Classical wine styles are not necessarily from winemaking countries in the old world, such as France, Italy and Spain, but wines made in the Old World Style, wines which reflect both grape and regional blending characteristics
  • Modern wine styles are not necessarily from countries like South Africa, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Chile as generally discussed in some wine books but they belong to regions that produce a more fruity alcohol-rich wine
  • Picking late will produce an overripe fruit with very high concentrations of sugar. Fruit-driven wines usually focus on high sugar content
  • The wine's appearance: color. hue, tone, brightness and viscosity can reveal a lot about it's actual condition and age as well as where it might have been made, possible grape types and even some defects
  • Young white wines nearly always start their life cycle with a greenish yellow tint, progressing to an almost dark amber in very old sweet wines. As with red wine, white wines have a richer, darker hue in warmer climates and if oak-matured
  • Young red wines always start their life cycle with a blue-red or purple-red blue
  • A young nose is full of fresh fruit and acidity
  • Good acidity levels are extremely important for sweet wines
  • The rim width is a band of color, ranging in width from 1mm to 20mm. It is instrumental when grading color in relation to age. the older the wine the wider the rim width
  • High viscous tension on the rim of the glass represents high alcohol and sugar contents. In most cases, wines with high alcohol has long slender legs and those with high sugar tale longer to appear and have thicker and fuller legs
  • As the alcohol content increases, it usually affects the body of the wine by making it taste more full-bodied or weighty, warm and powerful. In wines with too much alcohol a hot or burning sensation is also sensed

Cheers,
LA


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