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Degustarea vinului poate părea complicată și complexă uneori, însă în acest articol vă vom da câteva sfaturi pentru a degusta vinul ca un adevărat cunoscător de vinuri.
Mai întâi, este important de specificat faptul că absolut oricine poate învăța să deguste corect un vin, fără a fi un degustător profesionist. Tot ce trebuie să aveți este o tehnică de degustare consecventă, pe care să o îmbunătățiți. De fiecare dată când beți vin, acordați un moment aprecierii caracteristicilor unice ale acestuia.
Exersând, veți deveni un degustător profesionist de vin în scurt timp! Trebuie doar să urmați cei patru pași din metoda de degustare convențională: Priviți, Mirosiți, Gustați și Gândiți.
Tehnica de degustare în patru pași este gândită să vă antreneze capacitatea de a identifica caracteristicile esențiale ale unui vin ți de a vă perfecționa memoria aromelor pe care le descoperiți în vinuri. După o bună perioadă de tip veți putea în mod natural să asociați, sa comparați și să valorați vinuri.
Dacă vrei să îți exersezi tehnica de degustare și ești un începător în ale vinului, trebuie să menționăm că este foarte important tipul de pahar pentru care vei opta pentru degustare. Paharul poate pune în valoare aromele vinului sau le poate difumina înainte de a putea fi apreciate de degustător. Descoperă aici tot ce trebuie să știi despre tipurile de pahare pentru diferite tipuri de vin.
Tot în partea pregătitoare a degustării putem analiza detaliile tehnice ale vinulu expuse direct pe eticheta sticlei. Este important să analizăm detalii precum cupajul vinului, dacă este organic, vegan, are sau nu alcool, sulfiți, etc. Sunt aspecte care se vor reflecta direct în aromele vinului. Dacă ți se pare covârșitoare cantitatea de informații expusă pe etichetă în acest articol îți explicăm ce este important de reținut de pe eticheta vinului.
Prima parte a degustării este...analizarea vinului la nivel vizual pentru a putea detecta culoarea, intensitatea sau opacitatea vinului dar și vâscozitatea acestuia.
Pentru a putea detecta aceste detalii cu o acuratețe ridicată este indicat să turnăm o cantitate de 75 ml de vin, să înclinăm paharul iar analiza să aibă loc într-un loc cu lumină naturală. Este regulă ca analiza vinului din pahar să se facă pe un fond alb pentru a nu altera percepția vizuală.
Intensitatea culorii, opacitatea sau viscozitatea acestuia sunt parametrii ce trebuie observați și analizați în prima parte a degustării.
Pentru a observa culoarea vinului sau mai bine zis intensitatea acesteia trebuie să înclini paharul la aproximativ 45° și să analizezi culoarea vinului pe un fond alb, cum menționam mai devreme. Concentrează-te pe nuanța care se observă spre buza paharului.
Vei putea observa diferențe de culoare și limpezime care sunt date în general de soiul sau soiurle de struguri din care este elaborat vinul. Atuncii când comparăm culoarea vinului este bine să o facem cu vinuri din același soi/cupaj și nu cu vinuri din soiuri diferite de struguri.
Vinurile albe cu o culoare clară sunt tinere și nu au trecut prin maturarea în butoi, cele albe cu nuanțe aurii sunt cele care au fost maturate în butoaie de stejar.
În cazul celor roșii vinurile cu mai puțin pigment sunt fie vinuri tinere, fie elaborate din soiuri precum Pinot Noir ori Zinfandel. Vinurile roșii pigmentate sunt cele cu o largă crianza, au mai multă antocianină și o aciditate mai ridicată.
Pentru a putea aprecia viscozitatea vinului trebuie să îl rotim în pahar, să îl punem în mișcare. Vinurile care se descriu în limbajul de specialitate ca fiind vinuri uleioase sunt cele care de obicei conțin mai mult alcool sau zahăr rezidual. Tot în această parte a degustării putem observa lacrimile vinului, sau modul în care vinul se scurge pe pereții paharului de vin.
Urmează etapa mirosului sau a adulmecării aromelor vinului. Înainte de toate este indicat să nu folosești prea mult parfum în momentul degustării sau cel puțin să nu fie un parfum puternic.
Apropie paharul de nas și inspiră prima dată pentru a-ți obișnui nasul cu mirosul vinului, apoi inspiră din nou de data aceasta mai lent concentrându-te simultan pe aromele pe care vinul ți le descoperă. Repetă, mișcând vinul în pahar pentru a amorsa tot parfumul vinului.
Când vei apropia nasul de buza superioară a paharului vei descoperi aromele florale, iar când te vei apropia de buza inferioară a paharului vei descoperi aromele de fructe.
Vei observa că de fiecare dată când repeți procesul vei descoperi arome diferite. Aromele se divid în arome primare, secundare și terțiare. Pe unele le vei descoperi la început, pe altele după ce repeți adulmecarea vinului.
Din rare ocazii în această fază a degustării poți descoperi și defecte ale vinului. Mai multe detalii despre toate defectele vinului într-un articol viitor.
Odată realizată analiza vizuală și olfactivă trecem la gustarea vinului.
Primul sorbit trebuie să fie generos. Încearcă să savurezi vinul și să-i descoperi toate aromele înainte de a îl înghiți sau scuipa (în sesiunile de degustare profesionistă vinul se scuipă). Următoarele înghițituri trebuie să fie mai mici decât cea inițială. Încearcă să descoperi cu acestă ocazie arome noi ale vinului. Descoperă trei arome de fructe, plus alte trei arome diferite.
În partea anterioară a cerului gurii se poate simți dulceața viului, aciditatea te va face să salivezi, alcoolul se va simți ca un val de căldură pe gât.
În această parte a degustării trebuie să ții cont și de predispoziția naturală a unora dintre noi de fi hipo ori hipersensibili. Astfel pentru unii un vin poate părea mai aromat, mai puternic, mai uleios ori mai dulce decât pentru alții.
Încearcă să reții sau să notezi aromele pe care le observi în vinul pe care îl deguști.
Ultima parte a degustări este cea în care extragem concluziile personale despre vin. Putem deduce la finalul acestui proces dacă vinul este echilobrat, mai exact dacă aromele sale sunt complementare sau dacă o trăsătura a vinului le domină pe celelalte.
Încearcă să identifici ceea ce îți place și ceea ce nu-ți place la un vin. Apoi, în timp vei putea compara vinuri din același soi, din aceleași regiuni, aceleași cupaje.
Dacă vrei să te transformi într-un degustător profesionist, îți poți crea propriul album cu note de degustare unde să menționezi detaliile tehnice ale vinului și observațiile tale personale despre vin.
La finalul degustării poți schimba opinii cu alți degustători. În cazul vinurilor premiate pe care le descoperi poți compara observațiile tale cu cele ale degustătorilor profesioniști. Descoperă mai multe despre vinurile premium și premiile lor in articolul nostru dedicat acestora. Pe final, un alt sfat util în degustare este să te ții departe de miturile despre vinuri. Lasă fiecare vin să îți descopere povestea și aromele sale.
Sperăm ca la finalul acestui articol degustarea vinului să nu mai pară rezervată doar profesioniștilor și să te încumeți să-ți descoperi gustul în materie de vinuri.
Inspiră-te cu vinurile din catalogul nostru și alege-ți preferatele!
Sfaturi pentru începători și connoisseurs pentru a alege sau descoperi vinuri noi. Află cum poți să faci alegeri inspirate ținând cont de informațiile pe care ți le oferă eticheta vinului și ce trebuie să eviți cu orice preț.
Spring has finally arrived, and with all the good weather and flower blossoms, our wine-tasting preferences are different than in winter. In this blog, I´ll give you my top recommendation for what wines to drink in spring, so that you can welcome the new season in style. Whether you are a red wine lover or a bubble enthusiast, in this blog you´ll find the inspiration to choose the perfect bottle. In spring, we tend to drink light-bodied wines, rose and sparkling wines. With the good weather, we prefer refreshing, light and crisp wines, that have lower alcohol content. We prefer that, because high-alcohol wines, are heavier, and fuller, and therefore are more suitable for colder weather. With the welcoming of spring, we also tend to eat lighter dishes, such as salads, seafood and grilled vegetables. For that type of food, the perfect wine pairing would be light-bodied wines, as they don´t overpower the dish´s flavour. Light-bodied white wines Light-bodied whites are normally refreshing and fruity, very aromatic, with low alcohol content. You can easily distinguish a light-bodied white bottle, given that they have a pale colour. When you smell the wine, they are aromatic, with aromas of citrus, green apple and pear. When you taste it, it has high acidity levels, with a refreshing taste. For spring, I recommend trying light-bodied white grapes such as: 1. Albariño, from the northern part of Spain, in Galicia: This is an excellent grape variety for spring because it is fresh and aromatic with mineral notes. Albariño wines have become very popular because they have great taste and they are very easily paired with food. My top Albariño recommendation for spring is Mar de Frades, a light white with mineral notes. I love the packaging of this wine, as when properly cooled at 10ºC, a small boat appears on the blue bottle. 2. Verdejo, from D.O. Rueda: I recommend trying Piedra Verdejo Organic, an aromatic and easy-to-drink organic white wine, from the popular D.O. Rueda region in Spain. 3. Sauvignon Blanc, a fresh and versatile white wine. I recommend trying Sapientia Sauvignon Blanc Organic, a white produced by the family winery Lagar de Moha in D.O. Rueda. With its crisp and refreshing taste, this bottle is ideal for sharing it with family and friends. 4. Vinho Verde, from Portugal. Light-bodied white wines are perfect as appetizers, with salad, or seafood, as it has high acidity levels that balance perfect with the flavour of the dish. Rose Wines Rose bottles are quickly gaining popularity among wine enthusiasts. Wine lovers looking for a trendy wine will love a glass of rose given that is very flexible and has a refreshing flavour. Compared to red wines, pink wines have a lighter body and greater fragrant intensity. Popular rose wines have a modest alcohol percentage and are very aromatic and fresh. Its characteristics are more similar to those of a young white wine than a red wine. Rose wines are particularly intriguing because the flavour and colour entirely depend on the winemaker's preferences and how long the maceration process lasts. To produce rose wines with full aromatic intensity and greater acidity levels, winemakers typically aim for a brief maceration. Given its trendiness, aromatic intensity and refreshing flavours, rose wine have become very popular. For spring, I recommend the following rose wines: 1. A.O.C Cotes de Provence: Located in the southeastern region of France, Côtes de Provence rose wines are usually made of Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Trendy, and refreshing, these bottles are perfect for relaxing in a sunny terrace or for a picnic lunch. I recommend trying Chateau Grand Boise Rose Organic, an excellent bottle made of grenache, cinsault and syrah. If you want to try a real Côte de Provence wine, you should try this one. 2. D.O Ribeira Sacra, made of Mencia grapes: Ribeira Sacra´s rose wine are hidden gems from the north of Spain. If you are looking for something truly special and remarkable made of Mencia grapes, I recommend trying Abadia da Cova Mencia 2020. This wine has been crafted in a beautiful but difficult harvest area. When you try it, you can taste the uniqueness of the Ribeira Sacra´s terroir. 3. D. O Empordà, made of Grenache grapes: Mallolet Rosat is made with 100% grenache grapes, this rose wine comes from D.O. Empordà, in the northern part of Catalonia. Crafted by Roig Parals winery, this rose features red fruit aromas with a fresh taste. Rose wines are perfect to pair with charcuterie boards, grilled seafood, sushi, salad dishes and spicy dishes, such as thai curry. I love the versatility of the rose wine with food pairing, as it goes perfectly with a vast range of dishes. Indeed, rose wine is the perfect wine for welcoming spring. Light Bodied Red Wines Light bodied red wines are delicate, subtle and elegant red wines with low tannins and a high acidity level, which makes it the perfect type of drink for welcoming spring. Given that they are made of red grapes with thin skin and light pulp, they result in a refreshing red wine, perfect for the spring season. For these warm and sunny days, I recommend trying the following grape varieties: 1. Pinot Noir. I recommend trying Pinot Noir “Petit Clos” 2020, a dry medium bodied red from New Zealand. This red feature aroma of lavender and dried rose petals, with a balanced aftertaste. 2. Gamay. I recommend Morgon 2018, a red made of 100% Gamay grapes. Produced in the famous Bourgogne region, this French wine is perfect for spring due to its floral aromas and elegant finish. If you are a red wine enthusiast, you will love its versatility. Light-bodied red bottles can be paired with a vast range of food, from appetizers to red meat dishes. Given that they do not have a high alcoholic content, it is a great wine to drink in a picnic or in a barbecue. Sparkling Wines Sparkling wines are one of my favorite drinks there are. I love the bubbles, the high acidity and the refreshing taste. This drink is perfect for spring, thanks to its wide range of flavours and aromas, and its versatility with food pairing. There are different types of sparkling wines, for example in France we would be talking about champagne, cava in Spain and prosecco in the north of Italy.Here are some recommendations that you need to try if you love bubbles: 1. Champagne 2. Cava 3. Prosecco Sparkling wines are very versatile, and they pair great with a wide range of food. For example, if you are having brunch, you can pair a quiche Lorraine with an extra brut champagne. If you are having appetizers, for example, oysters, then you can pair it with a dry Champagne or a Cava brut. If you are having grilled fish with lemon, you can pair it with a nice glass of Prosecco. A nice bottle of prosecco superiore docg is always a great option. Finally, if you are having a crème brûlée as a dessert, you can pair it with a glass of Blanc de Noir Champagne. As you can see, sparkling wine is one of the most versatile and refreshing drinks there are. There is the idea that champagne is only for special occasions, but you should know that French people drink champagne very frequently, as it is truly embedded in their identity. There are many of wines that are perfectly suited to the season, whether you're having a picnic in the park, hosting a dinner party, or simply winding down after a hard day. The possibilities are boundless, from crisp, refreshing whites to light-bodied reds and exuberant sparklers. I hope you found some inspiration in this blog to welcome spring in style. Do not hesitate to visit our online store to discover more delicious wines from all over the world! See you later, wine lovers, Victoria Estrada
Read MoreWhen opening a bottle of wine, it is important to take measures to preserve the aromas and the taste, as good preservation can make all the difference. Even though for wine enthusiasts it is difficult to open a bottle and not finish it, there are times that we only want to drink a glass of our favourite red, white or sparkling drink. In this blog, I´ll explain why is important to preserve correctly the wine and I´ll give you some tips to bear in mind when preserving bottles, so next time you open a bottle and do not finish it, you will know how to properly store it for the next time you want to enjoy your favourite drink. Remember, that good storage makes all the difference, as it can be enjoyed over the course of several days or even weeks! One of the main issues that we can face with leftover wine is oxidation. If we open a bottle and we don´t close it properly, the drink will come in contact with the air, causing oxidation. We don´t want that because it can cause oxidation, which in turn will make the bottle lose its aromas and flavours. Another common problem that people face is the growth of bacteria, which in turn will completely destroy the drink. Why Does Wine Spoil? Wine can spoil for different reasons, such as bad bottling, oxidation, bacterial growth, and bad storage. Bad bottling in the bottling process can lead to the drink coming into contact with air, which in turn leads to oxidation. An oxidized bottle will lose its aromas, freshness, and flavours. You know it is oxidized when the colour turns brown or cloudy and has a vinegar-like taste. So, in order to prevent this from happening, we need to be very careful when preserving the bottle after opening it. Another reason why the drink spoils is that bacteria can grow on the wine. Bacteria grow when there are favourable conditions for their growth. For example, some reasons can be when it comes in contact with oxygen if the drink has not been properly sulfited or the high temperature. Bacteria can cause spoilage of the drink and cause bad flavours and aromas. Also, a quick way of noticing if your bottle has bacteria, it´s if it has a vinegar-like taste. If that´s the case, then either the drink has bacteria or it has come in contact with air. How To Store Wine After Opening In order to avoid oxidation and bacteria, it is important to properly store wine. Here are some tips that you can use to preserve wine next time you open a bottle:Re-cork the bottle tightly: When you open the bottle and serve the glasses, immediately recork again the bottle, in order to avoid too much air coming in contact with the drink. If you don´t have the original cork, use a wine stopper.Store the bottle in the fridge: By keeping the drink cold, you decrease the temperature of the bottle and therefore, you slow down the oxidation rate.Depending on the type of wine, you can properly store it in the fridge for one or two days, or maybe longer. For example, red wine can last in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. White wine can also last for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. However, sparkling wine can only last 1-3 and rose bottles can last in the fridge for 5-7 days, without being fully damaged.Use a vacuum seal: By using the vacuum sealer in the bottle, you reduce the amount of oxidation and therefore, you reduce the oxidation process. Best Wine Saver Tools Coravin Wine Preservation System: Coravin is one of the most popular brands for preservation system. Their system allows you to pour wine from a bottle without removing the cork, with a push button and a vacuum pump Wine Stopper: The stopper works as a replacement for the cork when the bottle is already opened. Using the seal and avoiding contact with air, helps prevent oxygen from entering the bottle, keeping the wine as fresh as possible. Rabbit Wine Preserver: With this tool, you can preserve opened wine bottles for up to two weeks. It is a stopper that goes on the mouth of the wine bottle to block the passing of the air and avoid oxidation. If you're looking for a convenient and reliable way to shop for your favorite wines, look no further than our ecommerce wine store! We offer a wide selection of high-quality wines from all over the world, and our easy-to-use website makes it simple to find and order your favourites. So why not check us out today? Whether you're looking for a bottle to pair with dinner or a case to stock up on your cellar collection, we've got you covered. Just click the link to our website and start shopping now!
Read MoreWe have all seen a wine decanter. But, why do we decant wines? And, how long do we decant wines? In this blog, I´ll try to answer some of the questions that you may have regarding the decantation of wine. I´ll talk about the reasons to decant wine, when to decant wine, how to decant wine and how long to decant wine, so that next time you are opening a bottle of wine, you will know the best way to fully enjoy it. Reasons to Decant Wine The decanting of wine has several purposes. The first and best known is to separate the wine from the sediments created inside the bottle during reductive ageing. Reductive ageing is the process when the wine ages inside the bottle. This ageing takes place without oxygen. These deposits do not impact the taste of the wine, but seeing them can be unpleasant and we can notice these sediments in the mouth. So, by decanting, we trespass the wine from its bottle without the sediments to the decanter. Another advantage of decanting is that, by putting the wine in contact with the air, it oxygenates it and helps it to open up. By doing so, the wine can express its full aromatic range more quickly and eliminate unpleasant aromas from the bottling process. The wines that generally benefit from decanting are Crianza red wines, and Reserva and Gran Reserva red wines. Normally, we don´t need to decant White wines as they rarely have sediments. When to Decant Wine In France, it is common to decant both red and white wines. However, in Spain, they usually only decant red wines aged in oak barrels, Reserva wine and gran reserva red wines. White wines are not usually decanted so often, as they rarely have sediment, although there are some whites that need to be decanted to oxygenate them and make them express their aromas better. Not all wines need to be decanted. As I mentioned before, decanting is necessary to remove the sediments, aerate the wine and release the wine´s aromas. Here are some guidelines to know if we need to decant a wine: Age: Old wines, let´s say, 10 years older, need to be decanted in order to remove the juice from the sediment. The decanting time for older wines can be around 30 minutes, given that too much oxygen can have a negative impact on the wine. Remember, that we decant old wines to remove the sediment, but we don´t want too much oxygen Grape Variety: Full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Bordeaux blend benefit from decanting as the process can help soften tannins and open up aromas and flavours. However, medium-bodied wine like Pinot Noir or a light-bodied wine like a Beaujolais, don´t require a long decanting time. Vintage of the wine: Some vintages may require longer decanting times than others, depending on how the wine has aged. How to Decant Wine To decant wine like a pro you will need the following material: A tray to carry the wine from the cellar to the table. A decanterA liteaux (a white tea towel)A wine glass and glasses for the guests.A bottle of wine Now that you have all the materials to decant wine like a pro, let´s have a look at the standard decantation procedure: 1.We place the tray on the serving table with all its elements in order:2. We present the bottle inside the basket to the host very carefully so as not to move the wine from the bottle.3.Place the basket on the right side of the tray with the front of the basket on a plate.4.Uncork the bottle with the corkscrew5.We clean the neck of the bottle with the liteaux6.We serve a little bit of wine in the wine glass, in order to clean the decanter, given that water drops can remain in the decanter. Once cleaned, the wine is returned to the wine glass.7.With the right hand, we hold the bottle of wine and with the left hand, we hold the decanter. We bring the two openings closer, and we carefully transfer the wine from one to the other. As soon as we see the first sediments, we put the bottle aside and the decanting process is finished. How Long to Decant Wine Depending on the type of wine, the decanting time can vary. Factors like the grape variety and vintage of the wine are important when deciding how long to decant wine. For example, younger vintages of red wine may need a longer decanting time than older vintages. For older wines, decanting is only necessary to remove the sediments, so we don´t need to decant the wine for a long period of time, as too much oxygen will get into the wine and it may lose aromas. As a rule of thumb, for older wines, 30 minutes of decanting should be sufficient. For full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec, the decanting time can vary from 30 minutes up to 2 hours, depending on the vintage and style of the wine. Decanting is necessary for these types of wines, as it will help to aerate the wine, so the full range of aromas can be released. Medium-bodied red wines, like Pinot Noir, Merlot and Sangiovese need less decanting time than full-bodied wines, from 15 to 30 minutes. Light-bodied wines like Beaujolais, don´t usually require decanting, as they are already delicate and light. White wines, as we mentioned before, are not normally decanted. However, if you decide to decant the white wine, a few minutes should be enough. It's important to taste the wine periodically during the decanting process to determine when it has reached the desired level of aeration. I hope you enjoyed this article and you learned a little bit more about why to decant wines, how to decant wine and for how long to decant wines. If you want to discover a great selection of wines, don´t forget to visit our online store and subscribe to our newsletter. See you later, wine lovers, Victoria
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