What Makes a Wine Good: Defining Quality in Fine Wine
Updated
A good wine is one that is free from faults, exhibits desirable aromatic and gustatory characteristics, and achieves a harmonious balance of its components. This quality stems from a combination of superior grape material, meticulous winemaking practices, and careful storage. While subjective enjoyment plays a role, professional evaluation often focuses on objective criteria like clarity, genuineness of aroma and taste, positive intensity, and harmonious persistence. Understanding these elements helps you assess a wine's inherent quality and appreciate the craft behind it. You move beyond mere preference to a more informed judgment of what makes a wine good.
What are common wine faults and taints?
Wine faults and taints are undesirable sensory characteristics that can significantly detract from a wine's quality. The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) identifies several categories of faults and taints, including oxidation-type faults, reductive wine faults, additive-related faults, Brettanomyces faults, indole, cork-type taints, chlorophenol/plastic-type taints, earthy-type taints, and smoke taint.
Oxidation, particularly in white wines, can lead to aromas described as 'cardboard', 'straw', 'hay-like', 'sherry-like', or 'madeirised', as noted by the AWRI. In extreme cases, the aromas turn to 'wet wool' or 'varnish-like'. Acetaldehyde, a compound associated with oxidation, can impart 'over-ripe bruised apples' or 'nut-like' characters when levels exceed 125 mg/L, according to the AWRI.
Volatile acidity (VA), primarily acetic acid, is generally perceived as the odour of vinegar. The AWRI reports its aroma threshold in wine can be as low as 0.1: 0.125 g/L. It is usually considered detrimental above 0.7 g/L. Ethyl acetate, perceived as 'nail polish remover', can contribute to VA. It is found at 30: 60 mg/L in 'normal' wines, rising to 150: 200 mg/L in defective wines, states the AWRI. Reductive faults include hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), known as 'rotten egg gas', with a detection threshold of 1: 2 µg/L in wine, according to the AWRI. Sulfhydryls like ethyl mercaptan ('onion-like', 'rubber-like') and methyl mercaptan ('rotten eggs', 'cabbage') are also reductive faults. Disulfides, such as dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) and diethyldisulfide (DEDS), can form from sulfhydryls. The AWRI describes them as 'onions', 'cooked cabbage', 'burnt rubber', and 'garlic'.
Cork taint, primarily caused by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), imparts a distinct musty, mouldy aroma. The AWRI found that TCA at concentrations as low as 1 ng/L suppressed ratings for overall aroma intensity and positive fruit-derived characters in a Semillon wine. Other taints include 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), 2-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine ('fungal must'), and chlorophenols like 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,6-dichlorophenol. Those chlorophenols can cause 'plastic', 'paint', or 'medicinal' odours, according to the AWRI. These faults can arise from microbial activity, winemaking practices, or environmental contamination.
How do winemaking choices influence wine quality?
Winemaking choices significantly shape a wine's quality and character. The process begins with grape selection and continues through fermentation, aging, and bottling.
For red wines, fermentation occurs with grape skins, which impart color, flavor, and tannins through maceration. White wines are made by pressing crushed grapes to extract juice, with skins removed to minimize tannin extraction. Rosé wines involve shorter skin contact to achieve a pinkish color. The decision to destem grapes before crushing for red wines can lower tannin development and vegetal flavors.
Yeast converts sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide during primary fermentation. Winemakers often add cultured yeast for predictable results. Wild ferments can lead to incomplete fermentation or unpleasant acetic acid production. Temperature control during fermentation is crucial: typically 22 to 25 °C for red wines and 15 to 18 °C for white wines.
Malolactic conversion is a bacterial process that converts "crisp, green apple" malic acid to "soft, creamy" lactic acid. It softens the taste of red wines and fuller white wines like barrel-fermented Chardonnay. This process can also contribute 'buttery' characters due to diacetyl production.
Aging in oak barrels imparts oak aromas and some oak tannins. The level of toast in oak barrels influences the extraction of compounds like guaiacol ('smoky', 'phenolic', 'medicinal') and 4-methylguaiacol ('char', 'spicy'), as shown in AWRI research.
| Oak Volatile Phenol | Units | Non-toasted | Light | Medium | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guaiacol | µg/L | 1 | 5.2 | 27.7 | 30.3 |
| Methyl-4-guaiacol | µg/L | 2 | 10 | 38.7 | 24.7 |
| Eugenol | µg/L | 20 | 17.7 | 71.7 | 44.3 |
| Syringol | µg/L | 0 | 78.3 | 310.7 | 313.3 |
| Methyl-4-syringol | µg/L | 0 | 17.3 | 80.7 | 193.3 |
Winemakers also use fining agents to remove tannins and microscopic particles, and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) as an antimicrobial and antioxidant preservative. SO₂ additions can be up to 100 mg per liter in white wine, with a free SO₂ level maintained at 30 mg per liter until bottling. For red wines, smaller additions of around 20 mg per liter are used to avoid bleaching pigments. These choices are critical for a wine's long-term cellaring potential.
What role do grape quality and terroir play?
The quality of the grapes determines the quality of the wine more than any other factor. Grape quality is influenced by the variety, weather during the growing season, soil minerals and acidity, harvest time, and pruning methods. The combination of these effects is often referred to as the grape's terroir. Given the sensitivity of grapes to weather patterns, winemaking is affected by climate change.
Specific grape varieties contribute distinct flavors. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon is associated with blackcurrants, eucalyptus, chocolate, and tobacco. Pinot noir offers raspberry, cherry, and violets. Rotundone, a grape-derived compound, produces the 'spicy', 'black pepper' character in red grapes and wine, notably in cooler climate Shiraz. Its sensory detection threshold is 16 ng/L in red wine, according to the AWRI. The AWRI also notes that approximately 20% of the population cannot smell rotundone.
Eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) can impart 'eucalyptus', 'spicy', or 'mint-like' aromas. It is found at concentrations as high as 20 µg/L in wines with a strong 'eucalyptus' character, according to Herve et al. (2003) as cited by the AWRI. This compound can arise from airborne transfer from Eucalyptus trees or from grape precursors themselves, Farina et al. (2005) suggests, as cited by the AWRI.
These grape-derived characteristics, shaped by terroir and viticultural practices, form the foundational elements that winemakers then work with to craft the final product. Understanding these origins is key to appreciating a wine's unique regional expression.
How are wines professionally evaluated?
Professional wine evaluation involves a systematic sensory examination to assess a wine's appearance, aroma, taste, and overall quality. The Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) deductive tasting format outlines specific criteria for sight, nose, and palate.
Sight: Jurors assess clarity, intensity of color (e.g., translucent, pale, medium, deep), primary color (e.g., yellow, gold for white wines; purple, ruby, garnet for red wines), and secondary colors (e.g., silver, green, copper for white; blue, magenta, orange for red). For red wines, rim variation and staining are also noted, along with tearing (legs) and any gas evidence, according to the CMS format.
Nose: Aromatic intensity (delicate to powerful) and age assessment (youthful, developing, vinous) are evaluated. Jurors identify fruit characteristics (e.g., tart citrus, stone fruit for white; red, blue, black for red) and their condition (e.g., fresh, ripe, baked, oxidized). Non-fruit descriptors from grapes (e.g., green bell pepper, eucalyptus) and winemaking (e.g., bread dough, butter, toast) are noted. Earthy (e.g., forest floor, potting soil) and mineral (e.g., wet stone, slate) notes are also assessed. The presence and intensity of new oak, along with descriptors like toast, smoke, and vanilla, are considered, per the CMS format.
Palate: Sweetness (bone dry to lusciously sweet), acidity (low to high), alcohol (low to high), and body (light to full) are evaluated. Phenolic bitterness is noted for white wines. Red wines are assessed for tannin volume (low to high) and texture (silky, gritty, hard). Overall balance, length of finish (short to long), and complexity (simple to high) are also judged, states the CMS format.
The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) sets standards for international wine competitions. Samples must come from a homogeneous batch of at least 1000 liters, or 100 liters for particularly low production. Analysis certificates must accompany them, according to the OIV standard. Juries, typically composed of 7 jurors (with a maximum of three nationals from the organizing country), evaluate samples anonymously. The OIV score sheet for still wines assesses limpidity, aspect, genuineness, positive intensity, quality, harmonious persistence, and overall judgment, each with a point scale.
| OIV Still Wine Score Sheet Criteria | Excellent (+) | Inadequate (-) |
|---|---|---|
| Limpidity | 5 points | 1 point |
| Aspect other than limpidity | 10 points | 2 points |
| Genuineness (Nose) | 6 points | 2 points |
| Positive intensity (Nose) | 8 points | 2 points |
| Quality (Nose) | 16 points | 8 points |
| Genuineness (Taste) | 6 points | 2 points |
| Positive intensity (Taste) | 8 points | 2 points |
| Harmonious persistence (Taste) | 8 points | 4 points |
| Quality (Taste) | 22 points | 10 points |
| Harmony: Overall judgement | 11 points | 7 points |
Awards are granted based on average scores, with Grand Gold for at least 92 points, Gold for at least 85 points, Silver for at least 82 points, and Bronze for at least 80 points. The total number of medals cannot exceed 30% of the samples presented, the OIV standard specifies. This rigorous process contributes to the objective assessment of fine wine quality, which you can track using our score model.
Does price or color influence wine perception?
Scientific blind wine tasting suggests that both experts and consumers can be unreliable in identifying wines based on region and price. Research has long demonstrated the power of suggestion and the strong effects of expectancies on perception.
For example, people expect more expensive wine to have more desirable characteristics. When participants were falsely told a wine was expensive, they virtually always reported it as tasting better than the same wine when told it was inexpensive. French researcher Frédéric Brochet submitted a mid-range Bordeaux in two bottles, one labeled as a cheap table wine and the other with a grand cru etiquette. Tasters described the supposed grand cru as "woody, complex, and round" and the supposed cheap wine as "short, light, and faulty."
Color also significantly influences perception. Brochet served a white wine, receiving descriptions like "fresh, dry, honeyed, lively." Later, he served the same wine dyed red, and tasters used red wine terms such as "intense, spicy, supple, deep." In 2001, the University of Bordeaux asked 54 undergraduate students to taste two glasses of wine, one red and one white. They described the red as "jammy" and commented on its crushed red fruit. They failed to recognize that both wines were from the same bottle, with one simply colored red with a flavorless dye.
A 2011 double-blind taste test by Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire involved 400 participants. The test found that general members of the public were unable to distinguish expensive wines from inexpensive ones. Wiseman concluded, "People just could not tell the difference between cheap and expensive wine,". These findings highlight how external factors can bias sensory evaluation, even for experienced tasters.
How does serving temperature affect wine?
The temperature at which a wine is served can greatly affect its taste and smell. Lower temperatures emphasize acidity and tannins while muting aromatics. Conversely, higher temperatures minimize acidity and tannins while increasing aromatics.
The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) provides specific serving temperature recommendations:
| Wine Type | Temperature (Celsius) | Temperature (Fahrenheit) |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet wines (e.g., Sweet Muscats) | 6-8 °C | 43-46 °F |
| Sparkling wines (e.g., Prosecco, Champagne) | 6-10 °C | 43-50 °F |
| Light/medium-bodied whites (e.g., Fino Sherry) | 7-10 °C | 45-50 °F |
| Medium/full-bodied oaked whites (e.g., White Burgundy) | 10-13 °C | 50-55 °F |
| Light-bodied reds (e.g., Beaujolais) | 13 °C | 55 °F |
| Medium/full-bodied reds (e.g., Vintage Port, Bordeaux) | 15-18 °C | 59-64 °F |
| The OIV standard for international wine competitions also specifies serving temperatures for jurors: white and rosé wines at 10/12 °C, red wines at 15/18 °C, sparkling wines at 8/10 °C, and naturally sweet, ice, liqueur, and mistelle wines at 10/14 °C. It is essential that all products of the same type within the same session are tasted at the same temperature, the OIV states. Proper serving temperature is a key factor in appreciating the full spectrum of a wine's characteristics, whether you're evaluating a new acquisition or deciding when to drink now. |
How does food pairing interact with wine characteristics?
Food and wine pairing aims to enhance the dining experience by considering how elements like texture and flavor interact. The most basic element is balancing the "weight" of the food with the "body" of the wine. Heavy, robust wines like Cabernet Sauvignon can overwhelm a light dish. A hearty stew would overwhelm light-bodied wines like Pinot Grigio.
Beyond weight, flavors and textures can be contrasted or complemented. For example, an earthy, Burgundian Pinot noir complements an earthy mushroom dish. Conversely, a crisp, acidic Sauvignon blanc can contrast with a fish in a creamy lemon sauce. The acidity cuts through the creaminess for a refreshing sensation.
Specific wine characteristics interact with food in quantifiable ways:
- Acidity: In wine, acidity is perceived by a mouth-watering response. It can "cut" through the heaviness of fatty, oily, rich, or salty dishes, making them seem less heavy. A wine less tart than its accompanying dish may taste thin and weak. A "too tart" wine can soften when paired with an acidic dish.
- Sweetness: Sweet wines often need to be sweeter than the dish they are served with. Sweetness balances spice and heat, alleviating the burning sensation from peppers and spices. It can also accentuate mild sweetness in foods and contrast with salt, such as the pairing of salty Stilton cheese with a sweet Port.
- Bitterness (Tannins): Tannins, which add a gritty texture and astringent taste, react with proteins. When paired with high-protein and high-fat dishes like red meat or hard cheeses, tannins bind to the proteins and come across as softer. Without food protein, tannins react with proteins on the tongue, accentuating astringency and causing a drying effect. Spicy and sweet foods can accentuate the dry, bitterness of tannins.
- Alcohol: Alcohol is the primary factor dictating a wine's weight and body. Salt and spicy heat can accentuate the alcohol and the perception of "heat" in the mouth. Conversely, alcohol can magnify the heat of spicy food, creating significant heat for the taster.
These interactions demonstrate that a wine's quality can be perceived differently depending on its culinary context, influencing how you might approach fine wine investment for future enjoyment.
To truly understand what makes a wine good and how it performs, you need objective data. Compare critic scores with CellarTracker scores to gain a comprehensive perspective on a wine's quality and evolution.