The wine drinking culture is developed in many countries in Europe. This article discusses important recommendations that will help you avoid acquiring low-quality wine.
10. Beverage labeling
If all the conditions for creating a drink are met by the manufacturer, the bottle usually has a marking confirming its high quality. Here are various examples: in America - Meritage, Reserve, in Italy - VdT, DOCG, in France - VDQS, AOC. In order not to make a mistake when choosing a wine, you need to consider the following: the quality of the drink is higher, the closer the marking begins to the letter "A". If the markings begin with the same letter, the wine whose name is longer will be better.
9. Additives are in many wines
Some are convinced that wine should not contain sulfur dioxide. It should be borne in mind that the dioxide is due to the fact that the products begin to ferment. It is in almost all drinks, but in small quantities. If you do not add it to wine additionally, the storage costs will be much higher: you will need special storages in which the climate will be constant. In different countries, the permitted levels of sulfur dioxide vary. If after drinking wine you will almost immediately have discomfort in your stomach or headaches, this will mean that you have gone too far with the dioxide.
8. It is recommended to avoid heat and light.
When deciding what kind of wine to purchase, one should not give preference to containers that are stored next to batteries, in display cases, under direct light. Due to exposure to heat and direct light, the taste of the drink is significantly impaired. If you bought wine in advance, before any holiday, find a suitable place to store. It is better to choose not a refrigerator, where it is always very light when the door opens, but some kind of cabinet. The temperature inside must be stable.
7. The year of creation of the drink is very important
When choosing a suitable drink, special attention should be paid to the year of harvest. Many people are sure that the older the wine, the better, but this is not always the case. Some of these drinks can only be consumed if they have not been stored for very long. Of course, if the bottle indicates that the wine is aged or reserve, it is natural that it can be stored for a long time. Since on the bottles with sparkling wines very rarely indicate the year of harvest, with such drinks is much more difficult. In such cases, it is recommended to look at how the bottle is framed, as well as on the date of bottling.
6. Look at what level the drink is in the neck area
If the container is in an upright position, about two or three centimeters of air should remain above the surface of the drink. If there is too much oxygen, it will adversely affect the taste of the wine.
5. Choose bottles that are stored horizontally
If the corks with which the bottles are closed are natural, it is recommended to opt for wine that is stored horizontally. Otherwise, the cork will not be wetted by the liquid and after a while it will become too dry. As a result, cracks will appear, air will enter the bottle through them, and this will lead to oxidation. The container can stand upright if the cork is plastic. In addition, bottles with such drinks should not be subjected to vibrations, vibrations, or banging anything. Otherwise, the taste of the alcoholic beverage can be very bad.
4. Pay attention to the grape variety.
It is recommended to choose wines, on the labels of which are written about the grape varieties used to create the alcoholic beverage. On the containers in which inexpensive wines are stored, it is often indicated that the grapes of the best varieties were used in their creation, but in most cases this is not so. The exception is French alcoholic drinks. In France it is forbidden to indicate specific grape varieties from which this or that wine was created (only allowed for export).
3. If there is a lot of sediment, you should be wary
When deciding which wine to buy, direct the containers to the light and turn them over sharply (so that the necks are at the bottom). If a lot of sediment remains in the bottle, this is a bad sign. In expensive drinks that have been stored for a long time, a small amount of sediment may remain, but it should not settle around the bottom of the container. If there is a lot of it, this means that the manufacturer did not take into account the technology for creating an alcoholic drink (or that it was not stored correctly).
2. The farther south the country in which the wine was produced, the better
Grapes grow much better where it is light and warm, and in this regard, it is worth giving preference to wines produced in southern countries. This, for example, Argentina, Chile and so on. When choosing wines from France, Italy, you should be extremely careful. The taste of such drinks is very much affected by the crop year. Grapes become sour if there was a lot of rain. Specialists very often indicate the year of harvest, analyzing such alcoholic beverages.
1. Look at the shape of the bottle
Many people think that wines are stored in the same bottles, but this opinion is erroneous. Some manufacturers dispense drinks in asymmetric containers, and put their own signs on bottles. Information on all trademarks can be found on the website of the creator of the alcoholic beverage. Usually they are not faked, because it is very difficult and absolutely not profitable.
It’s better not to buy cheap drinks in very “sophisticated” containers. The more complex the bottle, the higher its cost. It turns out that you will spend more money on capacity rather than on wine, and in the end you will get a drink of very dubious quality.