This column is the last of twenty-three installments which aim to shed light on the various factors that influence the style and quality of a wine. With this issue, I want to share my approach to tasting wine and hopefully embolden wine lovers and students, even those pursuing the Master of Wine title, to approach the task with confidence and a sure strategy.
Read MoreIt might seem obvious to many that, when it comes to wine, style and quality are two distinctively separate concepts. Yet, many wine critics and bloggers still confound these issues as if they are one and the same. Until now, this column has begged to differ.
Read MoreAs we saw in our last column, three main factors influence the style and quality of wine: grape variety, human contributions and the overall growing conditions, including heat, sunlight, water, and nutrients. This column attempts to describe how soil impacts these conditions and why it is often considered the most important element of “terroir.”
Read MoreIt may seem obvious that without grapes there would not be wine. Yet, the issue is a little bit more complicated than it appears at first. When it comes to influencing style and quality, the factors to consider go beyond simply color and aromatic profile. As we have seen, to define the style of the wine, we should consider its weight, structure, texture, aromatics, and its specific character induced by winemaking or market position. To define quality, we should consider the wine complexity, its balance of components and the length of its finish. And so, how does the humble grape influence both?
Read MoreProponents of “natural” wine are above all concerned with the human factor. In fact, there is no standard definition of “natural” wine, but the consensus is that, from vineyard to cellar, it should undergo as little human intervention as possible so that it displays the purest expression of both grape and ripening conditions. Skeptics of this movement claim that such “laissez-faire” attitude is fraught with risks and produce wine all too often faulty, unstable, and difficult to transport across any distance.
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