Expert advice to recognize a good wine

Enjoying a glass of wine involves all the senses. However, learning to recognize if we are drinking a good wine requires some knowledge that will allow you to make better choices and experiences with this drink.

Learning to recognize the characteristics that a good wine should have and putting it into practice at home, as a couple or with the family, can be a fun experience. “It is important to start by integrating three key elements: the visual, olfactory and taste phase,” he says. Giovanni Bisso, sommelier and ambassador of the Tabernero Group.

To start with the analysis, Giovanni suggests doing it at home, preferably around noon, in an environment with lots of natural light, so you will be relaxed, and especially with fresh senses to enjoy this experience.

Visual phase. If it is a question of young wines, we can observe more purplish and purple colors, in the case of the more mature, its tonality will lean towards red or garnet, while, if it is old, it will be noticed with an orange or brick color . If the wine has a brown color, it means that it is not in condition to owe it because it has passed its expiration date. In the case of a Gran Reserva wine such as the Black Carmenére de Misiones de Rengo, it has an intense deep ruby ​​color and the Cabernet Sauvignon, a ruby ​​color with violet reflections.

Olfactory phase. In this case, the sommelier indicates that we must identify fruit or floral aromas and even spices, especially if it is mature wines. It is common to come across fragrances that evoke the permanence of the wine in the barrels, as well as smells of chocolate, tobacco and vanilla.

For example, with the Gran Reserva Black Carmenére from Misiones de Rengo, you will find vegetable notes, ripe fruits such as plum, blackberry and black plum and notes of violet will quickly appear. Key to the complexity of these wines are the spicy notes, such as dill, scent key, black pepper and vanilla.

One of the signs that alert us to the status of a wine is if we perceive that the cork has visible signs of fungus, is completely wet or dry, in addition to perceiving unpleasant aromas that do not correspond to those mentioned above. In this sense, we must avoid its consumption.

Taste phase. Wine contains among its formula a substance known as tannin, which is responsible for providing characteristics such as bitterness or their characteristic astringency. This component is the backbone of reds, if we drink a young wine, you will feel how it scratches the palate and as it ages, it will become an elegant, delicate and velvety elixir in contact with the taste buds such as Gran Reserva Black Cabernet Sauvignon from Misiones de Rengo, round, smooth, black fruit present such as blackberry, blackcurrant and plum, balanced and of good length.

If it is a question of determining when we are dealing with a quality wine, this can be done taking into account its age. A quality one can have a life of up to 20 to 30 years.

Pairing, some suggestions

A wine of medium structure and soft tannins such as Gran Reserva Black Cabernet Sauvignon is preferably recommended to pair with mature cheeses, red meats and risottos.

For the Gran Reserva Black Carmenére we recommend pairing with pasta, lamb and fatty fish such as tuna and salmon.

On the other hand, Giovanni shares “regarding wine pairings, reds can be accompanied by ravioli, avoiding fresh vegetables or tomatoes. While white wine is a good companion for the inevitable ceviche and in its sweet version for desserts, as well as sparkling wine ”.

And without leaving aside the temperature at which they should be tasted, it can vary according to their type. For reds it is recommended to be between 14 to 18 degrees and 6 to 10 for white and rosé wines.

Mother’s Day

“The new line of premium wines from Misiones de Rengo Gran Reserva Black Carmenére or Cabernet Sauvignon will be an exceptional wine to celebrate Mom and put these tips into practice while enjoying family time,” Bisso recommends.

Find the wines suggested in this note by sommelier Giovanni Bisso at Bodega T.