Here at Rosehill Wine Cellars we know that recognizing wine faults can be tricky! To make it even more challenging there are some characteristics of wine that may seem like faults but aren’t. Sometimes these characteristics can be a difficult to identify, especially if you’re a wine tasting beginner. These characteristics can be a result of aging your wine, but they are also present in wine that hasn’t been aged.
Tartrate Crystals
Tartrate crystals are completely harmless, and are usually present in wine that has been aged. These crystals precipitate out of the wine during the aging process, because the molecules get too large. They are composed of multiple different compounds present in the wine, including tannin molecules, acids, and colour molecules. Simply use a decanter or a wine funnel to make sure that the sediment doesn’t end up in your wine glass.
Green and Fresh
The smell of green peppers in young red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc is a result of unripe fruit. This aroma is very common in cool climate regions, and is caused by chemical compounds known as pyrazines. This one can be difficult to identify if you’re a wine tasting beginner.
Why is my White Wine Pink?
Some white wine grape varietals have darker skin colours. And sometimes during the wine making process the wine maker might choose to keep the wine on the skins for a bit longer. This process makes white wines appear pinker in hue. A good example of this is Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris grapes are usually grayish-blue in colour.
Naturally Funky Aromas
Occasionally wine makers choose to let their wine undergo a wild fermentation. This means that instead of adding their own yeast strains to the fermentation, they let the wine ferment with whatever yeast is already on the grapes. This can be a risky process. However, it can produce some very interesting and complex wine. This type of fermentation can also be called a spontaneous fermentation. Wild ferments are common for German Rieslings.
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