Sediment in wine - is it good or bad? How to choose a good wine? natural wine

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Wine is a product obtained from the fermentation of ordinary grape juice. So say winemakers and oenologists. Historians consider it one of the oldest drinks in the history of mankind. The ability to make wine is one of the first acquisitions of the ancients. When the juice extracted from grapes fermented in a jug many thousands of years ago, this was the beginning of the era of winemaking.

Today there are several millions of admirers of this drink all over the world. Among the largest producing countries are France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, America, Australia and Chile. Each of them has developed its own unique style of wine, which is a kind of calling card in the international arena.

Thus, France offers fine red and white wines with subtle flavors. The soft and delicate taste of white semi-sweet wines from Germany cannot be confused with anything. In Spain, the best strong drinks: sherry, Madeira, port wine. Australia is famous for the Syrah grape variety, from whichget a wonderful drink with a bright taste of fruits and spices. Italy is loved for its unique Chianti and Valpolicella. Excellent fruit and berry Sauvignon Blanc is brought from New Zealand.

The originality of taste and the quality of the bouquet of different types of wines are due to the variety of natural factors and the peculiarities of production technologies. The wine is divided into groups of brands and types and differs not only in name and taste, but also in quality features and chemical composition.

What is "tartar"?

Crystals of tartaric acid s alts, which are formed in wine, are called tartar. They contain two thirds of potassium bitartrate and one third of calcium tartrate. The ratio of these components affects the appearance of the sediment. The predominance of calcium leads to the formation of shiny crystals with a smooth surface, no larger than three millimeters in size. Potassium gives large dense flakes without shine.

S alt precipitation in wine is directly related to the conditions of its storage. A decrease in temperature provokes the precipitation of potassium bitartrate, and warm pantries lead to the formation of calcium tartrate. Stones may differ in shape. Dry red and white wine has needle-shaped crystals in the form of a prism, dessert - in the form of scales, smaller and more uniform.

In old collection wines, there is often a sediment of small crystals - this is calcium oxalate. In this case, the sediment in the wine takes on an uncharacteristic shape. The reason is the inclusion of additional components in the chemical composition of the drink.

Botrytised wines(dessert and semi-sweet) contain a large amount of mucin and sugar acid of organic origin. They are produced by the fungus Botrytis cinerea. In this case, insoluble calcium s alts are often formed in the wine, and the cream of tartar resembles light yellow semolina.

Sediment in wine, regardless of chemical composition and color, is absolutely harmless. It has no taste or smell. Natural, non-toxic. It does not spoil the quality of the wine in any way.

Unfortunately, cream of tartar is often perceived by the consumer as a defect. In order not to spoil the reputation and improve the quality of sales, producers use the method of stabilizing wines: they stimulate the process of sediment formation even before bottling. The wine is aged chilled to a temperature just above zero for 7-21 days, and then filtered to remove unwanted impurities.

The main disadvantage of this procedure is that the drink loses most of its unique flavor. Therefore, the sediment confirms that this is a high quality natural wine.

How to preserve wine and not spoil the taste?

Finished products from barrels or vats are bottled, in which it can be stored for more than one year. The drink continues to change its physical characteristics, to "ripen". During this period, storage conditions are very important: constant temperature and humidity, darkness in the room, the position of the bottles. The ideal place is a deep cellar with good air circulation. When storing glass containers horizontally, the wine is in contact with the cork, which helps the wine "breathe" - this is how it worksavoid drying of the rind and oxidation of the wine.

With long-term storage, natural wine only improves its qualities. But there are certain rules.

The temperature should be low and constant. Sunlight, heat and shaking are not acceptable.

Wine "breathes" through the cork and absorbs odors, so good air circulation is very important.

During long-term storage, a sediment forms in the wine and the so-called "shirt" - a layer of coloring substances that settle on the walls from the inside. This is a natural process, the quality of the wine does not deteriorate. Many varieties of wines only benefit from long exposure. This wine is not to be shaken. A few days before the tasting, the bottle is carefully moved vertically, the tartar sinks to the bottom, all that remains is to carefully pour the wine into glasses.

Storing red wine

Low temperature is considered optimal, approximately +10, +14 degrees. For strong dessert wines, a slight increase up to +16.

Intense red shades are perfectly preserved at room temperature. But if the room is too hot, the wine will begin to mature much faster and lose its qualities. A sharp change in temperature, dry air, air conditioning and central heating, bright lighting and extraneous odors that easily penetrate through a cork also harm him. Too cold air makes the wine sour, too hot can confuse aromas, change the bouquet and spoil the quality.drink.

The statement that wine keeps well in the cold is wrong. Very cold air makes the cork hard, deprives it of elasticity and tightness, the air attacks the wine, and the drink quickly deteriorates.

Which cork is best?

Many believe that a screw cap is a sign of cheap and low-quality wine, and a cork one is a sign of a premium class. Not certainly in that way. The "screw" cover is more practical, it is easy to remove it, for example, during a picnic. And in some cases it is more hygienic. Often, in the absence of a corkscrew, many push the cork into the bottle. Together with the rind, bacteria that are on the outside of the cork get into the wine.

How to choose a good wine

In order to choose a quality drink, you should take into account many factors that affect the taste and properties of wine. Among them are spring frosts, and summer drought, and floods, and diseases of the vine, and much more. You can not be guided only by the name of the brand or the country of origin. Very often, wine harvested in the same region at the same time differs in quality and composition. In this case, the information from the Table of Milesimes is more important. Here the rating of the wine is determined and the most favorable harvest dates in various regions are indicated.

When buying, avoid big names and overly fancy labels. If you don't want unpleasant surprises, buy wine from trusted brands. Not all products that are advertised are of high quality. First of all, this is a marketing ploy to attract customers. Reviews from real userswill help to form an idea and avoid unnecessary expenses. Pay attention to the price. Choose in the middle range. Don't go for the overpriced ones: they often come with a high alcohol tax, which doesn't improve the quality of the drink.

And one more secret. Every wine-producing country has at least one stellar example of winemaking that demonstrates mastery in the use of native fruits. Just as it is impossible to find the best Italian pizza in the world in Germany or Mexican enchiladas in the UK, so a wine made in South Africa cannot accurately capture the character and finesse of French wines. To each his own, as they say.

For yourself, you can remember the following: France perfectly combines red wines aged. If you prefer dry white wines, take a look at Portugal and Alsace. Great rosés come from California, good fruity reds come from Australia and Chile, sweet and dry wines head to central Europe, and light reds are the best Italian.

Trust but verify

Some unscrupulous producers, in order to save money and speed up the process of wine production, change its chemical composition, use non-natural components, which spoil not only the taste of the drink, but also our well-being. There are some simple secrets on how to detect a fake.

1. The presence of tartar confirms the naturalness of the wine, indicates that the drink is obtained naturallyway.
2. A little red wine can be dropped into a saucer of baking soda. From the natural it will turn blue or turn gray, from the surrogate the red color will not change.
3. Some wine can be left open in a glass. Midges will flock to the natural one, and after a while mold will appear on the surface.
4. The addition of glycerin also helps to bring out chemical dyes. If it sank to the bottom and did not stain, the wine is natural. If the color has changed, feel free to pour it: you bought a fake.

And the main rule: you can really appreciate the quality of the drink only after tasting. Natural wine should not intoxicate after the first sips. From such a drink you get pleasure and pleasant memories. Surrogates are poor in aromas, they have no aftertaste. Don't forget about the price - good wine can't be cheap.

That's all for today. We wish you a pleasant weekend and only quality drinks!