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Originally Posted by Hollyshiit
For the wine connoisseurs out there, what is it that makes a bottle of red or white delicious or Fine, what determine factors are there? before and after you crack it? also any good recommendation?? countries, years or types of grapes?
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Wine is made from grapes which is an agricultural product, the quality is therefore affected by the weather and the soil of where the grapes are grown. This is the reason why the year is very important. If it rains too much, water dilutes the sweetness and intensity of the grapes.
Different areas will have different climates in different years, hence the vintage chart is always location specific.
Of course, wine making techniques are also important, quantity and quality of vines to plant in what type of soil, when do you pick the grapes, how long do you age the wine in what types of barrels, how do you mix the wine, etc.
All wines can be grouped into two categories, new world (outside of Europe) and old world (from Europe).
If there are enough interested parties, we can do tastings or basic seminars.
Here are some free wine related videos and articles:
How to taste wine?
How is wine priced?
How to open a bottle of wine.
Top Bordeaux wine introduced.
Bordeaux's keys to greatness.
Wine Rating Research Course.
The $92,000 lunch.
A billionaire's lunch.
The $36,000 dinner in Vancouver.
Top 100 Wines rated by Wine Spectator magazine.
Robert Parker, the most famous wine critic.
Poor wine service examples.
Wine auctions.
Regarding the question about the characteristic of the wine after you have opened it, it depends on the age of the wine. Generally, older wines do not require as much breathing (interaction with oxygen), but you want to decant the wine to separate the sediment (powder like naturally formed substance in older red wine).
If you're spending more than $50 in Canada on a bottle of wine, look into when the wine is ready for consumption, you may be opening a bottle before it has peaked.
A few tips for casual drinkers:
1. Food and wine pairing. Right food makes bad wine taste better.
2. Pay attention to the serving temperature. Red wine at 30C is not pleasant no matter how you cut it. Different types of wine have different serving temperature if you want to be picky.
3. The more you drink the more you enjoy wine.
4. Take note of what you like (snapshot of bottle label is a good start).
5. Drink more.
6. Start collecting what you like, store in the coolest place inside your house/apartment, hopefully with a consistent year round temperature around 14C.
7. 39th & Cambie has the best selection.
8. Buy a set of Riedel Overture Magnum Red wine glasses if you like wine. If you're serious, get the Vinum or even the Sommelier series.
Yes, it is all very personal, so try more different types to explore what you like, from $5 to $1,000 if you can swing it. Don't just stick with BC. For the same price, you can get lots of decent Australians, Italians and even French.
Just because you have a couple of merlots you dislike doesn't mean you have given merlot a fair chance. Don't write off wines too quickly.
Try to drink enough to know how certain wines are supposed to taste like. And this is sadly the answer, a good Bordeaux tastes differently from a good Burgundy, there is no universal adjectives and qualities to look for. For example, the flowery delicate bouquet in a La Tāche simply should not be as dominating in a Latour as they are made with different grapes. For many, the easiest tell-tell is the age of the wine, white wines should turn golden in colour when aged, and red wines more orange and amber (and less purple). Generally, older wines are easier to drink with less tannins thus they taste less alcoholic.
Best recommendation, drink more and learn to read professional reviews and vintage charts, PM me if you want additional info. Hope this is useful.