You may not be a seasoned wine taster, but good eyesight can make you a formidable judge. Here are the 5 things you need to know to spot a tasteless wine at a glance.
First of all, you should know that even before the wine is uncorked by the waiter, there's still time to hang on to the rail. Ask as naturally as possible for the bottle to be placed on the table, and observe its colour carefully, under honest lighting.
First clue
An abnormally dull colour should immediately put you on your guard. In both reds and whites, a lack of sparkle is generally a sign that the wine is not well-balanced, or that it lacks acidity. Of course, only get on your high horse if the bottle is clear. Otherwise, rely on its colour in the glass, and be prepared to be diplomatic in the event of a return to sender.
Second clue
Even more obvious than the previous one: the suspicious presence of whitish particles in white wine, or bluish particles in red wine, which may be a symptom of excess iron or copper in the wine, and therefore a sign of poor hygiene in certain cellar equipment.
Third clue
Your vigilance should be stepped up a notch in the case of brownish particles, indicating grapes harvested a little too ripe, or even clearly close to decomposition. Be careful, however, not to confuse a few guilty filaments with a slightly cloudy wine, which simply means that the wine has not been filtered. This may look impressive, but it is simply the result of a winemaking technique that respects the integrity of these brave grapes.
Fourth clue
More debatable, insofar as some will find a certain pleasure in it, is the slight effervescence that can be observed in wines that weren't supposed to be, and which goes by the pretty name of ‘perlance’. A phenomenon linked to refermentation in the bottle, far from harmful, but which can be surprising at first. A good decanting, or shaking the bottle while keeping one hand on the neck, should do the trick.
Fifth clue
And not least, the appearance of the cork. Even before exercising your greyhound's sense of smell to detect a possible cork taste, if the cork has surprising black spots or seems copiously soaked with the precious liquid trapped inside, there's a good chance that the wine is oxidised or corked, or both. Check it out, but don't expect miracles. When it comes to drinking, remember that what's important is what you can see. The rest is up to you.
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