Good vs "Bad" Vino: How to Tell the Difference

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 Have you ever feverishly opened up a bottle of wine only to take a first sip and almost instantly felt disappointed by the taste?

If your answer is yes, chances are you’ve probably second-guessed yourself on whether the wine was simply not your style or if truly may have had some sort of defect. 

Over the years (and over several bottles of wine!), my olfactory senses have sharpened considerably when it comes to knowing what a wine should NOT smell or look like.  Yet, despite this self-proclaimed savvy-ness, I sometimes find I doubt myself when a wine feels “off.” 

At a recent wine tasting event, a well-known winemaker had to take a few different whiffs, swirls, and tastes of the wine before proclaiming the wine bottle was slightly defective in taste.  So, if even a wine expert can be dubious of his own wine, imagine us mere mortals!

To help decode good vs “bad” vino, I’ve put together this simple list of things to look out for—they’re my tell tale tell all signs that the wine my goblet is better suited for the drain than my divine consumption!

#1.  Less Than Swell Aromas  

Most of the time, you can tell right away from the smell whether or not the wine is ok to drink.  It’s a matter of being on the lookout from what aromas that are blaring out: DO NOT DRINK ME.  Here are a couple to keep in mind:

• Wet dog
• Soggy Cardboard
• Old, worn band-aids
• Dirty farm animals
• Nail polish remover/acetone
• Vinegar
• Burnt rubber
• Cabbage

Do not pass go if you detect any of these aromas!  Likewise, if the wine has NO aroma, do not pass go.  Ditch it down the drain (or if you’re like Mr. Vino, save it to do a red wine vinegar from scratch!) and pop open another bottle without feeling guilty!

#2.  Atypical Color and Appearance

The more you become familiar with a wide variety of wines, the easier it will be to notice when the color and/or overall appearance of a wine is just not right.  For example, I know that Sauvignon Blancs are generally pale yellow to straw green and that Chardonnays are more gold and a deeper, stronger shade of yellow….if my Sauvignon Blanc looks more Chardonnay-ish in color, I know right away that the wine may be past its prime and/or probably not good to drink.  Think about a good friend you’ve known for years.  If he/she starts talking in a different accent or had a radical change in wardrobe choices, you’d suspect something was awry, wouldn’t you?

#3. Bubbles in Your Wine....and it's NOT Champagne

Of course, I adore bubbles in my champagne flute…in my wine glass?  Not so much.  If you detect bubbles or a “fizzy” nature in your wine, be wary.  This usually signifies fermentation is happening in the bottle and you don’t want that.

Got questions or other tips to add? Drop me a line!