The ultimate rating is 6 stars. A 6-star wine is said to be absolutely perfect. There’s nothing that is missing from it and nothing that needs to be removed from it. This rating means the wine just cannot be improved in any way. The number of wines that fall into this category globally is less than 1% of the wine produced all over the world. This wine is really a classic and it has all the complex characteristics that a classic wine is expected to have. You won’t find a wine like this online – no way. These are usually tagged as collectors’ items.

Wines that are rated as 5-star wines have a balanced color, richness and harmony. They are almost perfect and have a wonderful aroma, taste and feel. Their organoleptic characteristics are quite extraordinary. Then come the 4-star wines which constitute 5% of the wines produced all over the world. These, too have finesse, flavor and great character and you canít really find fault with them or perceive any noticeable flaws. These are the wines that are commonly produced today and their rating goes up if they are allowed to age.

Then come the average wines or the wines that are 3-star rated. These are well made but the ingredients they are made from are ordinary. However, they do have great taste and texture and you cannot really find any noticeable flaws. Except for the fact that the raw materials used are ordinary, you cannot really distinguish them from 4-star wines.

Any wine with less than a 3-star rating is below par. You will usually find flaws in them that may even be noticeable and visible to the eye. There could be an unpleasant smell, it could be a watery substance or there could even be floating particles. This could of course be due to the extra acid or tannin present. Sometimes these wines might taste okay but you will find that they do not have any character, depth or complexity. And of course, 1-star wines are made from really poor ingredients. They are generally home-made wines that might not make it to the shop shelves. They are usually not well balanced, very diluted, have a dull taste and are flawed.

How is wine tasting and rating done? It is usually done in groups that are large. The wines are not labeled and the group has to rate them without knowing the cost or the brand. These ratings are then collected and compiled. It is a comprehensive analysis of these that are the basis of rating and determining which class a wine should be classified as. These ratings and classification help as far as the buyers are concerned because it helps them to choose a good wine. You know which the best wine available in the market is, and you know what the stars stand for. How many people use these as guidelines when choosing a wine? Well many of these cannot be strictly followed.  Finally, it is the buyer who has to take a call on which wine is the best.

Cheers!

This is no mere accident. Humans early on learnt the psychological effects that alcohol provides. Along the way they learnt to like affect and desired and even craved these effects of alcohol. Wine is even generally considered as a sexual anaphrodisiac among many cultures.

Today many important wine regions in Europe are proud of their wine histories which they date back all way to the early Roman era.

Wine itself in the end can be sourced from any fruit juice ñ although most commonly known as the fermented liquid of crushed grapes. Wine of course can be derived from grapes, plums, peaches, pears and in the end most fruit juices.

What about the different colors found in different varieties of wines. The color of the wine is the result of the length of time the skins remain with the juice doing the fermentation process. Basically wine comes in three colors- red ( reddish purple to light brown), whites ( whitish pale yellow to amber) and the mid range blush: which is of peach to light pink coloration.

Should wine be sweet or not sweet that is ìdryî? Most wines are naturally dry. Sweetness occurs when the fermentation is interrupted before all of the sugar can be converted to alcohol during the fermentation process. The producer of the wine can also add unfermented grape juice or a sweetener such as liquid sugar to the wine during its manufacturing process.

Most wines do not have extra alcohol added to them. That is they are in their ìnatural ìor ìvirgin stateî. These wines are referred to as not being fortified. That is they contain only the alcohol that was provided for in the fermentation process itself. However there are some wines, for example Sherry and Port are two wine family products that have their alcohol content enhanced and increased. This can be done in effect artificially and not by the normal standard fermentation process through the addition of straight alcohol to the wine. A kinder gentler means to adding alcohol to wine is to add distilled wine that is brandy to the wine.

Lastly wines can be bubbly themselves or have no effervescence. In the first category are Sparkling which have effervescence. These wines are bottled in thick heavy ñset bottles with wire bound corks to keep the pressure in, whereas Still wines are wines bottled without Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and therefore have no bubbliness or effervesce. Still wines can be found bottled in ordinary bottles with ordinary corks.

In the end though it is safe to remember that wine is nothing more several different types of fruit juices, of different colors that is presented to you in different types of glasses, from different types of storage and transport containers which is presented to you to quench your thirst.

The starting point is to understand the different types of wine available and here we can divide wines into five main groups.

Red Wine.

Red wine is fermented from what many people would refer to as red grapes but which are in fact more correctly named black grapes. In the case of red wine the grapes are used whole for fermentation, that is to say complete with skin and pips, and it is the skin which gives the wine its red color.

There are a wide variety of black grapes available each with its own distinctive flavor which is derived principally from the soil and climate in the region where the grapes are grown. This, together with the winemaker’s art of mixing, allows us to enjoy a range of red wines from the deep blackcurrant color of the full-bodied and intensely flavored wines produced from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape to the lighter cherry and raspberry taste gained from the Pinot Noir grape.

RosÈ wine.

RosÈ wines are again produced from black grapes but, in this case, the juice is separated off part way through the fermentation process and at the point at which the winemaker determines that the juice contains sufficient color to give the finished wine the pink color that he is looking for.

Once again the flavor of the finished wine depends very much on the grape used for fermentation and some of the finest rosÈ wines are produced from the Grenache grape. Often thought of as a French grape, Grenache noir is the world’s most widely planted grape and probably originates from Spain. As well as often being used to produce rosÈ wines, it is also commonly used as a base for many blended wines including such well known names as Chateauneuf du Pape and Cotes du RhÙne.

Blush wine.

Blush wine is sometimes referred to as California’s version of rosÈ wine and is produced in much the same way as rosÈ wine. In this case however the grape most often used is the Zinfandal grape which produces a slightly sweet pink wine which also shows a somewhat blue color. The Zinfandal grape originates in Croatia but has been grown widely in the US for more than 150 years now and is considered indigenous to California.

White wine.

Believe it or not white wine can be made from either white or black grapes, as the juice from either grape is colorless and it is only the skin of the black grape that gives red wine its color.

The flavors available across the range of white wines vary tremendously according to the grape used, the winemaker’s art and the degree to which different juices are blended to create the finished wine.

Dry white wines often come from grapes such as Muscadet or Sauvignon Blanc while richer fruit-flavored wines are more likely to be based upon the Chardonnay grape.

Sparkling wines.

Sparkling wines, of which Champagne is clearly the best known example, are based upon a dry white wine. Here the wine is bottled and a solution of sugar and yeast is added before the bottle is sealed. The sugar and yeast solution causes a secondary fermentation and sealing the bottles at the start of this process traps the gas produced by this fermentation within the wine to give it its sparkle when the bottle is opened.

The first thing to do (aside from not panicking) when cleaning red wine spills is to remove the excess spillage. If the wine has been spilled on a couch or carpet take an absorbent cloth (something you don’t mind being stained) or paper towel and blot the excess wine, do not rub in any way! The point of blotting it to remove the wine without working it further into the fabric. If it was a piece of clothing that has been spilled on, remove the article and blot in the same manner.

Once the excess wine has been removed it is very important to rinse the carpet, furniture or clothing to dilute the wine before it has a chance to set in. The best method for this is going to vary on what exactly where the spill is. For clothing or other items that are easily removed, pour cold water from the backside. For items such as carpets and sofas pouring water directly onto the stain and blotting with an absorbent cloth immediately works best.

There is a good chance that this will not take the stain out completely. Carpet and furniture cleaner very well may need to be used. In the past I have had much success with Resolve cleaners for carpets, and for laundry there are many stain removers that should be helpful. A little trick my mother taught me which works wonders is Lestoil. I know some of you may be thinking to yourself that you always thought Lestoil was a floor cleaner, but when diluted with water and used as a soaking agent it works wonders on lots of stains including grease (when mixed with hot water) and wine (when mixed with cold water).

Of course even with all your best efforts there is always the chance that the red wine is going to be so stubborn that you need to call in the professionals. Carpets and furniture sometimes are dry clean only but it is still best to remove as much of the stain as possible while it is still wet because this will make it easier for the professionals to remove the remnants.

The key to ensuring effective stain removal is time. Do not let a stain sit for days or weeks before deciding to try to remove it and don’t wait a week before ringing a carpet cleaner because by then it might just be too late and the stain is now a permanent fixture. The same goes for clothing, don’t wait to wash your shirt or pants. I once watched a friend take a shirt out of the washing machine become horrified at the fact that the red wine didnít come out of her top. When I asked her when she spilled on herself, she told me that it was from a week before. No wonder the stain didnít come out!

In the end there is always going to be the possibility that the stain has decided that it never wants to come out or it will not come out completely. Taking the proper steps the moment a spill occurs can greatly reduce the chance of a permanent stain. There is no easy way to prevent spills and stains, aside from slipcovers or not serving red wine at social events, so when a spill does happen remember to stay calm, work quickly and to blot.

As far as etiquette, usually the ladies are served before the gentlemen. Some wine tastings offer you bottled water. Use this to rinse out your mouth between tastings so your palate is clean for the next wine. There is often unsalted and unflavored crackers and bread to help palate cleansing as well. You should always handle the wine glass by the stem. This helps avoid heating the wine with the warmth of your hands, thus altering the taste. Avoid wearing strong perfumes and colognes to a wine tasting. That may take away from not only your smell, but also that of the other guests. Also, avoid smoking, gum, and mints before and during a wine tasting to be able to enjoy the full flavor of the wine.

You can tell a lot about a wine just by looking at its color. When you attend a wine tasting, the glasses should always be clear so you can get a good look at the wine. The tables may also be covered with white tablecloths to help you see the wine’s color clearly. Do not let the wine name full you. For example, white wines are not white in color. They may range from yellow to green to brown. Red wines range in color from pale red to a deep brownish red and often become lighter with age. Sometimes the color of a wine may indicate age or flavor. You may be able to tell the age of a red wine by doing a rim test. Tilt the glass slightly towards the rim of the wine glass and look at the wine. If the color of the red wine is more of a purple, it is usually a younger wine. If the color of the red wine is brown, it is an older wine.

Another thing you may have seen people do before they taste wine is swirl it slightly in the glass. This is to help open up the wine’s flavor. Remember that the wine may have been in a bottle anywhere from six months to many, many years. When someone swirls a wine, it helps release the flavors. Just like when you’re cooking at home and stir the food to help blend the flavors.

The color of the wine is just one aspect you will want to look at when you attend a wine tasting. You will also want to smell the wine. After swirling, this is the next step in the tasting process. You have probably seen people smell wine before and wondered why they did it. Smell plays a very important part in what we taste. Researchers have determined that perhaps as much as 75% of what we taste is actually based on what we smell first. You can smell your wine one of two ways: taking a small whiff to get an idea of how the wine smells, then a deeper whiff or take one deep whiff. After smelling the wine, take a minute to think about the smell. You do not want to immediately taste it after smelling but give yourself time to explore exactly what you smelled.

Finally, you will need to know is how to taste the wine properly. Your tongue has taste buds in both the front and back. These taste buds can detect bitter, salty, sweet, and sour flavors, but some are more sensitive than others are. There are three steps in tasting a wine: the first impression, the taste, and the aftertaste. The first impression happens when you take your first drink and the wine actually hits your taste buds. It should awaken your sense to the wine. After taking the first drink, you should swish the wine around your mouth for a few seconds to let all your taste buds discover the full flavor of the wine. Think about what the wine tastes like. Is it light or heavy? Is the smooth or harsh? The aftertaste is the sensation that remains in your mouth after swallowing the wine. How long did it last and was it pleasant?

Before attending a wine tasting, it may help you feel more confident to read about the different types of wines. This will give you a better idea of what to look for as far as flavor and taste. Next time you are invited to a wine tasting; do not be afraid to go. You may be missing a great experience!