Mystery of an unopened bottle - Agnel Gilbert

Though I am professionally attached to wine, my favourite drink which I usually relish on is always a beer. As exclaimed by the great Benjamin Franklin, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”. In no circumstances I’ve been ever put down by a bottle of beer, unless it’s gone flat. It’s obvious that a drink like beer is hardly hampered by its storage and handling condition, unlike a bottle of “wine” whose destiny is written in the hands of its customer or ethically said its parent. A bottle of wine can well be managed or even damaged by its handling, just like a baby whose success meter can be measured on the amount of teachings nurtured by his/her parents

When we converse about “Mystery of an unopened bottle”, there goes a lot of technical saga which describes about the complete process of making wine. Right from the grapes being harvested at the vineyard till its bottling at the winery. One petite mishandling could lead the whole effort of the viticulturist and the winemakers go for a toss. Since it’s the wine that speaks of their skills and expertise, it’s also the process of transportation, handling and storage that may completely forsake their efforts and spoil the vintage experience of the particular year. Given the needs of an amateur, he/she might not look for quality at first instance, since it’s tough for him/her to judge whether the wine is still living or dead. But a connoisseur having a sensational experience and hoards of expectations from a brand could be simply deprived

Shockingly, the other day I came across a store which had beautiful Dom Perignon Champagne on display under a 100 volt bulb. But before anybody could savour it, I was through to my opinion that Rs 18,000/- worth of wine has already gone bad. For simple reason that wine hates direct light, be it natural or artificial. Other factors like continuous disturbance, incorrect temperatures and storage positions etc are also quite your enemy in hindering the wine experience. Hence, apart from deciding which wine to drink, it’s highly recommended to decide on the right vendor who is supplying the wine. In the view of the fact that the vendor would just add up to your experience in relishing a bottle of wine. 

In my 3 year career in the wine industry, I must say that, out of the assorted mix of questions asked by wine drinkers, the most common one arguably is “For how long can we keep a bottle of wine open without its taste getting deteriorated?” Well, call it a myth or the view of an expert, who suggests that an opened bottle of wine will be at its best for the next 2-3 days. Though, the same justification has not been proven scientifically. Hence, as challenging it is to understand the “Science of wine” it’s equally important to know that wine is not just a drink to be opened and gulped down to get intoxicated. It deserves an appreciation for its colour, look, feel and not forgetting the pleasure which is the most ultimate of all. That’s where you feel contented that you’ve got your “ethics” right in judging the “Mystery of an unopened bottle” – Agnel Gilbert

New to Wines? Here it is.....

Every drink has its own followers and they call that drink “Aqua Vitae“– Water of life.

In the early ages, all alcoholic liquid was referred to as Aqua Vitae (Latin name for water of life). The distilled or fermented liquid used to be generally produced from grapes and grains (wheat or barley). The former used to be primarily distilled, which is now known as brandy and then came wine which was a fabulous from fermentation. Now what is Wine? To express it in a layman’s term, wine is nothing but a grape juice obtained by fermenting freshly gathered grapes. It later goes through various mechanical treatments, before being finally bottled. And hence, wine is quite simply the most complex, most varied and arguably the most sensational drink on the planet.

I was astonished to hear for the first time that, there are more than 10,000 wine grape varieties worldwide. Puzzled with the thought, I desperately wanted to know, how many of them actually make it to the bottles?  The fact is, only a few hundreds of them have gained fame and recognition for their spectacular finesse and aromas. Grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo etc., have found international recognition worldwide for red wines and white varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Viognier, Muscat etc., have charmed your palate with its crisp and refreshing fruity finish.  So probably, the next time when you drink your favourite wine and somebody questions you, “What are the styles of wines you’ve tried so far?”  Well, as an amateur drinker, you might be aware that there are only 2 types of wines, Red and White. By not questioning your judgement as an amateur wine drinker, who has not yet reached the stage to understand the classifications more precisely. However, it is always an advantage to remember the right classification. Easily said, there are 3 ways in which the wines are classified.  To begin with - table or still wines, which are divided further into Red, White and Rosé, depending on the winemaker’s decision to make it dry or sweet. Secondly, the famous and most loved champagnes which are known as sparkling wines. Finally, the sweet and fortified wines like Port and Sherries which are being fortified by the addition of alcohol.

Not forgetting the temperatures. An important concern for whatsoever wine it may be. Let’s just say; are you going to enjoy your beer if it is served at a room temperature? Of course not! (At least not me). The fact is serving wine at right temperature is as important as expecting your meal to be served hot.  It is because of this reason, that the whole effort which goes into winemaking is enjoyed at the table. It brings up the whole characteristics of a good wine and helps you appreciate it to the fullest.

Listed below are the right serving temperatures of wines:-

1) White wines – 7°- 10° Celsius.

2) Red wines – 18° - 21° Celsius.

3) Sparkling wines (Champagne) – 5° - 8° Celsius

4) Rose wines – 7° - 13° Celsius.

5) Fortified wines - 13° - 20° Celsius

Simply speaking, the above guidelines are just to help you understand and enhance your wine drinking experience with a better approach. What’s more important is how well you practise your “ethics” by applying these guidelines. - Agnel Gilbert