Wine Judging

[winemanden]

Just back from judging at the Bletchley Wine Guild annual show.
With the help of my steward (Chief Executive/ Wife) I judged the Red (dry to medium) class.

What I found was that though the wines were all a reasonable standard, at least 75% of them were lacking in bouquet. Is this a common failing of fruit wines?

What are your views on that? Is it too little fruit in the recipes, or are they lacking an ingredient such as flowers?

Regards to all, Winemanden.

PS After suffering from Foot in Mouth disease the other day, I found it didn't affect my taste-buds. The winner from my class came 2nd best in show.

 

[BettyJ]

I have been making fruit wines for > 2 years now and have had mixed results with the bouquet. The natal plum wine bouquet is not that good (sort of flat), but the taste is really nice. My tropical fruit wines are coming out with nice fruit smells - pineapple seems to dominate if it is present (am not an expert here, just know what I like).

 

[Tom]

I find that with fruit wines its a few things.

Low #'s of fruit per gallon is most common. To many recipes out there starting @ 2-3#'s per gallon. I use 6# min per gal.

No f-pac. Now this will certainly add body and flavor. I use the formula of 30% of #'s used in the primary.

Didn't back sweeten. Fairly common not being done in fruit wines. I back sweeten all my fruit wines.

Just a couple of months ago I won 2 Silver medals in 2 different competitions with the same Peach wine.

 

[Wade E]

I agree that most of the problem is with Low #nds of fruit and the other being probably grocery store bought fruit which never ripened properly as they pick to early to prevent loss of $ as it would be rotten if they picked at the right time and then shipped.

 

[winemanden]

Low poundage

It wasn't the taste or the body I was thinking of, for the most part they were ok, just the bouquet. Looking back on it though, the higher marked ones did have a bit more body to them.

Could be you're right Tom and Wade about the poundage. You're definitely right about the store bought fruit. Looking ripe and being properly ripe off the bush or tree is completely different.

I was wondering about the acids? I'm sure I read somewhere that of the three main acids, one esterizes (not sure if that's a proper word or not) better than the other two.

I go a bit on the low side with my primary ingredients sometimes but I always add something else(grape concentrate or raisins). It's a bit like a field blend I suppose. I usually end up with about 4.5 lbs per gallon.

Regards to all, Winemanden.

I forgot to say. When I got back from the show, I found a bag of red grapes on, left by my son in law, by back step. A note said they had been sent by his neighbour. There wasn't enough to make a gallon by themselves, I have no other fruit to hand, so I'll augment them with red concentrate I've got in the cupboard.

 

[davismartin]

Hi People!
How do you judge wines?
I mean, I am so fond of them but I am never sure that I am choosing the right wine.
Please help!
:-(

 

[Wade E]

Well firts you have to train yourself to know what every varietal should taste close to and only then can you truly judge each wine. Having said that Im not sure what you really mean as to not choosing the right 1.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

pineapple seems to dominate if it is present (am not an expert here, just know what I like).

pineapple is good. another aromatic wine would be strawberry (full-bodied). raspberry is another that comes to mind. we recently made 2 different types of basil wine and it's got strong smell to it.

 

[Wade E]

Black currant and elderberry are very aromatic!

 

[mmadmikes1]

I am a great judge of wine.....that I like or dont like. To hell with rest of world

 

[gaudet]

I am a great judge of wine.....that I like or dont like. To hell with rest of world

Preach it Mikes, I follow that philosophy also.

 

[winemanden]

You're quite right with regard the wines you drink. You are the one who knows what you like.
As to when you're judging wines, well you're supposed to put your likes and dislikes aside, difficult sometimes, and judge the wines against the rest.
It's mainly commonsense and experience really. The hardest part is spitting it out every time, especially when you taste a really exceptional wine. It's what you've got to do though or you'd end up pissed as a fart after tasting about fifty or so wines.
I'm not a trained and qualified wine judge, but I can't be doing too bad a job or they wouldn't keep asking me year after year.
Regards, Winemanden.