Wine testing is an integral component of winemaking, providing vital data that allows winemakers to avoid making incorrect decisions that can have serious repercussions for the quality of their wines. Monitoring fermentation progress, maintaining microbial stability and identifying potential spoilage through testing are integral elements of success for any winery.
At Wilmington’s waterfront lab, a team of chemists are diligently studying bottle after bottle of wine using liquid chromatography and ion trap mass spectrometry techniques to gain insights into what you will be drinking tonight.
Wine tasting is the practice of inspecting and evaluating wines to enhance appreciation for them. As it’s highly subjective, wine tasting experience varies significantly between tasters due to their different experience and sensory acuity. Wines are generally judged against some standard — such as grape variety, geographic region or production style — but often other qualities like complexity harmony subtlety and dynamism are also taken into account when rating a bottle of wine.
Wine is an intoxicating alcoholic beverage comprised of multiple components that contribute to its taste and aroma. Wine’s main characteristics are sweet (residual sugar) and sour (acidity) flavors with some bitter tannins or saltiness coming from water addition. A well-balanced wine should be free from off-flavors caused by spoilage microorganisms or volatile acids – two major detractors from its enjoyment!