Wine opinion: tips of the blind tasters
Most tasters normally start by eliminating half of the world, by going down the Old World-New World route. Because of tradition and winemaking technique, Old World wines tend to be more restrained.
Most of us are impressed by people who can get the wine correct at a blind tasting, and secretly wish we could do the same. How do they do it? Considering the large number of producing countries and regions, grape varieties and blends, this might seem a daunting if not impossible task.
Most tasters normally start by eliminating half of the world, by going down the Old World-New World route. Because of tradition and winemaking technique, Old World wines tend to be more restrained. Reds usually have savoury characters while whites may have a hint of saltiness, some might say "minerality".
New World wines are usually more fruit focused and forward. This is true even for aromatic grapes such as riesling. A German riesling is more subdued than one from the Clare Valley. So if the wine smells of abundant fruit, chances are it is likely to be from the New World.
To get closer to the origin, one needs to take geography into account. Wines made in cool or mild climates are likely to have a lower alcohol level and higher acidity than those from warmer regions. This is because in warmer conditions grapes ripen faster, accumulate more sugar and lose acidity faster. Sugar is converted to alcohol during fermentation, so wine from hotter areas such as southern France will have higher alcohol levels than cooler Burgundy.
There are exceptions, however. Grapes grown in a continental climate - hot days but cool nights - have both high sugar and high acidity. Don't forget that water and altitude play a part. The ocean has a cooling effect on coastal vineyard areas in Chile, California and Stellenbosch, but brings a milder climate to Bordeaux, while every 100 metre increase in altitude sees the temperature drop by 0.6 degrees. Keep this in mind and you can narrow the field down.
Say you are given a delicate wine with fresh acidity and moderate alcohol; it is likely to be from a cool climate Old World region. A wine with pronounced fruit characters but moderate alcohol is likely to be from a coolish New World region, maybe Margaret River, or high altitude vineyards in Chile.