The Colour of Wine

August 9, 2019

154

By: Angela Aiello

From red to white, to shades of pink and gold, the colour of a wine is part of what makes it unique and beautiful. Even before we smell or sip, we drink with our eyes.

The colour of each wine gives insight to its soul, and tells us a lot about what is in our glass. Wine is a rainbow of taste and discovery.

It may come as a surprise that all grape juice starts off white. It is through the winemaker’s artistry, that the wine takes on its colour characteristics.

The colour in wine is determined by the amount of time the juice spends with the grape skins – the more time in contact, the deeper the colour.

Oak aging can also influence colour. For example, Chardonnay often has a lovely golden colour due to increased oxygen exposure through the porous oak barrels.

You can tell a lot about wine just from looking at the colour. The darker the colour, typically, the fuller-bodied the wine; and the lighter the colour, the lighter bodied the wine.

When pairing wine and food, always pair the weight of the wine to what is being served. You can even pair wine and food according to their colour for a fun idea. For example, try pairing salmon and rose, steak with red wine, and cheese with white wine.

A colourful wine is a great art piece to show off as well. Whether in a decanter or a glass, admire its beauty and elegance and allow it to be the centre of attention or a great accent to a dinner party.

Over time, wine will age and change colour. White wine will get darker and red wine will get lighter.

Translucent, opaque, bright, dark, and transparent are just a few of the words used to describe a wine’s colour. But don’t judge a wine only on its colour, because it may surprise you. Form opinions solely on its taste, and taste alone.

Here are a few of my favourite colourful wines!