Clarity and depth

Clarity refers to how transparent the wine is. Most modern wines are clear to brilliant; haziness can indicate a fault but may also be intentional in unfiltered natural wines. Depth – sometimes called intensity – is most easily measured by looking straight down into the glass: if you can easily read text through the wine it is light; if you cannot make anything out it is deep. Deep-coloured red wines generally contain more anthocyanins and polyphenols, often a sign of a warm growing site, dark grape varieties such as Syrah or Mourvèdre, or low yields. Depth alone does not determine quality, but it is an important piece of the puzzle.