Assessing Climate and Age

Climate and age leave distinct traces in the glass. Cool-climate wines — think Chablis, Mosel, Rheingau — have sharp acidity, lower alcohol, and lighter fruit; warm-climate counterparts like Barossa Shiraz offer ripe, dark berries, high alcohol, and softer acidity. Age shows in colour: red wine moves from deep purple toward brick at the rim; white wine from pale green-tinged to deep gold and amber. On the nose, primary fruit evolves into complex tertiary notes — leather, mushroom, tobacco, honey, walnut. High acidity preserves whites and makes them hard to age-pin; tannin does the same for reds.