For thousands of years, the grape-crafted beverage that is wine has washed the human pallet asunder with tasteful factors from light, sweet flavours to a bold stance of acidic, alcoholic zest. Celebrated through it’s consumption throughout the world for occasions large & small, the intoxicating concoction has evolved from the standard label of red & white served in a tin metal goblet or wooden cups. This doesn’t just apply to the creation of champagne either. Innovations for ingredients, branding & serving have made the wine market branch out exponentially. Supermarket’s own; £6 Rosés , fine-dining Pinots, luxury brands: the ranges of price & quality of Wines available have changed accordingly to consumer demand on all classes of living. With a demand for different levels of a certain product, so does the way it’s presented to the consumer to satisfy their thirst for both classy & fun ways for refreshment.
The Market
Explained by Jennifer Wilson of the USDA in the UK Wine Market Report 2016, the “UK wine market is a vibrant, ever-changing, and competitively challenging environment”. Production of wine in England & Wales had increased in 2014 by 42% from the previous year. Predicted by the Wine & Spirit Research, the UK will be the second largest-valued contender in the still wine’s market, at $26 billion. This is only $7 billion dollars less than predict 1st place-valued contender, the much more populated US, which would be at $33 billion.
It can easily be wondered where such a large demand comes from. An explanation could be it’s availability, being exposed to the consumer eye on an ever-widening spread net. Divulged by the English Wine Producers organization, there are 470 registered vineyards in England & Wales, two thirds of wine produced by which is sparkling. In addition to international imports of wine, the UK also utilizes a concentrated grape from Italy to create a small quantity of a bolder tasting wine, known as “made wine”. When talking of particular types of wine growing in popularity, the bottles of sparkling wine being guzzled down by UK consumers is growing at a massive rate. A demand for celebratory-needed options like Prosecco, Champagne & English Sparkling wine have made sales skyrocket from 17.6 million units in 2011/2012 to 31.6 million in 2015/2016.
Aeration
From Matteus to Echo Falls, from plain Merlots to Summer Berry-Flavoured Rosés, an increased range of wine brands available in the UK lead to the niche market of Wine Tasting growing as well. A larger demand for the grape-alcohol elixir entails a need for tools & knowledge to further explore making the most of the wine-tasting experience. Alongside demand for sleek & effective wine coolers being on the rise, other methods include the arts of aeration & decantation of wine.
Often found in younger red wines; it is said that musty odours within the bottle, perhaps from unclean barrels for example, require aeration. The younger the wine, partially aged 8 years & below, the longer aeration required: opening the bottle, leaving it upright for 1-2 hours before serving, hopefully removing the smell. The same applies to helping remove the herbaceous taste of tannins: phelonic compounds found in skins & seeds of grapes that add an unwanted brand of bitter taste to the wine. Of course, the necessity & level of your aeration depends on your preference. Unless overpowering by a large quantity, tannins also add balance, boldness & further shelf life to the wine. Perhaps you may wish to aerate your wine but only for a short amount of time if you’re in the mood for the slightly bitter.
Decantation
Furthermore, there are consumers who perhaps want to take their mission for perfectly aerated wine to the next level: really allowing contact with the air around us to purge any unwanted aromas or phelonic compounds. The narrow neck of a wine bottle may not provide the levels of aeration to remove musky odours in the time you require. Thankfully, this is what decanting is for: letting the bottle sit upright, letting any sediment sink to the bottom, then pouring the wine into a glass container to separate it from said sediment whilst letting it breathe. Larger types of wine glasses such as Tulips or Goblets would be used for this method with red wine, whilst some champagne glasses & flutes gently tapers (inverts) towards the rim to enhance the drinking experience whilst trapping in the flavours.
Increasing need for professionally decanted wine at a larger quantity has resulted in higher production of clear decanting drinkware. Classical variations of vintage decanters fashion a larger glass body with a narrower but still wide neck. A qualitative example would include Utopia’s Ego Carafe. However, for those who are looking for a more practical, decorative flair, market-leading providers like Utopia have also started producing alternatives like Pure Carafes: expertly blown carafes designed to be an astonishingly beautiful centrepiece. As can be seen below, not only does its exquisite curves & robust neck offer a thirst-creating presentation when serving any drink, but the carefully created irregular circle can also be used as a handle. Gorgeous & practical.
Final Thoughts
Demand for tasteful & affordable wine has resulted in the market growing to the point where it can be matched by supply, covering the spectrum from the lowest to highest classes. As the pricing potential for different types of wines remains so wide, constant introductions of new flavours & brands will continuously call for new innovations like aeration & decantation, to further enjoy all varieties to their fullest extents. As the industry evolves, as do our pallets and our desire for balance in quality & quantity. Any who are still in doubt of the necessity in utilizing a decanter or specialised glasses in enhancing the wine tasting experience, don’t knock it until you try it. Your taste buds will thank you.