Index
1- CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE AGE OF THE WINE:
There are wines made for fresh consumption (many white, rosé, sparkling, and young) that are harmed by age , since they are produced to be consumed in 1 year. But there are others that are made with the purpose of aging over the years, both in barrels and in bottles.
The life of a wine has a limit. There is an upward evolution in the quality of the wine until it reaches its highest expression, but from there a drop in quality begins. It is difficult for the point of maximum quality to exceed 15 or 20 years.
This classification is general, but each DO has its own particular characteristics.
| Classification | Weather Barrica | Bottle Time | Total Time: Barrel + Bottle |
| Oak or Semi-Crianza | 3 months minimum | 6 months minimum | 9 months |
| Crianza | Reds: 6 months minimum | 18 months minimum | 24 months |
| Reservation | Whites and rosés: 6 months minimum | 18 months minimum | 24 months |
| Reservation | Reds: 12 months minimum | 36 months minimum | 48 months |
| Great Reserve | Whites and rosés: 6 months minimum | 30 months minimum | 36 months |
| Great Reserve | Reds: 24 months minimum | 36 months minimum | 60 months |
2- CLASSIFICATION OF WINES BY COLOR
Due to their color, the wines are subdivided and classified into: reds, rosés and whites.
Red wines:
They are obtained from the pressing of red grapes. The red color is obtained from the pigments that are in the grape skins. The longer the must is in contact with the skin, the more intense the color of the wine will be.
Rosé wines:
They are obtained by pressing the same grapes as red, but the contact time between must and skin (maceration) is much shorter.
White wines:
White wines are obtained and classified by pressing white or black grapes.
In the case of black grapes, it is mandatory to prevent the must from obtaining color, so the must and the skins have to be separated quickly.
3- CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO RESIDUAL SUGAR
Fermentation is the conversion of sugars (located in the grape) into alcohol. But this transformation is not done 100%; there is a quantity of sugar that does not ferment. This is what is called residual sugar.
Depending on this amount we can divide the wines into:
dry, doomed, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet and natural sweets
You can train your nose with any of the following scent kits that you can buy directly from Amazon:
4- CLASSIFICATION OF WINES ACCORDING TO ALCOHOLIC DEGREE
In reds:
Wines between 8-14º: The alcoholic degree will oscillate between 8 and 14 degrees, exceptionally 15 degrees.
Wines between 14-23º: They are fortified wines treated by adding alcohol, such as Jerez, Fino, Manzanilla and Amontillado.
In blanks:
Light whites: 8-11º : Ribeiro, Chacolí, Catalan whites…
White with 12º body: the banks with more body will be around 12 degrees, the same as the pink ones.
