The tears of wine are those small drops that remain attached to the wall of the glass, once we shake it to capture all its essence.
And yes, they are important because they provide us with very interesting additional information about the organoleptic characteristics of the broth that we are about to consume. Some experts even say that they reflect the soul of the wine.
The observation of the tears in the wine is part of the usual tasting and tasting process . Its shape and density define your body and determine, among other things, its alcoholic strength.
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How are they formed?
They are the result of the differentiated evaporation of the water and alcohol contained in the wine. Alcohol evaporates first and, as it is less dense than water, this leads to the formation of wine tears.
This phenomenon is known as the ‘ Marangoni effect ‘, in homage to the Italian physicist Carlo Marangoni, who in 1865 dedicated his doctoral thesis at the University of Pavia to this issue.
What do they tell us?
When you observe them, you will see that some wines have more tears than others , but what does this really mean?
The first thing to note is that tears are not related to the quality of the wine . Rather, they respond to the effects caused by their alcohol content, which is determined by two types of alcohol: ethanol and glycerol.
When the alcoholic degree is high, the path of the liquid in the glass will leave dense tears. These are the so-called full- bodied wines that are unctuous, that is to say, fattier and denser on the palate.
On the contrary, when the tear is light and moves quickly and easily, we will be dealing with a wine with little body and low alcohol content.
Factors influencing wine tears
You should also bear in mind that there are several elements that, to a greater or lesser extent, affect the shape and flow of tears in wine.
Temperature
Temperature, for example. The higher it is, the tears will be more dominant, since it will favor the evaporation of the alcohol.
Sugar
The natural sugar content in wine also plays an important role, as it gives it more density . Therefore, it will form heavier and slower tears than a less sweet wine.
A sweeter wine is the result of the vines having taken more sun, so it is logical that a broth from a sunny region has more important tears than those from the interior.
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We can also mention the wine glass as an important factor in the appearance and shape of tears. A glass that is rough, or has microscopic dust, will hold tears better than a perfectly smooth glass.
The fact that the glass may have a higher temperature than the wine will also influence.
Conclusions
From now on you will no longer be left wondering what the sommelier meant by referring to a wine “with a good tear”.
Remember that, if your tear is noticeable, this is a powerful wine, with body and high alcohol content. Which is not to say, of course, that those with less defined tears are of inferior quality. The tear is not synonymous with quality.
