Evgeny Strzhalkovsky on how to recognize a good wine without the help of a sommelier.

      Good wine is not a matter of price, complicated processing, or the luck of an especially good harvest. As a rule, winemakers use well-honed techniques so that one batch does not differ greatly from another, which is why many buyers become attached to a particular winery and rarely change. But what if you don't have such a habit? How can you tell whether the wine you're drinking is good?

      Experienced winemakers say that a careful look and a couple of sniffs are enough to understand what you have in your glass. Evgeny Strzhalkovsky, owner of the Italian winery Scarpa, explains what those who judge wine by its essence rather than by the label pay attention to. “The first sign of a good wine is a complex aroma,” Strzhalkovsky says. Not one that simply smells of grapes, but a scent in which you can perceive notes of fruit, flowers, vanilla, cocoa, or tobacco. This principle was formulated by French sommeliers in the 19th century, who argued that aroma is the wine’s signature — a trace of its origin and the winemaker’s honesty.

      The second indicator of quality, Strzhalkovsky says, is balance. “When sweetness, acidity, and alcohol don’t drown each other out but work together, the wine becomes interesting,” he explains. Classic sommelier schools taught to recognize this balance not by a formula but by a feeling: if after the first sip you want a second, the wine is put together correctly.

      The finish is the third criterion valued by professionals. “A good wine’s finish lasts from ten to thirty seconds,” Strzhalkovsky says. In the tasting world there is even a term, caudal — one second of aftertaste. A long finish, he says, indicates that the drink has “held a conversation” with oak, time, and the winemaker.

      There are also indirect signs. The cork should not be dry; a dull color can reveal storage problems. “Red wines range in color from ruby to garnet and purple; whites from lemon to golden. If the shade is lifeless and lacks depth, the wine has probably grown tired,” he adds.

      Sommeliers pay special attention to clarity. A slight sediment is acceptable only in aged reds, where it testifies to naturalness rather than a defect. Foam in a still wine, by contrast, is a worrying sign — an indicator of uncontrolled fermentation.

      Experienced sommeliers, Strzhalkovsky says, always start with context — where the wine was born and how it was stored. “Choose classic regions — Piedmont, Tuscany, Burgundy, Argentina. Reputation here matters more than fashion. Good boutiques don’t just sell wine; they are responsible for its preservation,” he advises.

      And perhaps the main rule taught to everyone who makes or tastes wine: don’t look for “the best.” “Good wine reveals itself when paired with the right food. Taste, compare, don’t be afraid to experiment. There is no best wine — there is the one that suits you,” concludes Evgeny Strzhalkovsky.