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Why Does My Wine Taste Differently Every Time?

Wine is a complex beverage—the combinations of aromas and flavours evolve from the moment you taste and swallow it. Given the complexity of wine, you may have a different experience when you taste the wine you’ve been enamoured by during a wine tasting trip.

If you expected to taste similar flavours as the first time you tried a glass of, let’s say, vintage champagne, you’re in for a disappointment! Even if you brought home the same bottle from your vacation, you will most likely not have the same experience as you did before. 

Due to the changing flavours of wine, many enthusiasts, especially first-timers, found this to be the most frustrating part of drinking wine.

But why does wine’s taste change anyway? Here are a few reasons why:

1. The Wine Has Aged

It’s common sense that the oaky and vanilla flavours may change over time, but you may be surprised to know that wine itself may have also aged. While at the winery, you may have probably noticed that there were different years of the exact wine in the tasting room.

Some wineries use a gold or silver foil to denote the vintage year. Other times, you may see a numbered year on the bottom of the bottle, but the most common way is to look for the harvest year on the front label. 

2. You’re Drinking the Wine in a Different Temperature

Whether you’re drinking red wine or vintage champagne, the serving temperature is significant in how a wine tastes. For instance, if you’re drinking white wine with a chilled wine glass, you’d be surprised to taste fruitier notes. But if you’re drinking red wine with the exact wine glass, you’d be surprised to taste more robust and spicy notes.

Most wineries have a recommended serving temperature for the wines on their shelves. This temperature may depend on the wine’s flavour profile, age, and type. You must use the recommended serving temperature if you want to taste the wine’s true flavours.

3. You’re Using a Different Glassware From Last Time

Like different serving temperatures, the type of wine glass that you’re drinking from can also affect your wine tasting experience. Specific glassware and type of mouthfeel influence the way a wine tastes.

Every glass manufacturer has its design for the types of wine and wine glasses it makes. Some wine glasses are made explicitly for red wines, and others are made for white wines. 

It’s important to note that the shape of your wine glass can also affect how your wine bounces off the walls of the glass. In other words, you can taste the wine’s aroma by using an appropriate glass.

4. The Wine Was Transported or Stored in Substandard Conditions

No matter how good a winery is, products can easily be damaged during transportation. If you’re transporting a wine bottle from your vacation, you need to ensure it’s tightly sealed so that the cork won’t dry out.

It’s also essential to store the wine in a cool, dark place. Just like any other liquid, wine can easily change in colour and consistency when it’s exposed to heat, light, and darkness for an extended period. The wine will most likely taste altered, and you may need to adjust your palate expectations to match the new flavour.

To be fair, different wine tastings have different flavours because of the many factors that affect the wine’s taste, such as the region’s fruit, soil, and climate. But when you’re drinking the exact wine, it’s still possible for you to experience different flavours from one to the next.

For this reason, it’s best to try to recognise your own taste buds. Stop comparing the wine you’re drinking to the wine you enjoyed in a previous tasting. Get ready to have a different tasting experience each time you try a new wine or even the exact wine.

If you’re looking to invest in vintage champagne, you’ve come to the right place. At Cru Wine, we make buying wine easier and simpler with a more enriched experience. Connect with us today to learn more about our wines.

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