WINE COLOURS

The colour is the most evident aspect of wine and evolves throughout its life, marking its various stages. The colour of wine depends on many factors, such as the grape varieties used, the winemaking process, aging, and maturation.

Not only the hue but also the intensity of the colour is important. It can be described as deep, rich, intense, or conversely, pale and weak. Generally, the greater the intensity, the richer the aromas and structure of the wine.

Finally, another crucial quality of colour is its vibrancy, which is closely linked to the wine’s acidity. From this perspective, a wine can be described as lively, fresh, and bright, or uncertain, faded, and dull.

The guide to different wine colors: tone, intensity, and vibrancy of wine.

White wines

Paper white

Very young wines, vinified in vats.

Straw yellow

Young to very young wines, vinified and matured in vats.

Golden yellow

Mature or full-bodied wines aged in casks.

Amber yellow

Long-aged wines, passito or oxidised wines.

Rosé wines

Pale pink

The concentration of the colour is directly proportionate to the duration of maceration on the skins, and therefore to the tannin content.

Cherry pink

The concentration of the colour is directly proportionate to the duration the maceration on the skins, and therefore to the tannin content.

Claret pink

The concentration of the colour is directly proportionate to the duration of maceration on the skins, and therefore to the tannin content.

Red wines

Purple red

Very young wines.

Ruby red

Medium-bodied wines.

Garnet red

Full-bodied wines.

Orange red

Great wines at their peak expression or aged wines.