What is the best wine in the world? This question has increasingly begun to appear on the Internet. And answering it is not so easy. After all, how many people, so many tastes. There are, of course, recognized favorites, but most often each production, each country determines its rating of the best wines in the world. And often they have nothing in common with each other.
Recognized Country Leaders
Even those who are far from the wine-making industry will answer French when asked which wines are the best in the world. This is a template opinion. The wines of France are, of course, very tasty, but there are many producing countries whose products are not inferior to them in quality.
First of all, the French received recognition because of the ideal classification, which now equals the whole Old World and most of the New. Due to the Mediterranean climate, which is ideal for the development of winemaking, in this country there are a lot of wine-growing regions. This, in turn, led to the fact that France has a huge range of wines. From simple everyday to elite, complex, most expensive drinks in the world.
Features of the wines of France
In this country, alcoholic beverages from grapes were produced before our era. So the French had enough time to improve their skills in this industry. Here, at one time, such selection varieties were bred that did not give results anywhere else. By the way, such a popular variety as Carminer, which is currently considered the exclusive of Chile, was bred in France. So it is not for nothing that it is believed that the best wine in the world is produced here.
The French are very sensitive to their alcoholic beverages. They strictly honor traditions, therefore, in the production of wine, the latest technologies are perfectly combined with old recipes. The best dry wines in the world, like several centuries ago, are produced in Provence, Alsace, Burgundy and Bordeaux.
The main wine region of France
The main Bordeaux wineries are located in the cellars of the chateau (ancient castles). It is believed that each of them has its own secret, its own unique story. Different chateau wines have completely different flavors and tastes. The only thing that unites them is the mandatory presence in the bouquet of notes of wildflowers and herbs. The wines of this region have their own special bottle shape, in the bottom of which there is a deep notch. It is needed so that sediment collects there and does not fall into the glass.
In France, there is a whole set of laws on winemaking that strictly control the production of a magic drink. AOC category wines (controlled by origin) should be made only from certain grape varieties that grow in a strictly defined area.
France rivals
It has always been believed that Italians and Spaniards breathe in the back of the French in the wine industry. The wines of the Old World carried the palm for a long time. While the Spanish winemakers did not pay attention to Chile. After all, the country is in an ideal place for the production of the best wine in the world. On one side it is surrounded by a mountain range, and on the other, an ocean breeze blows. The fame of this wine-growing region spread very quickly, and then the French decided to experiment, trying to plant several of their varieties of sunny berries on these fertile soils.
But an event happened that affected the wine industry all over the world. In the XVII century, the phylloxera epidemic fell on France, and from there rolled almost all over the world. This is a bug that damages the roots of the vines so that they can no longer be restored.
The main threat to winemaking
The only country in the world that this “plague of viticulture” did not suffer was Chile. It was there that the French winemakers exported their seedlings in the name of salvation. One of these winemakers was Sylvester Ochagavia. He exported a lot of copies to Chile, including saving the favorite variety of the royal court, Carminer, on the territory of this state.
Winemaking Development in Chile
Well, they coped with phylloxera and set about restoring vineyards. Yes, there it was. Many varieties for unknown reasons did not take root at home. Carminer was no exception. This variety was never able to grow anywhere else. He became the hallmark of Chilean winemaking. Now a drink of these berries can rightfully be attributed to the best wines in the world.
Now Chilean wines are not only known all over the world, they are also very popular. Despite the fact that they practically do not adhere to a certain classification, light alcohol from this country quickly conquers the European and American markets.
The thing is that the cost of producing wine in Chile is very low. There is a rich harvest, which is collected almost twice a year, and cheap labor. So it turns out that a drink that claims to be the best wine in the world has a fairly affordable price.
Another interesting fact: despite the fame and exclusivity of Carminera, Chile’s best-selling wine is Cabernet.
The oldest wines of the world
Wine began to be produced in ancient times. This type of grape processing has always been considered the most beloved and profitable.
The first mention of wine dates back to the third millennium BC. It was made in ancient Egypt. But, of course, those drinks have not survived to our days, however there are wines that have lived for hundreds of years and you can still drink them.
Today the concept of "Elite Wine" has become very popular. Such drinks are produced in regions in which wine has been made for more than a century. Here, certain varieties of berries are cultivated, and the level of production of the magic drink is on the verge of fantasy. It is these wines that are exhibited at international tastings, they also win the most prestigious cups and prizes.
Also, the best wines in the world include those drinks that have great potential for aging in a bottle. Due to this property, wine can lie in the cellar for many years, while it will only get better.
In order to produce such masterpieces, it is not enough just to thoroughly study the basics of wine production. It will take many years of experience to help combine the flight of creative thought with a scientific point of view.
Experts say that wine made before 1700 should not even be opened; in any case, there is only wine vinegar. But now the wines of the XVIII-XIX centuries can be considered quite old.
"Jerez de la Fronteira" (1775). It is estimated at 50 thousand dollars. The most interesting thing is that this Spanish wine is located in the Crimea and is the pearl of the collection of the Massandra wine museum. It is made from berries harvested in 1775. In 1964, Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev gave permission to uncork one of the bottles. Those who were lucky to attend the tasting were delighted with its taste. Another bottle went from Sotheby's auction into the hands of an anonymous buyer for 50 thousand dollars. Two more bottles were taken abroad with the permission of the president of an independent Ukraine.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild (1784) once graced Thomas Jefferson's collection. Now she has returned home and is a pearl among the Rothschild vintage line. This bottle is estimated at almost 160 thousand dollars.
Chateau d'Yquem (1787) - the most expensive white sweet wine. This bottle belonged to Antique for a long time and was an adornment of their collection. But at the beginning of this century, she left the auction in unknown hands for 90 thousand dollars. The buyer himself said that he was not going to open the wine, so there was a ghostly hope that it would ever come up at auction.
“Muscat pink Magarach” (1836) is stored in the cellars of the Crimean plant “Magarach”. At the moment there are three bottles of such wine. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest wine produced in the Russian Empire.
The best wine according to the Americans
One of the most respected publications in the field of winemaking belongs to America and is called Wine Spectator. The best tasters work here, and it is they who evaluate a huge number of wines from around the world during the year, and then make a list of leaders. So, in their opinion, the name of the best wine in the world is Relentless Napa Valley Shafer Vineyards of 2008. Oddly enough, its cost is only $ 60, and the country of origin is the United States. This winery is located in California and becomes the best producer for the seventh time, according to this edition.