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Complexity refers to a wine that has layers of diverse flavours.THINKSTOCK

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One of the pillars of wine quality, complexity refers to a wine that has layers of diverse flavours. It doesn’t offer the same consistent character from beginning to end, glass after glass. Instead, its taste and fragrance might suggest multiple elements, such as fruit, flowers, spices, herbs or teas, allowing your senses to identify different components each time the glass is raised to your nose or lips.

Complexity can be developed in different ways during the winemaking process. Different grape varieties have different characters, which express themselves at different levels of ripeness. Some varieties are classed as being non-aromatic in nature, which often make neutral wines as a result. Other grapes are pungently fragrant, with intense signature aromas and flavours. Think of the difference between the subtle citrusy notes of trebbiano or verdicchio (which typically make simple, refreshing dry white wines) versus riesling, sauvignon blanc or viognier, which offer the building blocks for dramatically complex wines right from the start.

Complexity can also be encouraged through winemaking practices, such as barrel fermentation or aging or blending different wines together. Some wineries employ different yeast strains to make a wine that has different aromatic attributes, while others don’t add any yeast, preferring for the alcoholic fermentation to kick off spontaneously. These so-called wild yeast fermentations can be risky – the wine doesn’t always finish fermentation – but the reward is a finished wine with more texture, body and, potentially, depth of flavour.

Beyond the grape varieties and the winemaking practices employed, more complexity can come from bottle age. If properly stored, well-made white and red wines can gain nuanced flavours from development, including honey, toffee, mushroom, leather and general savouriness.

Not all wines are suitable for aging, but it’s safe to say complex ones are better suited for your cellar. If the best attribute of a wine is its simple, pure and refreshing fruit character, why hold on to the bottle while that appealing primary fruit flavour fades?

Wine appreciation is always a matter of taste. Whether you enjoy a crisp and clean white wine or one that’s richer and more flavourful might change depending on occasion, season or setting. Simple styles of wines have their place. Complex ones do as well. Knowing the styles of wine that you enjoy helps you shop for wine and order at restaurants with more authority.

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