Can Wine Be Balanced?

As wine enthousiast we all once in a while read just another wine review and come along one of those typical qualifications like a balanced wine. And of course, we immediately think to understand what the idea behind this specification is. In a balanced wine all components of the wine are harmonious, complementing and well integrated. Components like acidity, sweetness, tannins, alcohol and flavors are all in proportion. No single element overwhelms the other and so creating a cohesive and enjoyable tasting experience. The wine has a pleasing structure on the palette and a smooth finish, making it delightful to drink. ….. But is ‘balanced’ a true state of being? Can wine indeed be balanced?

To keep your balance you must keep moving.
(Albert Einstein)

If things are “in balance” there is stability or to put it another way, there is an an equilibrium of the constituent elements. This means overall there is no change. But is that possible in something natural as wine? To make my point more specific I will first make a comparison with a river. When we look at a river we see of course the water, but the river isn’t just the water we see. It is the interplay between a current of ever changing water, carried by the river bottom and being kept on track by the riverbed, all together shaped by the powers of nature. And as from a distance it might look as something stable, overall being in a perfect balance, we all know the river is ultimately in a permanent evolution. Everything is continuously changing. The water replaces itself in a consistent way. The bottom is permanently altering due to the forces of the water. And in the slightly longer term even the riverbed is shifting it’s course. So looking at something natural like a river, what we see is a continuous movement or put in another way – a permanent flux. But no status quo at all, just an ever ongoing movement or change. To bring this idea a little closer to the world of wine, I will present a little parable.

All we see is just mater in a permanent state of flux

Once in a vineyard, nestled in the heart of a sun-kissed valley, there grew an ancient grapevine known to the villagers as the ‘Vine of Wisdom’. This vine had been there for centuries, producing grapes that were said to hold the secrets of time and transformation.

The vineyard was tended by an old vintner named Nikki, who had spent her life cultivating the grapes and crafting the finest wines. Each season, she watched the vine with reverence, knowing that the process from grape to wine was a reflection of life itself.

One day, a young man named Jasper came to Nikki, eager to learn the art of winemaking. Nikki welcomed him warmly and began to teach him. They harvested the grapes, crushed them, and placed the juice into barrels to ferment. As they worked, Nikki told Jasper, “Wine is much like life, always in a state of flux. From the moment the grape is plucked, it begins a journey of transformation. First, it is crushed, releasing its essence. Then, through fermentation, it becomes something entirely new, a young wine full of potential but still raw and unrefined.” Jasper listened intently, watching the bubbling barrels as the yeast worked its magic. “But even then,” Nikki continued, “the journey is not over. The wine must age, sometimes for years, to reach its fullest maturity. It is during this time that the wine develops its character, depth and complexity. When preserved in a proper way this can even take more than a lifetime”.

Then Nikki poured Jasper a glass of an old vintage, rich and aromatic. “Taste this,” she said. Jasper took a sip, savoring the layers of flavors and the smooth finish. “This wine has seen many seasons, weathered changes and emerged better for it. Finding an ever changing balance”. Nikki smiled. “All that exists, the universe including life and wine, is in an ever-changing mode. The universe continuously faces challenges and transformations that shape it. Sometimes things get crushed and sometimes it takes time to do its work. But through it all, the universe, with everything in it, evolves infinitely.” Jasper nodded, understanding the wisdom in Nikki’s words. He realized that the wine in his glass is just like a screenshot of an element of the material world. A screenshot which creates the illusion that the wine is stable. But in reality the wine is just a screenshot of an ongoing transformational phenomena we call existence.

Wine provides us with a glimpse of the sacred in the profane.

So going back to the question: Can wine be balanced? It all comes down to your perspective. If time isn’t moving, like in a screenshot, the illusion of an equilibrium seems reasonable, although even the material on which the screenshot is projected can’t survive time, so changes. And in addition, also the thought of the screenshot isn’t stable, as our mind is a never fully at rest.

But when time is in play, there is (due to the accompanying space and causality) definitely no standstill in our phenomenal world. As in the end even the tiniest parts of matter vibrate endlessly and switch freely form particle to wave and back again. So the universe, including wine, is the permanent flux of existence, which you might call in balance but which is definitely not static.

Good vibes!

Corné van Nijhuis
World’s first self-declared Vinosopher