Step 1
of 5
See
Hold by the stem, tilt over something white. Look down through the wine onto a white napkin or sheet of paper.
You're checking three things: color (young Malbec is inky purple; an older one fades to brick), clarity (cloudy can mean unfiltered — often a good sign), and intensity at the centre versus the rim.
The rim is the giveaway. Bright purple = young and structured. Brick or orange = older with softer tannins.
