Type of grape or grapes. Wines made with Sangiovese grapes, such as Ruffino's Chiantis and Fonte al Sole , tend to be ruby or garnet in color, while wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are usually darker, with purple or black tones. Conditions of the harvest. Lighter colors and less intensity often signal a rainy season that has left unripe or diluted grapes. The longer the skins remain on the grape during vinification, the darker the resulting color.
Young wines are deeper in color, while older wines mellow in color.
You have already swirled the glass, which makes for intensified aromas as the thin liquid film evaporates from the sides of the glass. Don't be shy about putting your nose right in the bowl of the glass and taking a bold sniff. In addition to providing sensory pleasure and offering clues in its own right, smelling the wine helps ready the palate, as taste and smell share a passageway. The grape or grapes. The Sangiovese grape, the primary grape for Tuscan wines, smells of cherry and violets, sometimes chocolate or plums.