Wine Tears Explained: Do More Legs Mean Better Quality?

Do Wines Really “Cry”?

Some people have poetically described wine using the word “tears,” saying that only wine that can cry is good wine—because it sheds more tears. But does wine really cry? What exactly are these “tears”? Why do they form? And are the droplets clinging to the glass truly better the more there are?

When you open a bottle of properly aged wine, pour a small amount into a glass, and gently swirl it so the liquid coats the sides evenly, something interesting happens. Once you stop swirling, thin streams of wine slowly flow back down the inner surface of the glass, leaving visible streaks behind. These delicate trails are what people have poetically named “wine tears.”

Sediment in the Bottle: A Common Misunderstanding

At this point, if you take a closer look at the wine bottle itself, you may also notice dark brown sediment clinging to the inside of the glass. For those unfamiliar with wine, this can raise doubts: Has the wine gone bad? Is the quality poor? In fact, this is not the case at all. The streaks left on the glass are a normal phenomenon known as “legs” or “tears.”

Wine tears indicate relatively higher levels of alcohol, sugar, and glycerol, as well as a richer amount of dry extract (all non-volatile substances other than residual sugar). As a result, wines with pronounced tears often deliver a fuller, more concentrated mouthfeel.

When tasting wine with a proper glass, nearly all wines will show some degree of tearing, but these can be divided into “long legs” and “short legs.” Long legs flow slowly down the glass, while short legs move more quickly. Wines with higher alcohol or sugar content tend to be more viscous and dense, which is why they are more likely to form long, slow-moving legs.

The Role of Tannins in Wine Texture

The weight and structure of a wine largely depend on tannins found in grape skins—substances often considered the soul of wine. During fermentation and aging, tannins gradually form larger molecular structures. Combined with long-term horizontal storage and the slow release of sugars from the wine, these compounds cling to the walls of the glass or bottle, creating the familiar tearing effect.

Are Wine Tears a Sign of Quality?

Wine legs are a natural sign of wine maturity. They do not harm wine quality, nor do they diminish aroma or flavor, and they are completely safe for consumption. In general, wines with greater concentration are more likely to show long legs. So how should we view this phenomenon correctly? Some producers, seeking a clearer appearance, use high-density filtration to remove sediment. However, this process can strip away flavor, aroma, and many beneficial compounds. Many AOC red wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy display cloudiness or sediment, yet they are still regarded as some of the finest wines in the world.

A bottle of Bordeaux red may spend two years or more aging in new oak barrels, while some top-tier wines require ten years or longer of bottle aging before the wine becomes soft, harmonious, and richly aromatic, a process that depends heavily on proper wine storage. This is when it truly earns the title of a fine aged wine. Therefore, when a wine contains heavy sediment or the bottle shows signs of advanced age, the proper approach is decanting—transferring the wine into another vessel before serving. Decanting not only separates the sediment, but also enhances the overall dining experience, adding ceremony and enjoyment to the moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does proper storage affect how wine behaves in the glass, including wine tears?

A: Yes. Stable temperature and proper humidity help preserve alcohol balance and texture over time. Wines stored under consistent conditions—such as in a wine fridge—tend to age more evenly, which can influence how the wine looks and feels when poured.

Q: Are wine tears the same as wine quality?

A: No. Wine tears mainly reflect alcohol, glycerol, and sugar levels. They do not directly measure balance, aroma complexity, or aging potential.

Q: Does swirling the glass create wine tears?

A: Swirling makes tears easier to see, but it does not create them. The wine’s composition determines whether tears appear.

Q: Are wine tears more common in red wine than white wine?

A: They are more noticeable in reds due to higher alcohol, tannins, and glycerol, but white wines can show them as well.

Q: Can temperature change the appearance of wine tears?

A: Yes. Warmer wine often shows more visible tears because alcohol evaporates faster.