Measuring the monomeric anthocyanin concentration of a young red wine to gauge softness potential is quite useful but slightly tricky. Unfortunately for the amateur wine enthusiast with a cellar, red wine’s darkness itself is not sufficient for determining monomeric anthocyanin concentration. Color density doesn’t account for the degree to which field oxidation may have polymerized pigment, particularly in cases of long hang time. Wines that look very dark may actually be quite fragile. It helps to look for an overly amber edge—a bad sign.
