FeatureNotes Of Time: What Your Favourite Wine Says About Your Taste In Watches

Shiraz

Type: Red

Characteristics: Dark, bold, rich

Also known as ‘syrah’, this is the kind of wine that you cannot be passive about. Rich, dark, and full-bodied, it’s the kind of wine that will definitely elicit a reaction from you. The flavour of this red wine is bold, and comprises notes of darker fruits such as blackberry and blueberry, with tartness that’s more intense than a citric hit. Its almost savoury notes definitely make this a deep, complex wine. Even when paired with food, bolder flavours help bring out its more subtle nuances.

The Watch Guide Recommends: Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days

Dark, intense and equipped with a robust movement, this watch embodies the traits that a bold Shiraz possesses. Set in a generous 47mm case in brushed, black ceramic, this timepiece is all about depth in appearance and personality. The in-house manufactured movement offers the calculation of immersion time, in addition to hours, minutes, small seconds, and date indication. The dark leather strap and black dial add to the intensity, while a solid caseback in titanium helps make this watch water resistant to 300m.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Type: Red

Characteristics: Full-bodied, dark, versatile

The speciality of cabernet sauvignon is that the grape can grow in a wide range of climatic conditions, which makes it widely popular in various parts of the world. Moreover, it is intense and full-bodied, but lighter than a Shiraz. While it offers you flavours of dark fruits and savoury notes of olive and pepper, it also has a sweet spiciness, in the form of vanilla and liquorice. It is enjoyed as a wine to dine with or simply by itself, making it quite versatile in appeal.

The Watch Guide Recommends: Cartier Calibre De Cartier

For the lovers of cabernet sauvignon, a Cartier would be a fine choice, owing to the brand’s appeal among a range of personalities. The full-bodied consistency and complex flavours demanded a watch that also represents the brand’s technical know-how. Hence, a Calibre De Cartier, in a rich brown, with the widely-appealing rose gold. Powered by an in-house manufactured movement in its 42mm case, the watch features hours, minutes and small seconds, with a date window and pointer at three o’clock, all seen through the sapphire crystal glass. This watch comes with a brown leather strap and is water resistant to 30m.

Merlot

Type: Red

Characteristics: Balanced, smooth, popular

Who doesn’t like a good merlot! This is the red wine to have if you want something that’s rich in flavour, but not too intense. The medium-bodied wine is well balanced in terms of acidity and dryness. And since it’s so smooth, it goes down very easily. The flavour bouquet offers hints of chocolate and berry, making it very interesting. It’s no surprise that merlot is quite the popular favourite.

The Watch Guide Recommends: TAG Heuer Aquaracer

One glance at this TAG Heuer Aquaracer is enough for anyone to fall for its soothing appearance. In steel, black and red, the colour palette is perfectly balanced, just like a good merlot. Moreover, the red on the bezel of this timepiece is reminiscent of the wine’s hue. Like a merlot, this Aquaracer has nuanced accents, and a smooth finish. The 43mm case houses a quartz movement and is water resistant to 300m.

Pinot Noir

Type: Red, but also used in rosé and white

Characteristics: Light, fruity, versatile

Considering that this is one of the lighter red wines you can have, the name, ‘pinot noir’ is almost a contradiction. The grape is only red owing to its skin, inside of which, it’s as light as a green or golden grape. It’s the skin that dyes the wine red, so the colour – red, white or rosé – really depends on the stage of the fermentation process when the skin is removed from the wine. Even though this is a lighter red, with fruity notes, the overall flavour is more than that. With notes ranging from raspberry to clove, this wine can be quite well-rounded, adding to its nuance.

The Watch Guide Recommends: Baume & Mercier Clifton

From a brand that’s as much about its leisurely lifestyle as the features it offers in its products, this is the perfect fit for someone who enjoys a good pinot noir. From its brown leather strap, to its 39mm case in rose gold, and anthracite dial, the watch reflects a diverse but balanced palette like the offering of pinot noir. The dial is simplistic with hour, minute, and seconds hands, and a date window. Despite basic features, it runs on a reliable automatic movement, resulting in a well-rounded timepiece.

Sauvignon Blanc

Type: White

Characteristics: Fresh, acidic, fruity

Fresh and fruity, sauvignon blanc is the perfect daytime wine. It’s dry enough to also appeal to someone who doesn’t like a very sweet white, making it a popular choice. The light-bodied consistency can present an array of flavours, depending on how ripe the grapes are. From passion fruit, grapefruit and melon, to peach, gooseberry and lime, even the fruitiness of this wine can offer quite a range.

The Watch Guide Recommends: Nomos Glashütte Orion 33 Rose

Exuding the freshness of a sauvignon blanc is this Nomos Orion timepiece. With a velour leather strap in beige, the 32.5mm case is in stainless steel, lending the watch that fresh, light appeal. In contrast, matching the flavour notes of sauvignon blanc, are the creamy dial and gold hands and hour markers. From the leading German manufacturers known for their technically-sound watchmaking, this piece features an in-house manufactured, manual-winding movement.

Semillon

Type: White

Characteristics: Medium-bodied, fresh, floral

A perfect palate cleanser, this wine offers everything that you would want from a white. It’s light, but offers a distinctive bouquet of notes. From lemon and green apple, to honey and saffron, it is just the right blend of aroma and flavour. The balance between citrus and sweet spices even gives it a floral feel. Not too acidic, not too dry, not too sweet, this medium-bodied wine is actually quite favourable.

The Watch Guide recommends: Longines Watchmaking Tradition Saint-Imier Collection

Someone who likes a favourable wine should wear a favourable watch from a favourable manufacturer. This Longines chronograph timepiece is just that. With a case and strap in steel and rose gold, this watch is quite balanced in appearance, just like a semillon. The automatic movement in the 41mm case offers a 54-hour power reserve and a chronograph function, with 30-minute and 12-hour counters at three and six o’clock respectively.

Prosecco

Type: Sparkling, made from specific grapes native to Italy

Characteristics: Fresh, fruity, light

Here’s a bubbly wine for those who like something that’s not quite as aerated, but still maintains a steady flow of bubbles till you get to the end of the glass. Prosecco is like a less-popular champagne, but it certainly has its own distinctive characteristics. Since it is aged in tanks, it is less aggressive with its effervescence. Additionally, because of the grapes used, it is fresh and not to dry. Once you’ve tasted Prosecco, you’re bound to like it more than other bubblies.

The Watch Guide recommends: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date

The combination of steel and brown leather, and the muted champagne-coloured dial gives this watch an understated and unassuming elegance, which is exactly what Prosecco is like. The thin build of the 40mm case housing an automatic movement makes it light, yet substantial. This dress watch will go as well with the Italian bubbly as it will with an Italian suit.

Champagne

Type: Sparkling, from the Champagne region of France

Characteristics: Dry, acidic, rich

Champagne is such a phenomenon that for the layperson, it has become synonymous with any sparkling wine. The dry, rich flavour, coupled with an acidic feel and toasty notes, make it quite popular even among those who are not wine connoisseurs. Ageing the wine in bottles makes it aggressively bubbly and hence it’s the perfect popping wine, and the ultimate celebratory beverage.

The Watch Guide Recommends: Omega De Ville Prestige

The glitz and celebration of champagne calls for an all-gold dress watch, with a champagne-coloured dial of course. The Omega De Ville Prestige is rich in the popular yellow gold, but minimal in design, making this classical gold watch as appealing as the extremely popular sparkling wine. The 36.8mm case houses an automatic movement, and is water resistant to 30m.

So which watch will you be wearing, holding your glass of wine this New Year’s Eve? Do scroll down to tell us.