Wine 101

We’ve all had the moment when we enter a wine store, look up at the hundreds of bottles on the shelf and think…wow, I don’t even know where to begin. Well the place to start is by knowing a few terms to help you identify what you like.

Do you like white wine or red wine? Full or medium bodied wines? Oaky or Non-Oaky? Dry or Sweet? This week I’ve decided to explain some terms that are often thrown around, but not always explained. While you'll probably know some of these terms and they may seem basic, it’s always helpful to be reminded!

Wine Colors
Red Wine – Wine made from black grapes, like Pinot Noir. Although we usually think red (table) grapes are used, the grapes used in winemaking are often way darker in color. The wine’s red color comes from the grape skins.

White wine – Wine that’s often made using the juice of white grapes, like Chardonnay. Cool fact: since the color of red wine comes from the grape skins and not just the grape juice, you can find white wine made from red grapes. Famous example: Champagne – many Champagnes are made from Pinot Noir!

Rosé wine – A wine made using black grapes that don’t stay in contact with the grape skins for a long time. Now I know what you’re thinking, and no, Rosés, are not red wine and white wine mixed (that’s actually illegal in some countries *wink, France*).

Body
The body of the wine can be described as the “mouthfeel” of the wine. A good way thinking about this is by comparing it to the difference between the way skim milk, whole milk and cream feel when you drink them.

Light bodied – light and easy to drink wines. Think Rosés, Pinot Grigio from Italy or Beaujolais from France.
Medium bodied – richer, more round feeling wine. Pinot Noir’s from Burgundy (France) or Merlot from Chile are some good examples.
Full bodied – wine that feels heavier and is more concentrated. Examples would be an oaked Chardonnay from California or Syrah from the Rhone in France.

Sweetness
Sweetness in wine is often confusing. The sweetness levels refer to the flavor of sugar in wine, not necessarily the fruitiness. You can find wines that are fruity in taste but not necessarily sweet. Three categories of sweetness include dry, medium sweet and sweet (or luscious).

Dry (no perception of sugar) – Examples include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Chablis from France. There are many examples of red wines that fall under this category (Merlot, Chanti, Barbera).
Medium dry/Medium Sweet (perception of sugar but not overwhelming) – think Muscato d’ Asti or German “Spatlese” Rieslings
Sweet/Luscious – (LOTS of sugar) – Here is where you get into the desert wine category. Think Port from Portugal or Sauternes from France.

Other Important terms
Acidity – Acid sounds scary but it really isn’t. Acidity is the quality in wine that gives it its refreshing, bright, zippy qualities that we all love (especially in white wines). You can usually identify acidity because it gives you the same mouth-watering sensation that you get when you suck on a lemon slice. If you like Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre, you probably really like acidity!

Tannin – An astringent, mouth drying sensation similar to drinking really strong, over-steeped black tea. While this doesn’t sound pleasing, tannins are very important because they add balance, complexity and structure to wine. Tannins also makes a wine last longer – hello 1985 wines! Some red wines like Bordeaux from France or Barolo from Italy can last 50+ years and that’s mainly due to the high tannin levels.

Oak – Oak is used in the maturation of wine and will give flavors and texture to the wine. In white wine, oak can add coconut or vanilla flavors, and even make the wine become buttery. In red wines, oak helps the wine soften and adds spicy characteristics. Examples include Californian Oaked Chardonnay or Spanish Rioja.

Aromas – Aromas are what you smell when you nose the wine (yes, you should smell what you’re drinking). Aromas are important because they help people identify qualities that they like in wine. If you like lychees then you’ll probably like Gewurztraminer; if you like bright apple/pear aromas, then you’ll probably be a fan of Chenin Blanc. Red wines can give aromas of spicy cherry (Grenache), strawberry & raspberries (Beaujolais) or even truffles (Pinot Noir) – who doesn’t like truffles?!

Flavors – This is where it's all tied together. Flavors are the combination of aroma, taste and mouthfeel that create a profile of what you’re drinking (also referred to as flavor profile). This is what people normally use when describing what they like in wine. Here are two examples of flavor profiles and the wines associated with them:
1) Sauvignon Blanc – Medium bodied, white wine that’s dry and herbaceous
2) Australian Shiraz – Full bodied red wine with blackberry fruit and spicy aromas

So, the next time you walk into a wine store use some of these terms to help the salesperson identify what you’re looking for. Trust me, if you walk into a wine store and used the term tannins, they’ll be utterly impressed!!

As always if you’ve liked what you read or have any questions, just shoot me an email. Stay tuned for the next week's episode!

Yg