With many people returning to school this week, we thought it might be a good idea to welcome everyone back from vacation with a little refresher course. We’re dubbing this installment of Buyin’ Oeno “Wine 101.” We’ve compiled a few basic terms and explanations to help novice wine drinkers comprehend this foreign wine language, but also to help all you other wine enthusiasts brush up. We will be discussing everything from tannins and acidity, to dry vs. off-dry, sweet vs fruity, what the body, aroma, bouquet and nose are and a few other tid bits. So let’s get to it.
We’ll start with the basics used when describing the feel of a wine.
Tannins – Technically these are phenolic polymers that lend density and fullness to a wine. But what exactly are they and where do they come from? Tannins come from the skins, seeds, stems of grapes, and from oak barrels. Naturally, red wines are fermented with their skins on, so they will contain more tannins. “Tannic” is the astringent characteristic you feel in your mouth with many red wines; the roof of your mouth and back of your teeth will feel different levels of dryness depending on the amount of tannins in a wine. This astringent feeling described as tannic and does not necessarily denote a “dry” wine. Tannins can also be accompanied by bitterness in the finish, but are helpful in that they are a necessary preservative for proper aging of a wine.
Acidity – The principal acids found in wines are malic, lactic, tartaric, and citric. Acid will activate your salivary glands, thus leading your mouth to water when it is present. This is the opposite effect of tannins, and should not be confused as a flavor profile. Rather, it is an effect, not a taste. When they are in the proper balance, acids contribute freshness to the wine.
Body – Light, medium and full- bodied are all descriptors you’ve heard before. These are used when talking about the weight and texture of a wine. Light body would be comparable to drinking a glass of skim milk, where a full-body wine would be similar to that of whole milk. Light body wines can actually be quite palate cleansing whereas a fuller wine can come close to numbing the palate.
