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For the wine aficionado or someone who has a newfound interest in wine, this might just be one of the most important blog you have ever read (on wine). While many people drink wine, whether it’s with dinner or just to relax and unwind after a long day, only a few of them know how to describe wine. In the following lines, we are going to take a look at some of the words that are going to make you sound like a professional sommelier.
1. Supple
Supple wine is soft and well-rounded. In other words, it is unaggressive and consists of harmonious acidity and matured tannins which do not dominate the taste of the wine.
2. Angular
Angular wine is the direct opposite of supple wine. This wine has a sharp taste that’s felt almost immediately. It is not smooth at all because of its high acidic volume. Keeping this in mind, any wine that does not taste smooth or lacks roundness can be described as an angular wine.
3. Disjointed
Wines tend to evolve with time. This means they usually get better but a particular vintage could come across as “disjointed” as in too aggressive and acidic before it is able to achieve coherence. In other words, a disjointed wine is one that has a misplaced taste when it comes to its flavor and tannins.
4. Full-Bodied
This is one term that many of you would be familiar with. Here the word “body” describes how the wine feels like while its still in the mouth. So, a full-bodied wine will be one that feels heavy and full of flavor. This “weight” in the wine is influenced by the volume of alcohol that’s been included in the mix. Other factors that determine the weight of a wine are the minerals, pectin, protein, glycerol and of course sugar.
5. Hollow
As the name implies, hollow wine is one that does not have substance. In other words, this type of wine could be seen as the opposite of a full-bodied wine. Hollow wines are also those which may be flavorful but lack in complexity in the mid-palate and finish.
6. Steely
Steely is a work that’s mostly used to describe dry white wines that have a crisp metallic taste. The wines that are described as steely are usually those ones that are unoaked, such as a pinot gris or Riesling.
7. Hot
Whenever a wine has a high alcohol content it usually finishes with a slight burning sensation at the back of the throat. When that happens, the wine is said to be “hot”. Hot wines are imbalanced and heady. Going through a few hot wines can leave you feeling tipsy in the end.
8. Lush
If you haven’t guessed it, “lush” denotes a rich and sumptuous tasting wine. A lush wine has a soft yet viscous taste which is mostly attributed to a high sugar content in the wine. This term is exclusively kept reserved for the delicious dessert wines.
9. Racy
To call a wine racy means that it is acidic and invigorating. These wines are not angular but so have a high acidity and tannins. As a result, these racy wines tend to stick out.
10. Grippy
Not to be confused with hot wine, this type of wine grabs the attention of your taste buds with its rich texture and tannins. While it doesn’t have a particular flavor per se, you do get a mouth full of chemical compounds that are tannic and chewy.
You can find a wine to these corresponding terms during a wine tour in Michigan with the best tour operators in town.
Cheers, and don't drink and drive,
Coastal Tours