Ever Wonder? Why are Wines Referred to as Dry?

You may have heard of wines being described as “dry.” When I started out learning about wines, I was told that the best wines are dry wines. But what does that really mean?  The problem is that the term can mean a couple of different things.

Some people will refer to a wine as being dry because of the way that it tastes or the sensation that the wine produces in their mouth.  And, yes, wines can make your mouth feel dry.

The sensation of dryness in the mouth is actually the result of tannic compounds in the wine or 'the tannins.'  Tannins come from the skins and seeds of the grape. And these tannic compounds are the same ones that you experience when you drink a strong cup of tea or when you eat nuts such as walnuts.  They yield the same effect; a drying sensation in the mouth.

But 'dry' generally refers to the lack of residual sugar in a wine. That is, during the fermentation process, the yeast is allowed to consume all the natural sugar in the juice of the grape and convert it into alcohol. Thus, dry wines actually contain little to no sugar.  If the fermentation process is interrupted before the natural sugars are converted to alcohol, then you end up with a wine that has a residual sugar level greater than zero.  These wines are referred to as being ‘off-dry'.’

Now, the question that still don’t know the answer to is why the word ‘dry’ became synonymous with wines of low or no residual sugar. But, I’ll keep digging!

Cheers!

Ever Wonder About Orange Wine?

Several years ago, we took an initial look at Orange wine. Having recently been asked about Orange wine, I thought it would be worth another look.

First, let’s get the most important point out of the way - Orange wine is not made from oranges.

Like ‘red’ wine and ‘white’ wine, Orange wine is categorized as such because of its color.

Now, let’s get to how Orange wines become orange in color. The answer is really quite straight forward. An Orange wine is produced with white wine grapes but it’s made using the same process that a red wine is made. That is, the juice of the white wine grape is left in contact with the skins of the grapes for an extended period.

This skin contact is in contrast to the way a white wine is produced where the juice is immediately separated from the skin of the grape. It’s this skin contact that results in the otherwise white wine becoming ‘orange.’ This skin contact can be just for a brief period of time (24 hours) or the skins may remain in contact through fermentation for a period of a week or more. The final color of Orange wine can vary across a range from yellow, gold, tangerine, amber or even pink.

The skin contact adds more than just color. It adds additional flavor and it adds tannin. So, Orange wines are generally bigger and bolder in flavor and have a more astringent mouthfeel like a red wine. Orange wines should be served slightly warmer than a white wine and slightly cooler than a red. So, 55 degrees F would be just about right.

Some people have tried to associate Orange wine with ‘Natural’ wine. But, it’s not true in general. Like any red or white wine, an Orange wine is only a natural wine if it’s been grown, processed and bottled using ‘natural’ methods.

While Orange wines are not that common, you may find them on wine lists at higher-end restaurants and wine bars, or at higher-end wine shops. So, keep an eye out for them and give an Orange wine a try. With its bigger and bolder flavors, Orange wines should pair well with many foods. Cheers!

The Four Fundamental Traits of a Good Wine (And How They Must be Balanced)

There are four fundamental traits that comprise a good wine. They are Acidity, Tannin, Alcohol and Sweetness.

For a wine to be considered “good,” each of these traits must be in proper proportion to each another.

This is because each of these four fundamental traits play a vital role in how the wine tastes. If there’s too much of one part, the wine will be off. And, if there’s not enough of a specific component, the wine will be lacking.

Too much acidity will make a wine taste sharp. Too much tannin will make the wine overly astringent. Too much alcohol and the wine will yield a burning sensation in your throat. And, too much residual sugar will make a wine overly sweet.

More specifically, the "hard" components of acidity and tannins typically are used to balance the "soft" components of sweetness and alcohol.

It’s truly is a balancing act for winemakers.

And, a balanced wine is one in which all the fundamental traits work together in harmony.

The Second Fundamental Trait of a Good Wine -- Tannin

Have you ever sipped a wine and immediately experienced a drying sensation in your mouth? That astringent sensation, generally associated with red wines, is associated with tannins.

Tannin is a chemical compound (polyphenol) that occurs naturally in the skin, seeds and stems of grapes. It can also be found in tea leaves, nuts with skins (e.g., almonds and walnuts) and dark chocolate, just to name a few.

Red wines are generally the ones that are highly tannic. This is because the process of making red wine involves leaving the grape skins, seeds and stems in contact with the juice of the grape during fermentation as shown in the photo.

But, tannic compounds also come from wood. So, barrel aging of wines can introduce yet another source of tannin.

Tannin is what gives a wine its complexity and depth of character. Without tannin, the wine would be 'watery,' 'thin' or 'flabby.' And, tannin is a great defender of oxidation. So, it defends against the small amounts of oxygen that gets introduced into a barrel or bottle that could otherwise spoil the wine.

With time, tannins are also responsible for producing that wonderful silky-smooth sensation in wines. The tannin compound actually chemically changes with time causing them to feel smoother and less harsh. Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of tannin and, when young, can have big tannins that can be described as 'rough' or 'dusty.' But with age the tannin ‘softens’ yielding the smooth sensation.

So, there’s a quick overview of the second fundamental trait of a good wine - Tannin. It works in conjunction with the other fundamental traits to add balance, complexity, and structure to wine.

Next time we’ll look at alcohol which is the third fundamental trait. Cheers!

Ever Wonder What Texture Means in Wines?

When wines get described you’ll often hear terms such as soft, smooth, silky, plush, firm, sharp and round. These are common textures we are familiar with when touching something with our hands. But what do these textures mean in wine?

Simply put, a wine’s texture is how it feels in your mouth. This is called the wine’s mouthfeel.

Textures in red wines are most often directly related to tannins that come from chemical compounds released from a grape’s skins, seeds and stems as well as the oak barrels used to age the wine. The amount and type of tannin leads to varying levels of astringency in wine which is that dry-mouth feeling like drinking a very strong or bitter tea. Grapes such as Pinot Noir are known for producing lower-tannin wines that may be described as ‘silky.’ Merlot tends to have a more ‘plush’ mouthfeel while Cabernet Sauvignon can be described as having ‘firm’ or ‘grippy’ mouthfeels.

The level of acidity in a wine also affects its texture. A Sauvignon Blanc that is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks will be described as having ‘sharp’ texture whereas a Chardonnay that is aged in oak will be described as having a ‘round’ mouthfeel. Red wines may go through Malolactic conversion that changes the more harsh Malic acid into Lactic acid (the acid in milk) to give the wines a more ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ texture.

Finally, other factors such as allowing a wine to remain in contact with its dead yeast, or lees, during aging, affects mouthfeel. Those residual yeast particles can create a ‘creamy’ and ‘rounded’ mouthfeel when stirred into the wine during the aging process.

So, there you go. A wine’s texture is all about mouthfeel. Next time you sip a wine, let is swish around in your mouth before swallowing it. Then, focus on how you mouth feels. That’s the texture of the wine!