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!

Ever Wonder Where Fruit Aromas & Flavors Come From in Wines?

When I first became interested in wines, I remember asking if other fruits were used in the production of wines. After all, so many wines smell and taste like a lot of fruits other than grapes. So, if grapes are the only fruits used in wine making, how do all those other aromas and flavors get into the wine?

Well, it turns out that there’s a lot going on during fermentation, not just the yeast converting the grape’s natural sugar to alcohol. There are also chemical reactions going on that create hundreds of aroma and flavor compounds. Wow!

These “compounds” are identical to the compounds that we already associate with smells and tastes. So, when you smell a fruit aroma in wine you are smelling the same aroma compounds that also naturally occur in those fruits. The same is true with flavors.

Other aromas such as vanilla, tobacco, leather, coffee, caramel and toast come from the oak aging of the wines. Depending on the amount of ‘toasting’ the barrel undergoes affects the range and depth of these aromas.

So next time you have a glass of wine take time to smell it in the glass before you sip. You’ll be amazed to discover the aromas of dark fruits in red wines such as berries and plums while white wines can have aromas of apples, pears, melons and citrus. And then sip the wine and enjoy all the fruit flavors it has to offer. Cheers!

Aromas Play an Important Part in How a Wine Tastes

In a recent blog, I asked “What do you smell when you smell wine?” In wines, especially the red wines, there are a multitude of aromas that can be detected, with a little practice. And, these aromas play an important part in how the wine tastes.

I was unintentionally reminded of this fact recently. I have a couple of insulated wine tumblers that are great for keeping wines such as rosés and white wines chilled when outside on a hot day. These double-walled metal tumblers also come with a handy “sipper” top that’s perfect for avoiding spills and keeping the bugs out.

I’ve enjoyed using these tumblers but was constantly finding that the wines were just so-so. This went on for some time until one day when I wasn’t using the “sipper” top. My wine really tasted good, the way it should. Then, suddenly, I realized the issue with the “sipper” tops. They were not allowing me to get any of the aroma from the wine. And, that makes a big difference.

Just try pinching your nose shut while eating or drinking. Things just don’t taste the same. Without your sense of smell you have a reduced sense of taste for anything you eat or drink.

And, the same is true with canned wines. The small opening doesn’t allow for any of the aromas to reach your nose.

So, avoid drinking from a “sipper” lid or directly from a can. Then you’ll be assured that you are getting to enjoy the full flavors of your wine. Cheers!

What Do You Smell When You Smell Wine?

Wine is often described as having aromas of fruits, flowers and spices. But, what do you smell when you smell wine?

The most common response from those just starting to like wine is “It smells like wine.” Well, that’s a good start. But, there’s so much more.

The best place to start is with red wines. They have the biggest aromas. And, you need to do a lot of sniffing.

Start by gently swirling the wine around in a bowl-shaped wine glass. This can significantly enhance the aromas in the glass. Then, don’t be afraid to stick your nose into the glass. You don’t need to take a deep breath, just inhale. Give the glass another swirl and take a second sniff.

Now, this is where you have to open up your imagination a bit and think of other things that could have similar aromas. With red wines it’s easy to start with the black fruits. Do you possibly smell Boysenberry, Black Cherry, Plum or Blackberry? Think of the fruits themselves or maybe the smell of jams and jelly. How about Fig, Date or Raisin? In the lighter red wines, you may get a bit of Cranberry, Strawberry, or Cherry.

You’ll need to be patient with yourself and give yourself lots of time and plenty of experience. And, if you’re in an environment where you can smell lots of different wines you’ll be able to compare and contrast the aromas.

Your nose actually plays a very important role in how you taste something. We’ll get into that a bit more next time. For now, happy sniffing and sipping! Cheers!

Ever Wonder About the 'Legs' You See in a Wine Glass?

It’s something that you see wine drinkers do - swirl their wine glass and then look at the ‘legs’ that run down the inside of the glass. And, often they’ll equate the quality of the wine with the legs by saying things like “Oh!…this wine has really great legs.”

It’s a real phenomenon, that involves some chemistry and physics, but I won’t bore you with the details.

The simple explanation of the ‘legs’ in a wine glass is that it’s all about the alcohol.

The droplets that form and move down the sides of the glass after the wine is swirled are a product of the fact that alcohol (ethanol) in wine, evaporates more quickly than water. The alcohol crawls up the glass as it evaporates, but since there is a film of water on top, it is pushed up in an arch. Eventually gravity causes the water's surface tension to be broken, allowing the water to run down, in ‘tears’ that form ‘legs.’

If you really want the technical details on this effect, look up the Marangoni effect.

So, yes, a great wine can exhibit great legs inside a wine glass. But the truth is that any wine can do that. Cheers!