Wine Words - Common Wine Descriptions

Wines get described in many ways. And some of the terms even have definitions that include other common wine terms. So, let’s take a look at a few of them that may also necessitate a trip to the glossary…

Acidic - A crisp or sharp-tasting wine that can be tart or sour but, like drinking a lemonade, leaves your mouth watering due to natural saliva production

Balanced - All components are in harmony (i.e., the acidity, tannin, alcohol and the fruit flavors)

Bright - Usually having fruit flavors (citrus, tropical, cherry) that are vivid along as well as wines with pronounced acidity

Buttery - Commonly associated with Chardonnay that has been aged in oak and undergone Malolactic Conversion that results in the wine having a smooth, creamy and butter-like flavor

Clean - Fresh and free of any off-tastes

Closed - Lacking of aromas or flavors. May improve with age or aeration

Complex - Rich flavors with depth, intensity and balance

Crisp - Having higher acidity that is refreshing

Delicate - A light to medium-bodied wine with subtle flavors, lighter acidity and light tannin

Dry - Having little to no residual sugar after fermentation is complete (0.5 to 0.7 %). This term often is confused with the drying or astringent mouthfeel associated with tannic wines.

Earthy - Having aromas and flavors associated with soil or earth

Flat - Dull in flavor or, in sparkling wine, lack of carbonation

Fruity - Having pronounced aromas and flavors of fresh fruits

Full Bodied - Bold and rich wines

Harsh - Astringent (high tannin) or high in alcohol

Intense - Strong or bold flavors that may be out of balance

Length - A long or persistent set of favors that continue after swallowing the wine

Light Bodied - Wine with lighter flavors, lower acidity and low tannin

Medium Bodied - Wines with moderate levels of richness and flavor as well a moderate acidity and alcohol levels

Off-Dry - A slight sweet wine with residual sugar of 0.6 to 1.4%

Oxidized - Having been exposed to too much oxygen, wines can take on nutty notes like those expected in a port or sherry and have brown tones in their color

Pungent - Powerful or strong aromas and flavors that may be associated with high levels of volatile acids

Rich - Full fruit flavors, generally associated with red wines that are in balance with the acidity, sweetness and tannin

Round - A wine’s mouthfeel or texture that is smooth and low in tannin or astringency

Smooth - Usually lighter in tannin and acidity resulting in an easy mouth-feel without any sharpness

Soft - Wines that are low in tannin and acidity

Tannic - Wines that are high in astringent compounds from the grape’s skin, seed and stems that leaves your mouth feeling dried out

Tart - Having high acidity

Velvety - Rich favor and light tannin that results in a velvet-smooth mouthfeel

Ever Wonder? How is the Best Way to Remove the Foil from a Wine Bottle?

When you open a bottle of wine, the first line of defense on the bottle is usually a foil ‘capsule’ that covers the cork. If you have a wine bottle with a twist-off cap, you’re good-to-go. But, if your wine bottle does include a foil capsule, you are going to need to remove it to get to the cork.

Ever wondered how best to remove the foil? Well, there are several methods that include just tearing it off my hand, pulling the capsule up and off the neck of the bottle or just inserting the cork screw directly into the foil and pulling the cork out through the foil. But, let’s focus on two preferred methods - using a wine opener knife and using a specially designed foil cutter.

A Sommelier (a wine steward) will usually use the small knife that unfolds from the end of a corkscrew (see the lower part of photo). This handy little knife can be used to cut around the neck of the bottle just below the rim. Once you’ve cut into the foil, it will come right off and expose the cork for its removal.

The other, simpler method of removing the foil is to use a specially designed foil cutter (shown in the middle and upper part of the photo). They work by simply placing the cutter on top of the bottle, squeezing gently and twisting it around the top of the bottle. The four small circular blades will make a nice even cut around the foil allowing the top of the capsule to come right off.

Like most everything, not all corkscrews and foil cutters are the same. Make the small investment in a nice quality one and it will not only work well but last for years. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Esporao Bico Amarelo

2021 Bico Amarelo ($12)

Herdade do Esporão is part of the Alentejo’s montado ecosystem (cork oak forests), in Portugal. With approximately 700 hectares of vineyards and around 40 grape varieties, they grow using organic methods and integrated production.

Quinta do Ameal, in the region of Vinho Verde, is a historic property cradled in the Lima sub-region that has been registered since 1710.

The main grape varieties used to produce this wine are Loureiro, Alvarinho and Avesso which are all common to the Vinho Verde region.

It was fermented at a controlled temperature (10-15ºC) for 12 to 15 days then aged in contact with the lees for about 4 to 6 months in stainless steel vats.

This Bico Amarelo is medium gold in color with some subtle green tones. It has delicate aromas of citrus and floral notes. On the palate it is dry (1.5 g/l RS) and light-bodied with flavors of citrus and nectarine and finishes with refreshing acidity.

This Bico Amarelo from Vinho Verde Portugal is a great value which makes it a perfect fit as this week’s
Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Esporão and Now Wine Imports via Creative Palate

Get to Know the Pinots -- Pinot Noir

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the least known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. Now let’s look at the most notable of the Pinots - Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir’s name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine refers to the shape of the tightly clustered, pinecone–shaped bunches of fruit, while noir (black) comes from the dark colored grapes.

Pinot Noir is probably best known as the “red” wine in Burgundy and least known as one of the three primary varietals in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine that is low in tannin. It’s also a favorite for the production of rosé wines and can also be found as a white wine!

Cluster of Pinot Noir Grapes

The most common flavors of Pinot Noir include cherry, cranberry and raspberry. But, its flavors tend to be highly dependent on terroir (i.e., where it is grown). Pinot is grown around the world and most notably in France, USA (California and Oregon), Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Because Pinot Noir has such delicate aromas, it is generally recommended that it be served in a large round bell-shaped glass. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Quinta do Ameal Loureiro

2021 Quinta do Ameal Loureiro ($18)

The Quinta do Ameal is a historic estate in the Vinho Verde, a well-known wine region in the northwest Portugal. The quality of the wines made there are so fresh and light that they earned the nickname verde which means ‘green.’

This wine is produced from the Loureiro (lou-REH-row) grape which dates back to the late 18th Century. The name Loureiro means "laurel" and refers to the distinctive aroma of the berries.

The grapes for this wine were manually harvested and then pressed. Fermentation was temperature controlled (50-59 F) for 12 to 15 days in stainless steel vats. It then spent seven months on lees also in stainless steel tanks.

This Ameal Loureiro is pale straw in color with aromas of citrus and herbs. On the palate it has mouth-watering acidity, medium flavors of citrus and green apple, some minerality and a lingering finish.

This wine has been receiving 90+ point rating from Wine Enthusiast, Robert Parker, Wine&Spirits and Decanter and gets a big thumbs-up here as a delicious and affordable Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Now Wine Imports via Creative Palate