Get to Know Your Wines : Simplified

Wine Identification, Tasting and a Good wine are for connoisseurs a very important part of the “dining” experience. When you go out and you want to choose a good bottle of wine there are a few things that you have to know about wines before you make a decision about which wine to choose. Here are a few basics from my Food and Wine Corner
Structure - It is a broad term that refers to the proportion of tannin and alcohol, and the acidity and sweetness of wine. Good wine is that that offers a delicate balance between the above four components that together denote the structure of wine. Let us see below how the proportion of the above four components influences the structure of wine.
Sweetness - A wine can taste sweet or feel dry at the other extreme. An off-dry wine is one that is somewhere between the two extremes and is semi-sweet.
Tannins - These are used in the red variety of wine. They exist naturally in the skin of the grape fruit, in the stem, and in the seeds of grapes. A wine that has high amount of tannins is termed as astringent. One slightly less so is considered firm or hard. Yet another that contains only slight amount of tannins is termed as soft.
Acidity - There can be no wine without some acid content in it. However, the acidity of wine is a component that is of more significance in white wine than in red wine. It provides the characteristic firmness and serves as its backbone. A white wine with high acidic content is termed as crisp or even as tart. One that has lesser acid is considered soft. One that has too less acidic content is termed as flabby.
Body - This characteristic in wine is provided by the alcohol content in it. The highest content wines are termed as full-bodied and those having slightly less alcohol are known as medium bodied. Those which have even lower levels of alcohol in them are known as light-bodied wines. A full-bodied wine is as consistent as whole milk while that has the lowest alcohol content has a body similar to skim.
Aromatics - This characteristic of wine comes from the flavor associated with it. Aroma in wine can be multi-layered and complex. Some characteristic aromas are termed as burnt earthy, spicy, woody, fruity, floral, and many others. A wine's aroma can be strawberry-like or cinnamon-like or that akin to the smell of grass, asparagus, stewed, or rosemary.
Texture - This is the feel of the wine while you roll it within your mouth. It can taste of particulate matter, be smooth, complex, dry, dynamic, unripe, or weighty. It can even seem irritating or harsh. With time and age, the texture of a wine changes and acquires depth and complexity.
Color - In red wine, this is the hallmark of its age. Red wine that is new will be a deep purple and opaque. Ripening and ageing will make the color of red wine fade away to a brown or brick red color. You will find that Pinot Noir tends to be quite pale in color. Unlike red wines, white wines assume a deeper hue with age.
Hope the above information helps you to better understand the features of different wines. It will hopefully help you to better identify them from their look, flavor, and taste.

Tasty Regards
Wilbert – From the Food and Wine Corner
www.wilbertsfoodwinecorner.blogspot.com