While being passionate about wine no doubt sets you up for knowing more about these classic drinks, you don’t have to be a connoisseur to be able to understand various different basic wine characteristics, which determine the nature and type of the drink. And with life being too short, the earlier you find your favourite wine, the better. Understanding these basics is essential as it helps you in this endeavour. The following are some basic properties which will help you in choosing your suitable wine, whether it is red, white or any other type of wine.
Acidity
Acidity in any drink or food will always taste zesty or tart. And don’t confuse the acidity taste with alcohol taste (many people make this mistake). A wine having high levels of acidity typically feels lighter-bodied. Thus, a drink with a slightly low acidity level could be the best option for those people who want a more rounded and rich wine. Here are the acidity characteristics:
- Makes you feel as though you want to build up saliva
- Makes your mouth feel wet as though you’re biting an apple
- Your mouth roof feels gravelly if you rub your tongue against it
- A tingling sensation on the tongue side
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Sweetness
This is perhaps the most critical property to look at when trying to find your wine. It is important to remember that even dry wines (wines which are not sweet) can come with a hint of sweetness, if the producer is after a full-bodied drink, that is. So, how do you taste the wine sweetness? You will experience a tingling sensation on your tongue tip. This is usually the first and most common indicator of sweet wine. If the middle of your tongue feels oily, then it is also an indicator of sweetness in the wine.
Fruitiness
A wine is said to be fruity if the person taking it can quickly and clearly discover fruit flavours in the drink, and a single sip is just enough to determine this. While fruity white wines can contain peach, lime, or lemon notes, fruity red wines can have blueberry, blackberry, or raspberry notes. It is worth to note that the fruitiness varies in levels from one type of wine to another.
Alcohol
If alcohol is your thing, you want to choose a wine with high alcoholic content and vice versa. Alcohol taste in wine depends on your taste receptor, and it could be oily, spicy, sweet, or bitter. Nevertheless, alcohol in wine is indicated by a warming sensation in the throat. While a wine with low alcohol content tastes lighter-bodied, a wine that is high in alcohol content tastes either oilier or bolder.