Wine has a language all of its own. It is not meant to be snobby or exclusive; instead it’s a collection of terms that describe a specific attribute or characteristic of a wine in the fastest way possible. Here are five key terms to get you started on wine lingo basics:
Vintage is a term used to describe the year the grapes were picked – not the year that the wine was bottled.
Tannins are natural compounds found in wine that cause the mouth drying sensation – primarily when you enjoy a glass of red wine. Tannins come from grape skins, stalks and pips, and bind to the mucin in your saliva causing your mouth to dry out when you swallow. Tannins are also found in black tea and walnuts.
Balance is a term used to describe a wine that has achieved the right harmony between fruit, alcohol and either tannin in reds or acidity in whites (the refreshing mouthwatering sensation). When a wine is balanced no one of these will overpower another. Note: It’s important to remember that everyone’s view of balance is unique – just like when you create the perfect balance in your coffee or tea with the amount of milk or sugar you add.
Aromas in wine are individual smells that you can distinctly identify when you smell it, such as cherry, vanilla, apples or green pepper.
Bouquet refers to a collection of smells that come together as a complex mix in a glass of wine, similar to when you walk through a garden in the summer. It’s often said that wines that offer more of a bouquet for the nose rather than individual aromas are higher in quality – but you will have to make up your own mind about that.
Renowned as Western Canada's favourite sommelier and fast-becoming a national name, Erin Rosar is the creator of 'Wine in the Kitchen' and founder of WG Wines based in Calgary, where she goes by the alter ego of Wine Girl (WG). She’s also an instructor with the International Sommelier Guild and is a recognized sommelier with the Court of Masters Sommeliers out of London, England.
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