Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
ACIDITY
Low
Moderate
Balanced
Crisp
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Deliciousness, from an off the beaten path grape varietal and location.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Godello
100%Go-DAY-o
You are forgiven if you never heard of Godello, as it almost went extinct as a grape variety in the 1970s. Fortunately, it is currently undergoing a revival in Spain where old vine Godello makes a high quality concentrated wine with crisp acidity, attractive minerality, and a long finish.
The Guímaro estate is a working family farm in the Ribeira Sacra region in Galicia, Spain. While they have long grown grapes, the estate did not start making wine for sale until 1991. This is truly a family affair. The whole family works the beautiful steep terraced vineyards of Ribeira Sacra, a testament to their passion and work ethic.
The vineyards consist of slate and granite with sandy soils at 350-550 feet in elevation. A true turning point for winemaker and owner Pedro Rodriguez was the influence of Raúl Pérez who, in the 2000s, helped him realize the potential of his old vines by lowering yields and introducing organic farming with old-school winemaking techniques.
Guímaro aptly means "rebel’ in Gallego. Guímaro’s wines show the potential quality of often-overlooked indiginous Spanish grape varieties like Mencía when they are in the right hands and exposed to idyllic terroir.
Peach
Pineapple
Saline
