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
13.5%
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.
Viognier almost went extinct in the 1960s, but has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Although grown around the word, it is most famous for the full bodied intensely aromatic floral white wines with a sometimes oily texture grown on granite terraces in Condrieu, and small amount to Syrah in Côte Rôtie, just north of Condrieu, adding aromatic complexity.
A few years after he left an unfulfilling management job to study oenology, Toni Sarrión started Valencia’s Mustiguillo, launching with the 2000 vintage. His vision was to make high-quality wine from the much maligned Spanish grape, bobal, which is often used for bulk wine.
In his local community of Utiel in Valencia, Spain, M. Sarrión was criticized for his organic approach to viticulture, including growing vegetables in the rows as cover crops, green harvesting, and mapping out soil types in chalky vineyards at 800 meters high. Señor Mustiguillo is enjoying the last laugh.
Toni Sarrión’s visionary efforts show the potential of bobal in the right hands. The wines have intense fruit, smoke, and spice with ample structure and persistence.
Pear
Jasmine
Salt
