Deciphering the body of wine
01
What is body?
The body of a wine is a relatively abstract concept. It is a wonderful feeling of lightness or heaviness, lightness or thickness that a wine brings to the palate.
02
How do I describe the body of a wine?
Take a sip and let the wine stay in your mouth. We can feel it carefully with our tongue.
The wine is thick and full-bodied, with a richness close to that of whole milk, which can be described as intense, full-bodied, mellow and rich.
Light-bodied and light on the palate, it is close to the softness of water or skim milk, and can be described as delicate, slender, soft, and subtle.
Medium-sized wines taste somewhere in between, giving a low-fat milk-like smoothness that can be described as elegant, soft, smooth, and smooth.
03
Factors that affect the body of a wine
Direct factors
① Alcohol content
The body of a wine is influenced by a number of factors, and the alcohol content can be considered the main factor. Generally, the higher the alcohol content, the stronger the flavor and the heavier the wine.
Lightness of the wine
Alcohol content is usually less than 12.5%vol
Medium bodied
Alcohol content is usually between 12.5% and 13.5% vol.
Heavy
Alcohol content is usually higher than 13.5%vol
② Impregnation
The visible components are mainly non-volatile substances such as tannins, residual sugars, glycerin, soluble flavor substances (phenols, proteins, etc.), and acids.
The higher the content of the first four components, the heavier the wine generally is. Conversely, the higher the acidity, the lighter the wine.
Indirect factors
① Grape variety
Pinot Noir, Riesling and other wines are generally lighter. Wines made from Marcelin, Merlot and other grapes are medium-sized wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier and other grapes can produce full-bodied wines.
② Climate of the producing area
Usually, wines produced in warm climates are thick because of the high alcohol content of the wine due to the long hours of sunlight, the full photosynthesis of the grapes, and the accumulation of sugar in the fruit. In colder regions, the opposite is true.
③ Winemaking techniques
In the case of Chardonnay, for example, wines not aged in oak barrels tend to be lighter in body, while Chardonnay aged in oak barrels is heavier in body.
04
Wine and Food
Wines are classified as light or light, with different strengths of dishes. When the two are matched, they should cancel each other out and not overshadow each other. Heavy-bodied wines can be paired with greasy dishes, while light-bodied wines can be paired with milder dishes.
