Wine 101 - Learn the Basics

Wine can be a complex subject! So we have put together some basic information including different terms used in wine, as well as how to taste wine properly, to help you choose the best wine this Christmas time.

Wine Styles

Light Wine

This encompasses most of the wine we drink. It simply means that it is still wine, not sparkling, and 8%-15% ABV.

Sparkling Wine

Wine with bubbles in it, the most famous being Champagne which must come from the Champagne region of France. The bubbles are made of carbon dioxide gas which is a by-product of fermentation.

Fortified Wine

This is a wine that has had alcohol added to increase the alcohol strength and to change the flavour. Examples are port and sherry.

Wine Terms

Body

Refers to the weight of the wine in your mouth. Full-bodied wine has the kind of weight that milk has in your mouth. Light-bodied wine is more like water. Red wine is generally fuller-bodied than white wine.

Acidity

All wine has acidity, it’s that mouth-watering sensation you feel when you bite into a piece of lemon. You can feel the acidity on the sides of your tongue especially.

Grape Varieties

Just like there are different types of apples with particular flavours, there are different kinds of grapes with distinctive flavours. White wine grape varieties include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Riesling. Red wine grape varieties include Merlot, Pinot Noir and Malbec.

Fruitiness

Wine has flavours and aromas which are similar to other fruit. The most common for white wines are apples, citrus and tropical fruit. For red wine, these are strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, plums and spice.

Tannin

This is only found in red wine. You will find it in a cup of tea where the teabag has been left in the tea for too long. It makes your gums feel slightly sticky. Tannin adds to the body of the wine.

Dryness

This is how much sugar is in the wine and is measured on the scale of dry, off-dry, medium and sweet. Fruitiness is commonly confused with sweetness, wine made with ripe grapes can taste sweeter although there is little or no sugar in it.