A small school of wine terms
In order to better understand wine and enjoy it, it is necessary to get acquainted with some wine terms. We will briefly list and describe what we think is important.
Even if you are not a wine lover, it is not bad to know some important concepts and be able to participate in wine conversations.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a natural by-product of the fermentation process, which adds a sense of sweetness to balance the acids and tannins in the wine.
Sweetness
The sugar, which is naturally found in grapes, helps to raise the range of flavors in the wine. It can add weight and strength to give the wine a smoother and richer texture.
Acidity
It helps to express the fruity flavors of wine, especially in white wines. However, if there is not enough of it, the wine flavors of the fruit will not be expressed in the proper way. When tasting wine, take in consideration how sharp and sour the wine is and how sweet it is, and whether the two flavors are balanced.
Tannin
Tannin can originate either from oak or from grape skins and seeds. Although it is most often associated with red wines, it can also be expressed in some white wines, usually macerated and those that have matured in oak for some time. Tannin is associated with the aeration process – which softens wines rich in tannins in contact with the air. Tannins can be detected using bitter-tasting taste buds. When tasting wine, try to assess whether the tannins seem too hard and sharp or you can recognize the depth of taste of ripe fruit in addition to the tannins.
The body
The concept of body can be related to the concept of fullness, so wine can be light (thin), medium full and full body, and depends on the content of alcohol, extract, method of maturation … A full body has e.g. Žilavka matured in wooden barrels on a fine precipitate, unlike the fluttering, light Žilavka which is bottled young …
Aroma / noise (bouquet)
The aroma of wine is the sum of fragrant ingredients in wine that we sense with our sense of smell. Grapes give a primary smell, and there can be other smells, earth, hay, fruit, aromatic grasses, etc. Part of the aroma disappears during fermentation, so we use the term Aroma for young wines, and the term noise for older wines.
Having listed the basic characteristics of wine and the ways in which they complement each other, you should get an impression of the strength of the wine, light, medium or strong body.
Those who are in a hurry, let them drink young wines; let me pour old wine stored under the ancient consuls.
-Ovid
Wine tasting
- Harmonious wine – would be a well-balanced, harmonious wine in which all the basic characteristics are balanced, so that none stands out.
- Characteristic wine – if we assign this epithet to wine, we refer to the characteristic features of the terroir climate in which it originated.
- Light wine – would be a wine with a low concentration of tannins and lower alcohol content, drinkable and lower energy values compared to heavy wines
- Young wine – wine that has not undergone complete technological processing, but only partial or complete fermentation.
- Organic wine: wine made from grapes grown without artificial additives to maintain quality yield.
Decanting wine
Decanting wine is the process of carefully pouring wine into a vessel to remove sediment (tartar) and allow the wine to come into longer contact with oxygen before consumption to better develop aromas.
Geographical origin of wine
Wines with a geographical indication of origin mean wine produced exclusively from grapes from wine-growing areas, of controlled origin, of guaranteed quality.
Wine tears
A metaphorical description of a wine drunk from a suitable glass, a stylistic figure that describes the physical characteristics of wine when it is observed and tilted against the wall of the glass, to then be transferred to another position, looking for a colorless trace left behind the wine.
Terroir
Earth, soil, an expression that emphasizes the good taste and aroma of the native grape from which the wine is made. It includes soil type and micro-climatic characteristics that are unique. Wines in whose taste and aroma you feel terroir are especially appreciated.
Filtering
Filtration is the final process of processing wine before bottling. It is used to remove impurities and unnecessary things from wine. Filtration can impair the taste and character of wine, so we have often have wines that are not filtered or use light filtration. In the graphs shown below, we presented how Nuić Vineyards conducts filtration and on which wines.
And so we come to the end of this list of some of the more important features, read us further..We are preparing more educational content for all wine lovers and those who want to know more.
Cheers,
Nuić Vineyards
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