Grant Reynolds - How to Drink Wine: The Easiest Way to Learn What You Like

This glossary is not comprehensivewere not going to teach you every word used in the world of wine. We will, however, help you become familiar with the way people talk about wine. This overview of basic terminology will allow you to begin to build a vocabulary to describe the things you like, and help you understand how to communicate the things you dont. Think of it this way: We arent trying to make you fluent, but we will give you the equivalent of knowing how to say Where is the bathroom? or This dog is my friend in the language of wine. And right now, thats all you need.

Alcohol by Volume: You may see the letters ABV or alc. on a wine label followed by a percentage, which is usually between 11% and 15%. This represents a wines alcohol by volume. Besides the fact that 15% will get you 4% drunker than 11%, its useful to know that the higher the alcohol percentage, the bigger (see Big, next column) the wine will taste. Lower alcohol wines will be crisper, lighter, and easier on your head in the morning.

Acidity: Youve tasted citrus before; you know what acid is. In wine, this word is important for describing what you taste (a strong presence of acid or the lack thereof is an important part of the flavor of any wine), but acid also affects how long a bottle can age. Wines with higher acid, like pinot noir or Riesling, will generally last longer in a cellar.

Age or Aging: A bottle of wine isnt like a jug of milkit wont turn into cheese if it sits around for a few months or years. It will, however, change over time as it sits in the unopened bottle. This is called aging. Wines are aged to alter their flavor, and to make them more enjoyable to drink. Depending on many factors, some wines take on age better than others. You may hear those referred to as age-worthy. Bordeaux wines are classically age-worthy. So is Harrison Ford.

Big: Most often used to describe a style of red wine. Big wines are bold, heavy, high in alcohol, juicy, and sometimes sweet. Cabernet sauvignon and shiraz are great examples of big wines.

Blend: A blend is when two or more grapes have been combined to make one wine. How and when the grapes are blended together can vary depending on the winemakers process. Blended wines are usually big, fruity, and made from predominantly cabernet or merlot.

Body: How a wine feels in your mouth. Think of it like someone sitting on your lap. Is that a light-bodied friend or a full-bodied friend? Instead of referring to weight, body refers to a richness of flavor when youre talking about wine. The spectrum of body that well refer to in this book will be light, medium, full. Light-bodied wines have flavors that are subtler, crisper, and more refreshing than those of bigger, full-bodied wines. A pale color can help indicate a light wine, as can an alcohol percentage below 13.5%. Medium-bodied wines are middle of the road in flavor and richness. They arent too light and nor are they too big and powerful. Full-bodied wines are high in tannin, alcohol, and flavor. They are often darker in color than light- and medium-bodied wines. An alcohol level above 15% is a safe indicator, too.

Corked: A certain bacterium can live on corks that will make the wine taste like dirty socks. In fact, this dirty-sock flavor is often what a server or sommelier is having you taste for when he or she pours you that first tiny sip of the bottle of wine you ordered. Contrary to popular belief (and sometimes usage), corked does not refer to pieces of cork getting into a bottle. It refers to socks getting into a bottle.

Creamy: The texture of some white wines. A creamy wine feels rich, soft, and heavy in your mouthlike drinking creamrather than tart like a lemon. Creamy white wines also tend to be full bodied. Chardonnay is a great example.