However, what makes it different from the other wine bodies is its winemaking process, which has unique considerations. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are the common choice for medium-bodied wines. Wine enthusiasts call medium-bodied wines entry-level or food wines because it goes well with highly acidic foods. Medium-bodied wines have 12.5% to 13.5% of alcohol content. Also, when grown in cooler climates, light-bodied reds sometimes taste a bit “sharp” or “spicy” from increased acidity. Understanding the difference between these body levels, however, can be a bit difficult, especially to the novice wine lover.
White wines that go through this fermentation process have buttery textures. Light-bodied wines are less viscous, while full-bodied wines have a thicker consistency. Additionally, aging wines in oak barrels not only adds oak flavors of vanilla, cedar, and baking spice to wines, but it also softens the flavors. Additionally, many wines slide into this category because of how they’re made.
In white wines, certain winemaking techniques, such as leaving the wine on its lees after fermentation, as well as bâtonnage also add weight to a wine. It’s easy to taste the difference between whole milk and skim milk because of the fat level. That being said, wine body fullness of flavor isn’t as easy to pinpoint because it involves many factors. If you’re trying to find new favorites, wine body is a great way to differentiate grape varieties to find your style preference.
For example, when you drink a cola beverage, it tastes sweet, but within a few seconds, the flavor is gone. The wine body differs in the grape varietal, alcohol level, and viscosity of the wine. Since alcohol and sugar are directly linked, the ripening of grapes impacts the alcohol levels. It will also cause a host of other issues in the vineyard, like the susceptibility to pests and diseases in the vineyards. There are different terms used to describe various elements in the wine.
And this is a severe problem we are facing due to climate change. Oak esters and tannin help balance out the harshness of a wine, and they also add body. The newer the oak barrels, the more it will affect the characteristics of the wine being aged.
It should contain the region and country the wine is produced, the name of the producer, and its grape variety. For you geeks, there’s also a tasteless substance called glycerol derived naturally from fermenting grapes that increase the perception of wine body. It is more important number one selling beer than ever that the wineries actively reduce climate change and seek sustainable routes. Since our changing climate directly impacts vineyards, wineries should lead the industry toward sustainable practices that can slow down the impact of climate change and save our wines.