Body, Structure, Capture: What All These Wine Descriptors Really Mean
Whether you’re reading a list, getting expert recommendations, or skimming through the aisles at a liquor store, it’s rare to talk about wine without hearing certain words . In the world of wine, terms such as body and structure are often used, but what do they really mean?
In an article for America’s Test Kitchen, wine writer Stephen Meuse breaks down a code of dubious words for the rest of us, referring to some of the most commonly used wine terms today : body, structure, grip, minerality, and sense of place. (also known as terroir). He first addresses the body:
One British wine writer likes to describe the body as “how much wine is in the wine,” and I think that is closer to the truth. Think about the difference between skim and whole milk.
From this point of view, California Chardonnay’s strong oak wine with a high alcohol content would appear to be extremely rich when compared to, say, crispy German Riesling or Spanish albariño. He then turns to the idea of a structure:
Structure is the impression that some wines create as something other than a shapeless mass of liquid splashing in your mouth. Is there something that seems to hold it all together, strengthen, keep from just taking the place that is given to him? This something is structure.
If you’re curious about how structure differs from chaining, Meuse has an answer to that too. Follow the link below to learn more about this difference and what words like minerality and sense of place actually mean.
Wine Tasting Notes: The Wine Dictionary Parses the Somm Language | American test food for the kitchen
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