Guide to Common Styles of Wine, Common Tasting Terms

Guide to Common Styles of Wine

Full-Bodied Dry	California	Zinfandel, Cabernet
	French	Rhone, Chateauneuf-du-Pape
	Italian	Barbaresco, Barolo

Medium-Bodied Dry	California	Pinot Noir
	French	Bordeaux, Burgundy

Light-Bodied Dry	French	Beaujolais
	Italian	Chianti, Bardolino

White Wines

Full-Bodied Dry	California	Chardonnay
	French	Montrachet, Meursault
		Puligny-Montrachet

Medium-Bodied Dry	California	Sauvignon-Blanc
	French	Pouilly-Fuisse, Sancerre,
		Vouvray, Graves

Light-Bodied Dry	French	Chablis, Muscadet, Pouilly-Fume

Full-Bodied, Very Sweet	Germany	Beerenauslese
	Frency	Sauternes
	Hungary	Tokay

Medium-Bodied, Semi-Sweet	California	Gewurtztraminer
	Germany	Liebfraumilch

Light-Bodied Off Dry	Germany	Rhine, Mosel, Riesling

Terminology	Description
Acidity	A critical element of wine that is responsible for preserving the wines freshness. Excess acidity results in an
	overly tart and sour wine.
Balance	A desired trait where tannin, fruit and acidity are in total harmony. Wines with good balance tend to age
	gracefully.
Body	The weight and presence of wine in the mouth provided by the alcohol and tannin level. Full-bodied wines
	tend to have this strong concentration.
Bouquet	The blending of a wine's aroma within the bottle over a period of time, caused by volatile acidity.
Complex	A subjective term often used in tasting. A wine is said to be complex if it offers a variety of flavors and scents
	that continue to evolve as it develops.
Flabby	A wine that lacks structure, or is heavy to the taste, lacks acidity.
Full-Bodied	Wine high in alcohol and extract, generally speaking, fills the mouth, powerful.
Lean	Generally describes wines that are slim, lacking of generosity or thin.
Oaky	A desirable flavor imparted to wine if done in moderation. Most wines are aged in oak barrels one to three
	years, thereby receiving this toasty oak characteristic. However, if a weak wine is left in contact too long with
	an oak barrel it will tend to be overpowered with an oaky taste.
Tannin	Tannins are extracted from the grape skins and stems and are necessary for a well-balanced red wine. Tannins
	are easily identified in wine tasting as the drying sensation over the gums. Tannins generally fade as a wine
	ages.

12	1115WC, 1175WC