11/11/08 Wine Terms

Welcome to Vine to Wine, I'm your host Linda Moran. I seem to be on a roll lately with speaking engagements and it has caused me to realize that every so often we need to review the terms used to describe wine. Today let's discuss a few of those terms. By now you have heard me describe the term body as in light, medium or full, as not having anything to do with flavor. It is describing the texture or the viscosity of the wine. How thick it is. Next is the term crisp, often used to describe a pleasant level of acidity in a wine, in much the same way as when an apple has just the right zing to go along with the sweet fruit flavors. The term well balanced is referencing the fact that no one element overshadows another in the wine they are all in proportion to one another in a way that creates a very enjoyable. For example when a wine has just a touch of oaky quality and you can still taste the fruit and recognize the crispness. The wine has not be overpowered by the oaky buttery qualities. Have you ever wondered what it means when a wine is referred to as oxidized? This is when the wine has somehow been exposed to too much air or oxygen and the wine will take on the smell of sherry. This condition is referred to as oxidized. And finally the term "corked" is when a wine has been tainted by a bad cork and it smells rather musty and resembles the fragrance of wet newspapers in a basement. Those are just a few of the many terms used to describe wines. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on Vine to Wine.