Do you pick wine solely on the design of the label? Do you struggle to remember the differences between a Riesling and a Zinfandel? If so, it might be a good idea to shift your focus. For example, wines made from the same grape can vary widely based on their style and origin, and if your favorite isn't available at the bar or grocery store, you might feel at a loss. 

But how do you go about describing a wine you’d like? To help you better understand your options and what you enjoy, we put together this straightforward wine cheat sheet that will help you make better choices by decoding all the basic wine terms.

Body
Body has to do with the way a wine feels in your mouth. This can be a light, medium, or full feeling. Light wines often create a fleeting sensation on your tongue before dissipating. In contrast, a full-bodied wine envelops your palate, leaving a lasting impression. It typically has a rich, velvety or leather-like texture, making its presence unmistakable in your mouth.

Dry
Dry is regarding how sweet a wine is and not how fruity it is. You will often hear folks describing a wine as dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. A sweet wine is one that has more residual sugar and a dry wine has almost no residual sugar.

Acidic
When you think about the acidity of a wine, this will be how tart, sour, or mouthwatering a wine is in your mouth. White wines are typically more acidic than reds, which is why you may find yourself describing the Riesling you try as tart, mouth-puckering, sour, or mouthwatering.

Tannin
Tannins are the bitter qualities that come from grape skins that make your mouth feel dry. These are more typical in red wines since the skin is pulled from the grape quickly to avoid giving it white wines any color.

Fruit-forward
Fruit-forward means that the first thing you smell or taste is a fruit like cherry or peach. And though fruity is often confused with sweet, they’re not one in the same! You can absolutely have a dry, fruit wine if you’d like.

Earthy
When a wine is described as earthy, the primary taste is something of the earth whether that is rocks, soil, grass, or even wet leaves. Lean into your experiences with nature to help determine if a wine is earthy.

Ready to learn more about the styles of wine while having a fun and interactive experience at the same time? Stop by one of our tasting rooms and one of our wine consultants can help you as you learn more and start to tailor your wine preferences. They can even help you pick out a bottle or two for you to take home so you can continue to taste the many wines there are to explore!