WINE WITH FOOD

Describing Wine According To Flavor Profile One way in which wine can be described is by its FLAVOR or STYLE. This is just beginning to happen and is also one of my “soap boxes” and an approach that I definitely favor. I hope we can get wineries and wine sellers alike to give this a try. We too often get hung up with trying to understand wine in terms of the grape variety used or where it comes from. It's true that these certainly influence wine's flavor but it doesn't say anything about how the wine actually tastes!

Chardonnay for example can vary widely in style and taste from crisp/clean/green and appley to rich/thick/oaky/buttery/etc. If that weren't enough, wineries compound the problem by talking about winemaking techniques, cooperage and a whole host of other technical details that really just serve to confuse and intimidate the average consumer. What all of us really want to know is what does the wine taste like. The following attempts to simplify the language.

• Crisp, Clean, Light-bodied
• Smooth, Round, Medium-bodied
• Rich, Full-bodied
• Aromatic, Dry or Off-dry

Crisp, Clean, Light-bodied Whites: Other terms used to describe these are refreshing, brisk, racy, zesty, and acidic. They are typically pale in color, somewhat lower in alcohol with little or no oak aging. Typical aromas/flavors in these wines are green apple, lemon, grapefruit, melon, pineapple, citrus blossoms, herbs, and minerals. Popular varieties made in this style include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio), Semillon blends (in Bordeaux and California with Sauvignon Blanc, in Australia with Chardonnay).

Smooth, Round, Medium-bodied Whites: Other terms used to describe these are silky, fruity, creamy, elegant, ripe, easy-drinking. They typically have a little more golden color and alcohol (12 – 13+ percent). They also typically have some oak aging. Typical aromas/flavors are apple (green and sweet), citrus, banana, and with the bit of oak some toasty, spicy, vanilla, nutty, clove aromas/flavors. Popular varieties that are made in this style are Chardonnay, Sauvignon/Fume Blancs, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and increasingly in California proprietary blends which can include 2 or more grapes.

Rich, Full-bodied Whites : Terms like creamy, buttery, mouth-filling, ripe, full fruit, toasty, smoky are also used with these wines. These are usually deeper in color from straw to deep gold and a bit higher still in alcohol (13 – 14.5 percent). These almost always see oak both in fermentation and aging, which contributes the toasty/vanilla flavors. Malolactic fermentation and aging on the lees produces great texture and softens acidity. Popular varieties that are made in this style include Chardonnay (again), some Sauvignon Blancs often identified as “Fume Blanc”, Viogniers, Pinot Blancs and rich proprietary blends.

Aromatic Dry or Off-dry Whites: These can be made in either a dry or off-dry (slightly sweet) style. Their distinguishing characteristic however is their pronounced floral and fruit aromas. Terms like apricot, peach, ripe melon, the whole range of tropical fruits (mango, passion fruit, litchi), flowers like honeysuckle and gardenia, sweet spices like cinnamon and clove and on and on. They vary in color from almost clear to straw and light golden. Generally the sweeter the more golden it is. Alcohols can be as low as 8 percent for the sweeter, off-dry whites to 13 percent for bone dry. All typically have a good acid balance to go along with their rich flavors. Popular varieties include Rieslings, Gewürztraminers, Muscats, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Malvasia Bianca.

Red Wines
Red wines can be divided into 3 styles:

• Fruity, Light-bodied
• Smooth, Medium-bodied
• Rich, Hearty, Full-bodied

Fruity Light-bodied Reds: These can also be described as fresh, lively, juicy, clean, straightforward, soft wines. They are usually light, vibrant and translucent red in color, lower in alcohol than other reds with little or no oak or tannins. Typical aromas/flavors include cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rose, and “soda pop”. Popular varieties made in this style include Gamay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Merlot, Zinfandel and often blends of 2 or more grapes.

Smooth, Medium-bodied Reds: Other term used to describe these are round, juicy, balanced, and silky. They are usually darker red in color tending toward ruby and garnet and a bit higher in alcohol than those preceding (12.5 – 13.5 percent). Flavors/aromas can be described as blackberry, raspberry, cherry, plum, mint, eucalyptus, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, mushrooms and because of moderate oak aging toasty, vanilla and sweet spice. Popular varieties in this style include Merlot, Pinot Noir, some Cabernets, Sangiovese, Syrah/Shiraz.

Rich, Hearty, Full-bodied Reds: These are often also described as big, hearty, meaty, chewy, intense fruit, complex, tannic, powerful wines. They are very deep red in color typically, often almost black. They have high alcohol (13.5 – 15 percent). Varieties made in this style include Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel, Petit Sirah and big proprietary blends often referred to as “meritage” blends in America.

There are 2 other categories of wines, which should be mentioned here:

• Dessert Wines
• Sparkling Wines and Champagnes

These also are made in a variety of styles/flavors. Dessert wines are as the name suggests usually sweet from gently to intensely. Some like port are fortified with additional alcohol to give them a special character but their use is generally restricted to the end of the meal. In my view, dessert wines are best consumed by themselves. They are the dessert.

Sparkling wines and champagnes (in France you can't use the term “Champagne” unless the wine has been made in that geographic region) are made in styles ranging from crisp and bone-dry to sweet and offer great opportunities for matching to food. It's unfortunate that they are usually seen only as a cocktail/aperitif beverage or only appropriate for toasting. Here's a little challenge for you: I think crisp sparkling wines will go with more foods than any other wines and for that reason are probably the best wines to consume throughout a meal!

A final thought on all this: For me the most important “base line” is to find out the flavors that you like, then go after the varietal or varietal blends that contain those flavors. Geography can certainly make a big difference but the most basic flavor notes come from the grape itself. Once you've found a grape variety you like then I suggest you explore it in all its variations of geography, winemaker style and whimsy to find which you like best. It's a life long pursuit and adventure!

Related Topics: Understanding Cheese and Wine

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