Wine guide

The wine which is right for you ultimately depends on your personal preferences in terms of sweetness, acidity, tannins, body and intensity.

Sweetness and acidity

Many people think they like dry wines, however, it is usually the refreshing taste of the acidity they enjoy. High acidity can balance and, to a certain point, cancel the notion of sweetness. Others think that they like sweet wines, while it is actually that they just don't like acidity.

"A wine with rather low alcohol percentage, like 9%, will most often not be dry. Be aware however, that wines with a high alcohol percentage can i some cases have a lot of sweetness."

Dry or sweet?

Sweetness is indicated by the level of dryness. The level of dryness ultimately takes into consideration the sugar content within the wine. a dry wine has a low sugar content, while a sweet one has a high.

All the sparkling wines are characterised by their level of dryness and given a name for which level they fit under. Language however can vary. The French term 'Sec' for example, correlates with the Spanish 'Seco'.

Where still wines are concerned, dryness levels are most frequently used in wines that come from regions where this is relevant. German designations such as 'trocken' and 'halbtrocken' are well known. The reason for this is that german wines can be found in many different levels of dryness. 'Trocken' means dry, while 'halbtrocken' means medium dry. The term 'feinherb' has a looser meaning, but is commonly used as a synonym for 'medium dry'.

If there is no indication as to how dry or sweet a wine is, looking a the alcohol percantage (%) can often give a good indication of dryness. A wine with a low alcohol level (for example 9%), will usually not be dry, as the alcohol level increases, wines tend to become dries. However, it is important to be aware that there can be exceptions to the rule and a high percentage wine does not always indicate a dry wine. Some like ripasso, amarone and dessert wines especially can be sweet because of the way they are produced.

High acidity or low acidity?

The taste of acidity is what we experience biting a piece of lemon, or the taste of juice from a freshly squeezed lemon. It is also important to understand the difference between tannins and acidity.

Acidity reaches its highest levels in white wines but can also be abundantly found in some red and rosé wines.

The acidity level depends on climate, grape variety and production technique. High acidity wines usually come from cooler regions or colder countries, or are made from grapes that are known for having a high acidity.

Examples of high acidity wines:

White grapes
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc

Red grapes
Sangiovese
Nebbiolo

Examples of low acidity wine:

White grapes
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Gris/Grigio

Red grapes
Grenache/Garnacha

Countries and regions:

Germany
Loire
Burgundy
Barolo
Barbaresco

Tannins

"Rosé and white wines rarely have tannin levels that are worth mentioning."

High or low tannins?

Another common question is how much tannins should a wine have? This issue almost exclusively applies to red wines. Rosé and white wines rarely have tannin levels that are noteworthy.

Contrary to what is often believed, tannins have nothing to do with bitterness. Unlike beer, red wine is almost never bitter. Tannins are rather perceived because of how they dry the palate. You might have experienced this from certain types of tea, especially Indian or even coffee or dark chocolate. If you have ever bitten a grape seed you will also understand the taste of bitterness, but be aware, in this this case bitterness may appear together combined with tannins.

Tannin levels may vary a lot from one red wine to another: some have almost no tannins, while others are so tannin rich that it tastes like you are chewing on a pieceof tree bark. Grape variety and region can give you a hint about tannin level.

Most people prefer a moderate tannin level in wine, at least, if it is not going to be accompanied beside food.

High tannin level examples:

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Regions: Barolo

Low tannin level examples:

Grapes: Grenache, Pinot Noir, Merlot

Regions: Burgund

Most people prefer a wine with relatively moderate tannin levels if it is to be enjoyed without food.

Body and intensity

The higher the alcohol, the fuller the body.

Light or bold?

Wine body is defined by the viscosity and density of a wine. An anology for this would be to describe water as light and syrup as full-bodied.

The body of a wine comes mostly from the alcohol conent: the higher the alcohol, the fuller the body. Take a look therefore at the percentage of alcohol (%) on the wine label to get an indication of the type of body the wine has.

Even though there is usually a correlation, low alcohol is no necessarily a guarantee of a light-body. There are other things besides alcohol that affect the body. Sugar level can play a significant role for instance in very sweet dessert wines that have an almost syrup-like consistency. Furthermore, wine producers have many techniques to increase the body in a low-alcohol wine, though this is usually costly.

If you enjoy light wines, pick a dry and inexpensive wine with a low alcohol percentage.

Rich or neutral taste?

Many believe that a light wine has a neutral taste and that a full-bodied wine has a rich taste, but it is not always the case. It is true that a full-bodied wine will have a powerful flavour and intensity, but only if it is a good wine, where the alcohol is balanced by the aroma compounds.

It is also believed that awhite wine has less flavour and richness than a red wine, but this is not true either. The most neutral white wine might be more neutral than its red counterpart, but also wight wines can have a full rich flavour.. If you prefer a neutral wine, choose an inexpensive white wine with low alcohol and a neutral type of grape.

If you want a wine that has a lot of flavour and richness, pick one made from aromatic grapes or a higher priced wine that has fuller body and higher alcohol.

How rich a wine tastes is determined by grape variety and method of production. Some grape varieties are aromatic and have lots of flavour. Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are two good examples of this.

More neutral grape varieties are occasionally subject to production techniques, such as barrel aging, that increase their complexity. But as the production becomes more complex, the price of the wine also increases. While an expensive Chardonnay from Burgundy is going to have a very rich deeper flavour, an inexpensive Pinot Grigio from Italy will most likely be neutral.

To summarise, if you prefer a neutral wine, choose an inexpensive white from a neutral grape and low alcohol percentage. If you want a flavour rich wine, choose a wine made from aromatic grapes or an expensive one with good body and alcohol.

Aroma and taste

Fruity or earthy?

Wine flavours and aromas can vary from fresh fruit and flowers to tobacco, autumn leaves, forest soil or a horses stable. Some people may find the latter enjoyable, while its presence would make the wine undrinkable for others.

As a good rule of thumb, inexpensive and young wines offer simple and fruity aromas. Expensive ones develop their aromas as a result of the production method, such as barrel aging or maturation on lees among others, while old wines present earthier aromas.

Simple tips to get you started

Are you still not sure about what type of wine you prefer? Take a look at the following tips. You can also ask our friendly staff for help, they are trained to help find the perfect wine for you.

Teach yourself

Wine is an acquired taste. It contains substances that do not taste particularly good by themselves, such as alcohol, acids or tannins. That is why many beginners start with very sweet wines that are low in alcohol, acidity and tannins. After a while, the mouth becomes accustomed to these elements, making wine connoisseurs fonder of wines with powerful tannins and high acidity.

Are you still not sure about which wine style suits you best? Ask yourself, what do you choose when you want to drink something? Do you like juice or soft drinks? Maybe you would prefer a wine with a little bit of sweetness. Do you usually add lemon to your drink? Try a wine that has some acidity. Do you drink a lot of tea or coffee? You might enjoy a wine that has some tannins. Are you fond of milk? Go for a medium-bodied with low acidity.

Climate and weather

It is also important to consider climate and weather when choosing a wine. We can use a light, dry and acidic wine to refresh ourselves during summer, while a dark and rich full-bodied is more enjoyable in the cold winter months. It is especially important tto take this into consideration when travelling: the temperature on your hotel balcony will not necessarily be the same as in the place where you live!

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