Written by Luis Rivera

One of my favorite aspects about working in the service industry is that I get to spend a lot of time interacting with customers and being able to help them select a bottle of wine that they will truly enjoy. A question that often comes up after we decide on a bottle is “How do I order this or something like this next time I’m in a restaurant?” This is a great question! Below is a quick guide describing a few wine terms that you may or may not be familiar with that can hopefully make the process less intimidating. 

Tannin

Tannin is a term that was typically reserved for red wines, but it is now being talked about with skin contact whites and orange wines which are en vogue at the moment. What are tannins you ask? Tannins are components that are naturally found in wine that add complexity and bitterness. Tannin is not just found in grapes but it is also found in walnuts, spinach and wood. If you want to get an idea of what tannins are, next time you are making a cup of tea, suck a bit of liquid out of the tea bag. That drying sensation is tannin.

Body: Light, Medium & Full

The body is referring to the texture of a wine. When I was first getting into wine, I was taught that when speaking of the body of a wine to think about milk. Light-bodied wines are going to be like skim milk; medium-bodied wines are going to be like whole milk; and full-bodied wines are going to be in the heavy cream category. 

Creamy & Buttery

This is a fun one! I think it is one of the few characteristics that you can mention and it can mean both an aromatic profile and the actual texture of the wine. The good news about this term is it’s pretty cut and dry as it means exactly what it says. How does creaminess and butteriness happen? It happens from a process called malolactic fermentation (which is not even really a fermentation really but the introduction of a good bacteria!). What is happening is you are introducing lactic acid (think dairy) and it is eating up the malic acid (think green apple) and in doing so it softens up the harsher acids. How does that translate into the glass? Well, for starters, on the nose you may find aromas of butter, hazelnut or even lemon curd like qualities. On the palate the wine can seem creamy or have a heavier texture. 

Tears & Legs

To be completely honest, I have no idea how and why this has caught on but of all the terms that you can use to explain and describe a wine, this is probably the least important when it comes to ordering and speaking about flavors and aromas. When you hear someone talk about “tears or the legs of a wine” what they are referring to is when you swurl a glass of wine, sometimes you may see what looks like a film that forms into tear drops or wine legs. What the tears can actually tell you is the alcohol levels of the wine. If the tears are quick to form and quick to fall then the wine will tend to be lower in alcohol and lighter in body. If they are slower to form and slower to fall then that wine will tend to be higher in alcohol and body. It is neither an indication that a wine is good or bad, and, in my opinion, it does not really mean anything when assessing your chances of enjoying a wine. This is more for wine deduction when it comes to higher education exams. 

Pricing $$$$

This can be way easier said than done given that there are many different dining scenarios – a business meeting, dining with family or a first date – but please do not be afraid or ashamed of what your price point is. You are the ones paying, not the sommelier or server helping you out. It is all about being hospitable and if you are looking for a bottle in the $65 dollar range then let them know so that they can help you find something that you are looking for in that range! I can say that as someone who works in wine for a living, I tend to stay in $70 and under range when going out to dinner. 

All in all, this is a great moment in time to be a consumer because it seems like year after year new producers, regions or grape growing techniques are being discovered. Next time you’re dining out and tasked with ordering a bottle, feel confident that you know what you’re in the mood for! And if you don’t know what you want, that’s what the server and sommelier are there for.