A Few Words to Sound Smarter About Wine

No question about it, here at Portovino we love wine (and fashion)! But we also know that talking about wine can sometimes be a bit confusing. From knowing what type of wine you prefer, the differences between a Merlot and a Malbec is just the beginning. Those who are new to the world of wine, may find it intimidating at times to converse with the more educated wine drinker. But don’t sweat it, we have you covered.  So grab that glass of wine and read on so you can feel like the wine aficionado you are meant to be:)

1. Tannin- You may have heard this term before, but not quite sure what it meant, right? No worries, you are not alone. Tannin is a great word to use when describing that a  wine may be on the bitter side. The bitterness is a result of a natural textural element from the grape skins and seeds.
2. Bouquet- No, we are not talking about those beautiful flowers that we all love to receive. When talking about a bouquet in reference to wine, one is referring to that characstic smell of a matured wine. This differs from aroma as bouquets  take a longer time to develop which is why bouquets are always tied to mature wines. Test this wine knowledge with your wine buddies and show off your wine smarts :)
3. Body- We all have heard the term body when speaking about wine,but what does that actually mean? The body of wine actually refers to the weight and fullness you feel as it hits your palate. You know after you swirl that glass of wine right before you taste it?  What you are looking for is the alcohol level, density and how long it lingers in your mouth after you swallow the wine. Generally wine will be light, medium or full bodied.
4. Flavor- Probably the common words used during wine tastings. Many wines will have notes of berries, red fruits, lemon, chocolate, citrus, herbs, oak and much more. So next time you are chatting about wine don’t forget to throw in the flavors you taste as you are sampling that wine.
5. Viscosity- Oh, talk about one of those smart sounding words-here you go. This refers to how the wine actually moves and the liquid consistency. The higher the viscosity the thicker and more condensed the  wine will appear.
6. Garrigue- A fancy French word that not only makes you sound like a wine aficionado but also makes you sound like a well travelled  wine expert. Garrigue refers t0 the fragrant plants that are found in Southern France and can be detected when drinking the wine. So if you taste hints of thyme, juniper, lavender or rosemary when sipping your wine. Feel free to say it has lots of garrigue.

There you have it. Just a few simple words to throw into your next wine conversation to help show off your expertise on all things wine. Want to really impress your gal pals? Simply grab one of our wine purses and fill it up with your favorite wine and pour away at your next get together.