Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Sommeliers & 3 Words To Know

By Jennifer Marie Anderson


Every sommelier's knowledge is going to be extensive. This is especially true when given the broad topic of wine, not only in terms of brands but flavors and aromas as well. It's important for each of these qualities to come together so that something special is ultimately created. Of course, some terms stand out more than others, which is why a learning experience is required. For a sommelier, the experience in question can be obtained from a culinary school.

Not only is this school able to cover the details of wine but topics like hospitality management and the culinary arts, in general, can be learned about. For this piece, though, I'd like to focus on sommeliers and the types of terms they should know about. Suffice it to say, there are several terms that should be seen in any sommelier's glossary. However, these are 3 of the most important that will, ultimately, help you gain a better understanding of wine as a whole.

Full-Bodied - If you want to talk about why a wine is "full-bodied," you're most likely going to draw attention to its flavor. Essentially, a full-bodied wine is one that has a higher level of alcohol content. What this means, in turn, is that its flavor is more prominent, which makes it a more satisfying beverage overall. This may be one of the most familiar terms that a sommelier uses. Nonetheless, it's an important one that deserves to be covered.

Acidity - If you're a fan of fruit and the like, you may already be familiar with this term as well. However, in terms of wine, acidity refers to how crisp or "alive" the flavor of a particular wine is. For example, if you taste wine and you detect several bubbles on the surface of the beverage, chances are that it has a high acidity level attached to it. For those who may be tasked with suggesting the best wine to someone, whether it's for their meal or what have you, high acidity matters.

Balance - The "balance" of a wine means exactly what you might expect it to. When a wine is balanced, that means that all of its essential components have come together, creating a sense of harmony in order to make the best drink stand out. These components include - but aren't limited to - acidity, alcohol, and sugar content. More than anything else, in my view, the best wine is going to be defined by just how balanced it is.




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