Body Levels in Reds
Light Body Reds
Light Tannins. Good Acidity. Light Color.
| Beaujolais | |
| Vernatch | |
| Valpolicella | |
| Bourgogne | |
| Pinot Noir (France) | |
| Zweigelt | |
| St.Laurent | |
| Cinsalt | |
| Barbera | |
| Etna Rosso |
Medium - Light Body
Medium Tannins. Good Acidity. Medium Color.
| Cabernet Franc | |
| Garnacha | |
| Grenache | |
| Pinot Noir (Aged) | |
| Rioja Crianza | |
| Côtes du Rhône S | |
| Chianti |
Medium - Full Body
Medium Tannins. Balanced Acidity. Medium Color.
| Merlot | |
| Primitivo | |
| Ribera del Duero | |
| Sangiovese | |
| Bordeaux (R-Bank) | |
| Zinfandel |
Full Bodied Reds
High Tannins. High Alcohol. Strong Flavors. Dark Color.
| Aglianico | |
| Negroamaro | |
| Nero d'Avola | |
| Malbec | |
| Super Tuscan | |
| Bordeaux (L-Bank) | |
| Cab. Sauvignon | |
| Mourvèdre | |
| Languedoc | |
| Nebbiolo | |
| Barbaresco | |
| Syrah | |
| Crozes-Hermitage | |
| Shiraz | |
| Touriga Nacional | |
| Petite Sirah | |
| Pinotage | |
| Barolo |
Light Bodied Whites
- Chablis
- Chenin Black (Dry)
- Pinot Grigio
- Riesling (Dry)
- Vinho Verde
- Pinot Blanc
Medium Bodied Whites
- Albariño
- Bordeaux Blanc
- Riesling (Spätlese)
Full Bodied Whites
- Cardonnay (Oaked)
- Pinot Gris (Oaked)
What is Body?
Body is a description of how the wine feels in your mouth.
Normally, we talk about 3 categories:
- Light Body
- Medium Body
- Full Body
One way to think about the differences, is to think about:
- Water
- Skimmed milk
- Whole milk
Body = Weight
Body is a name for the weight of a wine. All fluids have a weight determined by the content.
The body is determined by 3 factors: Alcohol, Sugar, and Extracts
Alcohol is a contributor to the body because it gives the wine viscosity. (Water is less viscous than syrup. Water is lighter and moves more easily than syrup).
Sugar is also a factor that adds to the body. The more sugar, the more body.
Extracts are other factors. Extract are solids like tannins, glycerol, fat, and acid.
Red vs White
Red wines are more full bodied than white wines.
Dry white wines have a light or very light body (like lemonade).
Full bodied white wines are known as creamy nutty, or oily.
Off-Dry whites are also defined as full bodied whites.
Oaked vs Unoaked
Oked red wines are more full bodied than unoaked reds.
Different winemaking techniques, such as leaving the wine longer with its skin also add body to a wine.
Most full bodied whites are oked or malolactic or both.