The 4 Components of Wine
All wines possess these 4 components. Think of them as a wine’s skeleton. Knowing what they are, how and why they differ, and what they contribute to wine will help you understand and evaluate wine more confidently.
ACID. How can you tell if a wine has prominent acidity? You will notice an increased level of saliva on your palate. You will swallow with more frequency. In addition to saliva, there’s a tartness, high toned quality to wines with prominent acidity. Acidity is more prominent in wines from cooler climates. Most of the world’s cooler climate wines are white so you will therefore notice heightened acidity in white wines.
*One of acid’s key attributes and contributions to wine, is that it helps bring out the flavor in food. White wines with higher acidity: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Arneis, Chardonnay
Red wines with higher acidity: Gamay, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Blaufrankisch
FRUIT. Of course, the main component in wine. The key here is flavor characteristics of each grape and ripeness level. Each grape variety possesses specific aromas and flavors that make them unique. Some fruit is ripe or overripe, while some is under ripe or tart. This is influenced by climate, terroir and when it is harvested. The ripeness level will largely dictate the style of the wine. Wines from a warmer climate will possess wines with riper fruit and be fuller in body, while a cooler climate wines will be lower in alcohol, body, and more high toned.
TANNIN. How can you tell if a wine has prominent tannin? It has the opposite effect of acid as you will experience astringency or dryness on your palate. Where does tannin come from? Mainly from the grape’s skins but also from the stems, seeds, and oak barrels. Because of this, tannin is most prevalent in red wines, as these wines are fermented on the skins. With only a few exceptions, white wines are fermented with juice only limiting tannin exposure. As red wines age in bottle, the tannins will soften. This is why younger red wines tend to have more tannin and astringency.
*Tannin is an important contributor to red wines' ageability.ALCOHOL. is the result of fermentation; yeast converting sugar into alcohol (and CO2). What determines the alcohol level in wines? The amount of sugar, or brix, when the grapes are harvested. Grapes grown in cooler climates do not reach the same brix level as grapes grown in warmer regions so those wines will have lower alcohol levels.
Examples are Rieslings from Mosel in Germany or Champagnes from France. On the opposite end, Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley and Barossa Valley will be higher in alcohol.
Given that these components are present in all wines, the key to well-made and enjoyable wine is balance. If one component is strikingly out of balance, it’s level of enjoyment will not be maximized. The time to determine balance is when you are evaluating a wine. The final step after you taste a wine is the “finish,” or savor; this is a wine’s memory.
We have a FREE TASTING TEMPLATE for you to further your wine study that goes along perfectly with this topic!
4 Components Tasting Template
This template will allow you to log the wines you taste and assess the levels of each of the 4 components. This download is yours to use as many times as you like! Feel free to print out, screen shot, or download the next page as many times as you need, or add to your Tasting Journal!