Here is a little glossary to help you understand these words used in the world of wine!
Tannins: Tannins in wine are natural substances found in the skins, seeds, and stems of grapes. They can also come from aging in wooden barrels. They give the wine a dry mouthfeel, especially in red wines. Tannins are important, when they are well balanced, they add structure to the wine and help it age well. Over time, they become softer, making the wine more enjoyable to drink.
Sparkling: A sparkling wine is when the wine sparkles slightly when you open the bottle. The bubbles are not present enough to qualify the wine as effervescent or sparkling, hence the term sparkling wine. Since no stabilizer is used, the yeasts and bacteria present in the wine can continue to work slightly, which explains this sensation. This sparkling side can be very appreciated, because it awakens the taste buds and brings freshness to the wine. Simply decant the wine for a few minutes if you want a completely still wine.
Mineral: When we say that a wine is mineral, we are referring not only to its aromas, but also to the sensation it gives in the mouth. It is as if the terroir were expressed through stony, chalky, flint or gunflint notes. We can even sometimes perceive an impression of salinity. Minerality allows the wine not to be heavy, it brings freshness and dynamism. For us, it is a bit like the backbone of the wine.
Dry: A dry wine is the opposite of a sweet wine. But be careful, this does not mean that it cannot be fruity, expressive or aromatic!
Fruity: A fruity wine is a wine that develops fruit aromas. These fruits can be ripe, white-fleshed, yellow-fleshed, exotic... Be careful, a fruity wine is not necessarily sweet. It is possible to have very nice fruit aromas while having a wine that remains dry.
Structured: Red wines are most often referred to as structured wines, but this can apply to other colors as well. A wine is said to be structured when it has some body, tannins are present, and is consistent and solid, which allows it to pair well with a dish.
Still wine: A still wine is simply a wine that does not contain bubbles. It is the opposite of a sparkling wine.
Sparkling wine: A sparkling wine is a wine with bubbles (Champagne, crémant, natural sparkling wine, etc.). It is the opposite of a still wine.
Decanting: We talk about decanting a wine when the wine is a little young and closed. Putting it in a carafe allows it to be oxygenated so that the aromas are released.
Decanting: We talk about decanting a wine when the wine is old. Over the years, a deposit forms at the bottom of the bottle, decanting the wine allows the sediment to be separated from the liquid.
For more definitions, see our article “A Little Winemaking Vocabulary.”
