Have you ever seen backbone in tasting notes before? It may seem like an odd term to use when talking about wine. I mean – the wine doesn’t have a skeleton. In Wine Terms Explained, I unpack some of the weird wine terms used to describe wine. There are some truly odd ones out there, and sometimes it can be hard to know what the tasting notes even mean. These guides break down the wine terms so that you can get back to enjoying wine! So let’s dive into what backbone in wine is.
What is backbone in wine?
There are some schools of thought that say that Tannin really is the true backbone of the wine. They are responsible for giving the wine weight, chewiness and texture. But as Tannins aren’t something you can perceive in white wine, they aren’t the be-all and end-all.
There are also schools of thought that think Acid is the structural backbone. If a wine is too low in acid, it is dull and flat. If it’s too high, it’s bitter and sour.
So who is right? I feel like it really is both. Because at the end of the day, it is really about balance.
Backbone in wine describes the structure of the wine. Structure comes from many things including:
- Acidity
- Alcohol
- Tannin (red wines)
The structure is so important when it comes to wine. If it isn’t quite right, the wine will taste thin or flabby. So backbone in wine is incredible important!
Where do you find it?
Backbone can really be found in any wine that has a good structure. Although some believe that backbone is only found in tannic wines, if you believe it is more about the overall structure, then it can be found in both red and white wine.
Really, backbone is all about balance. If the wine is big and full-bodied, it needs to be structured and balanced by the right level of acidity. So whether you like red or white, you can find backbone in wine. Just simply look for a nice balance in the structure.