Mouthfeel in wine might sound like a strange term, but it’s one of the most important parts of the wine-tasting experience! If you’ve ever wondered why some wines feel silky smooth while others seem crisp, grippy or even a little prickly, you’re already noticing mouthfeel.
Let’s dive into this quirky but crucial wine term.
What Is Mouthfeel in Wine?
In simple terms, mouthfeel describes the texture and physical sensations you experience when you taste wine.
It’s about how the wine feels in your mouth — not just how it tastes or smells.
Mouthfeel can completely change your perception of a wine’s flavour, making it richer, fresher, heavier, or lighter. Whether you’re sipping a Pinot Noir or a Chardonnay, you’re experiencing mouthfeel with every sip.
What Impacts it?
The unique mouthfeel of a wine is created by a balance of key components working together, including:
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Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
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Glycerol
Each element plays a role in shaping the wine’s overall structure and sensation in your mouth.
Breaking It Down:
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Alcohol, Sugar and Water:
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Alcohol comes from fermented natural grape sugars.
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Residual sugar is any natural sugar left after fermentation.
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Water keeps it all flowing!
These affect how light, heavy, smooth, or hot the wine feels.
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Length:
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This is the aftertaste, or how long the flavours linger after swallowing.
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A wine with a “long” length releases flavour compounds slowly, making it feel more sophisticated and attractive.
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Tannins:
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Found in grape skins and seeds (especially in red wines), tannins give that slight drying, puckering sensation.
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Well-managed tannins add structure, stability, and complexity to wine and protect it from aging poorly.
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Acidity:
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Essential for balance!
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Acids like malic (apple-like) and citric (lemon-like) provide mouth-watering freshness.
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Tartaric acid offers tartness and aging potential.
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Lactic acid (formed during malolactic fermentation) adds roundness and smoothness.
A good balance of acidity keeps a wine refreshing, not harsh or flat.
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How to Describe it
Mouthfeel can be tricky to describe, but it’s worth practising!
When tasting wine, pay attention to how it feels rather than just how it tastes. Ask yourself:
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Is it sharp, lush, lean, or soft?
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Does it feel round, prickly, cooling, hot, sandy, coarse, or drying?
Pro tip:
Even if you’re not used to describing beverages this way (after all, we don’t usually talk about the mouthfeel of our morning coffee!), tuning into the texture can change how you enjoy and understand wine.
Conclusion: Why Mouthfeel in Wine Matters
Mouthfeel isn’t just wine-snob jargon — it’s a real, tangible part of enjoying a glass of wine. From the silky richness of a bold red to the crisp snap of a bright white, mouthfeel in wine brings flavours to life and shapes your whole tasting experience.
Next time you take a sip, think beyond the taste and tune into the texture. You might just discover a whole new way to fall in love with your favourite wine!