Ask The Winemaker, Mouth Feel of Wine

What is the “mouth feel” of wine?

The mouthfeel of wine is created by the liquids and chemicals in wine. Wine is a very complex mixture typically containing some 9 to11 alcohols and upwards of 600 organic acids to start with. The mouthfeel of wine will reflect many of these compounds but most notably acidity, sweetness, phenolics/bitterness, and alcohol.

Acidity is the lift or freshness immediately evident and is essential for the wine’s balance, sweetness should only occur in wines of a particular style (late harvest, dessert styles, etc) and is noticeable immediately on the palate. The residual sugar in typical table wines should be imperceptible ie., below 2 g/L.

Phenolics occur mostly from skin contact and subsequently as red wines are fermented on the skins they have, by nature, more phenolics. They form a part of the wine’s complex structure and are perceived after about 7 seconds or so, right at the back of the palate. This sensation should accompany fruit flavor and not emerge as a sole physical characteristic that would be detrimental to the wine’s quality. Phenolics through oak tannins are also critical to a superior wine’s quality and are perceived in much the same way as skin tannins.

I mention alcohol for the mouthfeel of wine because higher alcohol wines (which Paso Robles wines are typically) offer richness and are mouth-filling. Even though alcohol is lighter than water, it has a higher viscosity. That creates a sensation of weightiness in the mouth. The higher the alcohol the more you feel the wine in your mouth.

This sensation shouldn’t, however, extend to a perceived ‘hotness’ on the palate from the alcohol being too high or out of balance. Some alcohols, such as glycerol, occur naturally in high levels in high calcium soils (typical of Westside Paso Robles) and can add to the richness and textural mouthfeel of wines.

Wines that are made from grapes with a higher sugar content will have a higher level of alcohol. The warmer the region where the grapes are grown, the higher the sugar level. Therefore, you can expect wines with more mouthfeel from regions that have a warm grape-growing season. Areas like California, Spain, and Australia fit that description.