It seems a redundant thing to say – but wine can be incredibly intimidating, even for the most enthusiastic, educated and well versed professionals. The old adage, "the more you know, the less you know," really rings true here.



When thousands of varieties exist the world over, a myriad of techniques utilized, and new ideas and approaches coming to the forefront at every turn (not to mention undiscovered and new wine regions) it's hard not to feel overwhelmed.

What makes the journey seem unapproachable can also make it incredibly fun. There's always a new documentary, book or podcast to listen to about the "next big wine trend" that's slated to take the wine world by storm.
 
Let's talk about some "buzz" words you should be well versed in, even if you have only the slightest interest in wine. You'll pique the interest of wine nerds, and potentially spark some pretty interesting conversations. 

Natural wine

You've likely seen a lot of young, cool, "hipster" types talking about this all over Instagram. Natural isn't exactly an accurate term to describe this style; minimal intervention is a more appropriate moniker for this technique. Essentially, this is when the wine is allowed to express itself in its most "natural" form. What this means (manipulations of any kind) are frowned upon.

Photo Credit: Contributed
Additions of acid (common in hotter climates where it's difficult to achieve desirable acidity levels), sugar (common in cooler climates where ripeness is an issue) and filtration and fining (to stabilize, remove solids, and help the wine appear more aesthetically pleasing) are all common techniques used in "conventional" winemaking.

Natural winemakers, however, allow the wine to be, flaws and all. Decide for yourself, but there are plenty of "conventional" wines that are just as delicious – it all depends what you're into, and your stance on the debate.

Smoke taint 

This refers to vineyards that have been compromised, impacted or affected by nearby wildfires. This is becoming an increasingly challenging issue many wine regions are dealing with – Washington, California, BC, and Australia, just to name a few. The argument is that climate change has come a warming effect, resulting in more fires being a common issue every growing season.

Photo Credit: Contributed
Studies also show that proximity to chemical factories can also negatively impact the end result of wines, too. Expect to see more research and studies done on how grapes are impacted by their local environments in the near future. 

Flabby

You've probably heard this term at wine tastings or festivals and wondered …. "uh, what?" Flabby refers to a wine that is lacking in acid – where the wine feels cloying, "fat," and lacking balance. Balance is really and truly what every winemaker is looking to achieve. When sugar, alcohol, tannin (if it's red), oak (if it's used) and acid are all married in such a way, they elevate each other and work together effortlessly – making it an extremely pleasing experience for your palate.



If a wine is lacking in acidity, this is undesirable as the other elements take over, and may be more noticeable in an unpleasant way. Other terms used to describe a lack of acid are flaccid, flat, and slack.  

Juicy

Have you ever bit into a piece of fruit so ripe, it dribbles down your chin in the most delightful way? Immediately, eliciting memories of your childhood appear such as gallivanting through sprinklers in your bathing suit, and playing until sun down. This is what oenophiles mean when they describe a wine as juicy – the fruit is perfectly ripe.

They might be thinking of the most pristine watermelon, plum, nectarine, or peach, at its peak ripeness, coming back to the notion of balance – when fruit is ideally ripe, all elements are in equilibrium. 

Green

There are a number of grape varieties that share a chemical compound with bell peppers called methoxy pyrazine – giving it a "green" flavour that some may interpret as just that – the aroma and flavour of green pepper. Other aromas you may experience could be black pepper, herbal notes or even olives. Grape varieties that have this chemical compound include cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

Photo Credit: Contributed

There are certain approaches that can be taken in the vineyard to lessen these aromatics; however, this element is responsible for making some of the most iconic wine regions famous. It also makes for incredible food pairings, too. A particularly savoury, herbal and vegetal cabernet franc can be a match made in heaven with a pizza covered in pepperoni, peppers and olives. 

Lees

Lees are the leftover, dead yeast cells post fermentation. A common phrase heard in wine tasting is, "the wine was left on its lees." Some winemakers may opt to filter out the lees for a cleaner, crisper style. Leaving the fermented juice on the lees imparts creaminess, weight and body. The French refer to this style as "sur lie." 

Grippy

Tannin is an important factor in giving a wine its texture. This is achieved through fermenting the grapes on their skins – where tannin is sourced from. Different grapes impart different styles of tannin, which is why you so often see an array of terms describing tannin, alone. Fine grain, powdery, chewy and of course, grippy being just a few ways to describe it.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Young wines, and wines made from thicker skinned grapes, with extended skin contact can result in particularly tannic styles – which is where the term grippy comes from. Grippy denotes a lengthy, lingering and high impact tannin. See if you can pick out this style of tannin next time you go out wine tasting.

Laura Milnes is a Kelowna native and local wine professional, operating her own wine and hospitality consulting company. Laura is WSET certified, and continually expands her wine knowledge through education, research and travel. You can find Laura hosting wine related pop up events, and consulting with wineries throughout the Okanagan with a focus on wine education and training. The rare time Laura is not reading about, or tasting wine, you can find her travelling with her partner, cooking or doing DIY projects for her home. To learn more about wine check out her Instagram page @silkandcoupe.