Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
14.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Opulent blackberry meets structure and complexity.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Zinfandel
Zin-fan-DEL
Zinfandel, otherwise known as Primitivo in Italy, makes bold, fruit forward wines, which in California range from Round & Fleshy, to Powerful & Extracted. The wines can vary from dry to slightly off-dry. The examples have rich mix of dark and red fruit, along with a range of flavors and aromas like chocolate, tobacco and exotic spice.
Carignan
Ca-ree-NYAN
In the past, Carignan was responsible for a lot of bulk wine because of its high yielding potential, but in the right hands it can make quality with intense red fruit, spice, and structure. Often blended with other grape varietals, old vine Carignan can yield rich red fruit driven wines at bang for your buck price levels.
Mataro
Ma-TAR-Ro
Mataro, also known as Mourvèdre, is a red grape variety widely grown in Spain and France. It produces dark, tannic wines with high acidity and flavors of blackberries, spices, and earthy notes. Mataro is often used in blends to add structure, depth, and complexity.
Bedrock makes wines of distinctive personality—some might even say flamboyant—sourced from heritage vineyard sites and often from century-old vines.
Winemaker Morgain-Twain Peterson, a Master of Wine, describes his wines as matching his eclectic tastes. The wines are made by hand in a converted chicken coop. He started by partnering with a network of small family-run and dry-farmed vineyards,relationships begun by his father, the founder of Ravenswood winery.
Bedrock Wine Co. makes limited-production, soulful, distinctly Californian wines that speak to his passion for California’s winemaking heritage, and its future.
Blackberry
Leather
Coffee Bean
