“What is your favourite wine?” This is a question I am frequently asked but cannot really answer. I can think of very few wines I don’t like, be it a light, refreshing sauvignon blanc or a rich, powerful Barossa shiraz, so I have a lot of favourites. It often depends on time and place, and my mood too. Rather than a specific country, region or individual producer, I tend to choose my wine by style.
Wines are usually divided into three styles: light, medium and full-bodied. Light-bodied wines will have less colour, higher acidity, lower alcohol, and fewer drying tannins. Conversely, full-bodied wines have more alcohol, tannins and extract; they feel richer in your mouth. Medium-bodied are somewhere between the two. Both white and red wines can be categorised this way.
In recent years, I have veered towards lighter, fresher wines. One reason for this is I like to drink plenty of wine and don’t want to keel over after my first glass. The French have a word for these wines – glouglou – or glug-glug wines that are made to quaff.
Just because a wine is light in alcohol it doesn’t mean it lacks flavour. Think of a ballet dancer as opposed to a weightlifter. The dancer is all about grace and elegance, the weightlifter power and strength. One is not better than the other, just different.
In the summer months I tend to think first of white wines or lighter reds, which I often serve cool. For some reason I rarely think of rosé although I like some of them a lot and sales increase dramatically when the sun is shining. I save my big reds for barbecued red meats, firm cheeses and hearty stews.
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Lighter red wines are currently in fashion, or at least wine writers and sommeliers think they are. But if you talk to retailers, they will tell you that big reds are as popular as ever.
What wines do you like to drink? If you enjoy Beaujolais, cinsault from Itata in Chile, or pinot noir from anywhere, you are probably a fan of lighter, juicy red wines. If you prefer riesling and sauvignon blanc to chardonnay and viognier, then you like lighter white wines too. Some grape varieties can cover both styles; chenin blanc from the Loire Valley tends to be light and fresh, while South African chenin is often rich and textured. Shiraz, malbec, nebbiolo and cabernet sauvignon tend to be more full-bodied especially if they come from warmer climates.
It is a good idea to work out your favourite style or styles of wine. That way if you are ordering wine in a restaurant you can ask for your preferred style even if you don’t recognise any of the names.
