At first thought, it might seem as though a barrel-fermented white wine would also take on an undesirable amount of tannin from the barrel itself. Curiously, this is not the case. During fermentation the developing wine does extract tannin lodged in the staves. But when fermentation is complete and the spent yeast cells (lees) are removed from the

In flavor and structure, sangiovese is, again, closer to pinot noir than it is to cabernet sauvignon. Sangiovese, for example, takes its structure primarily from acidity, rather than tannin.

Here’s how fast perception occurs after initial stimulation, as measured in thousandths of a second, for our four main senses: TASTE: 1.5–4.0 milliseconds TOUCH: 2.4–8.9 milliseconds HEARING: 13–22 milliseconds VISION: 13–45 milliseconds

SYRAH

The wine has very particular flavors and aromas reminiscent of tar, violets, and often a rich, espresso-like bitterness from the wine’s pronounced tannin.

Balance is the characteristic a wine possesses when all of its major components (acid, alcohol, fruit, and tannin) are in equilibrium

Lastly, on the Atlantic coast, the wine regions of Bordeaux and the western Loire have a maritime climate. Here, the Gulf Stream tempers what might otherwise be too harsh an environment, but again, rain and humidity can present problems.

Oak wood is composed of several classes of complex chemical compounds, which leave their mark on virtually every aspect of a wine’s character. The most noticeable of these are phenols, some of which impart vanilla-like flavors, notes of tea and tobacco, and impressions of sweetness. One of the most important classes of phenols are the substances

VIOGNIER