Body

Body is a word wine people use for the fullness and weight a wine has in your mouth. Think of the difference between skimmed milk and whole milk: both are liquids, but one feels thinner and lighter, the other more full and round. It is the same with wine. A wine with a lot of body feels substantial and mouth-filling, while a wine with little body comes across as light and slight. So body is not about flavour in itself, but about the weight and texture the wine leaves behind while you have it in your mouth.

Body is influenced by, among other things, alcohol, how ripe the grape was, and whether the wine has been allowed to develop in barrels. It is worth paying attention to, because it governs what the wine suits. A light wine with a fine body goes well with light dishes and warm days, while a fuller wine pairs nicely with hearty food. Many talk about light, medium and full body as a simple way of describing this.

A common misunderstanding is that a lot of body equals high quality. It does not. An elegant, light-bodied wine can be just as well crafted as a full one. Body is a characteristic, not a grade, and it is about finding the fullness that suits you and the occasion.