Body

The comprehensive impression of the substance of a wine, obtained both taste and appearance, is called body.

In principle, every wine has 'body', only some have more and some have far less. The weighting of the substance of the body is primarily deduced from the impression on the palate. Secondarily, an optical examination is also used.

The interaction between certain components, especially the extract and the various alcohols, causes a more or less weighty impression of this substance on the palate. Connoisseurs grasp this impression of the 'body' and describe it consequently with apt words from the German-speaking wine-address like e.g. full, full-bodied, powerful, full-bodied, bulky, heavy, thin or poor in body. In French wine terminology we also encounter 'body terms' such as charnu (full-bodied, much substance, almost 'meaty') or charpenté (high in alcohol, very tasty and at the same time well balanced).

'Full-bodied', however, contrary to common perception, does not mean that the wine merely has a lot of (ethyl) alcohol or that 'a lot of body' in a wine is necessarily a positive quality characteristic (also a common perception), but rather seeks to qualify the impression of 'substance' or 'weight' of a particular wine relative to a particular type of wine.

Somit ist eine gewisse ‚Leichtigkeit‘ und ‚Finesse‘ bei Champagnern wie auch vielen anderen weißen Weinensorten genau richtig. Ein körperreicher, großer Burgunder oder Châteauneuf-du-Pape ist natürlich auch genau richtig. Ein Champagner, Riesling oder Chablis darf jedoch vom Körper her nicht etwa an einen Burgunder oder Cabernet erinnern. Selbst wenn der Wein herrlich ’schmeckt‘, könnte zu viel Körper auf mangelnde Balance beim geprüften Exemplar einer bestimmten Weinsorte hinweisen. Der Wein wirkt dann untypisch und fremdartig, weil er die typischen Merkmale dieser Weinsorte nicht aufweist.

ImageA superb Champagne, for example, can have 'a lot of body' compared to other Champagnes. A fantastic Burgundy can also convince with 'much body'. Enjoyed together, the Burgundy may suggest 'more body' than the Champagne. The conclusion, however, that a Burgundy thus has 'more body' than a Champagne, may seem to many connoisseurs as wrong as, for example, to claim that a comfortable, large Mercedes represents 'more car' than, for example, an elegant, sporty Porsche.

As long as a perceived richness of body does not go beyond the basic scope of the character of a particular wine variety, 'lots of body' is to be understood as a positive valuation.

ImageSecondarily, the visual impression also plays a role. Visually, some wines may appear somewhat 'thicker' when swirled in the glass compared to examples of the same type of wine. This is generally considered a visual indication of 'body'.

As another reference for 'body', among others, the observation of the 'church windows' is used. In the case of champagnes, the behavior of the pearls is also observed. For example, while the bubbles of one champagne burst quickly on the surface, the bubbles of another champagne may behave more leisurely and 'creamy'. The latter Champagne should therefore have comparatively more 'body'. The color intensity of the wine may also factor into the overall weighting of body.

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