Wine Varietals in Wine Tasting #6
Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

Wine Words in Wine Tasting #6
Body, Dry, Malolactic Fermentation

This tasting features these styles of white wine, Crisp and Sleek. This is the last white wine in the tastings centered around our wine styles in Wine 101, and it might include a favorite white wine, Riesling, as the example of the Crisp wine. Many of you may not be familiar with Rieslings, but they are perhaps the most versatile white wine. Rieslings can be sweet, but this Riesling should be dry, or without residual sugar.

To prepare for the tasting take a quick look at how to organize a wine tasting. If you are ready to buy wine, the suggested wines for this tasting can be found by searching our wine reviews section for Crisp wines and Sleek wines. Be sure the wines are chilled before starting your tasting.

Tasting the Crisp Wine

Take a look at the Crisp wine. They are generally light in color, ranging from a very pale green to straw. Depending on where it is from and the winemaker, you may see some bubbles in your wine, and some effervescence is not uncommon. These bubbles are generated by the malolactic fermentation that occurs in the bottled wine.

The aromas that Crisp wines are known for include flowers, citrus (lemon, lime, and grapefruit), apples, minerals, “slate”, and honey. Do you detect any of these in yours?

After another sniff, give the Crisp wine a good swirl and take a sip. Do you taste apples, citrus, honey, or minerals?

Did you notice the acid? Crisp wines are known for their mouthwatering acid. This characteristic makes them an excellent companion for shellfish. Also, most Crisp wines are light bodied wines.

Tasting the Sleek Wine

Now compare the color of the Sleek wine to the Crisp wine — the Sleek wine may be just a little darker.

How does the aroma of the Sleek wine compare? Most Sleek wines do not have the array of floral aromas that Crisp wines have. Aromas that you may notice in your Sleek wine include apples, pears, and melons.

Give the Sleek wine a sip. What is the first thing that you notice? For me it is the difference in acid levels between the two wines: Sleek wines have less acid than Crisp wines. Sleek wines are frequently subjected to malolactic fermentation, which can give them a slightly richer taste. The flavor profile for the Sleek wine also includes flavors such as apples, pears, and melons.

You should also compare the body of the Sleek wine to the Crisp wine. The medium body of the Sleek wine should be noticeably bigger than the light body of the Crisp wine.

If you have the time, this tasting is a good one to carry on over a meal. These are both food friendly wines, and you might be surprised how much you like them as a part of a meal.

What to Do Next…

Now that you have tasted these two wine styles side by side, which do you like better? Search our wine reviews section for either Crisp wines or Sleek wines. Also, you can continue on and do the other wine tastings.