‘Mouthfeel’ (otherwise known as ‘texture’) is, quite literally, the way a wine feels when you take a sip.

Mouthfeel can be described with a whole world of adjectives: slippery and smooth (think Central Otago pinot), round and buttery (oaked chardonnay), lean and linear (a Spanish albariño, perhaps), bold and brash (Aussie shiraz), and on and on.

Mouthfeel is influenced by a number of factors including winemaking technique, growing environment, alcohol level, tannin strength, and residual sugar level. If a wine is higher in alcohol, its mouthfeel might give you a ‘hot’ sensation; if it’s got strong tannins, you might describe it as ‘grippy.’ There are no wrong descriptors when it comes to this particular wine term!