Wine Lingo Lesson
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When discussing the wines of the world, it's a good idea to know wine lingo. The last thing you want to do is call a sweet wine dry. Or call a white wine with low alcohol content full-bodied. Here are some pointers, courtesy of wine expert and author Leslie Sbrocco: Dry: a wine that is not overly sweet but will have an appealing, succulent quality. Medium- to full-bodied: these are some of the highest alcohol reds around. Most are 13.5 to 14 or more percent alcohol, which puts them in the "big boy" wine category. Medium to strong tannins: thick, dark grape skins result in very strong tannins. And here are some Champagne terms you may wish to remember for the next time you're buying a bottle of bubbly for an event: Natural: very dry Brut: dry Extra-dry: extra-dry bubbly is slightly sweeter than brut Demi-sec: means "half-dry," which means it's on the sweeter side. If you want Champagne to serve with dessert, look for a demi-sec.
