What gives wines its substance? In other words, what contributes to a heavy bodied wine? Is it more than just sugar?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
This is a great question as "substance" is a widely-used tasting term, yet probably leaves many people wondering, as you are, exactly what it means. I would say that the body of a wine is certainly very closely related to the alcohol content, which originates with sugars in the grapes. Wines that are low in alcohol - for example, a Mosel Riesling Kabinett at 9% - also are light-bodied, whereas a standard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at 14.8% will appear very full-bodied. While "body" and "substance" are closely connected, I would argue that there could be a subtle distinction for some professional tasters: substance can be a more comprehensive term referring to the combined impression of the body and flavor of a wine.
