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Wine is usually described through aroma and flavor, but some of its most important qualities are physical. This episode of The Wine Lab examines wine texture and mouthfeel: body, viscosity, acidity, tannin, astringency, alcohol warmth, residual sugar, carbon dioxide, lees aging, malolactic fermentation, serving temperature, and aeration.

Andreea explains why two wines with similar flavors can feel completely different, how winemaking choices shape texture, and why service conditions such as temperature and decanting can change the way a wine is perceived. From crisp whites to structured reds and sparkling wines, this episode offers a practical and scientific guide to what the palate feels.

Glossary

Mouthfeel
The tactile sensations a wine creates in the mouth, including body, heat, grip, smoothness, roughness, creaminess, and astringency.

Texture
The overall physical impression of a wine on the palate. Texture includes how heavy, sharp, soft, drying, prickly, or smooth the wine feels.

Body
The perceived weight or fullness of a wine in the mouth. Body is influenced by alcohol, sugar, acidity, extract, flavor intensity, and other wine components.

Viscosity
A liquid’s resistance to flow. In wine, viscosity can contribute to impressions of body or richness, although it is only one part of mouthfeel.

Ethanol
The main alcohol in wine. Ethanol contributes to body, warmth, aroma release, and the perception of fullness.

Glycerol
A fermentation byproduct that can contribute slightly to viscosity, though its sensory impact at typical wine concentrations is often smaller than commonly assumed.

Acidity
The sourness and freshness in wine, mainly shaped by organic acids such as tartaric, malic, and lactic acid. Acidity also influences the physical impression of sharpness, brightness, and refreshment.

pH
A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. In wine, pH influences microbial stability, color, sulfur dioxide effectiveness, and sensory perception.

Phenolic compounds
A broad group of grape- and oak-derived compounds that includes tannins, color pigments, and some compounds linked to bitterness, flavor, and structure.

Tannins
Phenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems, and oak. Tannins contribute bitterness, structure, and especially astringency in wine.

Astringency
The drying, puckering, rough, or grippy tactile sensation caused largely by tannins interacting with saliva and oral surfaces.

Bitterness
A taste sensation detected by taste receptors. Bitterness can occur alongside astringency, but the two are not the same.

Maceration
The period when grape juice or wine remains in contact with grape skins, seeds, and sometimes stems. Maceration affects color, flavor, tannin, and texture.

Mannoproteins
Polysaccharides released from yeast cell walls during fermentation and lees aging. They can contribute to roundness, softness, and stability in some wines.

Lees
Spent yeast cells and other particles that settle after fermentation. Aging wine on lees can influence aroma, texture, and stability.

Malolactic fermentation
A microbial conversion of malic acid into lactic acid, usually carried out by lactic acid bacteria. It can soften acidity and contribute to a rounder mouthfeel.

Diacetyl
A compound associated with buttery aromas in wine. It can be produced during malolactic fermenta

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A glass of rosé often feels effortless - light catching a pale pink hue, a hint of summer in the air - but its story runs deeper. In this episode, we trace how rosé is shaped, from fleeting skin contact to the saignée method and the precise art of blending in sparkling wines. Along the way, we place rosé within a longer human narrative, from early winemaking to Mediterranean tables where it accompanies food, heat, and conversation. What emerges is a style that carries both intention and ease - one that moves gracefully between technique and pleasure, and reveals more the closer you pay attention.

Glossary:

• Anthocyanins: Pigments in grape skins responsible for red and pink color in wine
• Skin contact (maceration): Time during which grape juice remains in contact with skins, extracting color and compounds
• Saignée: Method where juice is removed early from a red wine fermentation to produce rosé
• Blending: Mixing red and white wines to create rosé (common in sparkling wine production)
• Terroir: The combined effect of soil, climate, and environment on wine characteristics

Famous Rosé Examples:

• Provence Rosé (France): Typically pale, dry, and driven by Grenache and Cinsault; known for freshness and elegance
• Tavel (Rhône Valley, France): A deeper-colored, more structured rosé with notable body and aging potential
• Bandol Rosé (France): Often Mourvèdre-based, with more weight, spice, and complexity
• Rosé Champagne (France): Produced by blending or short maceration; combines freshness with autolytic complexity
• White Zinfandel (USA): A sweeter, fruit-forward rosé style that played a major role in popularizing pink wines in the U.S.

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Episode description

Wine seems like one of the most plant-based products imaginable, so why are some wines not considered vegan? In this episode of The Wine Lab, we look at the cellar practices behind that question. From egg whites, milk proteins, gelatin, and isinglass to bentonite, PVPP, and plant-based alternatives, this is a closer look at fining, clarification, labeling, and the ethics of process. Along the way, the episode traces the long history of these practices in winemaking and considers why vegan wine has become an important question for modern consumers. If you have ever wondered how a wine made from grapes can still raise vegan concerns, this episode offers the science, the history, and the consumer perspective.

Glossary

Vegan wine: Wine made without the use of animal-derived processing aids or additives.

Fining: A winemaking step in which a substance is added to bind unwanted particles or compounds so they can be removed.

Fining agent: The material used during fining to clarify or refine the wine.

Isinglass: A fining agent derived from fish collagen, traditionally used for clarification.

Egg white fining: The use of egg albumen, especially in red wines, to help soften tannins and clarify the wine.

Casein: A milk protein used in some wines for clarification and correction of certain defects.

Gelatin: An animal-derived protein used as a fining agent.

Bentonite: A clay-based fining agent commonly used as a vegan-friendly alternative.

PVPP: A synthetic fining material used to remove certain phenolic compounds and help stabilize wine.

Processing aid: A material used during production that is not intended to remain in the final product.

Clarification: The process of making wine clearer by removing suspended particles.

Certification mark: A label or symbol indicating that a product has been verified against a particular standard, such as vegan certification.

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