Mouthfeel

Mouthfeel can be tricky to describe, but we’re going to give it a whirl. When you eat or drink something, the primary sense involved in that process are taste and smell. On some level, we understand that feel is important but it’s not the sense that carries the spotlight when it comes to consumption. Why not? You already know right now if you prefer soft tacos or crunchy. Marshmallows that have been toasted over a fire have crisp skin and gooey insides. We engage the sense of touch with our mouths all the time.

Even when we drink beverages! Flat water or “con gas,” is a choice at fancy restaurants. Don’t think that’s where touch stops. We can and do detect viscosity in the liquids we consume. It has a strong effect on how we react to the way something tastes. A glass of milk will have different feel depending on how much fat is in it. Lumpy milk is generally not considered a tasty beverage. When you understand this concept, you understand the wine term “mouthfeel.”

If a wine has legs, it’s got a higher viscosity. If a wine has a thin body, it’s likely to have a lower viscosity. It’s fun to experiment with pairing foods with wine based on the mouthfeel. We paired Brute Champagne with guacamole. We went for a thin body to counter balance the high fat in the dish. However, opting for a buttery Chardonnay with more body could be a fantastic sensation as well. Mouthfeel is as important as taste or smell.

In fact, the only sense that doesn’t seem to have much to do with wine tasting at all is hearing. But we admit, we could be wrong about that.