Texture is the tactile feel of wine in the mouth — silky, creamy, grippy, oily, crisp or coarse — distinct from its flavours. It comes from tannin (grip), acidity (crispness), alcohol and glycerol (viscosity), lees aging (creaminess) and dissolved CO2 (prickle). Texture is central to a wine's pleasure and quality; fine, integrated texture marks a great wine, while harsh or watery texture signals a lesser one.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR COLLECTORS
Texture often separates good wines from great ones. Silky tannins, a creamy lees-derived mid-palate or a mineral, saline grip are hallmarks of skilled winemaking and fine raw material that scores alone rarely capture.
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