Wine guides
How to describe your taste in wine
Start with freshness, texture and the aromas you enjoy. Add your food and budget. A clear description is more useful than choosing a famous name without knowing its style.
GetSIPP editorial team · Published
Fresh, soft or full-bodied?
A fresh wine feels lively. A soft red feels less drying, while a structured red has more noticeable tannins. These sensations do not measure price or quality. If powerful reds feel uncomfortable, ask for a soft, fruity red with gentle tannins.
Fruity does not mean sweet
A wine can smell of peaches or red berries and still be dry. Say ‘dry’ if you want little sweetness. If oak flavours bother you, ask for a wine with little noticeable oak influence. The grape is a clue, but the producer, winemaking and vintage also affect the result.
Turn your preferences into a useful request
Try: ‘A fresh, dry white for grilled fish, without strong oak flavours, under €15 a bottle.’ This is your spending limit, not a claim that a bottle is available at that price. In a restaurant, specify the wine-list price. After a suggestion, explain what suits you and what you would change.
Your questions
Do I need to know grape varieties?
No. Describe a wine you enjoyed and the sensations you like or avoid. A grape variety can become a useful reference, but it does not guarantee the taste of a specific bottle.
These guides explain styles and methods. They do not replace information about the actual bottle, wine list or producer.
Keep exploring
How to read a French wine label
Find the producer, wine name, origin and vintage if shown. A label identifies a bottle; it cannot establish its current price, storage history or exact taste.
Food and wine pairing: start with the sauce and cooking
Consider the dish’s intensity, sauce and cooking method before choosing a wine colour. Fish with lemon and fish in a creamy sauce may call for different styles.
Wine lists: compare glass, bottle and budget
Check the serving size and displayed price before comparing wines. Set a spending limit, describe your food and use only entries whose identity and price are clearly readable.