Wine writers often use the term “structure” to describe a wine what does it actually mean when it comes to the flavour of a wine? Let’s break down the mystery…

Structure is kind of like the framework of a wine. It is most often used in reference to levels of acid – especially found in white wines – or tannin – often found in reds.

But there are other things that come into play such as alcohol, sweetness and “body.” By themselves, none of these components really mean anything but they are amplified by delicious flavors like fruitiness, oakiness, minerality, florals, herbs and others.

“Structure”, in other words, refers to the relationship of different components in wine, such as acid, tannin, alcohol and glycerol. It’s one thing to describe the body of a wine (how it feels in the mouth, like the difference between skim milk and heavy cream, for example), or how the acidity might make your mouth water. But it’s the relationships between these elements that together make up a wine’s structure.