The Body Type of Wine
Whether a wine is “light-bodied” or “full-bodied” depends on its weight (watery to thick), a measure of the amount of alcohol and extracts it contains.
Light-Bodied Wines
Red: Dolcetto, Lambrusco
White: Asti, Moscato/Muscat, Soave, Vinho Verde
Pink: Rosé, White Zinfandel
Light- to Medium-Bodied Wines
Red: Bardolino, Gamay (Beaujolais), Valpolicella
White: Gewürztraminer, Orvieto, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
Medium-Bodied Wines
Red: Carménère, Chianti, Pinotage, Sangiovese
White: Albariño, Bordeaux, Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner
Medium- to Full-Bodied Wines
Red: Barbera, Bordeaux, Brunello, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha/Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Montepulciano, Burgundy/Pinot Noir, Rhône, Tempranillo (Rioja), Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel
White: Burgundy/Chardonnay
Full-Bodied Wines
Reds: Barbaresco, Barolo, Nebbiolo, Petite Sirah
Whites: Viognier
