Discovering your vinotype, or wine personality, can revolutionize how you enjoy wine. This concept, explored by Tim Hanni MW, categorizes individuals into four vinotypes based on their taste preferences and sensitivity to flavors: Sweet, Hypersensitive, Sensitive, and Tolerant. By understanding your vinotype, you can better choose wines that suit your palate, enhancing your overall wine experience.
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What is a Vinotype?
Just think of phenotype, a word you probably haven’t heard since your last biology class. A phenotype is the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment. A Vinotype derives from just that, except it focuses on your tastebuds and personality characteristics to determine what type of wine you would enjoy. Whether you fancy a crisp chardonnay, a full-bodied red wine, or a sweet zinfandel, knowing your Vinotype, will help you discover wines you which wines you enjoy and which new wines to try.
Types of Vinotypes
TOLERANT
As a Tolerant Vinotype, you crave intensity and lots of flavor whether it comes to wine, or food. Since you crave the finer things in life, you can’t quite understand how other people drink wimpy, basic wines. It also tends to make you cringe when people ruin the flavour of coffee by adding cream and sugar.
When it comes down to personality characteristics, you tend to hold a perspective that is rather linear. You like to have things your way. To the dismay of your peers, you may purposely blast your music because you think it is the best. That is not to say you are picky, you are just strong in your beliefs. Unlike some of your other peers, you may also like the taste of bitter food/drink and strong alcoholic beverages
Our Wine Recommendations
Your palette craves rich, very intensely flavored whites and full-bodied reds.
Wines you are prone to love:
For whites: An oaky, full-bodied Chardonnay and/or Viognier with big Zinfandels.
For Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. a Merlot or Pinot Noir in a full blooded variety.
SWEET
When it comes to your Vinotype you have rather particular tastebuds. Sweets tend to be very picky about their wines, foods, pretty much everything, you get the picture. A bitter, dry wine will probably make you gag but you will likely find light, delicate wines to be both satisfying and flavorful. That being said, you tend to love dessert and think that rose can be paired well with any meal. While some may like a cocktail with hard liquor you would prefer to sip on something sweet like a sangria.
When it comes to your personality, you have strong preferences in many things other than wine. Whether it is a preferences in clothing, or what color you decide to paint your room it has to be completely to your standards. What sets you apart from the Tolerant Vinotype is that you have one kind of preference. You tend to steer away from complexity because you know what you love.
Our Wine Recommendations
In your mind, anytime is right for “dessert wine.”
For Whites: White Zinfandel, off-dry German wines like Rieslings, or white moscato.
For Reds: Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah
HYPERSENSITIVE
As a hypersensitive vinotype, you tend to be picky like your “Sweet” counterparts. However, what sets you apart from the “Sweets” is that you do have an adventurous side of you, which loves to explore and discover all sorts of new wines but with very clear preference parameters. However you still may have a side of you that does not really like to stray away from what wines you love as well. Unlike “Sweet” vinotypes, Hypersensitives also enjoy a more diverse variety of flavours in their wine and food. You can tolerate more bitterness, and have more of a palette for savoury flavours. As far as wines go, you may enjoy something sweet like a moscato, but something bitter like a merlot.
When it comes to your personality, it is likely you are quite indecisive and are never quite satisfied with anything. You may dislike a loud, hectic environment and also are never content with the temperature. Due to your specific tastes, you may well have enjoyed doing things solo whether it be sports, or presentations.
Our Wine Recommendations
You tend to go for sweet wines, but still venture toward trying a more dry wine as well.
For Whites: Pinot Grigio, Moscato, Riesling
For Reds: Petit Sirah, Merlot
SENSITIVE
Despite the name “sensitive.” you are far from it when it comes to wine types. On the contrary, you are the “free-spirit” of the four vinotypes. This means is that you are more likely to enjoy the widest and most diverse styles of wine. When it comes to wine, you are flexible, adventurous and are great at discovering the best wines. Due to your diverse tastes, your wine preferences range anywhere from delicate to full-bodied, dry white wines to a wide range of reds, especially favoring those that are very rich, smooth but not too oaky or tannic. The drive for adventure does not just stop at wine but also food in general. You enjoy all kinds of flavours whether they are hot and spicy or sweet as pie. Because of this, you may have always been the most daring eater of your peers, always looking to try something new.
As far as personality goes, you are as easy-going as your wine preferences. Because of your easy-going personality you tend to live a less rigid life. Due to your easy-going personality, you tend to be open-minded, making you a great moderator in times of conflict. However being too easy-going may make it hard for you to make hard decisions because you find reason in every situation.
Our Wine Recommendations
Since you fall all over the wine spectrum, we know you are open to trying anything. However here are some well-known favourites among “Sensitive” vinotypes.
For Whites: Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc,
For Reds: Bourdeaux, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah.
Find Out Your Vinotype
Try out our Quiz to find out what your Vinotype is!
http://www.playbuzz.com/evridikig10/what-truly-is-your-vinotype
Now that you are an expert on all things wine, why not put your taste buds to the test and book one of our wine tasting and vinotyping workshops!
Born amidst the rolling vineyards of Napa Valley, Chloe’s love for wine was instilled from a young age. This passion led her to the picturesque wine regions of France, where she immersed herself in the rich wine culture and traditions.
Chloe’s dedication to the craft culminated in her becoming a wine sommelier, a testament to her deep knowledge and appreciation for wines.