Does the term ‘fine wine’ refer to a wine’s quality or its texture?

What does the term “fine wine” mean? I’ve always thought it meant expensive and not suitable for the casual shopper. Am I right?

—K.W., CRESWICK, VIC

“Fine ” wine is a fairly nebulous concept, but we could take it to mean high-quality wine. It’s a rather outdated term and not often heard today, probably because it has a slight whiff of elitism and suggests the availability of a less-than-fine alternative – something that’s, dare we say, coarse. (“Rough red” used to be a common put-down.) Fine food, fine dining, fine clothes, fine fabrics and fine furniture are in the same category.

Like beauty, whether or not something can be considered “fine” is, to some extent, in the eye of the beholder, but there are common attributes that most experts would agree on. Fine wine can be said to be wine that has elegance, harmony and beauty. These are attributes of the world’s finest.

There’s another way to look at this which has, quite literally, to do with the fineness of its texture. Some wines have a coarse texture, a roughness that you can feel rather than taste. Think of running your fingers over hessian or jute, then running them over silk or satin. The texture is quite different. The same is true of wine, although the difference is less easily perceived.

Fine wine can be said to be wine that has elegance, harmony and beauty.

The term is still used, but less widely. Yalumba is a very traditional, family-owned and -run winery in the Barossa Valley that names its top-level portfolio “fine and rare”. These are high-quality, limited-production wines that can be expensive. Examples include The Caley Cabernet Shiraz ($365) and The Octavius Shiraz ($150).

“Noble” is another word that has largely fallen out of use. Grapes such as riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon were once termed “noble” varieties – but it’s not a term I like to use because it smacks of a (human) class system being applied to grapes.

The term “fine wine” can be misused by snobby types. And just declaring a wine “fine” doesn’t make it so.

Got a drinks question for Huon Hooke? thefullbottle@goodweekend.com.au