What is Legs?

Understanding Legs

Legs—also known as tears, fingers, curtains, or church windows—are the rivulets of wine that slowly trickle down the inside of a glass after swirling. This phenomenon is explained by the Gibbs-Marangoni effect: as a thin film of wine coats the glass, alcohol evaporates faster than water, creating a region of higher surface tension at the top of the film. This surface tension differential pulls more liquid upward from the bulk of the wine, until gravity eventually overcomes the effect and the accumulated liquid falls back down in visible streaks. Thicker, slower-moving legs generally indicate higher alcohol content, higher residual sugar, or both, while thin, fast-moving legs suggest a lighter, drier wine. Despite a persistent myth, legs are not an indicator of wine quality—a high-alcohol, mass-produced wine can display more prominent legs than a delicate, world-class Burgundy.

Examples

• 1A full-bodied Zinfandel at 15.5% ABV will display thick, slow-moving legs that cling to the glass, signaling its high alcohol content
• 2A German Kabinett Riesling at 8% ABV shows thin, fast-disappearing legs, consistent with its light body and lower alcohol
• 3A late-harvest Sauternes displays prominent, viscous legs due to both its residual sugar and alcohol, creating a syrupy coating on the glass
• 4A bone-dry Muscadet at 12% ABV produces modest, quick-moving legs that reflect its lean, crisp character

Related Wine Terms