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Acrid to Zesty, describe
aroma, taste and character.
This list of wine terms and definitions
will give you a head start at your next wine tasting. It is
often helpful to carry a small notepad with you to tasting so
you can jot down your impressions of wines. Develop your own
list of wine terms: using your own words to describe different
tastes and aromas will help you to remember and apply them.
Basic Wine Definitions
Acidity: Describes a tart or sour
taste in the mouth when total acidity of the wine is high.
"Tart" and "twangy" are two descriptors for
acidity.
Aftertaste: The taste or flavors
that linger in the mouth after the wine is tasted, spit or
swallowed. May be "harsh," "hot,"
"soft," "lingering," "short,"
"smooth," or nonexistent.
See also 'Finish.'
Aroma: Usually refers to the
particular smell of the grape variety, i.e., "appley,"
"raisiny," "fresh" or "tired."
Body: The weight of wine in your
mouth; commonly expressed as full-bodied, medium-bodied or
medium-weight, or light-bodied.
Bouquet: A tasting term used to
describe the smell of the wine as it matures in the bottle.
Finish: The taste that remains in
the mouth after swallowing. A long finish indicates a wine of
good quality.
Legs: The viscous droplets that
form and ease down the sides of the glass when the wine is
swirled.
Length: The amount of time the
sensations of taste and aroma persist after swallowing.
Mouth feel: How a wine feels in the
mouth and against the tongue.
Palate: The feel and taste of wine
in the mouth.
Quaffer: A wine to drink (not sip).
Wine Character Definitions
Acrid: Describes a wine with overly
pronounced acidity. This is often apparent in cheap red wines.
Assertive: Upfront, forward.
Attractive: A lighter style, fresh,
easy to drink wine.
Balanced: Indicates that the fruit,
acid, wood flavors are in the right proportion. A wine is well
balanced when none of those characteristics dominates. Wine not
in balance may be "acidic," "cloying,"
"flat" or "harsh."
Big: A wine that is full-bodied,
rich and slightly alcoholic tasting.
Character: A wine with top-notch
distinguishing qualities.
Crisp: Denotes a fresh, young, wine
with good acidity.
Cutting Edge: Stylistic, hip.
Closed: Describes wines that are
concentrated and have character, but are shy in aroma or flavor.
Complete: A full-bodied wine rich
in extracts with a pronounced finish.
Complex: Describes a wine that
combines all flavor and taste components in almost miraculous
harmony.
Delicate: Used to describe light-
to medium-weight wines with good flavors.
Dense: Describes a wine that has
concentrated aromas on the nose and palate, desirable in young
wines.
Depth: Describes the complexity and
concentration of flavors in a wine. Generally refers to a
quality wine with subtle layers of flavor that go
"deep." Opposite of 'Shallow.'
Developed: Refers to the maturity
of a wine.
Elegant: Describes a wine of grace,
balance and beauty.
Empty: Flavorless and
uninteresting.
Fading: Describes a wine that is
losing color, fruit or flavor, usually as a result of age.
Flabby: Lacking acidity on the
palate.
Flat: Having low acidity; the next
stage after flabby; or refers to a sparkling wine that has lost
its bubbles.
Full-Bodied: Fills the mouth.
Opposite of 'thin-bodied.'
Graceful: Describes a wine that is
subtly harmonious and pleasing.
Neutral: Describes a wine without
outstanding characteristics, good or bad.
Pedestrian: Plain.
Potent: Describes a strong,
intense, powerful wine.
Robust: Describes a full-bodied,
intense and vigorous wine; possibly inflated.
Round: Describes a well-balanced
wine in fruit, tannins and body.
Seductive: A wine that is
appealing.
Short: Describes a wine that does
not remain on the palate after swallowing.
Simple: Describes a wine with few
characteristics that follow the initial impression. Not
necessarily unfavorable; often describes an inexpensive, young
wine.
Soft: Describes a wine with low
acid/tannin, or alcohol content with little impact on the
palate.
Supple: Describes a wine with
well-balanced tannins and fruit characteristics.
Thin: Lacking body and depth.
Wine Taste Definitions
Barnyardy: Smell of farm animals.
Negative.
Bite: A marked degree of acidity or
tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more like a zestful
tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine.
Bitter: One of the four basic
tastes. Considered a fault if the bitterness dominates the
flavor or aftertaste. A trace in sweet wines may complement the
flavors. In young red wines it can be a warning signal, as
bitterness doesn't always dissipate with age. A fine, mature
wine should not be bitter on the palate.
Buttery: It refers to both flavor
and texture or mouth feel.
Chewy: Describes rich, heavy,
tannic wines that are full-bodied.
Corked: The wine tastes of cork, it
is unpleasant to smell and taste, slightly musty.
Dirty: Covers any and all foul,
rank, off-putting smells that can occur in a wine, including
those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor winemaking.
Earthy: Describes a wine that
tastes of soil, most common in red wines. Can be used both
positively (pleasant, clean quality adding complexity to aroma
and flavor) and negatively (barnyard character bordering on
dirtiness).
Flinty: Describe the aroma or taste
of some white wines; like the odor of flint striking steel.
Fruity: Describes any quality
referring to the body and richness of a wine, i.e.,
"appley," "berrylike" or
"herbaceous." Usually implies a little extra
sweetness.
Grapey: Describes simple flavor and
aromas associated with fresh table grapes.
Green: Tasting of un-ripe fruit.
Not necessarily a bad thing, especially in a Riesling.
Heady: Used to describe the smell
of a wine high in alcohol.
Herbaceous: The taste and smell of
herbs.
Murky: Lacking brightness, turbid
or swampy.
Musty: Having a moldy smell.
Oaky: Describes the aroma and taste
of oak.
Oxidized: Describes stale or 'off'
wines.
Peppery: Describes the taste of
pepper in a wine; sharper than 'Spicy.'
Perfumed: Refers to a delicate
bouquet.
Smoky: Describes a subtle
wood-smoke aroma.
Spicy: Describes the presence of
spice flavors such as anise, cinnamon, cloves, mint and pepper,
often present in complex wines.
Sweet: One of the four basic
tastes. Describes the presence of residual sugar and/or
glycerin.
Tannin: Describes a dry sensation,
with flavor of leather and tea.
Tart: Sharp-tasting because of
acidity.
Toasty: Describe a hint of the
wooden barrel. Usually associated with dry white wines.
Velvety: Having rich flavor and a
silky texture.
Zesty: A wine that's invigorating.
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