A
Acetic – this describes wine which smells and/or tastes of vinegar.
Acid – wine contains a number of different acids these differ from bottle to bottle. Acid makes a wine taste refreshing and crisp.
Aftertaste – this describes how long the taste of a wine lasts after it is swallowed.
Aggressive – harsh tastes due to excesses of tannins, alcohol or acid.
Alcohol – is the amount of ethanol present in wine.
Aromatic – this term describes perfumed aromas in wine.
Astringent – dry effect in the mouth, usually caused by high tannin.
B
Balance – this describes the balance of ingredients within wine. Sometimes wines can be dominated by one flavour.
Blackcurrant – general aroma associated with Cabernet Sauvignon and usually referred to as cassis.
Body – this describes how wine tastes on your palate (impression in the mouth of weight and consistency) usually described as light, medium or full-bodied.
Bottle age – this describes the time spent maturing in the bottle.
Bouquet – this term refers to the different aromas in wine.
Buttery – this describes smell and flavours of butter in wine.
C
Caramel – the smell and/or taste of caramelised sugar.
Cardboard – the smell of damp cardboard or papers.
Cedar-smell – likened to pencil shavings and is often associated with many red wines matured in oak barrels.
Chewy – this describes a full-bodied wine with lots of tannin.
Cigar box – tobacco aromas derived from oak influence.
Citrus – aroma of citrus fruit flavours.
Clarity – how clear or dull wine appears.
Clean – the fresh flavours of wine.
Clones – this term is a sub-variety or mutated strain of a particular grape.
Closed – young wines not yet showing their full or expected potential of taste or aroma.
Cloying – this describes sweet wines that lack acid to balance the overpowering sweetness.
Coarse – a harshness occasionally detected in young over tannic red wines.
Complex – displaying a range of flavours and often developing constantly whilst in the glass.
Cooked – this describes baked or jammy aromas and tastes associated with cooked fruit.
Continentality – is the difference between summer and winter temperatures.
Corked – if a wine is ‘corked’ it is stripped of all its beautiful fruit and flavours.
Crisp – a distinctive level of refreshing acidity in wine.
D
Delicate – light wine with subtle flavours.
Dumb – this term is given to wine that does not have any distinct aromas/flavours.
E
Earthy – this describes the taste or smell of damp earth.
Eucalyptus – a pleasant minty type aroma sometimes found in red Australian wines.
F
Farmyard – odours of animal or vegetal expressions.
Finish – see Aftertaste.
Flabby – wine lacking in acid.
Flat – lacking in acidity or char acter. This is usually associa ted with sparkling
wine that has lost its bubbles.
Fleshy – usually smooth full bodied red wines.
Flinty – mineral flavours and aromas normally associated with dry white wines.
Floral – fragrant scents like flowers in wine.
Fruitcake – flavours and aromas of a rich mixture of dried fruits.
Fruity – exhibiting an abundance of fruit flavours.
Full-bodied – heavy in texture and flavour, the opposite to light-bodied wines which are normally meant to be drunk young.
Funky – this describes wine which has an earthy/animal taste.
G
Gamey – pungent aromas occasionally found in big red wines.
Gooseberry – often used to describe Sauvignon Blanc.
Green – this describes young wine which tastes of unripe fruit.
Grog – this is an Australian term to describe alcohol. The term is associated with the watering down of alcohol.
H
Harmony – this describes well balanced wine.
Herbaceous – grassy or vegetal or the smell of wet leaves.
Hot – this describes wine which has a high alcohol content producing a warm/burning sensation.
I
Inky – this describes the opaque purple colour of wine.
Intensity – this describes how intense a wine’s colour is, pale to medium to deep.
J
Jammy – cooked flavours of soft dark fruit, usually in wines from warm climates.
K
Kabinett – a German term to describe without made without adding sugar.
L
Legs – this describes the viscosity of wine.
Length – used to describe the amount of time the flavours linger after the wine has been swallowed.
Liquorice – occasionally found on the palate of red wines.
M
Meaty – chewy, substantially heavy-bodied wine.
Mellow – soft, non-harsh wines. A slight hint of sweetness is sometimes present.
Minerally – this can be used to describe the taste of wine, similar to mineral water,
crisp and refreshing.
N
Nose – bouquet or aroma of wine.
O
Oily –mature Rieslings can often have this type of texture or consistency.
Oxidised – flat wine devoid of character after being exposed to excess contact with air.
P
Pear drops – a smell similar to acetate or nail varnish remover.
Peppery – a spice, sometimes hot texture impression.
Perfumed – fragrant.
Primary aromas – this describes the aromas in wine that arise directly from the fruit.
Q
Quality – the overall quality of a wine.
R
Reserve – this term may refer to wine that has seen a period of aging.
Residual sugar – this describes sugar remaining in wine which has not been fermented out.
Robust – this describes a full-bodied wine.
Rounded – a very well balanced wine.
S
Secondary aromas – this describes the aromas in wine that arise from the fermentation.
Short – when wine has no length and the taste does not linger on the palate.
Sweetness – how sweet wine tastes (dry, off dry, medium and sweet).
T
Tannin – is a type of acid from grape pips, grape skins and wood. It is the dry feeling that you can taste on the back of your tongue.
Thin – wine lacking in body.
Toasty – describes a wine characteristic of lightly burnt toast.
U
Underipe – the resulting flavours when grapes which failed to reach optimum
maturity are still used in wine.
V
Vanilla – detectable in the ‘nose’ of wine.
Vegetal – describes a wine with vegetable-like aromas or flavours.
Velvety – the texture or mouth feel of wine.
W
Woody – this term describes the smell of oak wood in wine.
X
Xarel-lo – is a white grape variety which gives a strong aromatic and earthy flavour. This grape variety is indigenous to Spain.
Y
Yeasty – a bready smell in wine.
Z
Zesty – a wine which is well balanced with fruit and prominent acidity.
