A

Acetic
Vinegary taste or smell that develops when a wine is overexposed to air.

Acidity
All wines naturally contain acids, which should be in proper balance with fruit and other components. Sufficient acidity gives liveliness and crispness and is critical for wines to age.

Aftertaste
The flavor impression the wine leaves after it is swallowed.

Alcoholic fermentation

The action of yeast upon sugar results in its conversion to ethyl alcohol, with carbon dioxide as a by-product. Fermentation will often start naturally with yeasts on the grapes, but cultured yeasts may be added. The process generates much heat, and temperature control during alcoholic fermentation can have a significant effect on the style of wine produced. The process will cease either when all the sugar has been consumed, or more likely when the increasing alcohol content of the fermenting solution kills the yeast, or when the external temperature drops too low. It may also be arrested by adding sulphur or by fortification with spirit.

Aroma
The smell of a wine, especially young wines.

Aromatic
A term for wines with pronounced aroma, particularly those redolent of herbs or spices.

Astringent
The "puckerish" quality of high tannin content, which has the effect of drying out the mouth. Many young red wines are astringent because of tannin.

Austere
Somewhat hard, with restrained fruit and character.

B

Balance
Harmony among the wine's components -- fruit, acidity, tannins, alcohol; a well-balanced wine possesses the various elements in proper proportion to one another.

Body
The weight and texture of a wine; it may be light-bodied or full-bodied. Often refers to alcohol content.

Bouquet
The complex of aromas that develops with age in fine wines espesialy the ones that develop inside the bottles.

Brut
Term to describe dry Champagne or sparkling wine.

Buttery
Describes rich flavor and smoothness of texture, close to the oiliness and flavor of butter. Many Chardonnays are said to have buttery aromas and flavors.

C

Clean
Fresh, with no discernible defects.

Closed
Young, undeveloped wines that do not readily reveal their character.

Coarse
Rude or harsh in flavor; clumsy or crude.

Complete
Mature, with good follow-through on the palate, satisfying mouth-feel and firm aftertaste.

Complex
Multifaceted combination of flavor and aroma elements.

Corked, corky
Smelling of cork due to a faulty cork.

Crisp
Fresh, brisk character, usually with high acidity.

D

Deep
Having layers of persistent flavor that gradually unfold with aeration.

Delicate
Light fragrance, flavor, and body.

Developed
Mature.

Distinctive
Elegant, refined character that sets the wine apart on its own.

Dry
Opposite of sweet; when grape sugar is completely converted to alcohol during fermantation

Dull
Lacking liveliness and proper acidity; uninteresting.

E

Earthy
Smell or flavor reminiscent of earth. A certain earthiness can be appealing; too much makes the wine coarse.

Elegant
Refined character, distinguished quality, stylish, not heavy.

F

Fat
Full of body and flavor.

Fine
Distinguished.

Finish
Aftertaste; the final impression the wine leaves; it can be long or short.

Flat
Dull, lacking in liveliness; wine without sufficient acid.

Flavor
How the wine tastes.

Flowery
Aroma suggestive of flowers.

Fruity
Descriptive of wines in which fruit is dominant in the aroma or flavor of the grapes.

Full-bodied
Full proportion of flavor and alcohol..

G

H

Hard
Stiff, with pronounced tannins; undeveloped.

Harmonious
The elements of fruit, acid nad tannin in perfect balance

Harsh
Rough, biting character from excessive tannin or acid.

I

Intricate
Interweaving of subtle complexities of aroma and flavor.

L

Length
Lingering aftertaste.

Light
Refers to wines light in alcohol but also to texture and weight, how the wine feels in the mouth. Lightness is appropriate in some wines, a defect in others.

Lively
Crisp, fresh, having vitality.

Long
Fine wines should have a long finish, or aftertaste; see Length.

Luscious
Rich, opulent, and smooth; most often said of sweet wines but also intensely fruity ones.

M

Mature
Fully developed, ready to drink.

Mellow
Smooth and soft, with no harshness.

Moldy
Wines with the smell of mold or rot, usually from grapes affected by rot or from old moldy casks used for aging.

Musty
Stale, dusty or rank aromas.

N

Noble
Great; of perfect balance and harmonious expression. The so-called "noble" grapes are those that produce the world's finest wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling (some would also include Syrah, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese).

Nose
The smell of the wine; it may have a "good nose" or an "off-nose," meaning defective odors.

Nutty
Nutlike aromas that develop in certain wines, such as sherries or old white wines.

O

Oak, oaky
Aroma and flavor that derive from aging in oak casks or barrels. Characterized by smokiness, vanilla, clove or other spices. Should not be overly pronounced.

Open
Revealing full character.

Oxidized
Flat, stale or sherrylike aroma and flavor; spoiled as the result of overexposure to air.

P

R

Rich
Full, opulent flavor, body and aroma.

Ripe
Mature, fully ripe fruit.

Robust
Full-bodied, powerful, heady

Rough
Harsh edges, biting, unpleasant.

Round
Smooth and well-developed flavor, without angularity or rough edges.

S

Sharp
Biting acid or tannin.

Short
Refers to finish, or aftertaste, when it ends abruptly.

Silky
Smooth, sinuous texture and finish.

Simple
Opposite of complex; straightforward.

Smoky
Aroma and flavor sometimes associated with oak aging.

Soft
May refer to soft, gentle fruit in delicate wines, or to lack of acidity in wines without proper structure; used on a label occasionally to indicate low alcohol.

Solid
Sound, well structured, firm.

Sour
Sharply acidic or vinegary

Sparkling
Wines with bubbles created by trapped carbon dioxide gas, either natural or injected.

Spicy
Having the character or aroma of spices such as clove, mint, cinnamon, or pepper.

Stiff
Unyielding, closed; dumb.

Strong
Robust, powerful, big.

Structure
The way a wine is built; its composition and proportions.

Sulphur, SO2
An anti-oxidant used in making most wines; the fermentation process creates minute natural amounts.

Sweet
Usually indicates the presence of residual sugar, retained when grape sugar is not completely converted to alcohol. Even dry wines, however, may have an aroma of sweetness, the combination of intense fruit or ripeness. Considered a flaw if not properly balanced with acidity.

T

Tannin
A natural component found to varying degrees in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes; most prominent in red wines, where it creates a dry, puckering sensation in young reds of concentrated extract; mellows with aging and drops out of the wine to form sediment; a major component in the structure of red wines.

Thick
Dense and heavy in texture.

Thin
Lacking body and flavor.

Tired
Past its peak of flavor development; old.

V

Vanilla
A scent imparted by aging in oak.

Velvety
Smooth and rich in texture.

W

Weak
Without character

Weighty
Strong, powerful, full-bodied, forceful.

Woody
Excessive aromas of wood, common to wines aged overlong in cask or barrel.

Y

Young
In simple wines signifies youthful freshness; in finer wines, refers to immaturity, wines yet undeveloped.

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