Wine Lexicon
Accessible
Readiness in a wine that usually requires aging
Acetic
A sour or vinegary smell or taste. See also Vinegary.
Acid, Acidity
The tart (sour when in excess) quality that wine’s natural acidity imparts and that gives the wine a sense of body and structure. Required for proper balance; too much or too little constitutes a flaw.
Aftertaste
An impression left on the palate after tasting that differs from, and is often less pleasant than, the initial taste of the wine.
Alcohol
One of the principal elements in wine, providing it with strength and character. Contributes to the wine’s body and texture (which explains why some people believe non-alcoholic wines don’t taste “natural”). If the wine is so strong that the presence of alcohol communicates itself as a raw heat, may be a flaw. See also Balance.
Amber
The deep yellow color present, for example, in a fine, aged Sauternes.
Anise
Faint licorice, a pleasant element in some Spanish reds; in other wines, may indicate that the wine has been artificially acidified, a practice that may improve short-term enjoyment but tends to produce wines that cellar poorly.
Aroma
The smell of a wine.
Aromatic
Possessing a clearly identifiable fragrance, reminiscent of fruits or spices.
Astringent
High in tannin, causing the mouth to dry and pucker. Usually noted in tannic reds like an immature Cabernet Sauvignon. See also Tannin.
Attack
A technical term referring to the first impression the wine makes as it reaches your palate, distinguished (in time sequence) from “middle” or “mid-palate” and “finish” or “aftertaste.”
Austere
Without revealing any other conspicuous characteristics. May denote either (a) Simple, one-dimensional; usually applied to young wines of ageworthy quality to denote unrealized potential. Also refers to (b) Light yet acidic, not necessarily simple, as in a Chablis.
Autumnal
Various aromas and tastes in wine reminiscent of fallen leaves, humus, truffles, mushrooms or hay.
Backbone
The sense of structure present in a wine with sufficient acidity. Alcohol and tannins may be elements of structure or backbone.
Balance
The relationship among the three basic elements of acidity, tannin and alcohol. If these elements are all in harmony, a wine is said to be well balanced.
Big
A broad, general term for a full-bodied, flavorful wine. Powerful, alcoholic, but well balanced and with a potential for further development. Also see “robust.”
Bitter
Acrid. Generally a fault, although in some Italian reds bitterness is considered normal and desirable, particularly in the aftertaste, and usually in a subtle, refreshing form.
Body
The solidity of a wine, contributed by its basic elements: acidity, tannin and alcohol. The overall texture or weight of wine in the mouth, most influenced by alcohol, glycerin and, in the case of dessert wines, sugar. Often referred to as “light-bodied,” “medium-bodied” and “full-bodied.”
Bouquet
As a technical term, the smells that develop with age during the wine’s evolution in the bottle, as opposed to “aroma,” which refers to the smells associated with the fruit.
Brass
Color description for many white wines: Greenish-gold
Brett, brettanomyces
A wild yeast that occasionally afflicts wines, particularly those made under less-than-sterile conditions in older or careless wineries. Controversial; some wine lovers detest the “organic,” “barnyard,” “leather,” “metallic” or even “fecal” aroma that it imparts; others regard it — at least in minute amounts — as an element of complexity and a classic characteristic of older red wines.
Brick red
The brownish red color characteristic of old red wine.
Bright
As a color, transparent; as a flavor, high but not excessive in acidity.
Brilliant
A visual term: Exceptionally clear and transparent.
Brooding
A description for a heavy, intense red wine with depths of complexity; may also refer to a wine of this type that’s “closed” but shows a sense of hidden glories.
Brown sugar
Not sweetness but a pleasant caramel aroma.
Burning
A fiery sensation due to an excessive proportion of alcohol in a wine.
Buttery
A smell, taste and smoothness on the palate all reminiscent of butter-found in some red wines, but more often in whites.
Caramel
The rich, slightly burnt and fudge-like smell and taste of wines such as Madeira.
Cedar
The herbaceous aroma, often found in Bordeaux and California Cabernet, reminiscent of an old-fashioned cedar chest
Cheesy
Organic, ripe natural cheese aromas, almost always a flaw, typically indicating an unwanted secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Chewy, chunky
A textural description for a wine so full-bodied that it almost seems as if you could chew it.
Chocolate, dark-chocolate
Not sweet but rich; a pleasantly burnt flavor, usually in robust red wines. In some cases, it may be associated with aging in oak barrels.
Citric
Generic citrus fruit, a pleasurable element in many whites.
Clean
Overall description for a wine with no unpleasant or “off” aromas or tastes. Devoid of defects; free of any anomaly or foreign taste.
Closed
Showing little aroma or flavor. Not revealing its character. May be a temporary condition in an ageworthy wine that is past its youth but not yet mature. Many fine wines go through a closed period in youth. See also Austere.
Cloying
Too sweet, without sufficient balancing acidity. When sweetness and acid are in good balance, the result is the natural, fresh sweetness of good fruit juice. Lacking enough acidic balance, you have the artificial, cloying sweetness of hard candy.
Coarse
Rough and of poor quality, often due to excess acidity or poor vinification. Coarseness is also characteristic of a wine made from inferior grope varieties cultivated for their high yield, or from grapes that were grown in inappropriate’ soil.
Complex
Containing many elements with none necessarily dominant. Characteristic of great wines, with many facets of smell and taste. May or may not be “delicate” or “subtle.”
Consistent
Refers to a wine in which aroma, taste and aftertaste are all appropriate to each other.
Cooked
A heavy, often caramel-like smell and taste, sometimes due to heating the juice before vinification. The term is also used to describe the prune-like flavor of a wine made from excessively ripe grapes grown in an unusually hot summer.
Corky
A fault caused by an improperly cured cork, which makes the affected wine emit a disagreeable smell.
Crisp
Refreshing and relatively acid. Acidic tartness noticeable without overwhelming. A favorable term, typical of good whites. Crispness is a desirable quality in light, flinty white wines that are drunk young.
Crystalline
Perfectly limpid and bright.
Crystals
The natural, harmless flakes of tartaric acid found in some wines.
Dark
As a visual term, a red wine of intense color. As a flavor term, akin to “brooding,” above, a robust wine with depth and texture.
Deep
Intensely full, with many nuances of flavor, all smoothly interlaced.
Delicate
A well-balanced light wine, with a pleasant but unassertive smell and taste. Complex, with many flavors working together, but not overbearing. The term is also used to describe the fragile quality of a good wine on the verge of decline.
Developed
The state of a wine expressed in terms of its maturity. A well-developed wine is one that has matured to the right degree and in the correct way; an undeveloped wine is one that needs aging.
Distinguished
Fine, with distinctive character, elegance and refinement.
Dominant
The aroma or flavor in question outweighs everything else in the wine. Not usually a favorable description
Dried out
Without any fresh-fruit flavor. See also Oxidized.
Dry
Not sweet. A fully dry wine contains no residual sugar. A wine in which the sugar content has been fermented out. Most table wines are dry, because dry wines work best in company with food.
Dull
With uninteresting odor and taste, or lacking limpidity and brightness.
Dumb
An ageworthy wine that has lost its youthful fruit but not yet gained the complex bouquet of bottle age. Often applied to an immature fine red wine with yet undeveloped bouquet. See also Closed.
Earthy
Generic term for a range of aromas and flavors associated with organic qualities like “barnyard,” “forest floor,” “merde” and “tree bark.” May be associated with brettanomyces (see above) but can also result from oak aging or the nature of specific grapes.
Elegant
Of exceptionally high quality and distinction, harmoniously balanced and with all virtues intact; possessing a certain lightness and flair.
Evolution
The development of complex and desirable aromas and flavors in ageworthy wine cellared under appropriate temperature conditions.
Exuberant
Lively, vital. The description is often applied to young, fruity wines that are easy to drink.
Fat
Full of flavor. See also Full-bodied.
Feminine
Fine, intricate and delicate.
Fine
Of good quality, distinguished; a term applicable to a wine of any type.
Finesse
Distinction and grace in a wine.
Finish
The final taste of a wine. The flavors remaining in your mouth after the wine is swallowed; the last impression.
Firm
Strong and well balanced, but still with a perceptible degree of tannin and acidity. See also Balance.
Flabby
Weak, lacking in character and acidity, with no potential for development.
Flat
Lacking acidity, character and any distinctive flavor; in sparkling wine, signifying a loss of sparkle.
Flavor
Smell and taste combined.
Flinty
A metallic smell and taste associated with wines vinified from white grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc that have been grown in particular soils.
Flowery
Displaying the fragrance of a flower, such as honeysuckle, jasmine, lilac, orange blossom, rose or violet. The smell of geraniums in a wine is considered to be a fault.
Foxy
An earthy flavor attributed to wines that are made from native American vines, such as labrusca.
Fragrant
General term for a wine with a full, accessible aroma.
Fresh
Young and vital-often applied to well balanced light wines, low in tannin, that are drunk young.
Fruity
Recalling fruits in flavor. A variety of fruit odors and tastes, apart from the obvious one of grapes, may be discerned in wine apple, apricot, black currant, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, citrus, peach, pear, plum, raspberry or strawberry-as well as the heavy smell of cooked fruit. Young, uncomplicated red wines often display an immediate, open, fruity quality.
Full-bodied
Fat, with all elements strongly defined. See also Fat.
Garnet
A color description, reddish-purple. Wine tasters enjoy the metaphor of precious metals and jewels (ruby, garnet, gold) to describe the luxurious appearance of fine wines.
Generous
Big, open and rich, usually high in alcohol.
Gold
Color description for white wines; a full gold color generally reflects either some age or substantial oak.
Great
Noble.
Green
Sharp, acid. It can be a pleasant, refreshing quality. Green indicates either a wine that is very young or one that has been made from under ripened grapes. The term can also be used to suggest a herbal or grassy quality in a wine.
Grip
Generally applied specifically to Port and sometimes to other robust reds, the combination of acidity and tannin that provides structure underlying the fruit, especially in a younger wine.
Hard
Young, undeveloped, with excessive tannin still masking its qualities.
Harmonious
Perfectly balanced.
Harsh
Rough, tannic and acid, often a quality of youth.
Hazy
A visual description for a wine that’s less than clear. Some “unfiltered” wines may appear less brilliant than most.
Heady
Wine with an exceptionally “forward” or “fragrant” aroma. Also refers to wine high in alcohol.
Herbaceous
for wines with “green,” “grassy” or “haylike” aromas. Grassy, smelling of fresh herbs or hay.
Herbal
Smelling of herbs, such as lemon balm, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme or verbena.
Honest
Decent, without flaws or defects, but having no great qualities. Unadulterated.
Honeyed
A sweet smell and taste of fine botrytis wines, such as Sauternes.
Insipid
Lacking in taste.
Intense
Deep and complicated.
Intricate
Subtly complex and with many elusive nuances.
Iron
A hard, strong structure in a fine wine that will take many years to mellow and soften. A metallic taste, reminiscent of iron, also appears as a nuance in some wines.
Lacy
Intricate, full of subtle, harmonious smells and flavors, delicately bound together.
Legs
The name given to the rivulets that run slowly down the inside of a glass after a wine has been swirled. Legs are generally indicative of a rich wine.
Length
The time that the “finish” or “aftertaste” persists in the mouth; generally, the greater the length, the better the wine. The French actually quantify it, using the term “Caudalie,” with each unit of Caudalie equal to one second. See also lingering, long, persistence.
Light, light-bodied, lightweight
Without much body, usually indicating a young wine that is ready to drink. Lightness is also a derogatory term applied to a wine that does not live up to expectations. Additionally, on a wine label, light means a wine that is relatively low in alcohol content and/or in calories.
Limpid
Clear and bright.
Lingering, long
Aftertaste or finish that persists for an unusually long time.
Loyal
A simple and honest wine.
Luscious
Another rather broad term, usually complimentary, indicating that the wine is full of fruit and well-balanced. Rich, smooth, sweet and opulent, with all elements in harmony.
Maderized
Wine that’s turned brown and nutty, like a bad Sherry or Madeira, with bad treatment or excessive age. Flat, stale-smelling. This fault, often found in white wine, is caused by oxidation. Also see Oxidized.
Masculine
A description applied to a wine that is characteristically big and assertive.
Mature
Ready to drink; aged to the right degree.
Meaty
Rich, chewable, full-bodied and firm.
Medium, medium-bodied
A wine that’s neither light nor heavy bodied.
Mellow
Mature and soft, with no edge of harshness.
Moldy
Tasting of mold or rot. This fault occurs in wine that has been made from grapes attacked by gray rot, or in wine kept in casks that have been allowed to deteriorate.
Muscular
Big, robust and full-bodied, with an assertive flavor.
Muted
Like a radio with the volume turned down; the elements are there, but there isn’t much of them. Not usually a favorable term.
Noble
Of perfect structure and high quality and breeding. The term is applicable to great wines at any stage of their development.
Nose
Wine taster’s term for the overall smell. The sum total of all odors in a wine.
Nutty
Recalling nuts in flavor. The smell and taste of hazelnuts and walnuts are often associated with wines affected by flor. The flavor of almonds may be found in fresh, young white wines.
Oak
The smell and taste of a wine that has been aged in new oak barrels. Showing substantial influence of the oak barrels that may manifest itself in many forms depending on the wine, the source of the oak, whether the barrels were “toasted” (charred) and whether they are large or small, new or old. Oaky white wines often show such flavors as pineapple and tropical fruit. Oaky red wines may show strong vanilla aromas, herbal dill, or spices.
Opaque
Visual description, too dark to see through. Dense-looking; locking clarity and transparency.
Open
Yielding all its qualities. A fine wine, aged to the right degree, may be said to have opened out.
Oxidized
Chemical term for “maderized,” Applied to wine with a flat, stale taste; caused by excessive exposure to air. The reaction that occurs when wine interacts with air in the bottle over years or, more quickly, after the bottle is opened. The wine often turns brown and unattractive. A controlled edge of oxidation, however, may be normal and even desirable in an old, ageworthy White Burgundy.
Pedant
A French term that describes a slight, tingling prickle. See also Spritzy.
Persistence
The length of time that a wine remains on the palate after tasting.
Petillant
A French term for a light, natural sparkle.
Pungent
The strong, distinctive and assertive smell characteristic of some wine types, such as the burnt odor typical of Madeira. Often, a synonym for acidity; rarely used in a complimentary way.
Raw
Young and undeveloped, somewhat harsh, with rough edges.
Refreshing
Thirst-slaking – often applicable to acid, light wines drunk young.
Rich
Full, usually harmonious.
Ripe
Fully mature, rich and full of fruit flavor.
Robust
Strong, concentrated and full-bodied; well balanced.
Rough
Hard, acrid and ungiving.
Round
Well developed, with no sharp edges. Usually applicable to mellow, full-bodied, ample wines.
Ruby
Reddish-orange. Like “garnet,” a jewel color used as a metaphor for fine red wine.
Scented
Agreeably reminiscent of the aroma of flowers, spices or herbs.
Sharp
With a bite, because of a somewhat excessive amount of acidity.
Short
Finish or aftertaste that doesn’t last. Opposite of “long” or “lingering.” Persisting only briefly on the palate after tasting.
Silky
Delicately smooth and harmonious.
Simple
Straightforward and not complex. See also Complex.
Smoked
Recalling smoked foods, the smell of burning leaves or other smoky odors.
Soft
Gentle and well balanced, without being flabby or insipid.
Solid
Firm and well structured, with a good potential for improving as it ages.
Sour
Over acid, often vinegary. Sourness is an undesirable quality that will not disappear with aging.
Sparkling
The name given to wines that have been specially treated with carbon dioxide, which is released slowly in the form of tiny bubbles when the bottle is uncorked.
Spicy
The characteristic spice-like smell and taste encountered in many wines, sometimes due to a certain grape variety, such as Gewurztraminer. Some wines have flavors reminiscent of allspice, cinnamon, cloves, pepper or other spices.
Spritzy (also spritz and spritzig)
A characteristic that is first detectable visually as tiny specks of air in the wine and then as a crisp prickle or youthful acidity and carbon dioxide in the mouth. See also Perlant.
Stalky
The smell of green wood occurring in some young wines.
Steely
High in acidity, fairly hard and uncompromising.
Strong
Big and powerful, usually with high alcohol content.
Structure
A wine’s composition.
Sturdy
Strong and assertive.
Sulfur
Sulfur dioxide is used quite commonly in vinification. An excess of it-detectable by a prickly sensation in the nose and back of the throat, as well as by its smell-is undesirable.
Supple
With many different characteristics and nuances, some easily discernible, others less obvious, but easy to drink, soft with no sharp edges and a good balance.
Sweet
A term applicable to wines in which the sugar content is either naturally high or has been increased by artificial sweetening.
Syrupy
Excessively sweet, cloying, lacking in acidity.
Tannin
One of the major elements in red wine, identifiable in tasting by the mouth puckering effect it produces. Tannin is particularly obvious in fine wines that require aging Bordeaux and Port, for example. It serves as a preservative during the aging process, gradually softening as the wines mature and allowing the fruit flavor to emerge. Tannin forms part of the sediment present in red wines that have aged for a number of years.
Tart
Broad synonym for “acidic.” Sharp, overacid.
Thick
Excessively heavy and dense.
Thin
Light and without body; watery. Thin is not a synonym of light, although the words are often incorrectly interchanged. Similar to “light-bodied” but more critical. Does not imply a pleasantly light wine but rather a bland, uninteresting one.
Tired
Worn-out, past its prime, describing a wine that is fading. Wines can also be tired from traveling or being subjected to treatments such as racking and fining; these wines recover with rest.
Tough
Big and overpoweringly tannic, and therefore difficult to drink. Unbalanced. Unharmonious-wine in which one or more of the basic elements is weak or overbearing. See also Balance.
Undifferentiated
Catchall term for a wine that gives a broad flavor description that’s difficult to specify: “Undifferentiated” fruit. A synonym might be “neutral,” and neither term is likely to turn up in the notes on a wine that excites the taster.
Vanilla
The scent of vanilla, which is imparted to some wines by new oak during aging in casks.
Varietal
Technical term meaning a type of wine grape. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are all varietals. In a wine note, “varietal character” means that the wine shows the expected aromas and flavors for the grape from which it is made.
Velvety
Smooth, subtle, rich and harmonious, with no edge of harshness. An imprecise texture description that implies delicious smoothness, typically used to describe red Burgundy and fine Pinot Noir.
Vigorous
Lively and strong wine, usually still developing in a healthy way.
Vinegary
Acetic acid present. The sour, acetic flavor of a wine that has been spoiled by prolonged exposure to the air. Historically a common sign of poorly made or stored wine. Tiny quantities may be present, and acceptable, in wines made by carbonic maceration (Beaujolais), and, startlingly, fine dessert wines.
Warm, warming
Usually refers to a wine of high alcoholic strength but may also describe a simple wine made from warm-weather grapes.
Watery
a visual description, very pale, clear as water. As a flavor description, lacking in taste and color.
Weak
Lacking in character; low in fruit, acidity, tannin and alcohol.
Weighty
Heavy, powerful, high in alcohol and tannin.
Woody
The smell and taste of wine kept too long in a cask, particularly an old cask with rotten staves. Not complimentary
Yeasty
Smelling of bread, usually signifying that the wine has been exposed to secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Young, Youthful
Usually signifies that a wine is immature and needs cellar time, but may also refer to a lAight, fresh wine intended to be drunk young, like Beaujolais.