Glossary

Like types of wine, words used to describe wine are endless.  The world of wine may as well have its own dictionary.  Below are the vocabulary words you will hear most often.  You’ll notice that many of them are just regular, English words.  Trust your instincts while tasting wine.  If it tastes fruity to you, go ahead and say it tastes “fruity.”  If it seems thick in texture, you guessed, “thick” is the word.  Commit some of the more foreign words to memory, and you’ll look like a pro when you say, “That cab was too high in tannins!  I prefer a soft pinot noir to a sharp cabernet any day!” 

Flavor Words

Aroma: the smell of a wine

Aromatic: a wine with a particularly noticeable aroma

Bitter: a pang of flavor at the back of the tongue.  Usually a taste defect.  Many people use this word when they really mean “dry.”  If wines described as dry taste bitter to you, ease into the dryer variety more slowly.

Buttery:  a rich and oily heaviness in the mouth.  Found in many oak-aged wines.

Corky:  a taste defect caused by a damaged cork.  The wine’s flavor will be suggestive of mildew or cork.

Earthy:  the aroma or flavor of moist soil

Flavor:  the taste(s) in a wine

Flinty: a dry, mineral flavor suggestive of limestone

Flowery: an aroma suggestive of flowers

Fruity: sweet aroma or flavor suggestive of a number of fruits, most commonly peaches, apples, raspberries, currants, cherries, pears, citrus, and strawberries.

Musty:  a stale or pungent aroma

Nutty:  aroma or flavor suggestive of a number of nuts, most commonly almonds, hazelnuts, and roasted nuts.

Oaky:  an aroma or flavor suggestive of oak, found in most oak-aged wines.  Think smoky or spicy.

Oxidized:  when a wine is exposed to air for too long it develops a flat, stale taste deficiency

Smoky:  aroma or flavor suggestive of wood smoke.  Associated with oaked wines.

Sour:  acidic or vinegary.  Will be noticeable along the sides of the tongue.

Spicy: aroma or flavor that suggests a number of spices, most commonly black pepper, mint, clove, or cinnamon.

Sweet:  fruity taste with strongest taste sensation at the tip of the tongue.

Tart:  a sharp taste sensation along the sides of the tongue.  Sometimes acceptable if not overly acidic.

Weedy:  aroma or flavor suggestive of wet hay or straw.

Yeasty: aroma or flavor suggestive of bread.

Descriptor Words

Acidity:  flavor sensation along the sides of the tongue that naturally enhances flavor.  Acidity is essential to ensure a wine is not boring.

Aftertaste:  the taste that remains in the mouth after swallowing.  Finer wines have longer lingering aftertastes.

Balance:  when fruit, tannins, acidity, and alcohol are proportionate and agreeable.

Body:  the texture and weight of a wine in the mouth.  A wine may be light, medium, or full-bodied. (Note that you say a wine is full-bodied, not “heavy”)

Brut:  a very dry style of champagne or sparkling wine.

Complex:  multiple layers of flavors and aromas.

Crisp:  fresh in character that is sometimes tart, not soft.

Deep:  a wine that becomes more complex with opened up with oxygenation.  (why people swirl their wine glasses—this allows air into the wine).

Delicate: flavors and aromas that are subtle and not intense.

Dry:  opposite of sweet.   Aftertaste leaves mouth feeling dehydrated.

Fine:  a high quality wine

Finish:  aftertaste

Full-bodied:  strong in flavor and alcohol.

Legs:  the remnants of wine that run down the inside of the glass after it is swirled or sipped.  The legs’ appearance indicate the body and texture of a wine.   

Light:  thin in terms of texture, weight on tongue, and alcohol level.  Do not confuse “light” with “delicate.”  Light wines can still have strong flavors. 

Mature:  fully developed wine.  Ready to drink.

Off-dry:  a wine that cannot be determined to be sweet or dry.

Open:  fully released flavors and aromas.  A characteristic of mature wines.

Rich:  a full-bodied wine that has a deep and complex aftertaste. 

Robust:  full-bodied (a.k.a. big, heady, weighty, etc.  It’s safe to simply use full-bodied or robust though.)

Sharp:  high level of tannins or acidity.  Intense flavor sensation along the sides of the tongue.

Simple:  aromas and flavors with only one level.  Not complex.  Again, not to be confused with delicate wines.

Soft:  full-bodied and sweet more than acidic or tannic.  Uncommon.

Sommelier: a certified expert on wine.

Sparkling:  think fizzy.  Champagne or sparkling wine.

Strong:  rich, robust, full-bodied

Tannin:  a natural substance found in the skins, stems, and seeds of grapes.  A wine high in tannins will leave the mouth feeling dry.

Thick:  heavy texture.  Do not confuse with full-bodied, which refers to flavor, not texture.

Thin:  deficient in terms of body and flavor.  Too thin or too dull tasting.  Note that in terms of wine, “thin” does not denote the antonym of “thick.”

Weighty:  strong, full-bodied,  robust





This glossary was adapted from the "Wine Dictionary" at
http://www.2basnob.com/wine-home.html