StandardWine Tasting Terminology

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Accessible Easily drunk without overwhelming perceptions of extract, acidity, or tannin.

Acidic Noticeable acidity

Aftertaste Aka “finish” it’s the taste remaining after swallowing a wine.

Aggressive Harsh, pronounced flavors; contrasts with “smooth" and "soft".

Alcoholic Too much alcohol so much as to be out of balance with a wine’s other components (fruit, tannins, acidity, sugars).

Aroma Smell of younger wine. “Bouquet” is a term reserved for an aged wine.

Astringent Overly-tannic, having a bite.

Austere Having insufficient fruit necessary for balancing harsh acidity and/or tannin tastes.

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Autolytic Acacia-like flowery or “yeasty” smells associated with aged wine.

Baked Evoking thoughts of baked fruit due to high-alcohol content or post-harvest, sun-exposed grapes.

Balanced A well-incorporated balance of all the main components in wine: acidity, tannins, alcohol, sugar, and fruit.

Barnyard Perception of off -flavors in wine, often due to brettanomyces bacteria; more negative than “farmyard”.

Big Intenseand flavorful or having high-alcohol

Biscuit-y Evoking perceptions of bread-dough or yeast

Bite

A strong perception of acidity or tannins. Can benegative or positive,dependent on whether there is an overall balance to the wine.

Bitter Unpleasant tannin taste

Blowzy Exaggerated fruity aromas oftenlinked to fruity, low-quality wine

Body “Texture”, “structure”, and “mouth-feel”.

Bouquet Multi-layered aromas of aged wine


Bright

Visual appearance relating to good clarity and low level or no solids present. In fruity wines it denotes obviously high-acidity and vividness.

Buttery Fermented wine that has a creamy, rich “mouth-feel” and a flavor that hints of butter.

Cassis

A French word for flavors of the black currant. Use of the cassis descriptor instead of black currant generally is indicative of a richer, more concentrated flavor.

Cedarwood The woodsy aroma of a wine treated with wood or aged in oak.

Charming Describes having various pleasing properties but none that obviously stand out.

Cheesy

Aromas of nutty aged cheese, like Gouda, which are caused by small amounts of an acid called butyric, which is created in fermentation and then is later developed into the ester ethyl butyrate. Characteristic of extended-aged Champagne.

Chewy Perception of tannins but not overwhelming; not a negative characteristic, necessarily.


Chocolaty

Mouth-feel and flavors akin to chocolate, most typically dark. Often used to describe red wines likeMerlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cigar box Tobacco aromas stemming from an oak influence.

Citrus Evoking perceptions of the citrus fruit family

Classic Displaying exceptional qualities of varietal “typicity” but well-balanced with multi-layered complexity.

Clean No “faults” or undesirable flavors or aromas.

Clear Having no visible particle matter, like sediment.

Cloves Perception of aromatic cloves caused by toasting in oak barrels.

Cloying Sticky and/or over-sweet characteristics not balanced by acidity.

Coarse Rough mouth-feel or texture; generally also implies a presence of tannins.

Coconut Hints of a coconut aroma – typically derived from American oak treatment.


Compact A perception of dense fruit balanced by acidity and tannins; the opposite of “open knit”.

Complete Like “balanced” but even better/more than the sum of all its main components, with a pleasant mouth-feel and a long finish.

Complex Multi-layered flavors, aromas, or bouquet

Concentrated Denotes intensity of flavors

Concoction

Typically a negative term indicating a wine having components that appear tossed together instead of being integrated into one balanced profile.

Connected Relays a wine’s terroir or land of origination.

Cooked

Similar to "baked"; fruit flavors seem like they’ve been baked, cooked, or stewed. May indicate that a grape concentrate had been added to “must” while undergoing fermentation.

Corked Indicates “cork taint” or that the cork is tainted.

Creamy

Indicates a creamy, warm mouth-feel. Perceptions of which are typically discovered in the back part of the mouth and thru the wine’s finish.


Crisp A pleasant perception of acidity.

Crust Sediment, typically potassium bitartrate, present on the inside of a bottle of wine.

Definition Well-balanced with a good expression of “typicity”.

Delicate Relates to a wine’s more subtle notes; sometimes interchanged with “charming”.

Depth Indicates multiple layers of flavor. One of the elements of “complexity”.

Dirty Unpleasant flavors and off aromas most likely developed from unsanitary bottling or fermentation conditions.

Dried up Indicates a loss of freshness and/or fruitiness from protracted aging.

Dry Used to describe the mouth-feel of tannins or a puckering sensation on the palate; lacking in sweetness.

Earthy

Aromas and flavors that have hints of earthiness, like mushrooms or a forest floor. Also refers to dryness on the palate due to a higher level of geosm in naturally occurring in a grape.


Easy “Approachable" or simple with little complexity, yet enjoyable.

Edgy Noticeable acidity that intensifies flavor; aka "nervy".

Elegant Denotes delicacy with subtle well-balanced flavors.

Expansive “Big” but easy to drink (accessible)

Expressive Clearly projecting flavors and aromas

Extract

Refers to wine’s solid compounds, like tannins. Increasing extract levels results in deeper color and body, which can be done by leaving wine in contact with skins for a longer time during fermentation. However, too long a time results in unbalanced wine referred to as over-extracted.

Extracted Concentrated flavors often associated with extensive skin contact, having traded a rougher youth for enhanced age-ability.

Fallen over Denotes a young wine that has already passed its peak for optimal drinking and is quickly decreasing in quality.


Farmyard

Vegetal and earthy undertones developed by some Pinot noirs and Chardonnays after maturing. Generally more positive than “barnyard”.

Fat Full-bodied with a perception of viscosity. Excessive fat not balanced with acidity is referred to as “blowzy” or “flabby”.

Faulty (Fault) Ruined or tainted wine that can occur from cork taint, oxidation resulting from poor aging techniques, overexposure to oxygen, and yeast contamination.

Feminine Refers to subtle aromas, delicate flavors and silky textures vs. the weight, strength or intensity of fruits.

Finesse High-quality, well-balanced; a subjective term.

Finish Perceptions of a wine when swallowing it.

Firm A very strong perception of tannin levels.

Flabby Lacking acidity

Flat

For sparkling wines, it refers to having lost effervescence; otherwise it is the same as "flabby" or lacking acidity, primarily in a finish.


Fleshy Noticeable fruit and/or extract.

Foxy Negative perceptions of mustiness from grapes of the Vitis labrusca indigenous to North America.

Fresh Positive acidity

Fruit Having grape attributes with a body unique to a varietal.

Full Heavy body or weight due to alcohol content. Also refers to full flavors and/or extract.

Grapey Grape flavoring—like grape jelly. Wines from the Muscat grape family are often referred to as being “grapey”.

Grassy Herbaceous and/or vegetal perceptions ranging from newly mown grass to lemony flavors.

Green

Made with under-ripe fruit. Typically a negative perception, it may be found in white wine having vegetal notes, or red wine having herbal or bell pepper notes.

Gutsy Pronounced body, fruit and extract.


Hard Excessively tannic

Harsh An imbalance of acidity and tannins; more negative than “coarse”.

Heavy High alcoholic content with excessive body.

Herbaceous

Herbal or vegetal flavors and aromas; could be a negative if found in a red wine as it could be the result of harvesting under-ripe grapes or the use of aggressive extraction or fermentation methods.

Hollow Lacking fruit (grape flavors)

Hot Perceived as overly-alcoholic

Inky Dark in color or opacity

Integration

Describes how well the key components of wine (acidity, fruit, residual sugar, alcohol, and tannins) come together in flavor; similar to balance.

Hard Excessively tannic


Heavy High alcoholic content with excessive body.

Herbaceous

Herbal or vegetal flavors and aromas; could be a negative if found in a red wine as it could be the result of harvesting under-ripe grapes or the use of aggressive extraction or fermentation methods.

Hollow Lacking fruit (grape flavors)

Hot Perceived as overly-alcoholic

Inky Dark in color or opacity

Integration

Describes how well the key components of wine (acidity, fruit, residual sugar, alcohol, and tannins) come together in flavor; similar to balance.

Jammy Rich with fruit but perhaps lacking tannins

Lean Lacking fruit but higher in acidity

Leathery Red wine with high tannins, a thick, soft flavor


Legs

Liquid tracks or streaks found on the inside of a wine glass after swirling the wine.Perhaps related to glycerol or alcohol content. Also known as tears.

Lemony Flavors hinting of lemons; may be acidic also.

Lightstruck Having aromas and flavors like “wet cardboard” due to lengthy ultraviolet light exposure.

Linalool A flower-peach aroma linked to Riesling and Muscat wines; resulting from the linalool chemical compound.

Liquorice A sweet, concentrated flavor; may be derived from grapes that are botrytized.

Liveliness Slightly carbonated, bright, fresh acidity

Luscious Denotes a concentrated, rich mouth-feel of sweet wines; akin to “voluptuous”.

Mature Aged to peak quality

Mean Lacking fruit to help balance acidity and/or tannins; unpleasant and unbalanced in taste.


Meaty Rich and full-body with a perception of an ability to “chew” the wine.

Mellow Soft in texture and nearing its peak of maturity

Mid-palate The taste and feel of wine when holding it in mouth.

Minerality A sense of minerally-ness as in flavors like silex, slate, etc.

Musky

Earthy musk aroma; can be a positive or negative, but is commonly a positive in wines made from the Muscat family of grapes.

Nervy Noticeable acidity but still in balance with the other wine components

Nose Wine’s aroma or bouquet

Oaky

Noticeable effects of oak; could include hints of sweeter spices such as nutmeg, vanilla, toasted or smoky, or a creamy textured body.


Oily Full-bodied with viscous mouth-feel; if lacking acidity, oily maybe used in combination with flabby.

Old Over-aged; fruit tastes are gone, leaving overly-thin, “oxidized” wine.

Open-knit A perception of dense fruit that is not balanced by the weight of tannins and acidity; opposite of “compact”.

Opulent Rich-tasting with a pleasant,well-balanced mouth-feel and texture.

Oxidized Overly-exposed to oxidation; a “faulty”wine thancan emanatea sherry-like smell.

Oxidative

Generally a positive term denoting a wine’sregulated oxidation exposure throughoutthe aging process. An oxidative wine can have flavors and aromas that range anywhere from nutty, biscuit-y and buttery to spicy.

Palate The taste and feel of wine when it is in mouth.


Peak

At an ideal drinking condition; a subjective judgment as some deem a wine’s peak to be when fruit is young and fresh and others deem it to be when the wine has aged and matured.

Peppery Hints of black peppercorn as is associated with a Grenache or Syrah wine or of white pepper as is associated with a Gruner Veltliner wine.

Perfume A description of aroma or bouquet; generally positive.

Plummy Juicy, flavor of fresh plums

Polished Smooth in taste, no texture or mouth-feel “roughness”; well-balanced flavor.

Powerful Denotes high-level alcohol but not overly-alcoholic.

Prickly

Denotes slight carbonic gas, but not to the extentof sparkling wine. Young white wines (like Vinho Verde) or dry rosésare sometime “prickly”.

Racy Noticeable acidity but well-balanced when consideringallwine components.


Reticent Having little aroma but with a sense that the wine was "holding back", perhaps due to youth.

Rich Sweetness without beingoverly-sweet.

Robust

Similar to “aggressive”, however, robust is typicallyassociated with mature or older wines while the term aggressiveis typically associated with young wines.

Round Having a good body without being overly tannic.

Sassy Bold, brash, audacious flavor

Sharp Generally denotes acidity but can also refer to a sense of bitterness produced from tannin.

Sherry-like Denotes non-Sherry types of wine having “oxidized” aromas; perhaps the result of excessive acetaldehyde in the wine.

Short Well-developed aromas and mouth-feel but with little to no finish, due to fruit flavors quickly vanishing after swallowing a wine.


Smokey Flavor and aroma reminiscent of smoke, like that from roasting fire ,tobacco, and toasty-ness stemming from an oak influence.

Smooth Pleasing texture as with having soft tannins.

Soft Not excessively tannic

Sour Unbalanced, puckering acidity; a vinegar-like bite found in wines mistreated with excessive amounts of acetic acid.

Soy Sauce Denotes an aroma like that of an older Soy Sauce like that sensed in aged Bordeaux.

Spicy Having hints of spices like black peppercorns or cinnamon. Could be a natural characteristic of a grape varietal or can be derived from fermentation in oak.

Stalky Green, woody, herbaceous notes

Structure Denotes the components of wine: alcohol, acidity, sugar, fruit and tannins in the overall quality of body and balance.


Supple Not excessively tannic

Sweet Noticeable impressions of sugar

Tannin Derived from a grape’s skin, it is a biting, bitter compound, and if it’s present in large quantities in a wine they produce a puckering, dry sensation in the mouth. Tannins are increased in prolonged extractions during fermentation. They may also be derived from oak barrels. A tannic wine is typically a candidate for extended ageing, where the harsh bite will mellow over time.

Tannic Aggressive tannin perception

Tar Aroma and flavor evoking thoughts of tar as is found in some Barolo wines.

Tart High acidity

Texture The “mouth-feel” of wine

Thin Lacking fruit or body


Tight A sense of tannins restraining other wine components, like extract and fruit, from being perceptible. Can be used to describe a young wine that will age and soften tannins, allowing these other qualities to reveal themselves.

Toasty Smoky or charred taste due to oak influences.

Transparency Revealing all aspects of a wine’s flavor - like individual floral, fruit, or mineral notes. Opposite of this is when flavors are completely integrated.

Typicity Denotes how well a wine delivers the typical attributes of a varietal.

Undertone The subtle nuances of flavor and aroma.

Unbaked Denotes wines aged without influences of wood or oak, like aging barrels; also referred to as “unwooded”.

Upfront Having characteristics that don’t require much effort or thought to identify.

Vanilla Oak-induced aroma evoking thoughts of vanilla extract.


Vegetal Aromas and flavors evoking thoughts of vegetation rather than floral or fruit.

Vivid Very expressive ripened, fruit flavor

Voluptuous Full-bodied and richly textured.

Warm Notable balanced alcohol, but not excessive alcohol as is described with the term "hot". Refers also to the creamy texture produced from oak treatments.

Watery Overly “thin” in fruit and body

Yeasty Aromas and flavors evoking thoughts of biscuits or bread dough; can be used synonymously with "biscuit-y".

Young A wine typically sold within the year of bottling.

Zesty Notable acidity with citrus flavors

Zippy Notable acidity but balanced with sufficient fruit so that it is not overly-acidic.


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StandardWine Tasting Terminology

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