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
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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 Cheesy
Chewy
Describes having various pleasing properties but none that obviously stand out. 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. Perception of tannins but not overwhelming; not a negative characteristic, necessarily.
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Chocolaty Cigar box Citrus Classic Clean Clear Cloves Cloying
Mouth-feel and flavors akin to chocolate, most typically dark. Often used to describe red wines likeMerlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tobacco aromas stemming from an oak influence. Evoking perceptions of the citrus fruit family Displaying exceptional qualities of varietal “typicity” but wellbalanced with multi-layered complexity. No “faults” or undesirable flavors or aromas. Having no visible particle matter, like sediment. Perception of aromatic cloves caused by toasting in oak barrels. 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.
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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.
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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 Depth Dirty Dried up Dry Earthy
Relates to a wine’s more subtle notes; sometimes interchanged with “charming”. Indicates multiple layers of flavor. One of the elements of “complexity”. Unpleasant flavors and off aromas most likely developed from unsanitary bottling or fermentation conditions. Indicates a loss of freshness and/or fruitiness from protracted aging. Used to describe the mouth-feel of tannins or a puckering sensation on the palate; lacking in sweetness. 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.
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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
Extracted Fallen over
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. Concentrated flavors often associated with extensive skin contact, having traded a rougher youth for enhanced age-ability. Denotes a young wine that has already passed its peak for optimal drinking and is quickly decreasing in quality.
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Farmyard Fat Faulty (Fault) Feminine Finesse Finish Firm Flabby Flat
Vegetal and earthy undertones developed by some Pinot noirs and Chardonnays after maturing. Generally more positive than “barnyard”. Full-bodied with a perception of viscosity. Excessive fat not balanced with acidity is referred to as “blowzy” or “flabby”. Ruined or tainted wine that can occur from cork taint, oxidation resulting from poor aging techniques, overexposure to oxygen, and yeast contamination. Refers to subtle aromas, delicate flavors and silky textures vs. the weight, strength or intensity of fruits. High-quality, well-balanced; a subjective term. Perceptions of a wine when swallowing it. A very strong perception of tannin levels. Lacking acidity For sparkling wines, it refers to having lost effervescence; otherwise it is the same as "flabby" or lacking acidity, primarily in a finish.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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, biscuity and buttery to spicy.
Palate
The taste and feel of wine when it is in mouth.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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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