Wine Glossary

General Wine Terms Explained

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Acid/acidity

Determines the crisp or sour taste of a wine. A perfect amount of acidity adds balance and freshness to a wine.

Aeration

The intentional act of adding oxygen to soften, age, and round out a wine. This process, when done during winemaking, must be performed very carefully in order to prevent oxidation. Aeration can also refer to letting a wine breathe in your glass or in a decanter just after the wine bottle has been opened.

Aftertaste

The taste that remains in the mouth after drinking a wine. Some wineries pride themselves in their aftertaste, as it can also be known as the "finish" of a wine. Higher quality, fine wines typically have a longer aftertaste.

Aging

The process of holding wine, whether it's in a barrel, tank, bottle, or other vessel for extended periods of time. This allows the natural chemicals within the wine to bind together and give it a smoother taste. Typically aging takes place in wine barrels, but depends on the individual wine and winemaker. This being said, aging is not beneficial for all wines and many are most enjoyable when consumed within a few years or less.

Alcohol

Alcohol is the resulting substance that is created when sugar is fermented by yeast. Within the wine industry, the alcohol that is produced is typically in reference to ethyl alcohol.

Amarone

A very hearty and dry Italian red wine that emits notes of dark red fruits, tobacco and cedar on the nose with a distinctive tartness on the palate. Amazing on it's own but also pairs perfectly with slow cooked meats, cheeses, and even chocolate-related desserts.

Appellation

A specific region where grapes are grown to produce wine. Appellations are described and defined differently in various countries around the world. The United States generally uses the appellation to identify unique properties such as terroir, climate, or maritime influences that ultimately create a distinctive viticultural area. Other countries, however, may use the term to additionally specify laws within an area that can dictate other aspects such as yields, varietals grown, and more.

Aroma

Aroma is a distinct scent from the grapes used to make a wine. The term 'aroma' is typically used to describe younger wines, while the term 'bouquet' is used to describe older wines that have had more time to age. (See Bouquet for more details.)

Astringent

A dry sensation in the mouth that is caused by high tannin levels. This is more often found in wines that have not fully matured.

Bacchus

The Greek god of wine and pleasure.

Balance

The result of a well-made wine. When elements such as tannins, sugars, acids, and alcohol come together without one over-powering the other, a wine can be described as 'balanced'.

Barbaresco

An Italian red wine produced from the grape varietal, Nebbiolo. The resulting wine is medium- to full-bodied and often low in acidity. Depending on the desired result, the wine can be made dry or sweet. Barbaresco has aromas of mature red fruit that carry over into a palate of licorice and tar, which make it a splendid match for rich-flavored meat dishes.

Big

A full-bodied wine with a potent flavor and aroma.

Blanc

A word in French meaning "white".

Blind tasting

A form of wine tasting where consumers/critics do not know any details about the wine they are tasting. Only after providing their assessment of the wine (tasting notes or scoring), are they given more information about it. This method avoids any type of prejudgement based on the winery, vintage, or any other important detail usually provided on a label.

Body

Description of how heavy and full the wine feels in the mouth. Wines can be light, medium, or full-bodied.

Bouquet

Opposed to aroma being the scent from a young wine, bouquet is the scent created after a wine has had time to age.

Breathing

Often know as aeration, or "letting a wine breathe" introduces oxygen to the wine by decanting or swirling. It is a technique that can help improve the aroma and flavor of a wine. In doing so, the scent of the wine opens up and the flavors are enhanced as it is exposed to the surrounding air.

Brix

A measurement of the sugar quantity within in a liquid. In terms of wine, the Brix score can be measured both within the grape as well as during the winemaking process. The riper a grape is on the vine, the higher its Brix score is. During fermentation, sugar is converted into alcohol, thus, the higher the sugar content is, the higher the alcohol in the resulting wine.

Brooding

A brooding wine is a very dark red wine with an exceptional and complex concentration of flavor.

Brut

A French term indicating dry Champagne or sparkling wines.

Buttery

A descriptive term generally used for a wine with a creamy, rich texture that also gives out similar aromas or tastes to something with buttery characteristics.

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is a black skinned grape grown worldwide and a parent grape to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals. Cabernet Franc is great as a single-varietal wine but is also a key grape used to create Bordeaux and red blends, adding definition to the taste and aroma with a more natural finish.

Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the most popular red wines throughout the world. This varietal produces very powerful and bold red wines, both as a single-varietal wine and blended. The grape itself is not too difficult to grow and is very adaptable to it's surroundings. Its aromas and flavors can evoke black currant, cedar, dark berries, dark fruit, tobacco, vanilla, and more.

Carbonic Maceration

A process of winemaking in which whole grapes are fermented without crushing them or breaking the skins. The flesh of the grape starts to ferment inside the skin. This produces a wine that is less tannic, less acidic, and more light and fruity and ready to drink quickly. Beaujolais nouveau is most famously made this way. Just saying "carbonic maceration" will make many people think that you are a wine expert.

Chardonnay

A popular and versatile grape that thrives in most wine-growing countries. Aromas range from lemon to apple to tropical fruit. It adapts well to oak, which adds scents of vanilla, butter and spice. In its home region of Burgundy, it makes some of the world's finest whites.

Chenin Blanc

A native of the Loire Valley in France, where it's made in many styles from bone dry to dessert sweet. Chenin Blanc can have aromas of quince, honey, flowers and minerals, not to mention a steely acidity that gives it longevity. In South Africa and California, this grape is often made into a simple, off-dry fruity wine.

Chewy

Chewy refers to a wine that is full-bodied, robust and often tannic. The texture or mouthfeel of the wine is therefore often rich and chewy.

Chianti

The name of a specific geographical area between Florence and Siena in the central Italian region of Tuscany associated with tangy, dry red wines of varied quality.

Clarify

Wines are clarified using either fining or filtering. Fining agents such as egg whites attract any unwanted particles, which either settle at the bottom or float along the top of the wine where they are removed or filtered.

Closed

A young, undeveloped wine that does not easily reveal its character.

Cloudy

A cloudy wine is visually dull and hazy because particles haven't been removed during winemaking. This sediment can be removed by fining or decanting.

Cloying

An overly sweet wine that lacks balancing acidity and is therefore unpleasant and not refreshing. This should not be confused with the false praise that some winery visitors lavish on the vintner in the hope of a free bottle or two.

Coarse

Although a coarse wine may be full-bodied, it's also harsh in flavor and texture and often too tannic. Its lack of balance and flavor is usually the result of inferior grapes. A coarse wine is a person whose opinions are too blunt: you can't swallow too much of either of them.

Complex

Wines with a combination of flavors and aromas.

Crisp

A wine with fresh, brisk character, usually with high acidity.

Cru

A French term meaning growth that is used in classifying vineyards. Often, but not always, grand cru refers to the best wine.

Dark

This describes red wine that has intense color and/or flavor, and often it's full-bodied in both depth and texture. A brooding heart of darkness wine.

Decant

To transfer wine from a bottle into a crystal or glass container (a decanter).

Delicate

A delicate wine is mild and light in fragrance, flavor, and body. It may have many flavors but none is so strong that it overpowers the rest.

Demi- Sec

The French term for medium-dry.

Disgorging

A part of the process of making sparkling wine. The dead yeast from the second fermentation is frozen in the neck of the bottle. When the bottle is opened, this mass comes out.

Domaine

A wine estate in France.

Dosage

After disgorging the wine, the bottle is topped up with the dosage until it reaches the desired level of sweetness. This is a mixture of wine and sugar syrup.

Dry

The puckering sensation that wine imparts. It is the opposite of sweet. It's often caused by tannins in the wine.

Earthy

A characteristic smell that suggests the soil in which the grapes were grown.

Elegant

When a wine exhibits refined character, distinguished quality, stylish, not heavy.

Elevation

The height the vineyard is, either above sea level or above some local landmark, such as that of a valley floor.

Enology

The science of wine production.

Expectorate

Before giving any fancy definition, let's just call this what it is: spitting. It may seem socially aberrant, but when you're tasting many wines, you need to do it unless you're sleeping overnight at the tasting room. Simply form your mouth into a circle and lean over the spittoon (spit bucket) and let go. Practice in the shower will reduce the incidence of unsightly dribbles and carpet stains.

Extra Dry

A sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. This term often leads to confusion since Dry means without sweetness, but Extra Dry means slightly sweet.

Extracted/Extraction

Extraction is the process of taking the flavor, color and tannin out of the grape skins during maceration when the grape skins are steeped in the grape juice during fermentation. It's a similar process to steeping tea and gives wine the color, flavor and structure that the winemaker desires. The challenge is to extract the right amount of these compounds so that the wine is still balanced. Highly extracted wines are described as full-bodied, intense and alcoholic, with powerful fruit flavors and tannins. This can be a criticism if it means that the wine is out of balance. These wines are often referred to as fruit bombs.

Fermentation

The process that turns grapes into wine. It is the metabolization of the sugars by the yeast, into alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat.

Fined

A winemaking process to remove small particles from the wine in order to clarify it. Some vintners believe that this removes some flavor and body from the wine, and therefore do not use the technique. Their bottles may be labeled as "unfined" or "unfiltered."

Finesse

A wine with finesse exhibits elegance, refinement and delicacy. There is balance and harmony among its components.

Finish

The impression left in the mouth after a wine has been swallowed. To be good, it should be distinctive and memorable rather than watery or short.

Flowery

A wine is said to be flowery when the aroma suggests flowers.

Forward

A wine which is felt to be developing quickly and is ready to drink before it might otherwise be expected.

Fruit Bomb

A wine that's fruit-forward in that the fruit aromas dominate over others. The wine may lack balance, with too much fruit for the wine's acidity. Think Jim Carrey rather than Jeremy Irons, or Carmen Electra not Helen Mirren.

Fruity

An attractive fruit flavor that comes from healthy, ripe grapes.

Full-bodied

Wine that has a full proportion of flavor and alcohol. It is also know as big or fat.

Gamay

These grapes produce light, fruity red wines and are used to make Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais. Grown in France, Canada and many other countries.

Glycerin

A chemical compound (sugar alcohol) in wine that is a natural byproduct of fermentation. Glycerin, also known as glycerol, improves wine's quality by making it taste richer, more full-bodied and viscous. Although glycerin is colorless and odorless, its slightly sweet taste and syrupy texture gives the impression of smoothness on the palate.

Grand Vin

French for "grand or great wine," and refers to the best quality wine made by a chateau. Many wineries make second and third labels that aren't considered as good as their grand vin. Although it sounds impressive, it actually has no legal or official designation. However, giving a bottle of wine with this on the label to friends may increase its value (and yours) in their eyes.

Grassy

Wines that have slight vegetal-tasting undertones as part of the overall character like Sauvignon Blanc and certain other grape varietals.

Harmonious

A wine that has a perfect balance of fruit, acid and tannins. At this point, it is perfectly ready to drink and usually so am I (ready to drink that wine).

Harvest

The process of picking the ripe grapes from the vine and transferring them to the winery.

Hearty

An adjective for a full-bodied wine with high alcohol content. It often refers to a tannic red wine.

Herbaceous

A wine that has a green, vegetable smell. For example, sauvignon blanc is grassy when subtle, herbaceous when overpowering.

Hermitage

Hermitage, pronounced without the 'h' (air-mee-tahj), is a wine region in southern France in the RhÃ´ne Valley. It's rich, robust wines are made, primarily, from syrah, Grenache and MourvÃ¨dre grapes for the reds and Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier for the whites.

Integrated

When the components of wine, such as tannin, oak and acidity fade as the wine develops.

Intricate

The interweaving of subtle complexities of aroma and flavor in the wine.

Jammy

The natural berrylike taste of the grape.

Jeroboam

A large format wine bottle.

Late Harvest

Produces grapes that are riper and sweeter. This makes sweet, dessert-style wines.

Leafy

Describes wines that smell like leaves and sometimes herbs. A hint of this can add to the complexity of the wine, however a strong whiff of it is unpleasant and vegetal.

Lees

A heavy sediment consisting of dead yeast cells and other solid matter such as grape pulp, seeds and other grape particles.

Legs

The rivulets of wine that slowly glide down the glass after swirling the wine are often called legs or tears. They're related to surface tension differences between water and alcohol. Contrary to popular belief, these aren't related to the compound glycerine in wine. The more alcoholic the wine, the slower the legs go down the glass and the more defined they are. This doesn't indicate a better wine, just a more alcoholic one.

Length

How long the flavor of the wine persists on the palate after it has been swallowed. This is also called the finish.

Light

Wines light in alcohol but also in texture and weight. It also describes how the wine feels in the mouth.

Lively

Describes a fresh, young, thirst-quenching wine with crisp acidity. Don't be afraid of acidity: it is to wine what salt is to food in that it brings the flavor forward. Think of it as a dinner party guest who's willing to talk about more than the weather.

Luscious

The rich, opulent, and smooth taste of sweet wines and intensely fruity ones.

Magnum

A large format bottle equivalent to two standard 750 ml bottles, containing about two fifths of a gallon or 1.5 liters of wine or liquor. This is a dramatic size and just placing it on the table tells your guests that the evening is going to be a festive one.

Malic acid

One of the main contributors to the acidity of a wine. Malic acid has a sharp, green apple like taste.

Malolactic Fermentation

A bacterial process which results in conversion of the sharp tasting malic acid to the softer lactic acid.

Mature

The wine is fully developed and ready to drink.

Mellow

Smooth and soft, with no harshness.

Merlot

Less tannic with lower acidity than Cabernet Sauvignon, this grape makes reds that are often rounded and smooth textured. Aromas can be plums, hay, berries, and chocolate.

Microclimate

The climate immediately around the vine.

Must

The term used to describe the grape pulp and juice after crushing the grapes during the harvest, before the wine is fermented.

Négociant

One who buys grapes and grape juice from different vineyards throughout the region. They make wine from these grapes and sell it.

New World Wine

Wine from North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Noble

Great; of perfect balance and harmonious expression. Noble grapes are those that produce the world's finest wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and so on.

Nose

The way a wine smells.

Nouveau

Young, immediately drinkable wine.

Nutty

The nutlike aromas that develop in certain wines, such as sherry.

Oaky

The number one choice of wood for wine barrels. It imparts toasty, vanilla, and smoky aromas to the wine.

Oenology

The science behind winemaking.

Old World Wine

Wine from European nations, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and others with a long history of viticulture.

Open

This describes a wine that's ready to drink, often because it's been decanted (a process of opening up the wine by exposing it to oxygen). I also think of many people as open, especially around 5 pm when they're ready to drink.

Organic Viticulture

The approach some winemakers take when they rely less or not at all on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals. Those that meet certain criteria may be labeled as organic.

Oxidation

The destructive action of oxygen on a wine.

Peak

A subjective evaluation of when a wine reaches its prime for drinking. This is usually expressed as a year or range of years.

Perfumed

An aromatic wine, often with a floral fragrance, that is usually due to the grapes from which the wine is made. See also Bouquet.

Pinot Blanc

Produces crisp and refreshing white wines that appeal to many people as the aromas and flavors are not pronounced.

Pinot Gris/Grigio

An interesting mutation of Pinot Noir that can produce full, rich and spicy whites, especially in Alsace, France and Germany. Pinot Gris is known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it's fresher and lighter. In Germany, it's called Grauburgunder.

Pinot Noir

A seductive variety known as the red grape of Burgundy, this "heart break grape" is difficult to grow. The best are complex and sensual in texture, with flavors of strawberries, cherries, violets, and sometimes animal "barnyard" notes.

Plump

A plump wine has low acidity but tastes full and rich due to lots of fruit flavors and glycerol. A plump wine is often delicious, though it may not age well due to its low acidity. When there's too little acidity, the wine is criticized for being flabby: as equally unattractive in wine as it is on thighs and underarms.

Port

A sweet red wine that is made by adding neutral grape spirit (brandy) to the unfinished wine. This is the process known as fortification and increases the alcohol level.

Racking

The process of transferring the wine from one container, such as a barrel, to another.

Reserva

Spanish red wines that have received a minimum of three years ageing prior to release. At least one year must be in oak.

Residual Sugar

Residual sugar is the unfermented grape sugar in wine and is measured in grams per liter of wine. The more the residual sugar the sweeter the wine.

Rich

High flavor concentration with balanced astringency, alcohol and fruit.

Riesling

A noble grape that produces some of the world's finest, most long-lived whites. A light, vibrant white wine that often has citrus, floral and mineral notes. It's mostly associated with Germany, but other well-known regions making it include Alsace, Washington, Niagara, Finger Lakes, Okanagan and Clare Valley (Australia). Styles range from bone dry to super sweet. Aromas and flavors include apricot, peach, wet slate, minerals, flowers and petrol (when it's aged).

Ripe

A mature wine that's ready to drink. If used to describe the grapes, this term means they were picked at sweet full maturity and richness.

Robust

Full-bodied, powerful, heady.

Rosés/Champagne

Rosés are generally made from red grapes pressed lightly. Champagnes are made from either red, white or a combination of the two.

Round

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

Sauvignon Blanc

An aromatic variety responsible for distinctive whites such as France's Sancerre, California's FumÃ© Blancs and many of New Zealand's best whites. In cool climates, their aroma is often grassy, herbal and gooseberry-like, but in warmer regions they tend toward tropical scents like passion fruit and pineapple.

Sediment

The small particles in wine from the grape skins, seeds, and other grape particles. Sediment often settles at the bottom of the bottle and should be left behind when pouring or decanting as it tastes bitter.

Semillon

Often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. In Bordeaux, this grape makes good dry whites as well as the famous dessert wine, Sauternes. In Australia's Hunter Valley, it produces dry, long-lived whites that develop a honey, nutty character with age.

Soft

The mellowness found in either a mature wine or a young wine with low tannins and acids.

Sparkling wine

Needs description

Structure

Structure refers to the interplay and balance among the following characteristics in wine: flavor, acidity, alcohol, and tannin. (Tannin is often less a factor in white wines, especially those that aren't aged in oak.) If one of these elements dominates, the wine is not well-structured. However, when these elements are balanced with each other, the wine has good structure. It will likely age well for years, as each element develops in proportion and knits together with the others.

Syrah/shiraz

A popular, intensely flavored grape that's notable in Rhone, France. It's also famous in Australia and is grown increasingly around the world. Often bold and velvety with black pepper, smoky ripe berry and meaty notes.

Tannic

A wine is called tannic when it has perceptible levels of tannin, a naturally occurring preservative that's essential to a wine's long life. Tannin is found in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes as well as in the wood of barrels often used to age reds and some whites. Young tannins can feel unpleasantly dry and gripping in the mouth.

Tannin

Found in grape skins, seeds and stalks. Tannins are harsh, bitter compounds which if present in large amounts make a wine difficult to drink as they leave a dry, puckered sensation in the mouth.

Tart

A wine with a high degree of acidity that still tastes in balance with other elements, such as fruit flavor or sweetness, is described as tart. Too much acidity and we criticize the wine as harsh or even sour.

Tempranillo

Lush in texture, low in tannins, this grape has an affinity for oak. It's renowned in Spain's Rioja region and is very much in vogue today.

Terroir

A French term referring to the unique combination of soil, climate, elevation and topography that gives wine its character.

Texture

The way the wine feels in the mouth. Is it silky, velvety, rounded, or smooth?

Ullage

The small pocket of air in the bottle between the top of the wine and the cork.

Varietal wines

Any wine that takes its name from the predominant grape variety. This is common in the New World, but in Europe wines are usually labeled with the place name.

Velvety

A velvety wine has a smooth, silky, lush texture and is often rich in flavor.

Vigneron

The French words for winegrower.

Vigorous

Firm, lively fruit, strong body; assertive flavor.

Vin

The French word for wine.

Viniculture

Viniculture, also known as enology or oenology, is the study of making wine and of the grapes produced for the purpose of making wine.

Vintage

The year that the grapes were picked to make the wine, usually indicated on the label. The vintage is important in cool climates, such as France, Canada and Germany, where the weather varies significantly from year to year. In warmer climates, such as Australia, Chile and California, it's of less importance since the climate is more consistent and hospitable to grape growing.