Glossary
Accessible
- Flavours and the feel of the wine are harmonious, easily recognised, it is ready to drink.
Acerbic
- A wine made tart from too much Tannins or acidity, a serious defect.
Acetic
- All wines no matter how well made, contain quantities of acetic acid. If there is an excessive amount within the wine, it will have a vinegary smell.
Acidic
- All wines need natural acidity to taste fresh and lively, but an excess of acidity results in the wine tasting tart or sour.
Acidity
- The acidity level in a wine is critical to its enjoyment and livelihood. The natural acids that appear in wine are citric, tartaric and lactic. Wines from hot years tend to be lower in acidity, whereas wines from cool years tend to be high in acidity. This acidity preserves the wines freshness and keeps it lively.
Aftertaste
- The taste left in ones mouth after swallowing is the 'aftertaste'. This word is a synonym for length or finish. The longer the aftertaste in the mouth (assuming it is a pleasant taste), the finer the quality of the wine.
Aggressive
- This is a term usually applied to wines that are high in either acidity or harsh tannins or both.
Ample
- A harmonious wine that fill the mouth well.
Angular
- Wines that lack roundness, generosity and depth. Wine from poor vintages or are too acidic are often described as 'angular'.
Aroma
- The smell of a young wine before it has had sufficient time to develop nuances of smell that are then called its bouquet. The word 'aroma' is commonly used to mean the smell of a relatively young, unevolved wine.
Astringent
- Wines that are astringent are not necessarily good or bad wines. They are harsh or course to taste, either because they are too young and tannic and need further time to develop, or because they are not well made. The level of tannin in the wine contributes to its degree of astringency.
Assemblage
- The blending of wine from different grape varieties, fermentation vats and/or vineyard plots. Especially in Champagne or Bordeaux to the final Grand Vin.
Attractive
- Having some positive attributes, pleasant.
Austere
- Wines that are 'austere' are generally not terribly pleasant to drink. An austere wine is hard and rather dry, lacking richness and generosity. However young promising Bordeaux can often express itself as austere, and ageing will reveal a wine with considerably more generosity than its youthful appearance suggests.
Backbone
- The wine is well formed, firm, not flabby or insipid.
Baked
- Hot, earthy quality. Usually from scorched grapes which have been exposed too long in the sun, or from being barrel fermented at too warm a temperature, especially in some whites.
Balance
- One of the most desire traits in a wine is good 'balance', where concentration of fruit, level of tannin and acidity are in total harmony. Well-balanced wines are symmetrical and tend to age gracefully.
Barnyard
- An unclean, farmyard, faecal aroma that is imparted to a wine because of unclean barrels or generally unsanitary winemaking facilities.
Bead
- Bubbles in sparkling wines, the most desirable is a long lasting and persistent 'bead'.
Berry-like
- As the descriptive term implies, wines that are young and not overly oaked, have intense berry fruit character that can suggest blackberries, raspberries, black cherries, mulberries, strawberries and cranberries.
Big
- A 'big' wine is large framed and full-bodied with an intense, concentrated feel on the palate. Bordeaux and Burgundy wines in general are not big wines in the same sense that Rhône wines are but in top vintages both produce very rich, concentrated deep wines.
Blackcurrant
- A pronounced smell of blackcurrant is commonly associated with most quality wines. It can vary in intensity from faint to very deep and rich.
Body
- 'Body' is the weight and fullness of a wine that can be sensed as it crosses the palate. Full-bodied wines tend to have a lot of alcohol, concentration and glycerin.
Botrytis Cineria
- The fungus that attacks the grape skins under specific climate conditions (usually interchanging periods of moisture and sunny weather). It causes the grape to become super concentrated because it facilitates a natural dehydration. 'Botrytis Cineria' is essential for the great sweet wines of the world.
Bouquet
- As a wines aroma becomes more developed from bottle ageing, the aroma is transformed into a 'bouquet', which is ideally more than just the smell of the grape.
Brawny
- A hefty, muscular, full-bodied wine with plenty of weight and flavour, although not always the most elegant or refined sort of wine.
Briery
- I usually think of Californian Zinfandel or Argentinean Malbec when the term 'briery' comes into play and denotes that the wine is sometimes aggressive and rather spicy.
Brilliant
- This relates to the colour of the wine, which is clear and shiny with no haze or cloudiness.
Browning
- As red wines age, the colour changes from ruby/purple to dark ruby, to medium ruby to ruby with an amber edge, to ruby with a brown edge. When a wine is 'browning' it is usually fully mature and not likely to get better.
Carbonic maceration
- This vinification method is used to make soft, fruity, very accessible wines. Whole clusters of grapes are put into a vat that is then filled with carbonic gas. This system is used when fruit is to be emphasised in the final wine in contrast to structure and tannin.
Cedar
- Many quality wines have a bouquet that suggests either faintly or overtly the smell of cedar wood. It is a complex aspect of the bouquet.
Chewy
- If a wine is rather dense, viscous texture from a high glycerin content, it is often referred to as being 'chewy'. High-extract wines from great vintages can often be chewy, largely because they have higher alcohol and levels of glycerin, which imparts a fleshy mouthfeel.
Closed
- This is used to denote that the wine is not showing its potential, which remains locked in because it is too young. Young wines often close up about 12-18 months after bottling, and depending on the vintage and storage conditions, can remain in this state for several years to more than a decade.
Complex
- One of the most subjective descriptive terms used, a 'complex' wine is one that the taster never gets bored with and finds interesting to drink. Complex wines tend to have a variety of subtle scents and flavours that holds ones interest in the wine.
Concentration
- Fine wines, whether they are light, medium or full-bodied should have concentrated flavours. 'Concentration' denotes that the wine has depth and richness of fruit that gives it appeal and interest. Deep is a synonym of concentration.
Confected
- Over-elaborately constructed, artificial, even forced. Sometimes overly sweet.
Corked
- A 'corked' wine is a faulty wine that has taken on the smell of cork as a result of an unclean or faulty cork. It is perceptible in a bouquet that shows no fruit, only the smell of musty cork or damp cardboard.
Crisp
- The levels of acidity, generally means fresh and cleanly made. Overly crisp means the wine is tasting tart or sharp.
Cuvee
- Many producers generate special, deluxe lots of wine or a lot of wine from a specific grape variety that they bottle separately. These lots are often referred to as ‘cuvées’.
Decadent
- If you are an ice cream and chocolate lover, you know the feeling of eating a huge sundae lavished with hot fudge, real whipped cream and rich vanilla ice cream. If you are a wine enthusiast, a wine loaded with opulent, even unctuous, layers of fruit, with a huge bouquet and a plump, luxurious texture, can be said to be 'decadent'.
Deep
- Essentially the same as concentration, the word 'deep' expresses the fact that the wine is rich, full of extract and mouth filling.
Delicate
- As the word implies, 'delicate' wines are light, subtle and understated, prized for their shyness rather than extroverted robust character. White wines are generally more delicate than red wines.
Dense
- A wine that is described as 'dense' is flavour packed and stacked with a good texture.
Deposits
- Generally harmless sediment, tartrates, acid crystals or tannins, especially in older red wines.
Diffuse
- Wines that smell and taste unstructured and unfocused are said to be 'diffuse'. Often when red wines are served at too warm a temperature, they become diffuse.
Dumb
- A 'dumb' wine is a closed wine, but the term 'dumb' is used in a more pejorative sense. Closed wines may need only some time to reveal their richness and intensity. Dumb wines may never become any better.
Earthy
- This term may be used in both a negative and a positive sense. However, I prefer to use 'earthy' to denote a positive aroma of fresh, rich, clean soil. Earthy is a more intense smell than woody or truffle scents.
Elegant
- Although more white wines than red are described as being 'elegant', lighter styled, graceful, well-balanced red wines can be elegant too.
Esters
- Scents and smells, usually generated by the alcohol and acids in the wine.
Extract
- This is everything in a wine besides water, sugar, alcohol, and acidity.
Exuberant
- Like extroverted, somewhat hyper people, wines too can be gushing with fruit and seem nervous and intensely vigorous.
Fat
- When good wine producing regions have an exceptionally hot year for its crop and the wines achieve a great level of maturity, they are often quite rich and concentrated, with low to average acidity. These are often said to be 'fat', which is a prized commodity. If they become too fat, that is a flaw and they are then called flabby.
Feminine
- Said of wines, suggesting tenderness and lightness.
Filtration
- The process of removing deposits from the must to clarify the wine.
Finesse
- Graceful, polished with nothing excessive.
Fining
- Clearing or clarifying wines before they are bottled. A substance such as beaten egg white is added to the wine to absorb suspended particles and to fall with gravity to the bottom of the container. The wine is then drawn off (racked) and sometimes filtered before bottling.
Firm
- A 'firm' wine is compact, with a good backbone.
Flabby
- A wine that is too fat or obese is a 'flabby'wine. Flabby wines lack structure and are heavy to taste.
Fleshy
- 'Fleshy' is a synonym for chewy, meaty or beefy. It denotes that the wine has a lot of body, alcohol, extract and usually a high glycerin content.
Floral
- Wines such as Riesling or Muscat or those made from the Viognier grape are often said to have a 'floral' component.
Focused
- With any fine wine, both bouquet and flavour should be 'focused'. This simply means that the scents, aromas, and flavours are precise and clearly delineated. If they are not, the wine is like an out-of-focus picture: diffuse, hazy and problematic.
Forward
- A wine is said to be 'forward' when its charm and character are fully revealed. While it may not be fully mature yet, a forward wine is generally thought to be quite enjoyable and drinkable. Accessibly is a synonym for forward.
Foudre
- Large oak barrels that vary enormously in size but are significantly larger than the normal oak barrel used in Bordeaux or the piece used in Burgundy. They are widely used in the Rhône Valley and Italy.
Fresh
- Freshness in both young and old wines is a welcome and pleasing component. A wine is said to be 'fresh' when it is lively and cleanly made.
Fruity
- A very good wine should have enough concentration of fruit so that it can be said to be 'fruity'. Fortunately the best wines will more than just a fruity personality.
Full-bodied
- Wines rich in extract, alcohol, and glycerin are 'full-bodied' wines.
Gamey
- A 'gamey' wine is sometimes overripe, decadent, not unattractive, but it can also be used to describe unattractive features.
Garrigue
- In the southern Rhône Valley and Provence, this is the landscape of small slopes and plateaux. This Provençal word applies to these windswept hilltops/slopes inhabited by scrub-brush and Provençal herb outcroppings, thyme, mint and rosemary. The smell of garrigue is often attributed to southern Rhône Valley wines. Suggesting more than the smell of 'herbes de Provence', it encompasses an earthy/herbal concoction of varying degrees of intensity.
Grand Vin
- Term used by the top Chateaux of Bordeaux to describe their first wine. However this term has been hijacked by many poorer chateaux of the region and does not signify quality.
Green
- 'Green' wines are made from under-ripe grapes, lack richness and generosity and have a vegetal character. These are wines made in poor vintages.
Grip
- This relates to the firmness of the wine, high in tannins, somewhat young and requiring time to soften.
Hard
- Wines with abrasive, astringent tannins or high acidity are said to be 'hard'. Young vintages from any region can be hard but should never be harsh.
Harsh
- If a wine is too hard, it is said to be 'harsh'. Harshness in a wine young or old is a flaw.
Heady
- Term for a wine that is high in alcohol and sometimes unbalanced.
Heavy
- Excessively rich wines.
Hedonistic
- Certain styles of wine are meant to be inspected and are more introspective and intellectual. Others are designed to provide sheer delight, joy and euphoria. 'Hedonistic' wines can be criticised because in one sense they provide so much ecstasy that they are called obvious, but in essence they are totally gratifying wines meant to fascinate and enthral-pleasure at its best.
Herbaceousv
- Many wines have a distinctive herbal smell that is generally said to be 'herbaceous'. Specific herbal smells can be of thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano, fennel or basil.
Herbes de Provence
- Provence is known for its wild herbs that grow prolifically throughout the region, southern Rhône wines in particular often smell of these.
Hollow
- Also known as shallow, 'hollow' wines are diluted and lack depth and concentration.
Honeyed
- A common personality trait of sweet wines and those of the Rhône white variety, these are said to smell and taste of bees' honey.
Hot
- 'Hot' denotes that the wine is too high in alcohol and therefor leaves a burning sensation in the back of the throat when swallowed. Wines with alcohol levels in excess of 14.5% are often hot.
Inox vats
- This is the French term for stainless steel vats that are used for both fermentation and storage of wine.
Intensity
- This is one of most desirable traits of a high quality wine. Wines of great 'intensity' must also have balance. They should never be heavy or cloying. Intensely concentrated great wines are alive, vibrant, aromatic, layered, and texturally compelling. Their 'intensity' adds to their character rather than detracting from it.
Jammy
- When wines have great intensity of fruit from excellent ripeness they can be 'jammy', which is a very concentrated, flavourful wine with superb extract. In great vintages such as 1961, 1978, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 and 2000, some of the wines are so concentrated that they are said to be 'jammy'.
Leafy
- A 'leafy' character in a wine is similar to a herbaceous character only in that it refers to the smell of leaves rather than herbs. A wine that is too 'leafy' is a vegetal or green wine.
Lean
- 'Lean' wines are slim rather that streamlined, lacking generosity and fatness but still enjoyable and pleasant.
Lees
- made up of dead yeasts, tartaric acid and other residual matter from fermentation, the 'lees' form a dark yellow deposit at the bottom of the cask.They are removed by racking,
Light
- A wine with little body but well balanced and pleasant. In general a wine to drink fairly young.
Lively
- A synonym for fresh or exuberant, a 'lively' wine is usually a young wine with good acidity and a thirst quenching personality.
Long
- A very desirable trait in any fine wine that it be long in the mouth. 'Long' (or length) relates to the wines finish, meaning that after you swallow the wine, you sense its presence for a long time. Thirty seconds to a couple of minutes is great length
Lush
- 'Lush' wines are velvety, soft, richly fruity wines that are concentrated and fat. A 'lush' wine can never be astringent or hard.
Maceration
- When the must (juice) and solid matter (skins, pips, etc.) are still in contact during fermentation.
Maderised
- When a white wine oxidised badly and browns in colour because of poor storage or excessive age, it is said to have' maderized'.
Massive
- In great vintages where there is a high degree of ripeness and superb concentration, some wines can turn out to be so big, full-bodied and rich that they are called 'massive'. Great wines such as the 1961 Latour, Petrus and the Hermitage La Chapelle are textbook examples of massive wines.
Meaty
- A chewy, fleshy wine is also said to be 'meaty'.
Monopole
- Used to denote a vineyard owned exclusively by one proprietor, the word 'monopole' appears on the label of a wine from such a vineyard.
Morsellated
- Many vineyards are fragmented, with multiple growers owning a portion of the same vineyard particularly in Burgundy. Such a vineyard is often referred to as a 'morsellated' vineyard.
Mouth-filling
- Big, rich, concentrated wines that are filled with fruit extract and are high in alcohol and glycerin are wines that tend to texturally fill the mouth. A 'mouth-filling' wine is also a chewy, fleshy, fat wine.
Musty
- Wines aged in dirty barrels or unkempt cellars or exposed to a bad cork take on a damp, 'musty' character that is a flaw.
Nose
- The general smell and aroma of a wine as sensed through one's nose and olfactory senses is often called the wine's 'nose'.
Oaky
- Many quality wines are aged from six months to 30 months in various sizes of oak barrels. At many properties a percentage of these barrels may be new, and these impart a toasty, vanillin flavour and smell to the wine. If the wine is not rich and concentrated, the barrels can overwhelm the wine, making it taste overly 'oaky'. However when the wines are rich and concentrated and the winemaker has made judicious use of new oak barrels, the results are a wonderful marriage of fruit and oak.
Oenology
- The study of wine.
Off
- If a wine is not showing its true character or is flawed or spoiled in some way, it is said to be 'off'.
Overripe
- An undesirable characteristic, grapes left too long on the vine become too ripe, lose their acidity and produce wines that are heavy and unbalanced. This happens much more frequently in the hotter viticultural climates.
Oxidised
- If a wine has been excessively exposed to air during either its making or its ageing, the wine loses freshness and takes on a stale, old smell and taste. Such a wine is said to be 'oxidised'.
Palate
- The 'palate' is the combination of flavours, texture and taste of the wine.
Peppery
- Usually noticeable in many Rhône wines, which have an aroma of black pepper and a pungent flavour. A 'peppery' quality occasionally appears in other wines.
Perfumed
- This term is usually more applicable to fragrant, aromatic white wines and some sweet wines can have a strong 'perfumed' smell.
Persistence
- Length of time that the flavours of a wine remain in the mouth after swallowing. Good persistence or length is a positive sign.
Plummy
- Rich, concentrated wines can often have the smell and taste of ripe plums. When they do the term 'plummy' is applicable.
Powerful
- A wine which contains full body with generosity and a rich bouquet.
Precocious
- Wines that mature quickly, as well as those that may last and evolve gracefully over a long period of time but taste as if they are ageing quickly, because of their tastiness and soft early charms, are said to be 'precocious'.
Pruney
- Wines produced from over-ripe grapes take on the character of prunes. 'Pruney' wines are flawed.
Racking
- Operation involving separating wine from its lees by transferring from one container to another.
Raisiny
- Late harvest wines that are meant to be drunk at the end of a meal can often be slightly 'raisiny', which in some ports and Sherries is desirable. However, a 'raisiny' quality is a major flaw in a dinner wine.
Rich
- Wines that are high in extract, flavour and intensity of fruit.
Ripe
- A wine is 'ripe' when the grapes have reach their optimum level of maturity. Less than fully mature grapes produce wines that are under-ripe, and overly mature grapes produce wines that are over-ripe.
Robust
- Usually used as a positive term meaning the wine is full bodied and still in early maturity.
Round
- A very desirable character of wines, roundness occurs in fully mature wines that have lost their youthful, astringent tannins, and also in young wines that have softy tannins and low acidity.
Savoury
- A general descriptive term that denotes that the wine is round, flavourful and interesting to drink.
Shallow
- A weak, feeble, watery, or diluted wine lacking concentration is said to be 'shallow'.
Sharp
- An undesirable trait, 'sharp' wines are bitter and unpleasant with hard, pointed edges.
Short
A wine that has little length of flavour in the mouth.
Silky
- A synonym for velvety or lush, 'silky' wines are soft, sometimes fat, but never hard or angular.
Smoky
- Some wines either because of the soil or because of the barrels used to age the wine, have a distinctive 'smoky' character, particularly examples of Cote Rotie or Hermitage.
Smooth
- A smooth wine is supple, pleasant, easy to drink, "slips down well".
Soft
- A 'soft' wine is round, fruity and low in acidity and has an absence of aggressive hard tannins.
Solid
- A well constituted, well constructed wine.
Spicy
- Wines often smell quite 'spicy', with aromas of pepper, cinnamon, and other well-known spices. These pungent aromas are usually lumped together and called 'spicy'. Scents and flavours of Asian spices refer to wines that have aromas or flavours of soy sauce, ginger, hoisin sauce and sesame oil.
Stale
- Dull, heavy wines, that are oxidised or lack balancing acidity for freshness, are called 'stale'.
Stalky
- A synonym for vegetal but used more frequently to denote that the wine has probably had too much contact with the stems and the result is a green, vegetal or 'stalky' character to the wine.
Straightforward
- A wine of well defined character.
Supple
- A 'supple' wine is one that is soft, lush, velvety and very attractively round and tasty. It is a highly desirable characteristic, as it suggests that the wine is harmonious.
Tannic
- The tannins of a wine, which are extracted from the grape skins and stems, are, along with the wines acidity and alcohol, its lifeline. Tannins give the wine firmness and some roughness when young but gradually fall away and dissipate. A 'tannic' wine is one that is young and unready to drink.
Tart
- Sharp, acidic, lean, unripe wines are called 'tart'. In general a wine that is 'tart' is not pleasurable.
Terroir
- A wine that shows clearly the terroir (soil, subsoil, exposure, region, etc.) that it comes from.
Texture
- The feel of the wine in the mouth, a supple 'texture' would be smooth, velvety and warm, whereas a hard 'texture' would be acidic, coarse and or alcoholic.
Thick
- Rich, ripe, concentrated wines that are low in acidity are often said to be 'thick'.
Thin
- A synonym for shallow, thinness is an undesirable characteristic meaning that the wine is watery, lacking in body, or just diluted.
Tightly-knit
- Young wines that have good acidity levels and good tannin levels and are well made are called 'tightly-knit', meaning that they are yet to open up and develop.
Toasty
- A smell of grilled toast can often be found in wines because the barrels the wines are aged in are charred or toasted on the inside.
Tobacco
- Some red wines have the scent of fresh 'tobacco'. It is a distinctive and wonderful smell in wine.
Unctuous
- Rich, lush, intense wines with layers of concentrated, soft, velvety fruit are said to be 'unctuous'.
Vegetal
- An undesirable characteristic, wines that taste and smell 'vegetal' are usually made from unripe grapes. In some wines, a subtle vegetable garden smell is pleasant and adds complexity, but if it is the predominant characteristic, it is a major flaw.
Velvety
- A textural description and synonym for lush or silky, a 'velvety' wine is rich, soft, and smooth to taste. It is a very desirable characteristic.
Irile
- Said of a well-structured, full-bodied and powerful wine.
Viscous
- 'Viscous' wines tend to be relatively concentrated, fat, almost thick wines with a great density of fruit extract, plenty of glycerin, and high alcohol content. If they have balancing acidity, they can be tremendously flavourful and exciting wines. If they lack acidity, they are often flabby and heavy.
Volatile
- A 'volatile' wine is one that smells of vinegar as a result of an excessive amount of acetic bacteria. It is a seriously flawed wine.
Woody
- When a wine is overly oaky it is often said to be 'woody'. Oakiness in a wine's bouquet and taste is good up to a point. Once past that point the wine is woody and its fruity qualities are masked by excessive oak ageing.