30 Must-Know Wine Terms – The Breakaway Tours Wine Glossary
A list of many wine terms you may hear during a Breakaway wine tasting tour.
Aroma The scent of the wine that originates with the grapes (as opposed to the bouquet). The intensity and character of the aroma are further described with adjectives.
Balance Ideally, no individual part of the wine dominates. When a wine is in balance, there is a harmonious blend of elements–the acidity and tannins balance the sweetness, fruit and alcohol.
Bouquet Describes scents picked up during the bottle-aging process.
Buttery Describes taste, usually related to toasty oak, and smooth sensation found in Chardonnay and other good wines.
Complex Many layers of flavor separate a great wine from a very good one. An elusive combination of richness, depth, intensity, focus, balance, and harmony.
Citrusy Contains the aroma and flavor of citrus fruits. Citrus is most often found in white wines made in cooler regions of California and other countries.
Crisp Describes white wines that are fresh, bright and cool with a pleasing tartness and clean finish.
Decant A method by which cellar-aged bottled wine, usually red, is poured slowly and carefully into a second vessel, usually a glass decanter, in order to leave any sediment in the original bottle before serving.
Dry Wines made to possess little or no sweetness, generally containing less than about 0.5% residual sugar.
Earthy Frequently found in Pinot Noirs, earthy describes wines containing aromas or flavors of soil (or earth). European tasters use the term in a broader sense to describe terroir characteristics.
Elegant Great balance and grace in the wine.
Floral (flowery) Suggestive of the aroma or taste of flowers in wine, usually white (few red wines have floral aromas).
Finish A measure of the flavors that linger in the mouth after swallowing the wine and the length of time they last. Look for a long, rich, complex finish in a great bottle of wine.
Full-bodied Wines that fill the mouth, have “weight” on the tongue, as opposed to thin wines.
Fresh Refers to lively fruity acidity found in many whites and some light reds and roses.
Fruity Generally used to describe a wine that is a bit sweeter, fruity refers to the fruit flavors of the wine.
Jammy A great intensity of fruit from excellent ripeness; a very concentrated, flavorful wine most often referring to the natural, berrylike flavor of California Zinfandel grapes.
Lemony Descriptive of a somewhat acidic white wine. These wines contain flavors reminiscent of that fruit. Apart from that, may be well balanced in all other respects, sometimes with a touch of extra sweetness.
Nose The detectable odor (from grape variety, character, and fermentation smells) found in a wine. Nose includes both aroma and bouquet.
Oaky The taste or aroma of freshly-sawn oak, introduced from storage in barrels made from that wood. When a red wine is oaked just right, the nose carries a whiff of vanilla and sometimes a toasty, charred, or roasted element from the barrel preparation process. New barrels contribute stronger flavor to a wine than older storage barrels.
Rich A full, opulent wine without necessarily being sweet. In a dryer wine, richness is supplied by alcohol, glycerin and oak vanilla nuances. Ripe, fruity flavors provide richness in a sweeter wine.
Ripe Generally a more fruity and sweet wine.
Smooth (Soft) Describes wines low in acid or tannin content, and often low alcohol content. These wines have little impact on the palate and making for easy drinking.
Spicy A complex wine with spice flavors such as anise, cinnamon, cloves, mint and pepper.
Structure The feel of the wine in the mouth, provided by acidity, tannin, alcohol, sugar, and balance. For example, wines with low, unbalanced acidity or tannin can be said to lack structure.
Tannins A naturally occurring substance in grapeskins, seeds and stems which is primarily responsible for the bitter component in some wines. Tannins are present in red wine, act as a natural preservative, and contribute to the balance of the wine.
Table Wine Generally basic wines containing 7 percent to 14 percent alcohol. In Europe, table wine indicates the lowest level of quality.
Terroir French term for all the characteristics of the vineyard site thought to be imparted to a particular wine.
Tobacco A flavor reminiscent of raw tobacco leaf usually found in Cabernet Sauvignons.
Woody Nearly synonymous with Oaky, but includes other wood flavors in addition to oak.
Have you been wine tasting and heard other terms not listed here? Drop us a note in comments to add to our wine glossary.
Follow this blog with Bloglovin
