| If you are going to be tasting and enjoying wine | | | | Crisp-A crisp wine is one that has good acidity |
| you need to know what the wine words are that | | | | and taste without being overly sweet. The best |
| are used for descriptions. Here is a quick and easy | | | | example is to compare the term to the crispness |
| guide that will help you know what the meanings | | | | of an apple. |
| are for the wine words used most often to | | | | Depth-The wine word depth refers to a wine with |
| describe how tastes, looks and smells. | | | | lots of character, full of body, and has many |
| Feel free to task this list with you to your next | | | | different discernable flavors. |
| wine tasting and you will impress your friends with | | | | Dry-A dry wine is not sweet. In dry wines all of |
| your new knowledge and terminology. | | | | the sugar from the grapes have, through |
| Aroma-This refers to the smell of a wine. | | | | fermentation, been converted to alcohol. |
| Austere-This term is used in tasting that | | | | Earthy-This is a term used to describe a flavor |
| describes wines that are so young they have not | | | | that would draw from the soil where the grapes |
| they developed an aroma that is discernable. | | | | were grown. |
| Balance-A well balanced wine is one where all the | | | | Finish-This refers to the taste or feeling that is |
| main components, the acid, alcohol, fruit and | | | | left in the mouth after the variety you are tasting |
| tannins are all working so well together that none | | | | has been swallowed. |
| stands out from another. | | | | Fruity-When a wine has the flavor or aroma of a |
| Bite-This is a descriptive term if what you are | | | | fruit this term is used. |
| tasting has good levels of acidity. | | | | Hard-If an abundance of acidity or tannins is |
| Bitter-A bitter taste will register at the back of | | | | tasted this term is used. |
| the tongue. | | | | Oak-Many wines are aged in oak barrels. This |
| Body-When body is used as term it is meant to | | | | process imparts a wood or oak flavor that can |
| describe the fullness or texture that is being | | | | be detected in some wines. |
| tasted. This will be affected by the alcohol | | | | Tannin-This is a naturally found substance in wines |
| content. | | | | that comes from the grape skins, pulp and stalks. |
| Bouquet-This is the aroma, generally of a fruity or | | | | Tannins are a very important component in the |
| floral nature, that comes from the alcohol and | | | | aging and taste and are responsible for the |
| acid. | | | | puckering quality you can sometimes experience. |
| Breathing-This is when air is allowed to mix with | | | | Thin-This term is used when the taste and body |
| the wine after opening to soften and further | | | | is lacking in depth and is not very exciting. |
| develop the flavor. | | | | There are additional wine words, but these are |
| Clean-If a wine is described as being clean it | | | | the most common. Start using these as you |
| means the wine has no unpleasant flavors or | | | | taste wines and you will actually sound like you |
| odors. | | | | know what you are talking about. |