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A REFERENCE: WINE VOCABULARYAcidic/Acidity
One of the tastes of wine. All wines naturally contain acid, but it should always be in harmony with thefruit and other flavors. The presence of acid is necessary for wines to age and gives it a lively, crispquality. Acid is tasted on the sides of the tongue and mouth.
Aerate
To allow a wine to “breathe” by exposing it to oxygen. Aerating a wine helps it to mellow and developits full flavors, especially red wines. Decanting is a way to aerate wine.
Aroma
The smell of wine. There are an unlimited number of aromas in wine, and just as many descriptiveadjectives for those aromas. True wine appreciation will allow you to decipher and describe thosearomas for yourself.
Astringent/Astringency
A mouth puckering sensation caused by the acid and tannin in a wine. Astringency often declines as awine ages.
Balance
Harmony among the wine’s components – a balance of acid, alcohol, fruit and tannins.
Big
One of the wine definitions used to described a “full-bodied” wine. A big wine has a powerful aromaand flavor.
Body
The texture and weight of a wine. The component in wine that gives it body is glycerine.
Bouquet
All the aromas in a wine collectively make up its bouquet.
Character
The features of a wine that distinguish it from any other wine. A good wine should have character.
Chewy
This wine term describes a red wine with a thickness and abundance of tannins.
Complex
Having many different flavors and aromas. A good wine should be complex.
Crisp
Usually associated with the acidity in wine and more often with white wine, this denotes a fresh, lightcharacter.
Decant/Decanting
Pouring wine from its original bottle into another container (decanter), allowing the wine to “breathe”.
Delicate
Light texture and subtle flavors. A delicate wine should not be paired with highly flavored foods.
Dry
One of the more common wine definitions, a dry wine has little or no residual sugar left in it afterfermentation.
 
Earthy
More often used to describe European wines, these have aromas and flavors resembling the earth,perhaps even soil or rock.
Finish
The final impression a wine leaves in your mouth. A finish which lingers (long) is good, and one thatbarely exists (short) is not so good.
Floral
Aromas found in wine resembling flowers.
Forward
The dominant component in a wine that gives your mouth its first impression, for example “fruitforward”.
Full-Bodied
A wine which fills the mouth with flavors and alcohol. A full-bodied wine is also considered “thick”.
Harsh
Too much acid or tannin describes these rough, biting wines. They generally lack fruit.
Legs
These noticable traces of oil left running down the inside of your wine glass after it’s been tippedindicate the amounts of alcohol, glycerine and sugar. The longer the “legs”, the more of alcohol,glycerine and sugar present.
Mellow
A way to describe smooth, soft wine with low acidity.
Nose
One of the more frequently used wine definitions, the nose is simply the smell of wine, as in having a “good nose”.
Nouveau
A young wine meant to be consumed right away. It is French for “new”.
Oak
The smell, taste and character of a wine imparted by storage in oak wine barrels. Wines are generallyfermenting in oak barrels or stainless steel.
Oenology/Oenophile
The study of wine or one who studies and appreciates wine. You will become an oenophile afterstudying wine.
Oxidation
The exposure of wine to oxygen or air. Some exposure is good and necessary, but too much will turnwine to vinegar.
 
Palate
How one perceives the taste and flavor of wine in the mouth.
Punt
The indentation in the bottom of many wine bottles.
Reserve
A term with no legal definition in the United States, it is implied reserve wines are aged longer andmade better than regularly bottled wines.
Robust
One of the wine definitions meaning full-bodied, full-flavored and high in alcohol content.
Sediment
The non-liquid material at the bottom of a bottle of wine. Sediment is not detrimental and simply partof the wine.
Silky
Having smooth texture and finish, silky wines lack tannins and have a fair amount of glycerine.
Smooth
A wine that feels good in the mouth, generally light in tannin and acid.
Sommelier
The restaurant specialist who has considerable wine knowledge and assists guests with their wineselection.
Spicy
Having spicy characteristics, such as mint, clove, cinnamon, vanilla or pepper.
Sweet
"Sweet" is one of the wine definitions easily confused with "fruity". Sweet indicates the presence of residual sugar, left over when the grape juice is converted to alcohol. Some dry wines have an aromaof sweetness that in reality comes from ripe fruit flavors.
Tannin
An ingredient found naturally in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes. Tannins are usually found in redwines and give that dry, lip puckering sensation. Tannins are an important component in red wine andsoften with age.
Varietal
Wine that is made from one dominant grape variety and whose labels states so.
Velvety
Another of the wine definitions for a smooth, silky wine with low acid, low tannin and substantialglycerine.
Vintage
The year the wine is harvested. A wine’s vintage will be found on all wine labels.
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