Aftertaste: The sensation a wine leaves in the mouth after swallowing (same as finish).
Alcohol: The result from the interaction between yeast and the natural sugar in grapes during fermentation. The percentage of alcohol by volume in a table wine typically ranges from 7-14%.
American Viticultural Area: The American Viticultural Area designation, or A.V.A., was first established and defined in the United States in 1980 to develop a systematic understanding of viticultural regions. This designation plays an important role in distinguishing regions best suited for growing specific grape varieties based on climate and soil. If A.V.A. is listed on a wine label, at least 85% of the grapes must be from that region.
Appellation: Is the official geographic origin of a wine.
Aroma: The smell of a wine -- noting the fruits, earthiness and other smells in the wine.
Astringency: An element found mainly in red wine, characterized by a mouth-drying sensation from the tannins or high acidity.
Austere: Over dry, highly acidic wine; sometimes describing a young wine. B
Bacchus: The Greek god of wine.
Balance: Is the relationship between acid, tannin, alcohol and sugar in a wine. When these elements are in harmony and one does not overpower the others, a wine is said to be "well balanced."
Barrel-Aged: Refers to a wine that spends time in a wood barrel to mature after fermentation.
Barrel-Fermented: Refers to a wine that is fermented, partially or fully, in a wooden barrel.
Blind Tasting: Sampling and evaluating wines without knowing the identity.
Body: A wine's weight on the palate, typically described as light, medium or full.
Botrytis Cinerea: Also referred to as "noble rot," this beneficial mold draws moisture out of grapes, concentrating sugars and flavors. Affected grapes are often used to make opulent dessert wines.
Bouquet: As a wine matures its aromas tend to develop more complexity and are referred to as the bouquet. It is also used to refer to the smell of a wine that has been aged in oak.
Brix: Measuring the sugar level of the grapes indicating ripeness for harvesting.
Brut: The driest style of Champagne or sparkling wine.
C
Cava: Spanish sparkling wine traditionally from Catalonia.
Cooked: Wine that has been heat damaged while in storage or during transport.
Corked: Spoiled wine from a tainted cork; noticed by the musty smell upon opening the bottle of wine.
Cru: A French term meaning "growth", refers to the vineyard's ranking of the harvested grapes.
D
Decant: Refers to the careful transfer of wine from the bottle to another container in order to aerate or to separate the wine from its sediment.
Demi-sec: Meaning half-dry, refers to Champagne or sparkling wine level of sweetness.
Dry: A wine that is generally not sweet.
Dulce: "Sweet" in Spanish, describes sweet wines.
E
Enologist: Winemaker. Also Oenologist.
Estate-Bottled: Refers to a wine that is bottled by the owner(s) of the vineyard or vineyards in which the grapes were grown.
F
Fermentation: A natural biological process during which active yeasts transform the sugar in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Finish: The sensation a wine leaves in the mouth after swallowing (same as aftertaste).
Fortified Wine: A wine to which a spirit has been added, either to raise the level of alcohol or to stop fermentation in order to maintain a natural sweetness.
H
Hectare: A metric measurement that is equal to 2.471 acres.
Herbal: A term used to describe a wine with flavors or aromas of herbs. Sauvignon Blanc can have aromas and flavors that are considered herbal.
J
Jammy: A wine that has a thick concentrated berry aroma or flavors of jam. Can also be the thick, rich, mouthfilling texture of jam. A red Zinfandel is sometimes considered jammy.
L
Late-Harvest Wine: A wine made from extra-ripe grapes picked late in the season, which result in a sweet character in the wine.
Lees: Sediment from yeast cells, seeds, skins and pulp that fall to the bottom of the container during fermentation. Extended contact between the wine and the lees during fermentation and aging contributes additional flavors, aromas and character to the finished wine.
Length: A term that describes a wine that leaves a sustained impression in the mouth.
M
Maceration: A period of contact between grape juice and solids during which color, tannin, flavors and aromas are imparted.
Malolactic Fermentation: An optional secondary fermentation during which malic acid is naturally converted into subtler lactic acid. This process typically results in softer red wines and more complex white wines.
Must: The juice of crushed grapes, prior to fermentation.
N
Non-Vintage: Refers to a wine made by blending the juice of grapes from multiple vintages.
Nose: Refers to the aroma or bouquet of a wine.
O
Oxidized: Wines exposure to oxygen indicating the spoiling of the wine.
Off-Dry: Term used to describe a slightly sweet wine.
P
Phenolics: Chemical compounds in wine that make up elements such as tannins, pigments, flavors and aromas.
R
Residual Sugar: The percentage of sugar remaining in a wine after fermentation.
Rosé: A pink wine made from red grapes. The juice is allowed only minimal contact with the skins to impart a controlled degree of color, aroma and flavor.
S
Sommelier: French term for wine steward.
Stainless Steel Tank: Used to ferment some wines because of its reliable temperature control and helps to maintain fruitiness particularly in white wines.
T
Tannin: The puckering sensation in red wine that is from grape skins, seeds and stems, as well as from being in contact with wood barrels. Tannins create a textural sensation in the mouth, and adds structure to wine. It is a key factor in enabling a wine to age in the bottle.
Terroir: A French term that encompasses the soil, climate and site in which a vineyard is located. Terroir has a strong influence on the character of the finished wine.
V
Varietal wine: A wine labeled with the predominant grape used to make the wine. For example, a wine produced with mainly Merlot grapes is labeled as Merlot.
Viniculture: The science of winemaking.
Vintage: The year in which the grapes for a wine were harvested.
Champagne Definitions
Evaluating Wine Terms
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