Wine Dictionary
Aftertaste
[ af-ter-teyst ]The taste of the wine lingering in the mouth after the wine has been swallowed. Finer, complex wines usually have a long aftertaste.
Aroma
[ uh-roh-muh ]The smell of a wine acquired from the grapes from which it is made, as differentiated from Bouquet, which is the smell derived from the ageing process, especially bottle ageing.
Astringent
[ uh-strin-juhnt ]That puckery sensation in the mouth: it is generally the result of tannin being present in the wine. Tannin occurs naturally in the skins and seeds of grapes. Moderate astringency is not necessarily negative and may enhance a wine's compatibility with certain foods.
Balanced
[ bal-uhnst ]A positive term to describe flavor, acidity and degree of dryness or sweetness as being properly and harmoniously proportioned in a wine. (Unbalanced wine may be described as tart, flat, acidic, etc.)
Bitter
[ bit-er ]One of the four basic tastes which we can perceive (the others being sweet, sour and salty). Bitterness is almost always a negative in wine.
Body
[ bod-ee ]The substance, feel or texture of a wine in the mouth. This is a highly subjective judgment based on the wine's characteristics.
Bouquet
[ boh-key, boo- boo-keyor ]The smell a wine derives from the ageing process, especially in bottles. Aging is the gradual oxidation of chemical esters in the wine.
Clean
[ kleen ]A wine that is sound, with no noticeable defects ñ off smells or tastes. If clean is the only descriptor, the wine is likely to be simple and not especially interesting.
Complex
[ kuhm-pleks, kom-pleks ]An elusive but complimentary term which suggests that the wine presents many elements of flavor and aroma (bouquet, oak-aged character, perhaps a style reflecting the region where the grapes were grown) in an especially attractive way. Winemakers always strive for complexity in fine wines.
Corks
[ kawrks ]Natural Corks are one of the most popular, as they will keep the wine sealed for a considerable length of time, enabling the wine to mature slowly. They are cut from specially selected corkwood, and washed, sterilized and inspected before use.
Agglomerate Corks are made from clean-waste product from natural wine-cork production, these are popular for low cost. They also ensure successful sealing and a good wine production.
Double Disc Corks are also known as twin top corks and are a combination of agglomerate corks and natural corks, the inside being agglomerate and the ends being laminated by natural cork discs.
Synthetic Wine Corks are the modern equivalent to the traditional wine cork and come in various colors. They seal well and don’t harbor bacteria.
Glass Corks (Vino-Seal) are a plastic/glass closure, a glass stopper with an inert o-ring, the Vino -Seal creates a hermetic seal that prevents oxidation and TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisol) contamination.
Screw Caps or Stelvin Closure Caps are closures made from aluminum material that threads onto the bottleneck. Compared to cork, screw caps prevent the wine faults of oxidation and of cork taint.
Corky
[ kawr-kee ]The distinctive taste or smell in a wine resulting from a moldy cork. Disagreeable but not harmful. Natural corks are sound when removed from the tree and are produced with great care, so actual "corkiness" is a rare occurrence.
Herbaceous
[ hur-bey-shuhs ]The aroma or taste of herbs in wine. It is typical of certain varietal grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc) and can sometimes be described as grassiness but should not dominate the flavors in the finished wine.
Delicate
[ del-i-kit ]This is a positive term to describe a light wine without intense flavors but one that is well made and elegant.
Light
[ lahyt ]A wine with a low concentration of the various characteristics of wine. The opposite of Full-bodied. Light is not necessarily a negative: the winemaker may have intended to produce a wine that is delicate rather than robust.
Maderized
[ muh-deer-ized ]A term used to describe a wine which has become oxidized and also has been exposed to heat. This is the way that Madeira is produced, but in other wines the adjective is unflattering.
Mellow
[ mel-oh ]Soft in the mouth; this word sometimes suggests a sweet sensation.
Nose
[ nohz ]The smell of a wine, which is made up of the aroma and the bouquet.
Oaky
[ oh-klee ]The taste and smell derived from contact with oak barrels during the ageing process. Experienced winemakers can finely control the oaky characteristics in a wine by using new or used barrels, French or American oak from various regions within each country, with interiors lightly, moderately or heavily toasted (charred over a flame), etc.
Oxidized
[ ok-suh-dyzd ]The characteristic of a wine, especially a white wine, which has had too much contact with the air, has lost its freshness and perhaps darkened in color.
Rough
[ ruhf ]The astringent, harsh tactile sensation (not bitterness), sometimes from excessive tannins, especially in young red wines. Contrast with mellow.
Round
[ round ]A wine which has balance, flavor and body with none dominating and none absent and with no major defect. A poor wine could not be described as round but it does not necessarily mean fine or great.
Sediment
[ sed-uh-muhnt ]The deposit which is a natural by-product of wine during bottle ageing. Sediment is not cloudiness or haziness and is not a defect; it consists principally of tannins and color pigments that combine and precipitate out of solution.
Terroir
[ ter-wahr ]The full range of influences that impact the growing and winemaking environments including soil composition and drainage, biodiversity features (the range of micro and macro organisms in the ecosystem, terrain topography, climate (latitude, temperature, humidity, rainfall, sunshine, wind), farming and wine making practices and traditions. It conveys a sense of place and time.
Tannic
[ tan-ik ]Describes a wine high in tannin, a natural substance coming from grape skins and seeds (especially in red wines) and from the wood in oak barrels. Tannin imparts structure, texture and complexity to a wine; it is an antioxidant and contributes to wine ageing. To the taste, tannin is astringent and makes the mouth pucker.
Wine
[ wahyn ]The wine-cup is the little silver well, where Truth, if Truth there be, doth dwell. - William Shakespeare
A fermented grape juice as an alcoholic drink, a fermented drink made from other fruits etc. - As specified (elderberry, ginger wine) Oxford English Dictionary.
Wine is the nectar of the Gods. - Baccus
Wine is the drink of the Gods. - Lady A (Love is the Heart of the world)
…Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. - Benjamin Franklin