When you’re buying wine online, attending tastings, or reading reviews, you’re likely to encounter all kinds of weird terminology that is unique to the world of wine. But don’t be daunted. All these terms have simple definitions that are easy to learn.
Acidity: Acids, especially tartaric and malic acids, occur naturally in all types of wine. Too much acidity can give wine a sour or bitter flavor, while not enough can make it taste dull or flat.
Aftertaste: The unique flavors that linger in the mouth after a wine is drunk.
Aperitif: As opposed to most wines, which are commonly paired with meals, aperitifs are meant to be drunk without food or prior to a meal.
Balance: Ideally, the best wines should have an interesting balance of sweetness, acidity, tannins, and alcohol.
Body: The “weight” of wine in the mouth, resulting from abundance of flavors, alcohol content, or tannins.
Breathe: A wine breathes after it has been opened and exposed to the air in the room. For many wines, interaction with the gases in the air for anywhere between 10-30 minutes helps bring out flavors and enhance the body.
Buttery: You’ll often hear wines described as “buttery,” which in general means that the acids in the wine have been softened during the fermentation process, which makes them smoother, softer, and less acidic.
Complex: Used to describe a wine with many notably characteristics. The finest wines often have a balance between complexity and subtlety. They require many sips to pick up on all their special qualities.
Deep: Having many layers have flavor that unfold either through aging or exposure to air.
Dull: Lacking a basic level of acidity or tartness.
Flinty: Some wines contain a wealth of minerals that give the flavor rocky or stony undertones. In moderation, this can be a positive quality, reminiscent of spring water. However, too much flintiness can quickly become damaging to a wine’s balance.
Fruity: Since wine is made from grapes, you’d think that fruitiness would be standard. However, when wine reviews refer to a wine as “fruity,” they’re usually referring to subtler qualities. Some wines, for example, have citrusy or berry-like undertones.
Herby: Having qualities reminiscent of herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.
Noble: Think of “noble” as a level above “fine.” The elite wines are noble, and by extension, the grapes that are used to make the finest wines are often referred to as the noble grapes.
Nose: The wine’s smell, which usually has a large effect on the wine’s flavor.
Tannin: Tannins are an essential element to all wines. Occurring naturally in grape seeds and skins, they are most present in red wines, and exist to lesser degrees in white wines. They give wine its bitterness, some of its acidity, and they are an essential part of any wine’s balance.
Woody: Tasting or smelling of wood, which often results from extensive aging in a barrel. In most contexts, this is negative, but on rare occasions it is used as a positive term.