The acids in wine are an important component in both winemaking and the finished product of wine. They are present in both grapes and wine, having direct influences on the color, balance and taste of the wine as well as the growth and vitality of yeasts during fermentation and protecting the wine from bacteria. More...

Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measurement of the dissolved sugar-to-water mass ratio of a liquid. It is measured with a saccharimeter that measures specific gravity of a liquid or more easily with a refractometer. A 25 °Bx solution is 25% (w/w), with 25 grams of sugar per 100 grams of solution. Or, to put it another way, there are 25 grams of sucrose sugar and 75 grams of water in the 100 grams of solution.

Cuvée (or Cuvee on some English language labels) is a French wine term derived from cuve, meaning vat or tank.[1][2] The term cuvée is used with several different meanings, more or less based on the concept of a tank of wine put to some purpose:

• On wine labels to denote wine of a specific blend or batch.
• In some regions, the term cuvée is used to specifically indicate a blend, i.e., a wine produced from a mixture of several grape varieties, rather than a varietal wine. This is especially true outside of France.
• In Champagne and sometimes in other regions producing sparkling wines by the traditional method, the cuvée also refers to the best grape juice from gentle pressing of the grapes.

Pucker Up

Tannins (mainly condensed tannins) are found in wine, particularly red wine. Tannins in wine can come from many sources and the tactile properties differ depending on the source. Tannins in grape skins and seeds (the latter being especially harsh) tend to be more noticeable in red wines, which are macerated (soaked with skins and seeds) and sometimes fermented while in contact with the skins and seeds to extract the colour from the skins. The stems of the grape bunches also contain tannins, and will contribute tannins if the bunches are not de-stemmed before pressing, maceration, and/or fermentation. More...

Malolactic fermentation (or sometimes malolactic conversion) is a process of a change used in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid.

In winemaking, malolactic conversion is generally encouraged in many red wines and some white wines, particularly those that are aged in oak. A prominent example of this is the prevalence of malolactic fermentation in California chardonnays. Unoaked white wines, such as German wines, generally do not undergo malolactic conversion.

Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel. It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples – indeed, malic comes from the Latin word for apple, mālum, and is present in apple juice – and this can be tasted in the wine. By contrast, lactic acid is richer, even unctuous, and more buttery tasting – corresponding to its presence in milk, as reflected in the word lactic being derived from the Latin word for milk, lac, and it is present in sour milk. More...

Maceration is the winemaking process where the phenolic materials of the grape— tannins, coloring agents (anthocyanins) and flavor compounds— are leached from the grape skins, seeds and stems into the must. The term is usually used in reference to wine, but is sometimes used with other drinks, such as piołunówka, Campari and crème de cassis. It is also the term used to describe the process of steeping unflavored spirit with herbs for making herb-based alcohol like Absinthe. Maceration is the main process by which the red wine receives its red color, since 99% of all grape juice (with the exceptions of teinturiers) is clear-grayish in color. In the production of white wines, maceration is either actively avoided or allowed in very limited manner in the form of a short amount of skin contact between the must prior to pressing. This is more common in the production of varietals with less natural flavor and body structure like Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon. For Rosé, red wines grapes are allowed some maceration between the skins and must, but not to the extent of red wine production. More...

Must (from the Latin vinum mustum, “young wine”) is freshly pressed fruit juice (usually grape juice) that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace; it typically makes up 7%–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must is the first step in wine-making. Must is also used as a sweetener in a variety of cuisines. More...

The sweetness of a wine is defined by the level of residual sugar (or RS) in the fermentation process. Residual sugar is the measure of the amount of sugars that remain unfermented in the finished wine.

Residual sugar is usually measured in grams of sugar per litre of wine. Even among the driest wines, it is rare to find wines with a level of less than 1 g/L, due to the unfermentability of certain types of sugars, such as pentose. By contrast, any wine with over 45 g/L would be considered sweet, though many of the great sweet wines have levels much higher than this. More...

• Aftertaste A term for the taste left on the palate after wine has been swallowed. "Finish" is a synonym.
• Alcoholic A wine that has an out of balanced presence of too much alcohol.
• Astringent An overly tannic white wine.
• Acidic A wine with a noticeable sense of acidity
• Aroma The smell of a wine. The term is generally applied to younger wines, while the term Bouquet is reserved for more aged wines.
• Baked A wine with a high alcohol content that gives the perception of stewed or baked fruit flavors. May indicate a wine from grapes that were exposed to the heat of the sun after harvesting.
  
• Balanced A wine that incorporates all its main components—tannins, acid, sweetness, and alcohol—in a manner where no one single component stands out.
• Big A wine with intense flavor, or high in alcohol.
• Body The sense of alcohol in the wine and the sense of feeling in the mouth.
• Bouquet The layers of smells and aromas perceived in a wine.
• Buttery A wine that has gone through malolactic fermentation and has a rich, creamy mouthfeel with flavors reminiscent of butter.

• Cassis The French term for the flavors associated with black currant. In wine tasting, the use of cassis over black currant typically denotes a more concentrated, richer flavor.
• Chewy The sense of tannins that is not overwhelming.
• Closed A wine that is not very aromatic.
• Cloves An aroma associated with oak treatment that gives the perception of cloves. It is caused by the creation of eugenic acid by the toasting of the oak barrels.
• Cloying A wine with a sticky or sickly sweet character that is not balanced with acidity.
• Complex A wine that gives a perception of being multi-layered in terms of flavors and aromas.
• Concentrated Intense flavors.
• Cooked A term similar to "bake" where the fruit flavors of the wine seemed like they have been cooked, baked or stewed. It may also indicate that grape concentrate was adding to the must during fermentation.
• Corked A tasting term for a wine that has cork taint
• Crisp A pleasing sense of acidity in the wine
• Crust Sediment, generally potassium bitartrate, that adheres to the inside of a wine bottle.

• Definition A wine that not only is well balanced but also gives a clear expression of its grape variety or place of origin.
• Delicate A term used similar to charm but more often relates to the more subtle notes of a wine.
  
• Depth A term used to denote a wine with several layers of flavor. An aspect of complexity.
• Dirty A wine with off flavors and aromas that most likely resulted from poor hygiene during the fermentation or bottling process
• Dry A wine that is lacking the perception of sweetness.[3]
• Dried up A wine that has lost some of its freshness or fruitiness due to extended aging.
• Earthy This can mean a wine with aromas and flavor reminiscent of earth--such as forest floor or mushrooms. It can also refer to the drying impression felt on the palate caused by high levels of geosmin that occur naturally in grapes.
• Edgy A wine with a noticeably level of acidity that heightens the flavors on the palate. Maybe synonymous with "nervy"
• Elegant A term to describe a wine that possess finesse with subtle flavors that are in balance.
• Expansive A wine that is considered "big" but still accessible.
• Expressive A wine with clearly projected aromas and flavors.

• Farmyard A generally more positive term than "Barnyard" used to describe the earthy and vegetal undertones that some Chardonnay and Pinot noir develop after maturing in the bottle. While for some wine drinkers this may not be very appealing, for others this maybe a sign that the wine has entered its peak drinking period.
• Fat A wine that is full in body and has a sense of viscosity.[5] A wine with too much fat that is not balanced by acidity is said to be "flabby" or "blowzy"
• Finish The sense and perception of the wine after swallowing.
• Firm A stronger sense of tannins.[2]
• Flabby A lacking sense of acidity.[5
• Fleshy A wine with a noticeable perception of fruit and extract.
• Fruit The perception of the grape characteristics and sense of body that is unique to the varietal.[2]
• Grassy A term used to describe an herbaceous or vegetal element of a wine--ranging from freshly mown lawn grass to lemon grass flavors.
• Green Overly acidic wine. Typically used to describe a wine made from unripe fruit.[5]
• Hard Overly tannic wine.
• Heavy A wine that is very alcoholic with too much sense of body.
• Herbaceous The herbal, vegetal aromas and flavors that maybe derived from varietal characteristics or decisions made in the winemaking process-such as harvesting under-ripened grapes or using aggressive extraction techniques for a red wine fermented in stainless steel.
• Hot Overly alcoholic wine.

• Inky A term that may refer to a wine's dark coloring and opacity
• Jammy A wine that is rich in fruit but maybe lacking in tannins
• Lean The sense of acidity in the wine that lacks a perception of fruit.[2
• Legs The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol or glycerol content of a wine. Also called tears
• Lemony A term referring to the tangy acidity of a wine with fruit flavors reminiscent of lemons
• Lightstruck A tasting term for a wine that has had long exposure to Ultraviolet light causing "wet cardboard" type aroma and flavor
• Liquorice A term used to describe the concentrated flavor from rich sweet wines such as those of Monbazillac AOC which are produced by botrytized grapes
• Liveliness A term used to describe a wine with slight carbonation and fresh, bright acidity
• Luscious Similar to "voluptuous" but more commonly associated with sweet wines that have a rich, concentrated mouthfeel
• Mature A wine that has aged to its peak point of quality.
• Meaty A wine with a rich, full body (and often pronounce tannins and extract) that gives the drinker the impression of being able to "chew" it
• Mellow A wine with a soft texture that is nearing the peak of its maturity
• Minerality A sense of mineral-ness in the wine, flavors of slate, shist, silex, etc
  
  

• Nervy A wine with a noticeable amount of acidity but is still balanced with the rest of the wine's component
• Nose A tasting term for the aroma or bouquet of a wine
• Oaky A wine with a noticeable perception of the effects of oak. This can include the sense of vanilla, sweet spices like nutmeg, a creamy body and a smoky or toasted flavor.[3
• Oily A generally full bodied wine with a viscous mouthfeel. If the wine is lacking acidity, this term maybe used in conjunction with flabby
• Opulent A rich tasting wine with a pleasing texture mouthfeel that is well balanced
• Oxidized A generally negative term describing a wine that has experienced too much exposure to oxidation. A wine that has been oxidized, is considered faulty and may exhibit sherry-like odors
• Oxidative Unlike "oxidized", this is generally a more positive term describing a wine that has experienced constrained exposure to oxidation over the course of its aging process. The aromas and flavors that develop as a wine oxidatively matures can range from nuttiness, biscuity and butteriness to more spicy notes

• Palate A tasting term for the feel and taste of a wine in the mouth
• Peak The point where a wine is at its most ideal drinking conditions for an individual taster. This is a very subjective determination as for some tasters a wine will be at its peak when the fruit is still fresh and young while for some tasters the peak will arrive when a wine has matured in flavor
• Peppery A wine with the aromas and flavors reminiscent of the fruit from the Piper family of plants such as black peppercorn associated wit
• Syrah and Grenache based wine or the aroma of crushed white pepper associated with Gruner Veltliner
• Perfume A generally positively used to describe an aspect of a wine's aroma or bouquet
• Plummy A wine with the juicy, fresh fruit flavors of plum
• Polished A wine that is very smooth to drink, with no roughness in texture and mouthfeel. It is also well balanced.
• Powerful A wine with a high level of alcohol that is not excessively alcoholic.[2
• Prickly A wine with some slight residual carbonic gas, though not necessarily to the point of the wine being considered a sparkling wine. Some very young white wines (such as Vinho Verde) and dry rosé may be described as "prickly"
  

• Rich A sense of sweetness in the wine that is not excessively sweet.
• Robust A term with similar connotations as "aggressive" except that "robust" is more commonly applied to older, mature wines while "aggressive" tends to describe younger wines.
• Round A wine that has a good sense of body that is not overly tannic.
• Sassy A wine with bold, brash and audacious flavors
• Sharp A term normally used to describe the acidity of a wine though it can refer to the degree of bitterness derived from a wine's tanni
• Sherrylike A term used to describe a non-Sherry wine that exhibits oxidized aromas that may have been caused by excessive amounts of acetaldehyde.
• Short A wine with well develop aromas and mouthfeel but has a finish that is little to non-existent due to the fruit quickly disappearing after swallowing
• Smokey A wine exhibiting the aromas and flavors of the various types of smoke, such as tobacco smoke, roasting fire smoke and a toasty smoke derived from oak influences.
• Smooth A wine with a pleasing texture. Typically refers to a wine with soft tannins.
• Soft A wine that is not overly tannic.
• Spicy A wine with aromas and flavors reminiscent of various spices such as black pepper and cinnamon. While this can be a characteristic of the grape varietal, many spicy notes are imparted from oak influences
• Stalky A woody, green herbaceous note in a wine
• Structure A term used to describe the solid components of a wine-acidity, sugar, density of fruit flavors and phenolic compounds such as tannins in relation to the overall balance and body of the wine
• Supple A wine that is not overly tannic.
• Sweet A wine with a noticeable sense of sugar levels.

• Tannic A wine with aggressive tannins.
• Tart A wine with high levels of acidity.
• Texture A tasting term for the mouthfeel of wine on the palate.
• Thin A wine that is lacking body or fruit
• Tight A wine with a significant presence of tannins that is restraining the other qualities of the wine, such as fruit and extract, from being more noticeable. A "tight wine" is expected to age well as the tannins soften to reveal these other qualities.
• Toasty A sense of the charred or smoky taste from an oaked wine.
• Transparency The ability of a wine to clearly portray all unique aspects of its flavor--fruit, floral, and mineral notes. The opposite would be a wine where flavors are diffused and thoroughly integrated.
• Typicity A wine tasting term used to describe how much a wine expresses the typical characteristics of the varietal.
• Unoaked Also known as unwooded, refers to wines that have been matured without contact with wood/oak such as in aging barrels.
• Undertone The more subtle nuances, aromas and flavors of wine.
• Upfront A wine with very perceivable characteristics and quality that do not require much thought or effort to discover.
  
  

• Vanilla An oak induced characteristic aroma reminiscent of vanilla.
• Vegetal A wine with aromas and flavor reminiscent of vegetation as oppose to fruit or floral notes.
• Vivid A wine with very expressive ripe, fruit flavors.
• Voluptuous A wine with a full body and rich texture.
• Warm A wine with noticeable but balanced alcohol as opposed to a wine with excessive alcohol that maybe described as "hot". It can also refer to a creamy texture derived from oak treatment.
• Watery A wine that is excessively "thin" in body and fruit.
• Yeasty Often uses synonymously with "biscuity" and can describe a wine with aromas and flavor reminiscent of bread dough or biscuits.
• Young Wine that is not matured and usually bottled and sold within a year of its vintage.
• Zesty A wine with noticeable acidity and usually citrus notes.
• Zippy A wine with noticeable acidity that is balanced with enough fruit structure so as to not taste overly acidic.