Acetic Acid - All wines contain acetic acid or vinegar, normally the amount is quite small, somewhere between .03%-.06%, and not noticeable to taste or smell. Once wines reach .07% to just under .10%, a sweet, sour vinegary smell and taste becomes noticeable.  At low levels, acetic acid can enhance the flavor of a wine, while at higher levels - over 0.1% - this flavor can dominate, and flaw the wine.

Acid - An essential component of wine, that preserves it, enlivens, shapes it's flavors, and helps prolong it's aftertaste.  There are four major kinds of acids - tartaric, malic, lactic, citric - found in wine. Acid contributes to the crispness and longevity of a wine, particularly white wine.  Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine.

Acidic - A term used to describe wines whose total acid is so high that they taste tart or sour and have a sharp edge on the palate.

Aeration - The process of letting a wine 'breathe' in the open air or the swirling of wine in a glass.  It's questionable whether aerating bottled wines, usually reds, improves their quality, as aeration can soften young, tannic wines, but fatigue older ones.

Aftertaste - The taste or flavors that linger in the mouth after tasting or swallowing wine. Also known as a wine's finish, this flavor can be buttery, oaky, spicy, tart or bitter.  The aftertaste or finish is one of the most important factors in judging a wine's character or quality.  Some say great wines have rich, long, complex aftertastes.  Aftertastes may also be harsh, hot, soft, lingering, short, smooth, tannic or non existent.

Aggressive - A wine described as unpleasantly harsh in taste or texture, usually due to high levels of tannin or acid.

Alcohol - This integral component of wine is a natural by-product of fermentation, and one of the mainstays of perceived flavor.  Most wines range from 9% to 14% alcohol by volume.

American Oak - Used primarily for aging Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel, this alternative to French Oak is becoming increasingly popular for making wine aging barrels. Marked by distinct vanilla, dill and cedar notes.  Used occasionally for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

American Viticultural Area (AVA) - In the USA, a delimited, geographical grape-growing area that has officially been given appellation status by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The Napa Valley and the Sonoma Valley are two examples.

Angular - Opposite meaning to round, soft or supple - the total effect of dominant, tart edged flavors and tastes in many young, dry wines.

Aperitif - A French word that describes an alcoholic beverage served before dinner to stimulate the appetite. Traditional French examples include kir, Lillet and both sweet and dry vermouth.

Appellation - Defines the area where a wine's grapes were grown.

Appley - Refers to smell or aroma of a wine, usually with additional descriptives.  Some Chardonnays are associated with a full, fruity, clean smell described as "Ripe apples".  "Fresh Apples" similarly is used for some types of Riesling. However, "green apple" is almost always used for wines made from barely ripe or underripe grapes.  "Stale apples" applies almost exclusively to flawed wine exhibiting first stage oxidation.

Aroma - Usually refers to the particular scent of the grape in the wine.  Commonly means the wine's total smell, including changes that occurred from oak aging or in the bottle.

Aromatic - Refers to the distinctive spicy character of certain grape varieties - Gewurztraminer, Muscat.

Ascescence - Term used to mark the presence of acetic acid and ethyl acetate.  Can be detected by sweet and sour, sometimes vinegary smell and taste together with a sharp feeling in the mouth.

Astringent - Descriptive of a rough, harsh, puckery taste and feel in the mouth, usually from tannin or high acidity that red wines, and a few whites have. When the harshness stands out the wine is considered astringent.

Austere - Usually used in description of relatively hard, high acid wines that usually lack depth and roundness.  Often said of young wines that may soften a bit with age.  Term sometimes applied to wines made from noble grape varieties grown in cool climates or harvested too early in the season.

Awkward - Describes a wine with poor structure - one that is clumsy or out of balance.

Backbone - Used to describe red wines that are big, full-bodied, well structured and balanced by a desirable level of acidity.

Baked - A perceptible roasted quality in grapes grown in hot climates.

Balance -  A wine has balance when its elements are harmonious and no single element dominates. Acid balances sweetness; fruit balances against oak and tannin content; alcohol balances against acidity and flavor. A wine's balance may only be realized after some aging and is the primary goal of a winemaker.

Barnyard - A strangely positive term for a rotting straw and sweaty horse smell of a fine red or white Burgundy.

Barrel Fermented - Refers to wine that has been fermented in casks, usually 55-gallon oak barrels, rather than larger tanks. It is the belief of some advocates that barrel fermentation contributes greater harmony between the oak and the wine, increases body and adds complexity, texture and flavor to certain wine types.  Used mainly for whites.

Berrylike - Like the ripe, sweet, fruity quality of raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and cherries. The aroma and taste of red wines, usually Zinfandel, are often partly described with this term.

Big - Overall flavor of a wine, red or white, that has full, rich flavors.  Generally has a positive ring to it, but can imply some clumsiness, the opposite of elegance.  'Big' reds are often tannic.  'Big' whites are generally high in alcohol and glycerin.

Bite - A marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid 'grip' in the finish which should be like a zestful tang and is favorable only in red full-bodied wine.

Bitter - One of the four basic tastes along with salty, sour, and sweet. Can signify the fruit of immature vines or excessive tannin. If the bitter component dominates in the aroma or taste of a wine, it is considered a fault. In sweet wines a hint of bitterness enhances and complements the other flavors, creating an overall taste balance.

Black Currant - The predominant aroma in Cabernet grapes.

Blanc de Blancs - 'White of whites', meaning a white wine made of white grapes, such as Champagne made of Chardonnay.

Blanc de Noirs - 'White of blacks' a white or blush wine made of dark (red or black) grapes, where the juice is squeezed from the grapes and fermented without skin contact.

Blending - A winemakers task, taking wines from different lots or barrels and blending them together for bottling. Traditional and regional laws and regulations dictate what particular grape varieties may be blended together to produce a specific wine.  It is the winemakers decision on the percentages of each to use, with vintage often playing a crucial role in this equation.

Blunt - Strong in flavor, often alcoholic and contrarily lacking in aromatic interest and fine development on the palate.

Blush - A term for rosé, and any wine that is pink in color.

Boal (or Bual) - One of the top grape varieties grown on the island of Madeira, that produces a medium-sweet wine.

Body - The mouth feel, the weight of the wine in the mouth and on the palate. Commonly referred to as full-, medium- or light-bodied.

Botrytis - The 'Noble Rot' - a beneficial kind of mold or fungus that may appear on late-harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars become highly concentrated, and honey charactered.

Bottle Sickness - A temporary condition affecting wines immediately after bottling or shipment, characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors.  Also called bottle shock.  A few days of rest and proper storage is the cure.

Bouquet - The perfume of fermented wine, often the first indicator of a wine's quality during a testing.
Most appropriate for mature wines that have developed complex flavors beyond basic young fruit and oak aromas.

Brawny - Used mainly to describe young red wines and wines that are hard, intense, tannic and have raw woody flavors.

Breathe/Breathing - The act of allowing a wine to mix with the air, to 'breathe', for example when wine is poured into another container, such as a decanter or wineglass.  Breathing is thought to be beneficial for many red wines and also for some young, white wines.

Briary - Describes a young wine having an earthy, prickly taste best described as peppery often with as stemmy wild berry character.

Bright - Used to describe fresh, ripe, zesty, lively young wines with vivid, focused flavors.

Brilliant - Wines with very clear appearance and no visible suspended or particulate matter.  Not always thought to be positive as it can indicate some loss of flavor in highly filtered wines.

Brut - A French term meaning 'raw' used to designate a dry finish Champagne or sparkling wine. Can be the driest wine made by a producer.

Burnt - Describes a wine that has an overdone, smoky, toasty or singed edge. Also used to describe overripe grapes.

Buttery - A smell and taste sensation found in better white wines, particularly oak-aged Chardonnay.
Indicates a smell of melted butter or toasty oak. Can also be reference to texture, as in a rich 'buttery' Chardonnay.

Candylike - In wines made for early consumption this term is used to describe the perfumed fresh fruit aromas and flavors of the grape.

Caramel - Refers to a burnt-sugar smell and taste in oak-aged Chardonnay from a hotter than usual growing season.

Cedar/Cedary - Refers to an element of cedar wood in the bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon that has been aged in either American or French oak.  Can also be present in Cabernet blends that are aged in the same way.

Cellared by - Means the wine was not produced at the winery where it was bottled.

Chablis - Excellent dry, full-flavored, white wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the region of the same name in northern Burgundy.

Character - A wine's distinctive personality that stem from a combination of a region's wine-making traditions, soils, and grape varieties.

Chewy - Rich, full-bodied wines with unusual thickness of texture or tannins that one almost "chews" before swallowing.

Cigar Box - Another descriptive for a cedary nose or aroma, classically pertaining to Médoc Cabernet Sauvignon. Spanish cedarwood is traditionally used in making cigar boxes.

Citric/Citrusy - The smell of lemon, grapefruit or lime in the bouquet and as an aftertaste, most common in white wines made from grapes grown in cooler regions of California, Canada and some other regions.

Claret - An old British term for red Bordeaux.

Clean - Fresh, with no discernible defects; refers to aroma, appearance and flavor.  Not necessarily indicative of quality.

Clone - A group of vines derived by propagation from a single mother vine, or source. Clones are selected for the unique qualities of the grapes and wines they yield, such as flavor, productivity and adaptability to growing conditions.

Clos - An old term often used in French wine names that means a walled vineyard. Used by some California producers.

Closed - Young, undeveloped wines that do not readily reveal their character, that are shy in aroma or flavor, are said to be closed. Can be expected to develop with age.

Cloudy - Opposite of clear or brilliant. Characteristic of old wines with sediment, but it can be a warning signal of protein instability, yeast spoilage or re-fermentation in the bottle in younger wines.  Sometimes also results from sediment being stirred up during transportation.

Cloying - Refers to ultra-sweet or sugary wines that lack the balance provided by acid, alcohol, bitterness or intense flavor.  Can sit heavily on the palate not unlike honey.

Coarse -  Usually refers to harsh or clumsy flavor and texture, sometimes in particular, excessive tannin or oak.  Also used to describe harsh bubbles in sparkling wines.

Complete - Refers to a mature wine that provides good follow-through on the palate, a satisfying mouth-feel and firm aftertaste.

Complex - Wines that possess the elusive qualities where many layers of flavor seem to unfurl and change over time in the glass. A balance that combines all flavor and taste components in perfect harmony. A complex wine is a combination of richness, depth, flavor intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse.

Corked - Describes a bottle of wine that is "off" due to air spoilage, a tainted cork or improper cellaring..

Cote Rotie - Superb, age-worthy red wine produced in the northern Rhone which is primarily Syrah based and named for the 'roasted slopes' on which the vineyards grow.

Coteaux du Languedoc - Appellation in Southern France and a popular, fine dry red wine produced  with various blends, combinations or individually using Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and others.

Cotes-du-Rhone - General term for Rhone Valley appellation and the red or white wines produced there.

Creamy - The almost 'silk like' texture - taste component - some wines have in the mouth. Can refer to the texture of champagne, or the vanillin smell that new oak imparts to wine.  Creamy is in contrast to crisp.

Crisp - A fresh, almost green apple like, brisk character, usually with lively acidity, and  referring to white wines.

Cru Classe - French legalese meaning 'classed growth', referring to a vineyard historically identified as being of exceptional quality.

Cuvee - The blend of different grapes that make up a specific wine.  A French term for 'vat'

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Decant - To pour aged bottled wine carefully into a larger vessel, often a glass decanter for the purpose of leaving any accumulated sediment behind. Decanting also lets a wine breathe, and almost always pertains to red wine.

Delicate - Used to describe light- to medium-weight wines with pleasant mild flavor and fragrance. A desirable quality in wines such as Pinot Noir or Riesling.  Sometimes pertains to well made wines produced from so called 'lesser grape' varieties.

Demi-Sec - Meaning "half-dry" usually pertaining to Champagne and relating to sweetness. Demi-sec sparkling wines are usually slightly sweet to medium sweet. - so half dry, half sweet.

Dense- Considered a favorable quality in young wines and describes a wine that has concentrated aromas on the nose and palate.

Depth - Describes complexity in a wine that fills the mouth with subtly changing flavours - subtle layers of flavor that go 'deep'.

Developed - A mature wine that displays flavors that emerge after aging for a period of time in the bottle.

Direct - Wines that come right to the point and reveal their entire personality immediately.

Dirty - Describes any of the undesirable, rank, off-putting odors that can occur in a wine, including those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor winemaking.

Disgorgement/Disgorged - A step in the traditional process of sparkling wine or champagne production of removing frozen sediment from the neck of the bottle after secondary fermentation

Domaine - French term meaning 'estate' and in Burgundy a domaine may incorporate numerous separate vineyards.

Dosage - The process of adding sweetened wine to champagne just prior to closure.

Dry - Description of a wine produced specifically to possess little or no sweetness, whereby the sugars have been almost totally fermented. Commonly defined as containing less than about 0.5% residual sugar.

Drying out - The fading of the fruit in mature red wines. Acid, tannin and oak begin to predominate over fruit flavors and at this stage the wine will not improve.

Dumb - Characteristic description typical of wines that are too young or possibly too cold that refuse to reveal much flavor or bouquet at all; closed.

Earthy -  At its best, a pleasant, clean quality that adds complexity to aroma and flavors and hints of rich-earth  A certain earthiness can be favorable, positive; too much can cross over to the more unfavorable aspects of a wine.

Elegant - Used to describe well-balanced wines of distinguished quality and grace.

Empty - A wine without character, hollow.

Essence - (1) Aroma 'kits' containing vials of various flavor essences - designed to 'pull' specific bouquet and taste qualities from the wine. (2) Sometimes used to describe a sweet, late-harvest red wine.

Ethyl Acetate - A substance that contributes the sweet, vinegary smell that often accompanies acetic acid.

Extra Dry - A term not to be taken literally that appears on Champagne or other sparkling wine labels to indicate not-quite-dry; not as dry as Brut.

Extract/Extracted - Commonly refers to the coloring imparted to wine during the fermentation process by the grape skins used. Usually a positive quality, although high extract wine can also be highly tannic. Can also refer to the richness and depth of concentration of fruit flavor in a wine.

Eucalyptus - A term sometimes used to describe the characteristic in the bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in warm climates.

Fading - Describes a wine that is losing it's color, fruitiness or flavor, most often as a result of age.

Fat - Full-bodied, bold, ripe, rich, flavor laden, high alcohol wines low in acidity give a "fat" or fleshy impression on the palate.

Fermentation - The primary chemical process in winemaking by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide thus turning grape juice into wine.

Field Blend -  Refers to the single wine produced when a vineyard is planted with several different varieties and the grapes are harvested together.

Filtering - The process of removing particles from wine after fermentation.

Finesse - The distinctive balance and elegance, subtlety and delicacy of a wine.

Fining - A technique for clarifying wine using agents such as a powdered clay called bentonite, gelatin or egg whites, which combine with sediment particles and cause them to settle to the bottom, where they can be easily removed.

Finish - One of the keys to judging a wine's quality is finish, also called aftertaste; the way flavors and textures linger or fail to linger on the palate after a wine is swallowed. As in "This wine has a silky finish."  Great wines are said to have rich, long, complex finishes.

Firm - Distinctive tightly knit flavor, often used when referring to a young wine.

Flabby - A soft, feeble wine that falls apart on the palate, lacking the definition acidity gives.

Flat - A wine without liveliness, lacking in flavor, due to low acidity.  Can also sometimes refer to a sparkling wine that has lost it's bubbles.

Fleshy - Soft and smooth in both body and texture due to limited tannin.

Flinty - Derived from a French phrase "gout de pierre a fusil", that means a smoky, whiff of gunflint and refers to the dry, mineral character of some wines that are produced from grapes grown in certain soils, mostly limestone, typical of French Chablis and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs among others.

Floral/Flowery - Almost always pertains to white wines having a characteristic aroma of fresh flowers, as do Mosel and Rheingau Riesling.

Fortified - Refers to a wine whose alcohol content has been increased by the addition of brandy or neutral spirits.

Forward - Wines that give you the immediate impression of fruitiness, often pertaining to a wine having reached it's peak prematurely.

Foxy - The unique musky, grapey character of wines made from native American grapes, Vitis labrusca varieties. Also evident in Concord grape juice.

Fragrant - A fragrant wine is aromatic and flowery. 

Free-Run Juice - A term used for the juice that escapes after the grape skins are crushed or squeezed prior to fermentation.

French Oak - The traditional wood for wine barrels, which supplies vanilla, cedar and sometimes butterscotch flavors, and used in the production of both red and white wines.

Fresh - Quality found mostly in young white wines from an acidity which suggests a clean, liveliness on the palate.

Fruity - A wine whose character has developed from fully ripened grapes, which pleasingly offers fruit like tastes and aromas.

Full-Bodied - Full proportion of flavor and alcohol; feels weighty on the tongue.

Fumé Blanc- Same as Sauvignon Blanc, the two names are used interchangeably.

Glycerol - An alcohol formed during fermentation said to add sweetness and roundness to a wine.

Graceful - Describes a wine that is pleasingly harmonious in very subtle ways.

Grapey - A distinct impression of the flavors and aromas associated with fresh table grapes.

Grassy - Refers to the pleasant, herbaceous aromas and flavors reminiscent of newly cut spring grasses, that specifically describe the overall character of Sauvignon Blanc.  British or European tasters sometimes use the word 'gooseberry' to describe this flavor.

Graves - A region inside the larger Bordeaux region of France, named for it's gravelly soil, and known mostly for red wines as well as Bordeaux's classic dry, whites.

Green - A wine made from and tasting of unripe grapes, with a tartness on the tongue.

Grenache - Red wine grape variety widely planted in Southern France, typically producing hearty, peppery wines, with strawberry and red berry overtones.

Grip - A pleasing firmness of texture, and structure, usually from tannin, which helps give definition to wines such as Cabernet and Port.

Hard - High acidity or tannin content that creates a mouth puckering effect.  Often descriptive of young red wines suitable for aging.

Harmonious - All elements, the fruit, acid, and tannin, in perfect balance.

Harsh - Very astringent wines, usually with a high alcohol component and excessive tannin, often display this rough, rustic taste characteristic.

Hazy - Used to describe a wine that has small amounts of visible particles when viewed against the light. A good quality if a wine is unfined and unfiltered.

Hearty - Most often used to describe the full, warm, sometimes rustic qualities found in red wines with high alcohol component.

Heady - Descriptive of full-bodied, high alcohol wines.

Herbaceous - Wines having green, grassy, herblike taste and aroma.  Often characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Merlot grapes.  Usually associated with the grape variety as mentioned, not the climate or soil.

Hermitage - Considered one of the best wines produced in the Rhone, usually red and made from Syrah grapes.  It is told that a white was also produced by a Crusader who returned from the Holy Land coveting Syrah vine stock and declaring that he would war no more, it was time to plant a vineyard and his would be hermitage.

Hollow - . Describes a wine that is lacking in flavor, that has a first taste - nothing in the middle - and a short finish, that lacks depth at mid-palate. Can be caused by grapes from improperly pruned vines.

Honest - Simple, straightforward, typical of its kind, but nothing more.

Honeyed - A term, most usually used to describe the cohesive sweetness of late-harvest Riesling or mature Sauternes.

Hot - Term used for high alcohol, sometimes unbalanced wines that tend to burn with "heat" on the finish, giving a prickly, sensation of heat on the palate. Can be acceptable in Port-style wines only.

Imperial - An oversized bottle, usually holding 4-6 liters.

Inky - Refers to the slightly metallic flavors that can be present in some red wines.

Intricate - A term used to describe a wine with underlying complexities of bouquet and flavor.

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Jammy - Usually refers to a natural berrylike taste of a certain grape variety, and most often describes wines such as California Zinfandel made from Amador County grapes.

Jurancon - Tasty, dry, aromatic wine produced in southwestern France in the Pyrenees region.

Jeroboam - An oversized bottle holding the equivalent of  four to six regular sized bottles.

Kabinett - The term used for light, un-sweet (low alcohol) German wines.

Kir - A popular apéritif that originated in France, in the Burgundy region, whereby a spoonful of creme de cassis is added to a glass of dry white wine.

Kosher Wine - In the Jewish traditional manner, wine that is produced under strict rabbinical supervision with requirements that can differ from country to country.

Lanolin - A somewhat creamy smell that can be associated with Sémillon and Chenin Blanc wines.

Late Harvest - Is noted on labels and refers to wines made from grapes picked later than normal and at  with high sugar levels, and usually affected with noble rot or botrytis, thus producing sweet dessert-style wines.

Leafy - Describes somewhat herbaceous, green overtones reminiscent of leaves. Can add to the complexity of a wine if present only in negligible amounts.

Lean - Not necessarily a bad quality, but indicates the presence of more body would be favorable; describes austere wines with evident acidity.

Lees - Derived from a French term that means 'lies' and referring to the sediment remaining in a barrel or tank after fermentation and generally composed of dead yeast cells and small grape particles.

Legs - Term used to describe the droplets left on the side of the glass after swirling which ease down the surface as tears or "legs." The thicker the legs and the more slow-moving they are, the higher the alcohol content.

Lemony - Usually descriptive of a slightly acidic white wine that reminds one of the flavor of fresh lemons.

Length - The amount of time the flavor and aroma of a wine stay on the palate after swallowing., the longer the better the wine.

Light - Can refer to wines light in alcohol or wines light in texture, weight, body -  how the wine feels in the mouth.

Lingering - Used to describe the persistence of the flavor of a wine on the palate after tasting.

Lively - Crisp, fresh and fruity wines with vitality and the presence of acidity.

Lush/Luscious - Soft tasting, rich, opulent, and smooth; most often said of wines high in residual sugar, also sometimes refers to intensely fruity wines.

Maceration - During fermentation, the process of the steeping of the grape skins and solids in the wine, where alcohol acts as a solvent to extract color, tannin and aroma from the skins.

Maderized - Usually pertaining to white wines that have oxidized, and describing the brownish color and slightly sweet, somewhat caramelized and often nutty character found in mature dessert-style wines.

Magnum - An oversize bottle that holds 1.5 liters, twice the size of a regular 750 ml bottle.

Malic - Used to describe the green apple-like flavor found in young grapes which diminishes as they ripen and mature.

Malolactic Fermentation - A secondary fermentation occurring in most bottled wines, this process converts the naturally occurring malic acid into softer lactic acid plus carbon dioxide gas, thus reducing the wine's total acidity. Adds complexity to whites such as Chardonnay and softens reds such as Cabernet and Merlot..

Master of Wine - A title bestowed by the Institute of Masters of Wine which was founded in 1953 in England,and is an exclusive organization requiring those qualified to pass a rigorous three-day exam. Part of the exam includes blind-tasting about 36 wines with the aim of correctly identifying them. A person with this title may put the abbreviation M.W. after his or her name.

Matchstick - Descriptive of the odor of sulphur dioxide gas, not unlike the smell of burnt matches and found, very occasionally, in negligible amounts trapped in bottled white wine.  With careful decanting can be dissipated.

Mature - Fully developed, ready to drink.

Meager - Descriptive of a wine that is somewhat insipid, that lacks body and depth.

Meaty - A red wine that is sturdy, full-bodied, and chewy.

Mellow - Soft, smooth without harshness.

Mercaptan - Unpleasant, sulphur-like rubbery smell that may be present in very old white wines.

Meritage - An invented term, used by California wineries, for Bordeaux-style red and white blended wines. Combines "merit" with "heritage."

Methode Champenoise - French term for the costly, labor intensive method to make champagne, whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles.  The monk Dom Pérignon is credited with inventing this method.

Methuselah - An extra-large bottle holding 6 liters; the equivalent of eight standard bottles.

Microclimate - Refers to the climate within a small, defined area, possibly different from the area directly surrounding this area that can dramatically affect the character of the wine produced there.

Mid-Palate - When you take a sip of good wine there is often a sequence of flavor and texture impressions, of which the mid-palate is the impression registered as you hold the wine in your mouth for a moment but before you swallow.

Minty - Sometimes refers to an aroma from certain Cabernet Sauvignon wines grown in warm climates.

Mulled Wine - Any red wine, served hot, that has been mixed with any combination of sugar, fresh orange or lemon, even fresh apple, spices, usually including cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Muller-Thurgau - Modern grape variety that is a mainstay of England's small vineyard industry, and is widely planted in Germany used to produce a straightforward, lighter wine than the more common Riesling.

Murky - Mainly a fault in red wines that are lacking brightness; somewhat swampy.

Must - Mixture of grapes - grape juice, skins and pulp that is fermented into wine.

Musty - Having a stale, moldy or mildewy smell. The result of a wine being made from moldy grapes, stored in improperly cleaned tanks and barrels, or contaminated by a poor cork.

Nebuchadnezzar - A huge wine bottle holding 15 liters; or 20 standard bottles.

Nervous - Describes a wine that has goodly amounts of alcohol and acidity in balance.

Noble - The commonly referred to 'noble' grapes are said to produce some of the world's greatest wines with perfect balance and harmonious qualities.

Noble Rot - Also called Botrytis Cinerea -  a beneficial kind of mold or fungus that may appear on late-harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars become highly concentrated, and honey charactered.

Nonvintage - Wines produced with a blend of more than one vintage, often occurring with Champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as Ports and Sherries.

Nose - The character of a wine as determined by smell; the aroma or bouquet.

Nouveau - French term meaning 'new', indicates a style of light, fruity, young, immediately drinkable wine, and most often applies to Beaujolais.

Nutty - Nutlike bouquet that develops in some wines especially barrel-fermented Chardonnays or Sherries.

Oaky- Describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels or casks in which it was aged, and in a positive way can be characterized by toasty, vanilla, cedary, dill, coconut, sandalwood.  Can also refer to less desirable qualities.

Oenology - The science and study of wine and winemaking. Also spelled enology.

Off-Dry - Not quite a dry wine; refers to a very slightly sweet wine where the residual sugar is only faintly perceptible.

Off-Flavors - Indicates flavors being a bit off for the particular type of wine.

Oily - Refers to the somewhat fat, slippery sensation on the palate that can come from the combination of low acid and high glycerin, sometimes encountered in good quality Chardonnays and late harvest sweet wines.

Oxidized - Wine that has been overexposed to air and taken on a brownish color and a flat, stale or sherry-like aroma and flavor.

Peak - Being a very subjective issue of when the taste of a wine is at its best.

Perequita - A red-wine grape grown in southern Portugal that produces, hearty, medium-bodied, robust reds.

Perfumed - Distinct quality referring to the usually sweet and floral aromas of some white wines.

Petillant - Lightly sparkling, or crackling, possibly only realized as a slight prickly sensation on the tongue.

pH - A measure of the intensity of acid a wine contains; the lower the pH the more acidic the wine.

Phylloxera - Tiny aphids or root lice that attack Vitis vinifera roots and can devastate entire vineyards.

Pinot Blanc - White wine grape variety usually producing a favorable dry, medium-body white wine not unlike Chardonnay, that can be drank young.

Plonk - A British term for simple, usually inexpensive, 'ordinary' wine..

Potent - Strong, powerful, intense.

Primary Fruit - The recognizable fruity overtones of a young wine where distinct berry or cherry influences are present - wines can lose primary fruit as they age picking up other qualities that come with the maturation process.

Private Reserve - Denotes quaility and along with 'Reserve', once stood for the best wines a winery produced, however, many wineries have diluted the true quality seal behind this term by using similar tags such as Proprietor's Reserve for rather ordinary wines.

Produced and Bottled by - On the label indicates that the winery crushed, fermented and bottled at least 75 percent of the wine in the bottle.

Provence - Wine region of southeastern France, boasting an enviable Mediterranean climate, and well known for dry rosés and fruity red wines.

Pruney - The flavor of overripe, sun-dried grapes that can add an unfavorable pungency to wines; not unlike the taste of dried prunes. Can add complexity in the right small doses.

Puckery - Describes the mouth's reaction to highly tannic and very dry wines.

Pungent - Describes a powerful, assertive aroma linked to high levels of active acidity.

Racy - A good quality, light wine with a lively acidic quality.

Rainwater - Generic name used for a medium-dry style of Madeira, whose origin is a little sketchy but thought to have come from 18th century England.

Raisiny -  Mildly rich, raisin like taste that comes from overripe grapes, sometimes from fruit that is grown in hotter than usual areas causing the grapes to dry out while still on the vine.  Can be considered a fault and is only pleasing in very small amounts in some wines.

Raw - Undeveloped, young wines, that are often high in alcohol, acidity and quite tannic.

Refined - Most often refers to well-balanced red wines.

Residual Sugar - The unfermented grape sugar in a finished bottled wine; usually measured by percentage, by weight or volume.

Rich - Enticing body, flavor and bouquet; full on the palate.

Robust - Descriptive of a full-bodied, intense, vigorous, heady wine.

Rosé - A pale pink wine, ranging from dry to sweet and traditionally made by removing the skins from red grapes early on in the fermentation process, before they have the time to impart too much color. Less traditionally, some labels carry rosés that have been made by the blending of red and white wines.

Rough - Not pleasing in texture or flavor; harsh, possibly biting.

Round - Describes flavors that are smooth, with a sensation of completeness, balance; well developed without any rough edges.

Rustic - Used to describe wines either made in old-fashioned or centuries old, traditional techniques and processes or tasting as if they had been.

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Saint-Chinian - Wine region of the Languedoc area of southern France, that is becoming more popular all the time as the wines from this region get more notice.

Saint-Emilion - Wine region of the Bordeaux area of France, on the right bank of the Dordogne, best known for its red wines often made with Merlot.

Saint-Estephe - An area of northern Haut-Medoc in the Bordeaux region.

Salmanazar - An over-sized bottle holding 9 litres, the equivalent of about 12 regular bottles.

Sangiovese - The all important red-wine grape of Tuscany in central Italy, and the key to producing the infamous Chianti.  Known to produce a range of styles from fresh, light, young wines to hearty, full-bodied reds that can age well.  Literally translated 'blood of love'.

Sauternes - Renown French (sweet) dessert wine from the Bordeaux region made from a blend of mostly late-harvested Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes that have been infected by botrytis.

Sauvignon Blanc - Noble, white grape variety grown in the Loire and Bordeaux regions of France, with plantings now in other regions including, California, New Zealand, Australia. Usually blended with  Semillon grapes, and varies in style, but generally speaking produces soft, assertive, herbaceous, sometimes complex wines.

Savennieres - A small region in the Loire area of France that produces top quality Chenin Blanc.

Schaumwein - German term referring to a 'sparkling wine'.

Scheurebe - Newer variety grape from the Rhine region of Germany, made from a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner, that is generally used to produce sweet, late harvest wines.

Sediment - In red wines, the deposit or residue that can accumulate in the bottle during the aging process.  Not considered a negative quality, and can be separated from a well aged wine by decanting.

Sekt - German term for sparkling wine that is usually produced using the charmat process.

Semillon - White wine grape, native to the Bordeaux region of France, but now widely grown in many of the world's wine regions; is most often used in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc grapes that generally produces a pleasant, somewhat dry, medium-bodied wine.

Seyval Blanc - Hybrid grape of French origin that is widely used in the U.S.A., generally producing oak-aged dry whites.

Sharp - A predominant acidity presence.

Sherry - Spanish style fortified wine from the Jerez de la Frontera region, most commonly using the Palomino grape.  Sherries can range from sweet to dry, served either at room temperature or chilled.

Short - A wine with very little aftertaste or finish.

Silky - Soft, flowing texture and finish.

Simple - Wine with straightforward character.

Shiraz - A term used mostly in Australia or South Africa; same as Syrah.

Sinewy - Usually referring to a wine with not much fruitiness, but a good balance of alcohol and acidity.

Smoky - (1) Simply refers to the aroma or taste imparted, such as anything 'smoked' might impart.
(2) Flavor and aromatic quality associated with wines that have been oak-aged, as with certain Chardonnays, Rhone reds and so on.

Soft - Refers to wines with low acidity and or tannins creating a mellow quality on the palate.  Can also refer to low alcohol content.

Solid - Firm textured, well structured.

Sommelier - A wine steward in a restaurant.

Sour - Refers to a wine with sharp acidity.

Spanna - Local name for the Nebbiolo grape and the red wine produced from it in the northern Piedmont region of Italy.

Sparkling - Wine with bubbles, either naturally occurring or created by injecting carbon dioxide gas.

Spatburgunder - A German term for Pinot Noir.

Spatlese - German term meaning 'late harvest, late picked' and referring to white wines made with sweeter, late-harvested grapes.

Spicy - Usually a complex, red or white, wine imparting the soft nuances pepper, cloves, cinnamon, mint or other spices.

Split - A 6 ounce, or quarter bottle of champagne, most frequently found in hotels, airplanes, ships or trains.

Spritzig - German term for a lightly sparkling wine.

Spritzy - Very slight sensation of carbonation, most common in very young wines and can be considered a minor flaw.

Spumante - Italian term meaning 'foaming' and referring to sparkling wines.

Stale - Wines that are lifeless, having lost their fresh, lively qualities. 

Stalky - A somewhat green taste and aroma, reminiscent of grape stems or vines, or possibly underripe grapes.

Steely - Firm, taut, acidic.

Stoney - Term used to describe a clean, earthy characteristic in young white wines; flinty.

Strong - Robust.

Structure - Referring to how a wine is build, the flavor plan - the interaction and final composition of all elements, such as acid, tannin, alcohol, fruitiness, body.  Usually used with another descriptor as in 'firm structure'.

Stylish - Bold, lively character.

Subtle - A positive characteristic usually referring to a delicate wine that offers up nuances of flavor and aroma.

Supple - A positive characteristic that usually refers to red wines that are smooth, soft textured and rounded on the palate.

Sur Lie - French term meaning 'on the lees' and referring to the technique/method of storing wine, prior to bottling, in the yeast sediment and grape particles (lees) from the fermentation, producing a more complex wine.

Sweet - Refers to the presence of residual sugar, occurring when all of the grape sugar is not completely converted to alcohol.

Sylvaner - German grape, generally of lesser quality than Riesling and usually planted as a blending grape.

Tanky - Stale; usually refers to wines that display a somewhat dull, dank character, often from being aged too long in tanks.

Tannic - Usually refers to a wine that is not balanced in that the tannins overpower the fruit and other components.

Tannin - A naturally occurring substance found in grape skins, seeds and stems or sometimes from oak barrels, that gives wine its astringency.  Most prominent in red wines where it creates a dry, puckering mouth-feel. Tannin acts as a natural preservative that helps wine age and develop, and in the right proportion contributes to the balance of a wine, but considered a fault if present in excess.

Tart - Acidic; sharp tasting.

Tartaric Acid - The prominent natural acid in wine.

Tartrates - Harmless crystals that often form on a cork, or in a bottle or cask, that are composed of potassium bitartrate from the tartaric acid naturally present in wine.

Terroir - French term literally meaning 'soil' or 'earth', generally referring to all the physical/environmental characteristics in and around a particular vineyard site that are imparted into a wine such climate, soil, geographical location and so on.

Thief - Syringe like instrument used for sampling wine from a cask, tank or barrel.

Thick - Dense, heavy texture.

Thin - Lacks body, depth and therefore flavor.

Tight - Generally refers to the body and structure of young wines.

Tinny - Somewhat of a metallic aftertaste.

Tinto - Spanish term for red wine.

Tired - Past it's peak; feeble.

Toasty - Aroma and flavor imparted by oak barrel aging; similarly 'caramel', 'toffee', 'vanilla', with spicy overtones such as 'cinnamon' and 'cloves' are used as descriptors of the same.

Tough - Astringent; tannic.

Ugni Blanc - White-wine grape grown in France generally producing crisp, fruity white wines.  In Italy called Trebbiano.

Ullage - The empty space in a wine bottle between the bottom of the cork and the surface of the wine.  If the ullage is too big that is usually an indication of oxidation problems.

Valpolicella - Semi-dry, light-bodied red wine produced in the near Verona, Italy.

Vanilla  - A scent imparted by aging in oak, generally new oak.

Varietal - A wine produced and named primarily from a single grape variety.

Vegetal - Aroma or taste that similar to that of leafy greens, of plants, of vegetables; a somewhat grassy character.

Velvety - Rich, silky smooth texture.

Vendange - French term for 'vintage'.

Vermouth  - A renown fortified wine, white or red, that has been flavored with the addition of aromatic herbs or spices and is most often used as a aperitif or in the mixing of cocktails..

Vidal Blanc - French hybrid white-wine grape variety, used commonly in the USA.

Vigneron - French term for 'winemaker' or 'winegrower'.

Vignoble - French term meaning 'wine growing area'.

Vignoles - French hybrid white-wine grape, often used in the Eastern USA.

Vigorous - Assertive flavor, strong bodied wine.

Vin - French word for 'wine'.

Viniculture - The study and science of grape production for the purpose of making wine.

Vinous - Tasting descriptive for 'wine-like', 'winey' qualities; the aroma and taste common to all wines.

Vintage - Indicates the season, the year the grapes were grown and the wine was made.

Viognier - French white-wine grape variety most common in the Rhone Valley of France and California.
These aromatic wines are best consumed young and vary in character.

Viticulture - The science, cultivation and study of grape growing.

Volatile/Volatile Acidity - Powerful. aggressive aroma denoting excessive acidity.

Watery - Lacking in flavor; thin.

Weedy - Grassy.

Weighty - Strong, full-bodied.

Woody - Tasting term for too much of a oaky presence, usually caused by too lengthy an aging process in the barrel or cask.

Yeasty - The bready smell of yeast, most common in Champagne.

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