Wine tasting is an art of sensory examination and evaluation of wine that tastefully lacks precision. The individual perceptions may differ, but a systematic approach of analysing the taste is rather consensual, as far as experts are concerned. Tasting terms or descriptors allows the wine tasters to put into words the quality of the wine as they perceive.

Acetic – Volatile acid, often found in cool- fermented whites, not good when excessive.

Aroma – The flavour of a young wine. Bouquet is the word used for more aged wines.

Aggressive: A younger wine with harsh and pronounced flavours

Bright – High clarity and low level of suspended particles

Body – Important characteristic of a wine determined by its alcoholic content.

Bouquet – The flavours of a wine developed due to ageing

Chewy- some tannins, but not overwhelming

Citrous – a wine with citrus aroma

Cheesy: An aroma element characteristic of aged Champagne that develops after an extended period of aging. It is associated with the aroma of aged, nutty cheeses such as Gouda and is caused by a small amount of butyric acid that is created during fermentation and later develops into an ester known as ethyl butyrate.

Closed – Not very aromatic, assumed because of its stage of maturity

Coarse: Perception of tannins gives a rough texture

Dumb – No aroma

Dry – Wine is lacking perception of sweetness

Esterified – Often intensively aromatic

Extracted: A wine with concentrated flavours, often from extended skin contact, trading a rougher youth for enhanced ageability.

Finish – The sensory impact of a wine after it has been swallowed. Wines can be said have long or short finish

Feminine: Describes a wine that emphasizes delicate flavours, silky textures and subtle aromas rather than strength, weight and intensity of fruit.

Fruit – Sense of body and aroma coming from grape rather than the wine making process.

Fruity – wines with good fruit or slightly sweety.

Full or Full bodied – Wine with considerable alcoholic strength

Gutsy: A wine with noticeable body, extract and fruit.

Jammy – Lacking in tannins but rich in fruit

Lifted – Wine with perceptible but not excessive volatility

Nose – Used as both noun and verb, a in ‘It’s a bit DUMB on the nose’ and ‘Have you nosed this ? ‘ ( Courtesy: Jancis Robinson )

Rapid – quicker ageing than expected

Soft – Not much tannin

Spritz – slightly gassy

Texture – Mouth feel of wine

Peppery : A wine with the aromas and flavours reminiscent of the fruit from the Piper family of plants such as black peppercorn associated with Syrah and Grenache based wine or the aroma of crushed white pepper associated with Gruner Veltliner.

Balanced: A wine with all main components like Tannins, acidity, sweetness and alcohol present harmoniously.

Concentrated – Intense flavours

Clean – A wine without unwanted aromas or flavours

Complete – Balanced

Crisp – Pleasing or perceptible acidity

Elegant: A wine that possess finesse with subtle flavours that are in balance.

Firm – Strong sense of tannins

Finesse: A wine of high quality that is well balanced

Fresh – Attractively acidic

Mature – Aged to the full extend

Mellow: A wine with a soft texture that is nearing the peak of its maturity.

Powerful – High level of alcohol or extract.

Polished – Well balanced and smooth to drink.

Rich – Apparently sweet but not excessive

Round – Good body and not too much tannin

Robust – Mature wine with aggressive flavours.

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Astringent – Critical term used for relatively tannic white wine.

Austere: A wine that is dominated by harsh acidity or tannin and is lacking the fruit needed to balance those components

Baked: High alcohol content gives an impression of baked fruit flavours. Or made from an over sun exposed grapes

Bitter – Tannins at an unpleasant level

Blowzy: Overwhelming fruity aroma usually found in lower quality fruity wines.

Corked – cork tainted wine.

Dried out – An old wine that lost its freshness or fruitiness because of ageing

Flabby – Too low in acid

Green – Too acid

Hard – Too tannic

Hollow – Lacking fruit

Hot – too alcoholic

Lean – Lacking fruit but not acid

Oxidized – Harmfully exposed to oxygen

Tart – too acidic

Tannic – aggressive tannins

Volatile – not stable, it smells almost vinegary.

Watery – Excessively thin.

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Stunningly good. Sweet, focused dark fruits nose is pure and well defined. The palate is concentrated and fresh with lovely definition to the dark fruits and tight structure. Massive potential for future development. 95/100