| Barnyardy: |
Smell of farm animals.
Negative. |
| Bite: |
A marked degree of
acidity or tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more like
a zestful tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine. |
| Bitter: |
One of the four basic
tastes. Considered a fault if the bitterness dominates the flavour
or aftertaste. A trace in sweet wines may complement the flavours.
In young red wines it can be a warning signal, as bitterness doesn't
always dissipate with age. A fine, mature wine should not be bitter
on the palate. |
| Buttery: |
It refers to both flavour
and texture or mouthfeel. |
| Chewy: |
Describes rich, heavy,
tannic wines that are full-bodied. |
| Corked: |
The wine tastes of
cork, it is unpleasant to smell and taste, slightly musty. |
| Dirty: |
Covers any and all
foul, rank, off-putting smells that can occur in a wine, including
those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor winemaking. |
| Earthy: |
Describes a wine that
tastes of soil, most common in red wines. Can be used both positively
(pleasant, clean quality adding complexity to aroma and flavour)
and negatively (barnyardy character bordering on dirtiness). |
| Flinty:
|
Describe the aroma
or taste of some white wines; like the odour of flint striking steel. |
| Fruity: |
Describes any quality
referring to the body and richness of a wine, i.e., "appley,"
"berrylike" or "herbaceous." Usually implies
a little extra sweetness. |
| Grapey: |
Describes simple flavours
and aromas associated with fresh table grapes. |
| Green: |
Tasting of un-ripe
fruit. Not necessarily a bad thing, especially in a Riesling. |
| Heady: |
Used to describe the
smell of a wine high in alcohol. |
| Herbaceous:
|
The taste and smell
of herbs. |
| Murky:
|
Lacking brightness,
turbid or swampy. |
| Musty: |
Having a mouldy smell. |
| Oaky: |
Describes the aroma
and taste of oak. |
| Oxidized: |
Describes stale or
'off' wines. |
| Peppery: |
Describes the taste
of pepper in a wine; sharper than 'Spicy.' |
| Perfumed: |
Refers to a delicate
bouquet. |
| Smoky: |
Describes a subtle
wood-smoke aroma. |
| Spicy:
|
Describes the presence
of spice flavours such as anise, cinnamon, cloves, mint and pepper,
often present in complex wines. |
| Sweet: |
One of the four basic
tastes. Describes the presence of residual sugar and/or glycerine. |
| Tannin: |
Describes a dry sensation,
with flavours of leather and tea. |
| Tart: |
Sharp-tasting because
of acidity. See also 'Acidic.' |
| Toasty: |
Describe a hint of
the wooden barrel. Usually associated with dry white wines. |
| Velvety: |
Having rich flavour
and a silky texture. |
| Zesty: |
A wine that's invigorating. |
