97 Wine Terms Every Wine Lover Should Know

Whether you are into wine-making or just seeking to learn more about fine wines, these terms will broaden your understanding. Wine-lovers can add to the following wine terms their vocabulary as they explore the wide array of wines originating from many wine-producing regions of the world.

• Acidity: The acidity of wine refers to its crispness and the activation of salivary glands.

• Aeration: Aeration of wine involves the addition of oxygen, which softens the wine.

• Aging: Aging of wine occurs by holding it in barrels or other containers, advancing the wine to a desired state.

• Alcohol: Ethyl alcohol develops due to the fermentation of sugars via yeast.

• Anosmia: This process describes the reduction of smell.

• Appellation: Wine-producing regions are called appellations.
• Aroma: A wine's aroma describes its smell.

• Astringent: Tannin levels in wine affect sensations in the mouth known as astringency, such as harsh, bitter, or dry.

• Balance: The balance of a wine denotes the harmony of its various elements, including tannins, sugars, acids, and alcohol.
• Barrel: Barrels are the oak containers used to hold wine while it ferments and ages.

• Barrique: Oak barrels holding 225 liters originated in Bordeaux, called barriques.
• Bitter: The tongue detects bitter elements originated by tannins in the wine.
• Blend: Some wines are blends of more than one kind of grape.
• Body: Wine can be described as light, medium, or full-bodied, which refers to the weight and fullness of the wine.
• Bordeaux: The Bordeaux region in Southwest France is one of the best appellations in the world.
• Botrytis: Dessert wines with higher sugar content get their elements thanks to botrytis, which is a mold that pierces grape skins and leads to dehydration.
• Bouquet: Aged wines contain complex aromas, also called the bouquet.
• Breathing: Allowing wine to be exposed to oxygen is known as breathing, which enhances flavors.
• Brettanomyce: This type of yeast is responsible for spoilage, and it creates distasteful flavors.
• Brilliant: Sparkling clear wines may be described as having a brilliant taste.
• Brut: Sparkling wines and dry champagnes may be termed bruts.
• Bung: Wine barrels are plugged with bungs.
• Bung hole: A wine cask will have a bung hole, which is the opening used to fill or empty the cask.
• Chaptalization: This process involves adding sugar to wine either before or during fermentation, which increases the alcohol level.
• Citric acid: Wines contain citric acid, a weak acid found in grapes.
• Claret: Red Bordeaux wines might be called claret by the English.
• Class growth: The official classification of Bordeaux wines originated in 1855, and it remains the standard today.
• Closed: Young or undeveloped wines might be described as closed if the flavors aren't exhibiting well.
• Complex: Wines with many flavors, nuances, or odors might be described as complex.
• Cork taint: Wines stored in moist or moldy locations might develop undesired aromas and flavors, known as cork taint.
• Corked: Wines with cork taint might be described as corked.
• Cru Classe: The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is known as Cru Classe.
• Crush: The English refer to harvest as crush.
• Cuvee: This type of champagne is a blended batch.
• Demi-sec: Sweet sparkling wines that are half-dry are demi-sec.
• Dry: Dry is the opposite of sweet, and it occurs due to tannins.
• Earthy: This description refers to odors or flavors that resemble damp soil.
• Enology: Enology refers to the science of wine-making.
• Fermentation: As grapes ferment, they convert sugars to alcohol using yeast.
• Fining: Wine exhibiting particles might have egg whites or gelatin added to it to clear the liquid, known as fining.
• Finish: After swallowing wine, the impression of flavors and textures left in the mouth is known as the finish.
• Flavors: The mouth perceives odors as flavors.
• Foxy: Wine with a musty odor and flavor might be termed foxy.
• Fruity: Wine with strong smells and flavors of fresh fruit could be described as fruity.
• Full-bodied: A wine with much flavor and alcohol is often described as full-bodied.
• Herbaceous: If wine has flavors and odors of fresh herbs, it is described as herbaceous.
• Hot: Wine that is high in alcohol would be considered hot.
• Lees: During fermentation, sediment may accumulate that consists of grape pulp, seed, matter, and dead yeast cells, known as lees.
• Leesy: When wine rests on its lees, it will often become rich in aromas that may lead to tasters describing it as leesy.
• Length: Tasters note the length of time that flavors last in the mouth after swallowing wine.
• Malic acid: Malic acid is a tart-tasting acid present in grapes and some other fruits.
• Malolactic fermentation: This secondary fermentation involves a change from tartness to a creamy or smooth taste.
• Mature: Wine that is mature is ready to consume.
• Mouth feel: Tasters will describe how wine feels on the palate, perhaps furry, smooth, or rough.
• Must: Must is unfermented grape juice that has stems, seeds, and skins.
• Negociant: A negociant is a wholesale blender, merchant, or wine shipper.
• Noble rot: Noble rot is another term for botrytis.
• Nose: A taster might use this term to describe a wine's aroma.
• Oak: A wine described as oaky might have flavors and aromas such as coconut, mocha, vanilla, or dill, which develop during barrel aging.
• Oenology: Oenology, also called enology, is the science of wine-making.
• Open: A wine that is ready to drink is known as open.
• Oxidation: When wine is exposed to oxygen, oxidation occurs.
• Phenolic compounds: Grape skins and seeds contain phenolic compounds.
• Phylloxera: This tiny insect attacks grape roots and kills the plants.
• Plonk: This British slang term refers to low-quality wine.
• Rough: An astringent wine might be described as having a rough sensation in the mouth.
• Sec: Sec is a French term for dry.
• Sommelier: A sommelier is a wine professional.
• Spicy: A wine might be described as spicy if it has black pepper, curry, oregano, rosemary, saffron, paprika, or other spicy odors and flavors.
• Structure: A taster might refer to a wine's structure, which includes the harmony or its tannins, acidity, alcohol, and fruit.
• Sweet: Wine with perceptible sugar content will be described as sweet.
• Tannins: Tannins present in wine will create a dry and bitter taste in the mouth.
• Tartaric acid: Tartaric acid is the main acid in grapes.
• Terroir: A specific vineyard will have unique characteristics, known as terroir.
• Texture: Texture describes how a wine feels in the mouth.
• Typicity: This word is used to describe how a wine expresses the characteristics of the grape variety.
• Ullage: As wine evaporates in barrels or bottles, the empty space is known as ullage.
• Vegetal: Some wines may have aromas and flavors termed as vegetal, which denote fresh or cooked vegetables.
• Vinification: Vinification is the process of winemaking.
• Vitis vinifera: More than 99 percent of the wines in the world come from the vitis vinifera grape species.
• Vintage: A wine's vintage is the year it is bottled.
• Weight: The sensation of wine on the palate may be described as having a thick weight.
• Wine: The fermented juice of grapes is wine.
• Yeast: Yeast is a microorganism that converts grape sugars to alcohol.
• Yield: A vineyard's productivity is its yield.
• Young: A young wine is an immature wine that is bottled and sold within one year of its vintage.

Additional Information About Wine and Wine-Making

• From Grape to Glass: The Wine-making Process
• Wine Storage: How To Build A Wine Cellar
• DIY Wine Racks For Home or Bar
• The History of Wine-Making
• Wine-Making Deconstructed (PDF)
• Five Myths of Wine-Making
• Basic Wine-Making Terms and Tips (PDF)
• Red Wine Crush and Fermentation (PDF)
• Guide to Making White Wine (PDF)
• Glossary of Terms (PDF)
• Wine-Making From Start to Finish
• Wine-Making for the Home Gardener (PDF)
• Five Stages of the Wine-Making Process
• Chardonnay Wine-Making Techniques (PDF)
• Fine Wine Takes Classic, Old-World Wine-Making (PDF)
• How Wine Is Made
• The Science of Red Wine

____________________________

Content approved by: Jim Deckebach