Useful wine terms and wine tasting words you need to learn. A wine tasting term for a wine that produces a prominent, yet not excessive, acidic impression on the palate. Selecting a wine you like is easy when you can correctly pronounce wine names, use appropriate terms to describe wine, decode wine names, and approach the selecting process with confidence. Viognier french whitewine grape variety most common in the rhone valley of france and california.
The list is a group effort by some of our favorite sommeliers and. Vinous tasting descriptive for winelike, winey qualities. In this wine dictionary, you can find the most important wine terms and their definitions. Tasting term, usually indicating a wine with high or excessive acidity or tannin. Have you ever gone to dinner or just out for drinks with your friends and ordered a glass of wine or a bottle, if youre like me and then listened to your friends rant and rave about the different qualities of the wine that theyre drinking. Whether youre reading tasting notes and wine ratings from wine experts, visiting wineries and tasting wine yourself, or simply talking wine with other wine lovers, its helpful to understand the terms that are used in wine tasting. Living substance responsible for the production of the enzymes that. How to taste wine hundreds to thousands of flavor compounds distinguish one wine from the next and make tasting each wine its own experience. It is a key element of the traditional method of making sparkling wine, such as champagne. No matter how strange the words seem to you, in order to properly communicate with a group of wine tasters, you have to have an elementary understanding of the terms. We are the advisors of choice for privately held middle market companies. English and spanish descriptors in wine tasting terminology. Some grapes used for wine have a particularly bitter sensation.
It is like saying that a rattlesnake meat tastes like chicken. Aroma the primary smell of a young, unevolved wine, consisting of the odors of the grape juice. Vintage indicates the season, the year the grapes were grown and the wine was made. In addition to differences in how people interpret wine tasting, the term taste has. But jody bogle of bogle vineyards in clarksburg helps take the mystery out of some popular terms. The midpalate is the middle of the wine tasting sensation that takes place after the initial taste and the finish. Pdf the aim of the present study was to investigate the concept of complexity in wine as a function of domainspecific expertise. Glossary of wine terms dictionary find below a glossary, ordered from a to z, of the most commonly unknown or misunderstood wine terms that are very frequently used by wine professionals and connoisseurs. Too much acid moves the wine into negative territory, on a continuum of harsh to downright sour. Our wine glossary has more than 150 wine terms defined, ensuring youll soon master the language of wine.
This is the mustread wine dictionary from the top wine school. Dessert wines can be described as both sweet and tart if the residual sugars and acids are in balance. Typical of many ordinary mass market wines, especially whites e. Wine mergers, llc is a california based mergers and acquisitions advisory firm. A compound found in all grapes and an essential component of wine that helps with preservation, and shapes its flavors plus creates and controls its aftertaste. When you start to explore wine, youll discover theres an entire category of wine terminology, and this is true of wine tasting as well. Bordeaux blend a wine made from bordeaux grape varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and. Definitions viticulture the science and business of growing wine grapes vigneron cultivator of grape vines wine maker vitis vinifera wine grape genusspecies enology.
This is the point in time where the majority of the flavors are released and experienced. The lifted fruity ester aromas combine with the savouri. Only resolutions adopted by the member states of th e oiv have an official statute. I liken the joining a tasting group experience to being a. The guide to hosting a wine tasting the grape varieties guide a tasting guide. Wine writers differentiate wine tasters from casual enthusiasts. Swish, or roll, the wine around in your mouth to bring the liquid into. So, if you encounter terms whose definition doesnt ring a bell for you, dont worry. You know what wines you like but how do you describe them. Wine terms explained in our comprehensive wine glossary. The name for champagne made entirely from red grapes, either pinot noir or pinot meunier, or both. It imparts characteristics in a wine such as richness and creaminess as well as aromas of bread dough, toast or brioche. Our wine glossary is an informative resource of key wine terms. Creamy wine tasting term describing wines with a silky and smooth mouth feel.
We created this glossary of wine terminology for all wine lovers, especially our wine students. Casca a spanish word that is used to describe husks and skins. Pdf on mar 1, 2018, qian janice wang and others published wine. Only use one wordphrase once and write it as it is in the text. We specialize in transactions based in the wine industry. There is no right or wrong way to interpret our impressions when we taste. Wines that are highly astringent have a high level of tannins, acids, or a combination of both. Glossary of terms used in the process of making wine 052920. Interestingly, she points out that many of them involve using anatomical attributes to describe wines.
The use of wine tasting descriptors allows the taster to qualitatively relate the aromas and flavors that the taster experiences and can be used in assessing the overall quality of wine. Introduction to understanding wine and wine terminology. Wine making glossary and definitions winemakers depot. Going into the tasting room of a winery can be daunting at first, especially if youre not familiar with wine terminology. A tasting term often used by wine judges to describe wines with unpleasant, but ill defined off odors or flavors. Glossary of tasting terms aftertaste the flavor that lingers in your mouth after you swallow the wine. A wine tasting term meaning the wine leaves the mouth feeling overwhelmingly dry. Acidity, in the right proportion, provides a refreshing, dry taste and is central to overall balance. Wine tasting terms and what they really mean wine enthusiast. Wine glossary of terms, wine dictionary, wine definitions. Aftertaste sensations which remain after a wine is swallowed composed of aromas and tastes. Not to be confused though it often is with dionysus, who was the greek god of wine before the age of rome.
Below is a definitiondescription of each of the wordsphrases in bold from the above text. Glossary of wine terms dictionary social vignerons. Brush up on these words, and youll be moving past sweet and dry in no time so that when you go wine tasting again. Wine terminology wine tasting terms glossary wine of. Perceived in the taste of the wine as a level of tartness, acidity is a naturally component consisting of mainly tartaric acid, at about 0. Basic wine tasting termsaacetic this describes wine which smells andor tastes of vinegar. You will have to provide your own wine but this small package should cover the rest. The glossary of wine terms lists the definitions of many general terms used within the wine industry. These are the same forms that are used in our wine tasting notebooks.
Wine glossary of terms, wine dictionary, wine definitions, wine words. The wine tasting terminology used by pros can sound like a secret language. The wine tasting society is full of strange terms, like tannin, modernized, p onderous and even cloying. Print the pdf version for a printable copy of the most common wine terminology to use at your next wine tasting. All wines naturally contain acid, but it should always be in harmony with the other flavors. Glossary of wine terminology wine terms wine dictionary.
A handson tasting experience in a winerys barrel room is the perfect way to get upclose and personal with the winemaker. Tasting wine from a barrel also gives you some understanding, and appreciation, for the transformation it will go through before making it to the bottle. Some of the smells most often found in wine, with the wine types most frequently responsible for them. This alphabetical list is a guide to the words most commonly used by us professionals often with a blithe lack of precision in connection with both the flavours and the dimensions of wine. Tasting term used to indicate a wine with many different layers of flavours and sensations.
The wine tasting experience examines appearance, aroma and taste. One of the basic savors in wine, providing crispness, vitality and sharpness. Wine tasting terms can be confusing to those of you who are learning how to taste wine. Acid is necessary for wines to age and gives it a lively, crisp quality. A french hybrid wine variety, used primarily in the eastern u. Glossary of wine terminology the ultimate wine dictionary. A group of bacteria that convert wine to vinegar ethanol into acetic acid through an aerobic oxygen present fermentation. Find out the meanings of those words used to describe winery and winemaking actions as well as methods and terms. Glossary of terms used in the process of making wine.
Its easy to become confused by all the different wine terminology. Learn key wine terminology, tips on how to taste wine, and see tasting notes and common descriptors for the most popular wine varietals. For terms specific to viticulture, winemaking, grape varieties, and wine tasting, see the topic specific list in the see also section below. For those who identify with the latter, this glossary of wine tasting terms will get your vocabulary off to a roaring start. Now fill in the blanks with one of these wordsphrases in bold. French term for the grape varieties used to blend a wine. The practice of combining different grape varieties andor lots of wine to yield a. If you attend wine tastings or read a wine magazine you will experience all sorts of new descriptors for how to describe wine aromas and flavors. We explore common wine descriptions and break down what these words really mean. Sure, everyone likes to drink the stuff, but ask people to differentiate varietals and regions, or certainly aromas and tastes, and thats. Wine tasting and winemaking have their own language. Yes, for most folks, wine, or rather, processing wine talk, is equivalent to the rigors of learning a second language. Learn how to use wine tasting terms the right way to get the wine you want. The length of the aftertaste is perhaps the single most reliable indicator of wine quality.
It was the talk of the grand tasting at last years taste washington. Bruce and pam boring, founders, the california wine club. Wine tasting terms sound like a wine pro with these wine. You can print it out as many times as you like so theres no need to. In terms of the actual tasting experience, schlich and colleagues 2015. Glossary of wine terms, their definition and meaning, ordered from a to z.
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