Glossary, Directory, Vocabulary, Nomenclature, Lexicon: Tasting terms, wine terminology

Acetic (or Acescence)
All wines contain a certain proportion of acetic acid - (ie: vinegar). Normally insignificant (less than 0.10% content) they may even enhance flavour.

Acetic acid

This volatile acid is one that contributes to the acidity of a wine. In excess it produces a vinegary taste.

Acidity
Term used to express the total acid content of the wine. Acidity is the quality that gives wine its crispiness and vitality. It provides a refreshing sensation in white wines, and balance in reds. Its absence makes a wine dull and 'flabby'. The acids referred to are acetic, malic, tartaric, lactic, citric and carbonic.

Aftertaste
A tasting term used in relation to the sensation of flavor left on the palate after wine has been swallowed. The aftertaste may be harsh, hot, short, smooth, soft and lingering, tannic, or nonexistent. It is often used as an indicator of the quality of the wine.

Age / Aged
As they age, wines tend to turn from purple (for reds) / yellowish (for whites) hue to a brick red / deep golden-orange colour as they age. If the wine colour has deepened into a distinctly brown-orange tint at the edge it indicates a wine past its peak and possibly declining.

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Aging barrel
A barrel used to age wine. Wine aged in new oak barrels takes on some of the compounds in the barrel, such as vanillin and wood tannins. After 3 or 4 years, most of a barrel's flavor compounds have been leached out and it is well on its way to becoming "neutral."

Alcohol
Usually refers to ethanol, a chemical compound found in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is a strongly-smelling, colorless, volatile liquid formed by the fermentation of sugars by yeast. It's presence is measured in percent volume.

Alcoholic fermentation
The alcoholic fermentation of yeast upon sugar results in its conversion to ethyl alcohol, with carbon dioxide. Alcoholic fermentation can have a significant effect on the style of wine produced. The process will cease either when all the sugar has been consumed, or more likely when the increasing alcohol content of the fermenting solution kills the yeast.

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Angel's share
The portion of a wine in an aging barrel that is lost to evaporation.

Angular
The effect of dominant, tart-edged flavours in some young wines.

Anthocyanin
Anthocyanins are phenolic pigments that give red wine its colour according to pH.

A.O.C. (French term)
Abbreviation for French "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée", which is a geographical-based term used to identify where the a wine was grown.

Appley
A tasting term often referring to the flavours of a dry white wine.

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Aroma
The smell of a wine. Usually refers to the particular smell of a grape variety.

Ascescence
It relates to the presence of acetic acid or ethyl acetate and is detected by a sweet and sour taste along with a sharp feeling on the palate.

Astringent
A tasting term for wines that have a rough taste with high tannin content.

Attack (see also light, thin below)
A tasting term for the initial impact of a wine in the mouth.

Austere
A tasting term for dominant, tart-edged flavours, dry, relatively hard and acidic wines that seem to lack roundness.

More about the grape varietals and the Bordeaux wine region

Winemega's tasting notes by chateau

Tasting tips: a sommeliere writes about advanced wine topics

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