Wine Descriptors

WINE DESCRIPTIONS BODY • YEAST STYLE TANNIN ACIDITY ALCOHOL SPICE FRUIT FLOWER • HERB OAK & WHAT THEY MEAN INORGANIC • INORGANIC MINERALITY an undefinable rock-like character to wine with flavors other than fruit GRAPHITE a pencil-lead like aroma and taste found in fine red wines WET ASPHALT a wet-rock aroma found in white wines with moderate acidity WHITE FLOWERS lily, apple blossom and gardenia are found in aromatic white wines STYLE UNCTUOUS a textural description for wines with a soapy or oily feeling on the tongue VIOLET a floral aroma associated with fine red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon OILY JAMMY BITTER BARNYARD THIN O a textural description for a wine that slicks like oil in your mouth - often due to MLF (see 'CREAMY') bitter tannin is very intense and 'green' PERFUMED a wine made with ripe fruit with high alcohol a wine that has acidity but little substance a wine that smells like farmyard animals a highly aromatic wine, typically used to desribe white wine HARSH SMOKY CLIFF-EDGE PETROLEUM НОТ a wine that smells like smoke or camp fire tannin that dries out the taste of a wine LAVENDER your mouth a positive characteristic in fine aged Riesling a wine that has high alcohol disappears quickly a resinous floral aroma associated with wine originating in the South of France common in red wines AGGRESSIVE EARTHY HOLLOW PLASTIC BURN tannin that drowns out the other wine flavors a wine that has a distinct dirt-like aroma a wine with no ROSE mid palate taste a chemical-like aroma associated a positive floral aroma found in both red and white wines when the alcohol 'burns' the back of your throat GRIPPY O LEATHERY MELLOW O with high acidity white wine tannin that stick to the sides a wine that has smells like leather of your mouth TAR LEGS a wine without major intensity CITRUS BLOSSOM ANGULAR O O MUSKY a very strong burnt, resinous & woodsy smell in earthy full-bodied red wines wines with thick legs have more alcohol and/or residual sugar SHORT citrus blossom is found in white wines tannin that hits one spot a wine that smells richly of musk ox from Riesling to Chardonnay on your palate a wine with short lasting flavor GERANIUM POWERFUL O O FLESHY RUBBER a moderately strong resinous aroma found in both red and white wines SPICY a wine that tastes fruity and meaty at the same time AUSTERE O big tannins considered a wine fault at high levels due to improper winemaking the sensation of spice either from alcohol, acidity or grape a wine that's hard to drink O MUSKY COARSE tannins with a choppy grit, like course sand paper ACCESSIBLE DIESEL ANGULAR O an intense animalistic a wine that is easily sweaty spice flavor appreciated by drinkers a strong gasoline smell mostly associated with Australian Riesling a wine that has rough edges O BRIGHT OBRIGHT a wine with pronounced acidity LEATHERY O CLEAN delicate but earthy tannin often found on older wine a wine that doesn't have earthy or rustic flavors DELICATE O a wine with moderate O SMOKY SMOKY acidity perceived as spicy JAMMY a wine that is faintly bodied a burnt charcoal-like aroma usually associated with red wine a smoky oak flavor could be due to highly toasted oak barrels O DELICATE RIGID ASTRINGENT a wine with aggressive acidity and tannin PEPPER the fruit flavors in the the taste of pepper is from the grape variety aggressive tannins in the front of your mouth a wine that is faintly flavored ELEGANT O wine taste like jam STEMMY CHARCOAL O AUSTERE O ELEGANT a wine tastes light-bodied with high acidity RIPE ANISE MUSCULAR a negative bitter note usually on the finish a flavor commonly associated with red Bordeaux the wine is produced with very ripe grapes a variety characteristic of licorice a wine that's hard to drink due to acidity and low fruit aggressive chalky tannin, used to describe young wines a wine that has higher acidity LIGHT-BODIED SWEET TOBACCO JUICY O POLISHED a wine that is light on the palate STALKY CLOVE THIN FIRM a woodsy herbaceous bitter note on the finish of red wine a sweet resinous smell and flayor on the finish of an oaked wine a sweet woodsy flavor often attributed to oak aging a wine that has acidity but little substance persistent fine grained tannin a wine that tastes clean and well made used to describe young wines big on fruit but low FINESSE FINESSE a wine that has well CINNAMON LEAN STRUCTURED REFINED integrated acid & tannin VEGETAL TOASTY FLAMBOYANT a sweet spice noted in lighter bodied oak-aged red wines usually used to describe a white wine with low fruit & high acidity well-integrated but persistent fine-grained tannin a wine that tastes very clean CLOSED usually considered a negative 'earthy' quality on the finish of red wine a positive descriptor for highly oaked wines a wine that is very showy with fruit flavors O ANGULAR a wine that doesn't have much flavor but has tannin NUTMEG CHEWY FLESHY found in oak-aged reds & vintage sparkling wine when a wine's acidity and tannin hit focused points on your palate a tannin makes you want to chew it from the sides of your mouth POLISHED O CAT'S PEE SPICY a wine that tastes fruity and meaty at the same time SAFFRON RACY CHOCOLATE a negative tart acidic aroma associated with Sauvignon Blanc baking spices like clove, allspice, nutmeg are from oak aging a wine that tastes clean and well made an aroma from noble-rot in white wine such as Sémillon a wine with bracing acidity fine-grained smooth tannin with very little bite EXTRACTED COMPLEX ASPARAGUS CLOVE GINGER TART SILKY a complex oak aroma often found in European oak wine that is darker & richer than other wines made with the same grape a wine that keeps on delivering more interesting flavors a cooked aroma on white wines an aroma, sometimes from noble-rot, found in white wine fine-grained ultra-smooth tannins with very little bite a wine that tastes sour due to typically perceived as negative acidity and/or yeast (see 'SOUR') PLUMY FULL-BODIED GREEN NUTTY EDGY SMOOTH a big bold flavored wine a red wine with fresh plum flavors a richer wine with high acidity well integrated tannin also known as herbal, herbaceous a flavor that develops with long term aging in barrels or vintage sparkling wine TIGHT and leaf-like RED FRUIT NERVE ROUND a wine with high tannin that interferes with other flavors GRASSY COCONUT usually red fruit flavors indicate a lighter bodied wine another word for bracing acidity in wine smooth tannin with no bite the smell of fresh-cut grass associated with white wines like Grüner Veltliner often associated with oaked Chardonnay and American oak barrels OPULENT O FIRM O DARK FRUIT ZIPPY a wine with high tannin that dries your mouth out a lighter wine with very noticeable acidity more fruit than tannin STRAWBERRY SAGE CARAMEL "full bodied' red wines have more 'dark fruit' flavors POWERFUL O RASPBERRY ZESTY VELVETY a resinous and flowery herbal smell mostly in red wine a sweet aroma from aging wine in toasted oak barrels a bold wine with GRAPEY CHERRY a lighter wine with noticeable acidity very smooth tannin high intensity a wine that tastes more BLUEBERRY EUCALYPTUS VANILLA like grape juice LIVELY VOLUPTUOUS CONCENTRATED BLACKBERRY a mint-like resinous herbal smell associated with red wines from Australia flavor compound vanillan comes from oak a wine with bold fruit flavors, a lighter red or white wine with noticeable acidity more fruit than tannin BERRY moderate acidity and tannin possible berry flavors found mostly in red wine FRESH SUPPLE DENSE JALAPEÑO BUTTERY- LIME well integrated tannin a wine with moderate acidity; often used to describe young wines a wine with bold fruit flavors and moderate tannin. a fresh spicy aroma found mostly in Sauvignon Blanc an aroma compound diacetyl from oak which is easy to identify in white wines CASSIS LEMON (aka 'black currant') a very earthy fruit CRISP SOFT O OPULENT O ORANGE DILL O O DILL a wine with refreshing and high acidity lower tannin GRAPEFRUIT a bold wine with smooth tannins and lower acidity a complex aroma found in red wine CITRUS an herbaceous oak aroma CITRUS ZEST YEAST commonly associated with American oak DELICATE MELLOW O RICH citrus flavors found a wine that's may have heightened acidity but light on tannin and fruit mostly in white/rosé wine little tannin, not abrasive SOUR a wine saturated with fruit flavors BELL PEPPER CREAMY an aroma in both red and white wine associated with a chemical compound group called pyrazines STONE FRUIT OSOFT SPINELESS a taste sensation similar to sour cream due to yeast flavors EXTRACTEDO similar to 'BUTTERY but also is a texture APRICOT possible strone fruit flavors found mostly in white/rosé wine lack of tannin makes wine a wine with less strong tasting acidity CHEESY due to Malolactic NECTARINE taste weak a wine that is darker and richer Fermentation (MLF) than most wines in its style GOOSEBERRY FLABBY O mostly a white wine aroma that adds a savory character TROPICAL FRUIT PEACH OFLABBY FLABBY a sweet herbal flavor found in Sauvignon Blanc lack of tannin makes weak a wine with very low acidity possible tropical fruit flavors found mostly in white/rosé wine BISCUIT a wine that is very low acidity wine FALLEN OVER noted in aged sparkling wines as yeast breaks down over time QUINCE MELON BANANA FAT a wine that no longer has acidity due to age CREAMY a juicy and sweet fruit flavor in white wines a wine with fruit but a green and tart fruit with astringent qualities PINEAPPLE a taste in red and some white wine due to Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) no acidity or tannin LYCHEE FLAT APPLE a wine with no acidity BUTTERY WINE COCONUT a very common aroma found in white wine while most buttery sensations are due to oak aging, the textural oily feeling on a white wine is from MLF WineFolly (FOLLY This is just the tip of the iceberg, keep exploring! © 2013, by winefolly.com http://shop.winefolly.com/products/wine-descriptors-guide Learn BY DrInKiNG. HERB OAK FLOWER FRUIT SPICE ALCOHOL ACIDITY wine descriptions can be divided into ELEVEN CATEGORIES NINNVI BODY