Speaking the Language of Wine
If you enjoy wine, you’ve probably noticed that people who really enjoy wine have a language all their own. They talk about “legs” and “noses” and use all sorts of strange descriptive words for wine. But learning to describe wine more precisely isn’t just a way to sound cool; it actually enhances your enjoyment and understanding of what you’re drinking.
This guide will help you build your wine vocabulary so you can communicate more accurately, whether you’re talking to a sommelier or just trying to explain to a friend what you like (or don’t like) about a particular bottle.
We’ll cover everything from basic characteristics like acidity and tannins to more nuanced flavors and aromas, giving you the tools you need to articulate your sensory experience and deepen your appreciation for wine.
Foundational Wine Characteristics: Describing the Basics
If you’re going to describe a wine, it helps to have a basic understanding of the terms that wine professionals use. Here are a few:
Acidity
Acidity is the tartness or sourness of a wine. It’s an important element in the structure of the wine. High acidity can make a wine taste crisp and refreshing, while low acidity can make it taste flat or flabby.
For example, you might say, “The Sauvignon Blanc’s bright acidity made it incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day.”
Tannins
Tannins are naturally occurring compounds that create a drying or astringent feeling in your mouth. You’ll find them mostly in red wines. Descriptors range from “big” and “chewy” to “soft” and “round.” Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Nebbiolo are examples of tannic red wines.
Body
Body is the perceived weight or fullness of a wine in your mouth. You’ll often hear wines described as light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied. For instance, you could say, “The Chardonnay was full-bodied, coating my palate with its rich and creamy texture.”
Sweetness
Sweetness refers to the amount of residual sugar in the wine, ranging from bone dry to lusciously sweet.
Unlocking Aromas: Describing a Wine’s Bouquet
When you swirl a glass of wine under your nose, you’re trying to get a sense of its “bouquet,” which is the overall impression the wine gives in terms of aroma. These aromas can be divided into three categories:
Primary Aromas
These are the aromas that come directly from the kind of grape used to make the wine. For example, you might notice fruity scents, like berries, citrus, or stone fruits. Or you might detect floral notes, such as rose or violet. Some wines have an herbal aroma, like grass or mint.
Secondary Aromas
Secondary aromas develop during the winemaking process, especially during fermentation. These might include yeasty smells, buttery notes (from malolactic fermentation), or nutty aromas.
Tertiary Aromas
These aromas evolve as the wine ages, both in oak barrels and in the bottle. Some common tertiary aromas are vanilla, spice, tobacco, cedar, earthy notes, and leather. For example, you might say, “The Pinot Noir’s aroma was rich with notes of cherry and a hint of tobacco.”
Common Aroma Descriptors
Besides the specific aromas mentioned above, here are a few other terms you might use to describe a wine’s bouquet:
- Bouquet
- Hint of
- Cigar box
- Herbaceous
- Mineral/minerality
Decoding Flavors: A Palate of Possibilities
One of the things that makes wine tasting so interesting is the sheer variety of flavors you might encounter. Here’s a quick guide to some of the most common descriptors:
Fruit Flavors
- Red Fruit: Cherry, raspberry, plum, cranberry
- Black Fruit: Blackberry, black currant, black cherry
- Stone Fruit: Peach, apricot, nectarine
- Citrus Fruit: Lemon, lime, grapefruit
- Tropical Fruit: Pineapple, mango, passionfruit
Non-Fruit Flavors
- Earthy: Like soil, mushrooms, or a forest floor. “The Bordeaux had a pleasant earthy quality, reminiscent of fresh soil and truffles.”
- Spicy: Pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg
- Herbal: Mint, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary
- Mineral: Flint, chalk, slate. “The Chablis was minerally, with a refreshing crisp, almost saline quality.”
- Oaky: Vanilla, toast, caramel, smoke. “The Chardonnay’s oaky notes of vanilla and butter complemented its full-bodied texture perfectly.”
Descriptors of Flavor Intensity and Quality
Beyond the specific flavors, you’ll also want to describe the overall impression the wine makes. Here are some useful terms:
- Bright
- Buttery
- Creamy
- Dry
- Elegant
- Flamboyant
- Fruit-forward
- Jammy
- Oxidized
- Racy
- Savory
- Silky
- Smokey
- Spicy
- Tart
- Toasty/oaked
- Unctuous
- Unoaked
- Vanilla
- Zesty
And don’t forget to describe the intensity! “The Malbec’s flavor intensity was powerful, making it a perfect match for the hearty steak.”
Beyond Taste and Smell: Texture and Structure
When describing wine, it’s easy to focus solely on the flavors and aromas. But a wine’s texture and structure are just as important in creating the overall experience.
Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel refers to how the wine feels in your mouth. Descriptors include words like:
- Angular
- Approachable
- Balanced
- Crisp
- Dense
- Flabby
- Supple
- Velvety
As Wine Folly puts it, “An angular wine is like having a triangle in your mouth – it hits specific points with high impact and not others.”
Finish
The finish is the lingering sensation and flavors that remain after you swallow the wine. A long finish is usually considered a sign of quality.
For example, you might say, “The Shiraz had a long finish, leaving a lingering hint of pepper and dark chocolate on my palate.”
Legs
The legs are the streaks that form on the inside of the wine glass after you swirl it. They indicate the alcohol content and viscosity of the wine.
You might comment, “The Zinfandel had thick legs, indicating its high alcohol content.”
The Influence of Terroir and Aging on Descriptive Vocabulary
Two key factors that shape a wine’s character and, consequently, the words we use to describe it are terroir and aging.
Terroir
Terroir refers to the environmental factors – soil, climate, topography, even the surrounding vegetation – that give a wine its unique characteristics. It’s why a grape grown in one region tastes different when grown in another. Think of it as the wine’s sense of place.
The influence of terroir on wine characteristics can be dramatic. A Merlot from Napa Valley, for example, might be described as having rich, ripe plum and chocolate notes, while a French Merlot from Bordeaux could be characterized by its earthy, herbaceous, and slightly more restrained fruit profile. Same grape, totally different expression thanks to terroir.
Aging
Aging, both in the bottle and in oak barrels, significantly alters a wine’s aromas, flavors, and tannins. Over time, wines develop what are known as tertiary aromas – complex notes that evolve beyond the primary fruit characteristics. Tannins, the compounds that give wine its structure and astringency, also soften with age, leading to a smoother mouthfeel.
Oak aging, in particular, imparts distinct flavors like vanilla, spice, and toast, adding layers of complexity to the wine’s profile.
Key Takeaways
Describing wine is about more than just saying “I like it” or “I don’t.” It’s about using a rich vocabulary to capture the wine’s appearance, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. It’s about identifying notes of fruit, spice, flowers, earth, and oak. And it’s about communicating those observations to others.
To become a better wine taster, you need to practice. Taste wine regularly, keep a wine journal to record your impressions, attend wine tastings, and consider joining a wine club.
The more you taste and the more you learn to describe what you’re tasting, the more you’ll enjoy wine. And the better you’ll be able to share your enjoyment with others.