"The
value of a winetaster does not depend only in his sensitivity
as a receptive instrument, nor on his capacity to recognize
scents, tastes and to appreciate their harmony. It also depends
on his ability to describe his impressions." Emile Peynaud.
Le Gout Du Vin.
A. Acetic
- vinegary smell, sharp overtart on the palate. A vinegary condition
resulting from the action of aceto-bacter, harmful ferments
that attack wine left in open unfilled bottle or carboy.
Acetone
- high toned estery aroma, connected with the ethyl ester acetate
or with nail varnish -like amyl acetate.
Acid/acidity
- on the nose and a mouth watery refreshing character, sometimes
like raw cooked apples. Detectable on the tongue, giving the
wine a crispness and zing. The right sort of natural acidity
is an essential component of sound wine. It acts as a natural
preservative. Youthful acidity tends to mellow with age.
Aftertaste
- the internal bouquet that sometimes remains in the throat
and usually what is poetically referred to as a 'lingering fairwell.'
Alcohol
- an essential component, binding and preserving. In the pure
form the higher alcohols, amyl and butyl have an unpleasant,
throat catching odour. Ethanol presents in its pure form a burning
sensation. However, diluted as in wine, alcohol is scarcely
detectable on the nose though it can be assessed by its weight
in the mouth. Cumulatively well known in its effects on the
head of the imbibber.
Aroma
- the part of the smell of wine derived from the grape. As opposed
to bouquet which is derived from the development of the wine
in the bottle or barrel.
B. Baked
- an earthy hot smell produced by grapes that are shivelled
and burnt due to damaging sunshine and shortness of rainfall.
Beefy
- a character that is muscular in extract, alcohol and tannin.
Big
- a character that contains vital elements not just heavy with
alcohol.
Bitterness
- it is detected on the back of the tongue and is usually unpleasant.
Bitterness can be imparted by colouring substances. Polyphenols
that are extracted from dirty contaminated wooden barrels that
contain oxidized wine may add to the bitterness. Dirty wooden
barrels may harbour bacterial diseases. Unless you clean and
CARE for your wooden barrels you may experience a disenchanting
variety of flora and fauna. Stay away from "traditional"
backyard wineries.
Body
- a weight sensed in the mouth due to alcoholic content and
other physical components. This character arises from the quality
of the vintage and its geographical origin.
Botrytis
- a short form for Botrytis cinerea also known as noble
rot. It is a condition encouraged to develop on the skins of
grapes in Sauternes and the highest vineyards in Germany during
the delayed autumn harvest. When Botrytis is found on the grapes
they are shriveled and their water content is reduced. With
this, the sugar content increases and the effect on the palate
and nose is akin to honey.
Bottle
age - a hard to describe entity. Usually more pronounced
earlier in bulk aged wines, (in containers stainless, wooden
or otherwise that are larger than 100 litres). However, when
bottles are left for substantial periods of time a definite
softness and slight oxidation occurs. Usual time for such a
transformation from Heurige wines can be between 18 and 36 months.
Bouquet
- the pleasant and characteristic smell of wine. In a nutshell
it is a smell created by the wine's own development. Esters
and aldehydes are formed by the eventual oxidation of weak fruit
acids and alcohols.
C. Caramel
- a burnt, almondy toffee-like flavour and taste. It is
very predominant among all wines made from concentrate. It is
due to the rigorous and extreme conditions created by the standard
concentration process. Some of the producers creatively mask
this condition with various mystery packages found in "kits".
A characteristic of madiera and marsala.
Carbon
dioxide- It is a natural by-product of the yeast metabolism.
It is responsible for the sparkle in champagne and spritzers.
Character
- a wine that has distinct varietal attributes and features.
Clean
- absense of foreign and unpleasant odours. May lack complexity.
Cloudy
- the appearance of a wine with a colloidal haze and particulate
matter.
Common
- Lacking breed but nonetheless drinkable.
Complex
- The juxtaposition of several bouquets. In some cases it may
refer to nonolfactory sensations not easily described or put
into text.
Corked
or corky - the undesirable smell of a few bottled wines.
A putrid odour from a cork of rare or unknown origin. Next,
it may be due to cork tannins which may be present soon after
corking. The most common is mousey or mouldy odours which are
blamed on poorly stored corks. The mouldiness is extracted slowly
during the again the the wine due to its periodic expansion
and contraction. Penicillium multiclour, P. frequentans,
P. velutina are implicated.
Crisp
- a desirable characteristic is white wines, firm, balanced,
refreshing, proper straw colour (not oxidized), and decent acidity.
A well rounded white wine.
D. Deep
- an adjective that needs to be properly clarified; deep-coloured;
deep bouquet; depth of flavour - opposite to superficial. This
term indicates a state of multiple layers in the modified noun.
Delicate
- some charm and a common balance in a basic quality wine.
Depth
- richness, that is subtle; again layers of flavour seemingly
interlocked.
Developed
- a maturity stage for a wine; underdeveloped, well developed
(mature, balanced, rounded), over developed (past its prime).
Dry
- Absence of sweet taste; that is, of wines with less than about
1% sugar per weight. Consumers tend to prefer sweet to dry wines
if they do not know that they are sweet. Definitions as "bone
dry," "chalk dry," "medium dry," steely
dry," or "flint," should be avoided.
Dull
- the appearance of wine with a coloidal haze. Less than cloudy
and more than clear.
Dusty
- an evocative cellar-like smell; possibly high tannic content.
E. Earthy
- An unpleasant aroma perceived when warmed in the mouth upon
tasting. It is difficult to properly describe. How much of this
phenomenon is soil, climate, time of harvest, processing, or
microbial in origin is not known.
Eggs,
rotten - hydrogen sulphite H2S disagreeable but harmless.
Clearly illustrates a need for proper disinfection and rinsing
procedures.
Elegant
- stylish balance and refined quality.
Estery
- high-toned acetone smell. Smell is very similar to nail polish
remover. It is an ester which is formed from the condensation
reaction of an organic acid (COOH group) and an alcohol (OH
group).
Eucalyptus
- descriptive, analogous, spicy bouquet associated with certain
TOP-quality cabernet sauvignons. Some fine Bordeaux clarets
may have this spicy bouquet.
F. Faded
- oxidation on the nose, it is noticeable in acetaldehyde.
More or less the same as the French evente. Over the hill is
a poetic further stage.
Fat
- a full body, high in glycerol and other complex biochemical
components.
Fermentation
or fermenting - the yeasty odour of newly finished wines.
Filter
- Use of too much clarifying agents (gelatine, egg white, albumin,
Sparkalloid, kieselsol, bentonite, skim milk, Isinglass, Casein,
ox blood, agar - agar, carbon, PVPP [polyvinylpolypirrolidone]),
as filter aids; may give a slight odour and off taste to the
wine when first filtered.
Fine
- an all encompassing expression for very high quality. Perheps
the most overused word in the wine business.
Finish
(farewell taste) - the end taste. Wines of quality must
have a good end to be considered such. Usually indicates a firm,
crisp and distintive end. The opposite, a short or poor finish,
will be watery, and the tail end will terminate with an inconclusiveness.
Leaves you with a "so what?!" feeling.
Firm
- implies a sound constitution and balance, positive in the
mouth.
Flat
- (not an apartment) Lack of the astringent taste of proper
acid content. Such wines are not only defective in taste, but
also defective in colour and nose. Conditions comes from using
low acid grapes, excessive malolactic fermentation over correction
of high acidity, over chaptalization and in some cases an over
generous hand with the water hose. Also used for those sparkling
wines that have lost their carbonation.
Flavour
- a term which covers not only the palate sensation but also
the olfactory sense when the wine is in the mouth and swished.
Flowery
- used for the floral bouquet of many young wines. It is 2-phenethanol
with a rose-like smell. Generally associated with young wines
of high total acidity and low pH.
Foxy
- a complex of odours found in grapes of Vitis labrusca
and its hybrids. Methyl and ethyl anthranilate and other biochemical
compounds are involved. Many pioneering New World settlers found
a tolerance for this entity. Nothing, of quality, was indigenously
available to vinify. Does not imply an animal fut relates the
wild or "fox" grapes as mentioned.
Fruitiness
or fruity - the grapelike flavour and taste, particularily
of young wines of high acidity. A wine which is refreshing.
Lack of fruitiness is DEPLORABLE! Not necessarily a grapey aroma.
Full
(bodied) - see Body .
Fusel
- a highly characteristic and generally obnoxious odors of the
so-called higher alcohols (butyl, propyl, amyl, isoamyl, etc).
Not found in table wines of quality. However, a moderate amount
is tolerated and seemingly appreciated in some Portuguese ports.
G. Gasey
- the taste and tactile (and often visual and even auditory),
sensations of carbon dioxide escaping from a wine.
Geranium
- The highly undesirable odour arising from bacterial activity
in wines containing sorbic acid. The perpetrating compound is
usually 2-ethoxy-hexa-3,5 diene.
Grapey
- a rich muscatelle-like aroma produced by certain grape varities,
including muscatelle itself and crossings extactly like the
Scheurebe and Morio Muskat, that we carry in our pure fresh
grape juice inventory.
Grassy
- it is a characteristic aroma of wines that are produced from
sauvignon blanc grapes.
Green
- the nose of wines made from unripened grapes. Associated with
a high acid bitterly sour or highly astringent taste. Connected
with leaf alcohol and leaf aldehyde.
Grip
- a firm and ever present combination of physical characteristics.
It is the opposite to flabbiness and spinelessness.
Gritty
- coarse texture and tactile sensation on the taste buds in
the mouth
H. Hard
- could endorse a tactile or taste sense. Usually an overprominence
of tannin and or metallic elements.
Harsh
- a term saved for wines with unusually high tannin, young
French, or some backyard concoctions "blended" with
acetic acid.
Heady
- a wine that is high in alcohol, usually greater than 13.0%
Hearty
- traditional description for red wines, those that are robust,
zestful, warm and possibly alcoholic.
Hollow
- a wine with a decent beginning and end, but nothing to carry
it in the middle-flavour.
Hydrogen
Sulphide - H2S, the tell tale smell of rotten
eggs. The identity of the other sulfides and mercaptans may
not be known inconjuction with this compound. Indicates a lack
of cleanliness and sterility during vinification.
I. Inky
- an unpleasant, metalo-tin taste due to the presence of tannate
of iron, a reaction between tannin and iron. The iron usually
presents itself in the form of a nail in wooden barrel or iron
filings in inproperly washed equipment. Tannate of iron can
be found in variety of inks.
Insipid
- lacking flavour and any recognizable taste. Such a wine is
said to lack a soul or character.
L. Legs
- an English term for liquid globules which run down the sides
of the glass after the wine is swirled in the glass. These legs
are also referred to as "tears." These phenomena are
indicative of a rich wine.
Lemon
- Overtones of lemon. These overtones may be present on some
fine but young white Hermitage wines.
Limpid
- clear in appearance
Light
- a lower degree of alcohol ( under 12 G.L.). May be correlated
with a lack of body. This is a desirable characteristic of some
wines like the young beaujolais and Mosel-Saar-Ruwer wines.
Lively
- an explicit term. The term refers to a fresh, youthful wine;
or an old wine with fresh and youthful characteristics.
Long
- a flavour which may linger on the tongue and in the mouth;
traditionally used to describe wines of quality.
M. Maceration carbonique - a method
of winemaking using the "whole fruit" principle which
involves the fermentation of the must with the entire grape
components. Results can be pleasant at best and at worst, tinny
and very sharp. This technique can be used to further extract
colour from grapes which are red.
Maderized
- the heavy flat smell of an over-mature, oxidized white wine.
One may also observe a colour change from light straw to an
amber colour much like an ale. May also give the sensation of
being baked or burnt.
Mature
- maturity of the wine may be a highly sought component depending
on the varietal and the winemakers attempted iteration. Wines
vary enormously in make-up and take anything from a matter of
months to a few years to reach maturity. Maturity is a highly
subjective entity that can be detected by the palate and nose
but is usually dictated by either one's own personal experience
with a particular varietal or by the specific wineries' recommendations
for peak aging times.
Meaty
- a heavy, rich almost chewable quality of some read wines.
Mellow
- soft, limpid. No rough edges or astringent properties. this
charateristic is usally appropriated to wines that have reached
maturity.
Mercaptan
- a sour, unpleasant rubbery smell indicating deterioration
in wines. It can be attributed to breakdown of sulfur containing
compounds used for wine preservation.
Mouldy
- a totally undesirable flavour imparted by rotten or substandard
grapes, stale unclean wooden barrels and poorly stored corks,
etc.
Mousey
- smell and taste, flat yet acetic. this smell is an indication
of bacteriological disease involving acetamide and acrolein.
It primarily occurs when the malolactic fermentation attacks
tartaric acid, producing lactic acid, acetic acid, carbon dioxide,
and the characteristic odour.
Musty
- a term used primarily by connoisseurs to describe a smell
that is off but not mouldy. Can be attributed to poor cask care
or low grade improperly stored corks.
N. Neutral
- a wine lacking distinctive flavour or odour. A common
feature of most blended wines and wines from sources where the
true varietal cannot be reliably singled out, as in "Blancs
de blancs"
Noble
- indicates stature and breed, a wine with impeccable varietal
characteristics and elegance.
Nose
- a broad term for the bouquet, aroma, or smell of the wine.
Nutty
- an ambiguous term that is best left untouched. Some claim
it to be an indicator of old tawny port which has a distinct
smell of cobnuts.
O. Oak
- an important component, in the make up of fine wines. Oak
casks or the 'barrick' is simply a wooden barrel made from one
of several species of oak tree. Such names as limousin, vogues,
american are well known to professional and amateur winemakers.
In the well made wine it is present in a pleasently detectable
manner, in the nose and palate. The wine extracts vanillins,
syringaldehyde, and related phenolics derived from the lignin
as it ages in the barrel. About 0.6-0.7% of the total weight
of the dry wood can be extracted initially. A certain amount
of oxidation also takes place as air passes through the staves
of the barrel, thereby aiding the hydrolysis of lignin to release
more of the fragrant substances during aging. One can mimmick
this vanillin extraction by adding oak chips to wine stored
in stainless steel or in glass. But the oxidization effect is
lost because glass or steel does not allow air to pass freely
in and out of the wine. However, too much of this component
can become undesirable or off putting and can be hiding other
flaws in the wine.
Off
- an undesirable odour, not as much flavour. Can be indicative
of a disease process in the wine. One should try to further
describe this sensation and place it. i.e. geranium (the highly
undesirable odour arising from bacterial activity in wines containing
sorbic acid. The perpetrating compound is usually 2-ethoxy-hexa-3,5
diene).
Old
- can be a factual statement based on the age of the wine or
can describe the state of the wine in the tasters' palate. Can
imply a breakdown of the components in the wine.
Olfactory
- a sensation to do with smell and its perception registered
by the olfactory neurons of the brain. Also the name of cranial
nerve II. Woman are more skilled at using this sense than men.
Ordinary
- in terms of wine tasting, it can be derogatory; a wine with
no pretensions or little notability.
Organoleptic
- an analytical testing of food and wine, employing the human
senses.
Oxidized
- a flat ending taste, attributed to prolonged exposure of a
wine to air. Mainly the odour of carbonyl compounds, primarily
acetaldehyde. A colour change may also be apparent in white
wines as a golden or amber colour. In red wines one may notice
a red brick edge when holding the glass at a 45 degree angle
to a light source.
P. Palate - a word loved by some
oenophiles (winelovers), which is used to describe the tast
or tactile sensation of the wine in the mouth. The word is usually
associated with flavours rather than odours.
Peppery
- a self explanatory term that refers to wines that are rather
youthful. Some qualified oenologists have claimed that this
sensation comes from higher alcohols but it has yet to be demonstrated
conclusively.
Perfume
- an agreeable scented quality of bouquets of wines typically
of German origin. A vivid example of such a wine with this bouquet
is the German Morio Muskat.
Petroleum
- a smell analagous to the semi-refined oil product. Can be
traced to sources of contamination in wine storage containers
or even the fuel used in pots to prevent frost damage to the
vines and their fruit.
Pomace
- an objectionable odour that eminates from wines that were
fermented on the skins at too high a temperature. May be traced
to the yeast autolysis at this high temperature.
Pungent
- implies that the odour is strong and penentrating the olfactory
sense. It may be useful for describing the bouquet of highly
flavoured wines and some dessert wines.
Q. Quality - a term that can be vaguely
applied to any wine. The EEC defines 'quality' wines in legal
terms. Countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal
have adapted highly stringent rules for 'quality', based on
geographic location, production volume, and analytical parameters
of the grapes themselves. In an abstract sense it can refer
to the wine's correctness, refinement and clarity of colour;
pure varietal aroma and overtones of well aged bouquet; an overall
completeness of the finished product. A term that should be
used wisely.
R. Racy - a term that is abstract
in nature; a word which describes liveliness of character in
a variety.
Rancid
- an off odour in some wines. It is believe to arise from
the oxidation of the fatty acids from the grape seeds.
Raspberry
- may describe such wines from Gamay and Zinfandel, it is a
fairly common red varietal aroma.
Resinous
- the turpentine odour of retsina wine. It is literally imparted
by the addition of resin.
Rich
- a self explanatory term. It implies a harmony of all of the
components in a wine that a taster will evaluate. These are
aroma/bouquet, flavour, alcohol and extract.
Robust
- a term used in sometimes ambiguous ways to describe well aged
wines with elevated price tags.
Rough
- descibes the astringent tactile sensation in the back of the
mouth, not to be confused with bitter.
Rubbery
- a cooked-cabbage, rubber-boot, or old rubber odour. It occurs
in wines that are made from grapes in very hot regions. Often
these grapes are harvested with low acidity and high pH. It
has been nick-named the Fresno odour from its occurence in that
region after Prohibition in the 1930's in America.
S. Sharp - this term should be limited
to acetic vinegary odour. It may include wines that are in the
early stage of acetification or simply turning to vinegar.
Salty
- a word used to describe food and highly seasoned snacks.
Savoury
- a rich mouthful of flavour that does contain good acid content.
Scented
- a postive grapey aroma, a flowery perfumed eminence.
Short
flavoured - refers to the length of the taste on the palate,
an abruptness that may occur from a lack in quality.
Smokey
- an overtone characteristic to varieties such as Sauvignon
Blanc and particular Chardonnays. May also be an addition to
any varietal wine with the use of 'semi-toasted' oak aging.
Smooth
- noted in wines with above average ethanol content. This
increased content may mask the sensation of astringency.
Sorbic
acid - not a natural acid found in grapes but intentionally
added as a preservative in wines. Typically, you'll see 150-200
ppm (taste threshhold typically around 135 ppm, although it
may be as low as 50ppm) sorbic acid used to stabilize wine concentrates
and sweet wines. It fights certain microbial infections, and
will sTOP wine yeast from working on a sweet wine, if
racking, 50 ppm SO2 or 0.5 micron filtration don't work. Use
sorbic acid as a last resort, because it decreases wine quality,
usually by producing off flavors and odors (like butter or oxidized
fat). It doesn't kill yeasts, but only prevents them from multiplying,
and thus sometimes fails to prevent a slow fermentation in the
bottle if yeasts have not been reduced enough. Sorbic acid also
reacts with and reduces free SO2, so you have to keep your SO2
levels up if you're going to use sorbic acid. Best advice:
Avoid addition of Sorbic Acid.
Sour
- the acid taste of all the volatile and nonvolatile acids of
wines (particularily the latter). This term is not to used for
wines containing acetic acid. The opposite is flat. A certain
acid content in the wine is essential for making the wine whole.
Spicy
- a distinctive aromatic odour of wines that are made from certain
garpe varieties such as Gewurztraminer. Typical is the rich
herb-like aroma.
Stalky
- The odour reported from wines produces from musts containing
fresh green stems. Describes some musts left in prolonged contact
with the grape skins during fermentation.
Steely
- a firm, yet lean tasting wine with decent acidity. Has been
used to describe the varietals coming from Germany. These varietals
include, Morio Muskat, Muller Thurgau and Scheurebe.
Superficial
- a wine without depth or follow through.
T. Tactile - an object that induces
the sensation of touch. e.g. velvety, creamy, effervescence.
Tannic
- refers to a a presence in the palate of tannin. Tannin is
a naturally occuring preservative of colour in red wines. The
presence of tannin dries the roof of the mouth, grips the teeth
and sometimes gives a "musty cellar" smell sensation.
It will break down in the wine over time. French reds tend to
be highly tannic, as evidenced by the practice of maceration
to extract maximum colour. Clever marketing has many people
believing that these red wines must age to become 'better',
when many other reds can be consumed at a younger age with no
need for extensive bottle aging.
Tartartic
acid - one of the good and essential acids in wine. Its
chief virtue is the effervescent spritzig - cooling and refreshing
quality it provides. Its presence gives wine its healthy, refreshing
tang and contributes greatly to its quality and crisp finish.
Wines lacking acidic contend are said to be flat. Crystals become
apparent in young wines while they undergo cold stabilization.
Thin
- a wine that is deficient in natural properties; watery, lacking
body.
V. Vanilla - a purely descriptive
term in the sense. Some say it is associated with vanillins
(compounds derived from the wood in oak barrels, particularily
new American Oak) that give this taste sensation.
Vapit
- a mildly oxidized odour.
Vegetal
- a pronounced grassy or root like smell.
Vinegary
- the odour of acetic acid and ethyl acetate, representative
of bacteriological infection. This is always objectionable in
a wine of character or merit.
Vinosity
- refers to the ethanol content. Mainly measured by the taster's
tactile sensation.
Vinous
- without a remarkable odour, a neutral wine.
W. Watery - a wine lacking fruit
and extract, similar to thin. Perhaps the winemaker was too
liberal with the garden hose?
Weak
- a self limiting term. May describe low alcohol content, feeble
fruit and character.
Weedy
- an undesirable odour from weeds being harvested with the grapes.
Woody
- the odour of wines stored too long in oak containers, particularly
barrels. Oak containers that hove not been properly treated
before use will communicate the odour sooner than properly conditioned
containers.
Y. Yeasty - descriptive smell of ferments, live or dead.
It may occur in wines that have been left to ferment too long
without some badly needed attention.
Young
- refers to fresh, fruity, unoxidized wine. It is a positive
attractive feature in particular varietals.
