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COMMON TASTING TERMS
Acidity: A critical element of wine, preserves the wine’s
freshness. In excess results in an overly tart and sour
wine.
Balance: A desired trait where tannin, fruit and acidity are in
total harmony. Wines with good balance tend to age
gracefully.
Body: The weight and presence of wine in the mouth
provided by the alcohol and tannin level. Full-bodied
wines tend to have this strong concentration.
Bouquet: The blending of a wine’s aroma within the bottle over a
period of time. Caused by volatile acidity.
Complex: A subjective term often used in tasting. A wine is said
to be complex if it offers a variety of flavors and scents
that continue to evolve as it develops.
Flabby: A wine that lacks structure, or is heavy to the taste,
lacks acidity.
Full-Bodied: Wine high in alcohol and extract, generally speaking fills
the mouth, powerful.
Lean: Generally wines that are slim, lacking of generosity or
thin.
Oaky: A desirable flavor imparted to wine if done in modera-
tion. Most wines are aged in oak barrels one to three
years, thereby receiving this toasty oak characteristic.
However, if a weak wine is left in contact too long with
an oak barrel it will tend to be overpowered with an
oaky taste.
Tannin: Tannins are extracted from the grape skins and stems
and are necessary for a well balanced red wine. Tannins
are easily identified in wine tasting as the drying
sensation over the gums. Tannins generally fade as a
wine ages.
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User’s Manual
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