Practical wine-tasting terms

Nose

The aroma or fragrance of a wine. Nosing is the act of taking in a huge sniff.

Palate

The taste and sensations created by wine in the mouth.

Finish

The aftertaste of a wine after swallowing. This can be quite short or lingering, referred to as the 'length'.

Wine flavour descriptions

Apricots

Fruity fragrance. New World Chardonnay, and sweet dessert wines, sometimes sparkling wines.

Aromatic

Heady and scented. Gewurztraminer - which also has tropical fruit overtones.

Blackcurrant

Ripe and dense fruit. A sign of Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux and Chile.

Brambly

Packed with ripe hedgerow berries, as in Cabernet Sauvignon Vin de Pays from the Languedoc, for example.

Buttery

A rich creaminess often found in New World Chardonnay.

Cherry

The definable fruit edge on a bouncy Gamay wine from Beaujolais, or in the young Italian reds like Valpolicella.

Chocolate

A rich, smooth and full Tempranillo or Shiraz.

Creamy

A subtle sensation of creaminess - often found in Champagne and Chardonnays from the New World.

Fresh

Clean tasting - applied to white wines.

Frisky

Lively and youthful, as in a young white, such as Frascati or Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne.

Gooseberry

The characterful fragrance of fresh ripe gooseberries - Sauvignon Blanc in New World wines.

Grassy

Freshly cut grass and summery - in Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand.

Herbaceous

Herby notes can often be detected in reds or whites. Sauvignon Blanc - basil leaves, Cabernet Sauvignon - mint, Côtes du Rhône - bay leaves.

Honey

An aroma of Acacia found in sweet white wines.

Lemon

Juicy citrus notes found in youthful white wines and wines from the Loire such as Muscadet.

Lime

Zesty and fragrant – found in Semillon alongside toasty notes.

Nutty

Dried nut aromas and taste found in Oloroso sherries. Fresh nut kernels are a classic sign of the Spanish white wine made from the grape Viura.

Petrol

This aroma can certainly be detected on a mature Riesling from Germany.

Raspberries

Scents and taste of the crushed fresh fruit, as in Pinot Noir, for example.

Spice

From black pepper and green peppercorns to cinnamon and nutmeg. Especially prominent in red Rhônes and Shiraz-based wines.

Toasty

Found in good Champagnes and sparkling wines.

Vanilla

The spicy fragrance which comes from ageing in oak, for example, traditional Riojas or any oaked New or Old World wines.

Zesty

Grapefruit, lime or lemon zest can be found on young white wines.

Wine style descriptions

Dry, medium or sweet

Used to describe the degree of sweetness of a wine. This ranges from bone dry, almost flinty or stoney, to lusciously and voluptuously honeyed.

Elegant

A wine with classy stylishness normally applied to whites.

Firm

A red wine with tannin, with a sturdy, intense, macho character.

Full-bodied

A red wine with a lot to say for itself, packed with rich flavours and usually relatively high in alcohol.

Mellow

Easy-to-drink and rounded flavours which meld together.

Robust

Often used for red country wine with positive flavours which usually work well with country foods.

Smooth

A term which applies to both reds and whites, where there is excellent balance of flavours and acidity.

Velvety

A term applied to a really smooth red. Describes well-made classic red wines.