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| Describe wine whose total acid is so high that they taste tart or sour and a sharp edge or harsh feeling on the palate. |
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| Describes a harsh or bitter taste or pungent smell that is due to excess sulfur. |
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| The taste or flavors that linger in the mouth after the wine is tasted, spit or swallowed. The aftertaste or "finish" is the most important factor in judging a wine's character and quality. Surprisingly, this may differ significantly from the taste while the wine is in your mouth. A lingering aftertaste is a virtue, as long as the taste is enjoyable. Great wines have rich, long, complex aftertastes. |
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| Slightly harsh in taste or texture, usually due to a high level of tannin or acid. |
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| Used to describe a wine that has too much alcohol for its body and weight, making it unbalanced. A wine with too much alcohol will taste uncharacteristically heavy or hot as a result. This quality is noticeable in aroma and aftertaste. |
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| Refers to a wine's clarity, not color. |
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| A pleasant apple-fruit aroma, particularly characteristic of Chardonnays made without excessive oak. |
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| Traditionally defined as the smell that wine acquires from the grapes and from fermentation. Now it more commonly means the wine's total smell, including changes that resulted from oak aging or that occurred in the bottle--good or bad. "Bouquet" has a similar meaning. |
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| Describes a rough, harsh, puckery feel in the mouth, usually from tannin or high acidity that red wines (and a few whites) have. When the harshness stands out, the wine is astringent. |
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| Used to describe relatively hard, high-acid wines that lack depth and roundness. Usually said of young wines that need time to soften, or wines that lack richness and body. |
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| Describes a wine that has poor structure, is clumsy or is out of balance. |
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| Used to denote those wines that are full-bodied, well-structured and balanced by a desirable level of acidity. |
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| Used to describe a young wine that is less developed than others of its type and class from the same vintage. |
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| A wine has balance when its elements are harmonious and no single elements dominates. Alcohol and tannins may also be elements of structure or backbone. |
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| A marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more like a zestful tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine. |
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| Not common in wines but found occasionally (particularly in the aftertaste, and usually in subtle, refreshing form) in some Italian wines and Alsatian whites. It describes one of the four basic tastes (along with sour, salty and sweet). Some grapes--notably Gewurztraminer and Muscat--often have a noticeable bitter edge to their flavors. Another source of bitterness is tannin or stems. If the bitter quality dominates the wine's flavor or aftertaste, it is considered a fault. In sweet wines a trace of bitterness may complement the flavors. In young red wines it can be a warning signal, as bitterness doesn't always dissipate with age. Normally, a fine, mature wine should not be bitter on the palate. |
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| Strong in flavor and often alcoholic, but lacking in aromatic interest and development on the palate. |
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| The overall texture or weight of wine in the mouth usually the result of a combination of glycerin, alcohol and sugar. Commonly expressed as full-bodied, medium-bodied or medium-weight, or light-bodied. |
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| This is a technical term that describes the smell that a wine develops after it has been bottled and aged. Most appropriate for mature wines that have developed complex flavors beyond basic young fruit and oak aromas. |
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| Used to describe wines that are hard, intense, tannic and that have raw, woody flavors. The opposite of elegant. |
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| Describes young wines with an earthy or stemmy wild berry character. |
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| Used for fresh, ripe, zesty, lively young wines with vivid, focused flavors. |
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| Exceptionally clear and transparent. Describes the appearance of very clear wines with absolutely no visible suspended or particulate matter. Not always a plus, as it can indicate a highly filtered wine. |
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| Describes a wine's color, and is a sign that a wine is mature and may be faded. A bad sign in young red (or white) wines, but less significant in older wines. Wines 20 to 30 years old may have a brownish edge yet still be enjoyable. |
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| Describes wines that have an overdone, smoky, toasty or singed edge. Also used to describe overripe grapes. |
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| Indicates the smell of melted butter or toasty oak. Also a reference to texture, as in "a rich, buttery Chardonnay." |
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| Denotes the smell of cedar wood associated with mature Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends aged in French or American oak. |
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| Organic, ripe natural cheese aromas, almost always a flaw, typically indicating filthy wine making and an unwanted secondary fermentation in the bottle. |
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| Describes rich, heavy, tannic wines that are full-bodied. |
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| Another descriptor for a cedary aroma. |
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| Describes wines that are concentrated and have character, yet show little aroma or flavor. This may be a temporary condition (akin to "dumb") in an age worthy wine that is past its youth but not yet mature. |
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| Lack of clarity to the eye. Fine for old wines with sediment, but it can be a warning signal of protein instability, yeast spoilage or refermentation in the bottle in younger wines. |
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| Too sweet and lacking the balance provided by acid, alcohol, bitterness or intense flavor. |
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| An element in all great wines and many very good ones; a combination of richness, depth, flavor intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse. They offer multiple dimensions in both their aromatic and flavor profiles, and have more going for them than simply ripe fruit and a satisfying, pleasurable, yet one-dimensional quality. |
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| Always a flaw, this describes a wine having the off-putting, musty, moldy-newspaper flavor and aroma and dry aftertaste caused by a tainted cork. |
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| Complex with many flavors working together. Used to describe light- to medium-weight wines with good flavors. A desirable quality in wines such as Pinot Noir or Riesling. |
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| Describes a wine that has concentrated aromas on the nose and palate. A good sign in young wines. |
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| Describes the complexity and concentration of flavors in a wine, as in a wine with excellent or uncommon depth. Opposite of shallow. Often refers to a more mature wine. |
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| A description of a wine whose aromas and flavors are thin and watery. |
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| As the name implies, this covers any and all foul, rank, off-putting smells that can occur in a wine, including those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor wine making. |
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| This doesn't mean the opposite of wet; it is the opposite of sweet. Having no perceptible taste of sugar. Most wine tasters begin to perceive sugar at levels of 0.5 percent to 0.7 percent. It can describe wines with a rough feel on the tongue. |
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| Imparts a characteristic earthy aroma. Used to describe both positive and negative attributes in wine. At its best, a pleasant, clean quality that adds complexity to aroma and flavors. The flip side is a funky, crude smell that borders on or crosses into dirtiness. |
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| Used to describe wines of grace, balance and beauty, not intense. |
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| A secret wine-taster's term meaning "I can't figure out what this wine smells like." |
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| Similar to hollow; devoid of flavor and interest. |
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| Describes a wine that is losing color, fruit or flavor, usually as a result of age. |
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| Full-bodied, high-alcohol wines low in acidity give a "fat" impression on the palate. Can be a plus with bold, ripe, rich flavors; can also suggest the wine's structure is suspect. |
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