Wine Glossary
Master the language of wine. From tannins to terroir, our glossary covers essential terminology to deepen your wine knowledge.
Tasting Terms
9 termsTannins
Natural compounds in wine that create a drying, astringent sensation in the mouth.
Bouquet
The complex aromas that develop in wine through aging, as opposed to primary fruit aromas.
Body
The weight and fullness of wine in your mouth, described as light, medium, or full-bodied.
Finish
The taste that lingers in your mouth after swallowing wine, also called the aftertaste or length.
Acidity
The tartness in wine that makes your mouth water, providing freshness and balance.
Minerality
Descriptors like wet stone, chalk, or slate used to describe non-fruit characteristics in wine.
Balance
The harmonious integration of all wine components: fruit, acidity, tannin, alcohol, and sweetness.
Dry
Wine with little or no residual sugar, where fermentation has converted most sugar to alcohol.
Residual Sugar
Natural grape sugar remaining in wine after fermentation, measured in grams per liter.
Winemaking
6 termsMalolactic Fermentation
A secondary fermentation that converts sharp malic acid to softer lactic acid, adding creaminess.
Oak Aging
The practice of aging wine in oak barrels, imparting flavors like vanilla, spice, and toast.
Brix
A measurement of sugar content in grapes, used to determine ripeness and potential alcohol.
Lees
Dead yeast cells and sediment that settle in wine after fermentation.
Vintage
The year grapes were harvested, reflecting that year's growing conditions.
Blend
A wine made from two or more grape varieties combined to create a harmonious final product.
Viticulture
5 termsTerroir
The complete natural environment in which a wine is produced, including soil, climate, and topography.
Old Vines
Grapevines of significant age (typically 35-50+ years) that produce concentrated, complex wines.
Yield
The amount of grapes or wine produced per vineyard area, affecting concentration and quality.
Phylloxera
A root-eating pest that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century.
Canopy Management
Techniques for managing vine leaves and shoots to optimize grape ripening.
Wine Service
4 termsDecanting
Pouring wine from bottle to another vessel to separate sediment and/or expose the wine to air.
Sommelier
A trained wine professional responsible for wine service and selection in restaurants.
Vertical Tasting
Tasting multiple vintages of the same wine from a single producer.
Corked
Wine contaminated by TCA, causing musty, wet cardboard aromas.
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