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A Discussion of Wine Tasting Terms
in Illustration and Parody
By Julian Schultz
Illustrations by Ms. Denise St. Germain
*denotes picture
"Acidity"
Stings the nose with its sharpness and curls the tongue with its tartness. It is experienced mainly in white wines
grown in cold climes or wines
made from unripe ("green") grapes, or wines whose fermentation may
have been 
arrested early by the
vintner. When acid is excessive, a wine is
described as sour, tart, sharp, green, unripe, acidy. Ugh! German tafelwein
whites may activate heartburn with their high acidity, especially Mosels..
If acidity is lacking, a wine is said to be flabby, soft, flat, uninteresting.
Boo! When acid is in balance with fruit, tannin, alcohol and texture (hurrah!),
it stiffens the wine’s backbone and delivers a harmonious wine. Acid is
generally experienced after the sensation of sweetness in tasting. Acidity bites
with the fangs of a serpent and stings with the teeth of an adder. Wonder what
wine Cleopatra was tasting when the adder did its thing? Back
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"Aftertaste"
Farewell, my lovely! After the swallowing, after the finish, aftertaste
lingers in the nasal cavities and at the bottom of the throat. It is the tail
that wags the tongue in wine talk. Close your eyes, open your memory. Let what
lingers loiter. Recapture the rapture of the first thrilling sip. After the
finish comes the aftertaste. Count the seconds to ascertain its length: the
longer it lingers the better the wine’s quality. I remember reading that the
difference between ordinary wine and fine wine is especially clear in the
aftertaste: The fine wine leaves you with something pleasant – the ordinary
wine just leaves. Related terms: lingering memory, end taste, farewell. But if
you are poetically inclined, describe it as "Afterglow."
"Treasured moments of wine memory." "The memory of first love’s
lips." (Shame on you if you’ve forgotten!) "Like the haunting,
echoing sounds of flutes and oboes in Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a
Faun"—mine! Try a luscious dessert Sauternes or Trockenbeerenauslese……
or a well-made complex Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Barolo or a cru classe
wine from Burgundy.Back to Top
"Aging"
When the wine is no longer young, attractive and desirable: when the
enchantment of flavor is off the wine. Alas! Age is setting in. The wine is
weary, flat, stale and unprofitable—beyond the plateau of optimum drinkability.
The bottle is already past its peak of development: over-mature; bouquet and
flavor have lost their intriguing charm. The wine perhaps once grand is
reflected upon pensively by the taster on its past glory…. on what it once had
been. At best, now a simple wine lacking complexity and fruit. Drying out. To
quote from Robert Browning’s "Rabbi Ben Ezra," a wine that will not
"grow old along with me, the best is yet to be" for wine and
taster. Faded….as a rose that’s lost its bloom. A sad wine that will
linger a brief moment and silently slip away. You may perceive it
(unfortunately) in most white wines, except for big Chardonnays and sweet
dessert wines, that are 10 years old and in most reds over 15 years, except for
big Barolos, Brunello di Montalcinos, Syrahs or Cabernets. Of course, fortified
dessert reds such as Porto and Madeira with their 20% or so alcohol can live for
years beyond.Back to Top
"Appealing"
A pleasant, friendly wine with a come-hither taste. Makes a quick, easy
acquaintance with the new oenophile. Charming, pleasing, engaging – nothing
more. Dare I say with some trepidation, "a good-humored wine?" The
wine is immediately attractive with the first sip, conceivably less so with
repeated sipping. A tender wine--light, young, gentle, fine, easy to drink. Like
the now famous girl of fifteen of wine lore, who in all her youthful innocence,
tiptoes demurely into the room. The term is used to describe a wine that won’t
necessarily mature to ripe old age. Try a fruity Beaujolais, a tender Mosel, a
tingling Lambrusco, a refreshing Vinho Verde.Back to Top
"Aroma"
It is the fragrance of fruit that is derived from the grape itself; the
"primary" aroma that comes from wine when it is young.
"Secondary" aroma (bouquet) occurs later, after development in the
bottle; it is more subtle and complex. Aroma and bouquet frequently are used
interchangeably, but bouquet may be thought of as an
extension of the wine’s
aroma. It is the result of further aging in the bottle. Elizabeth Barrett
Browning may have been thinking "aroma" when she wrote…"What I
do and what I dream include thee as the wine must taste of its own grapes."
(From "Sonnets from the Portuguese" – perhaps the greatest love
poetry ever written.) "Bouquet" is less fruity, is more complex
than aroma and develops with age; it is not necessarily the smell or taste of
the wine’s specific grape (or grapes) variety; rather a commingling of
flavors.Back to Top
"Balanced"
A satisfying blend of two pairs of vinous elements: acid and tannin on
one side, alcohol and fruit on the other. Correct proportion of these factors in
the bottle produces desirable and palatable wines on the table. In art, take
note of the balance of light and dark tones; in music listen to the balance of
brass and strings, in love is not its bliss the balance of man and woman? A
balanced wine, a praiseworthy wine, is harmonious in sight, smell, savor and
swallow. No single component dominates in the vinous scheme of things.Back
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"Big"
Lots, lots, lots of everything: tannin in big reds, alcohol and glycerol
in big whites; full body, full flavor, opulent, rich, high acid and much
extract; big legs inside the glass. Nothing shy, blushing or different about
this wine. An assertive wine with muscles bulging all over the place. It’s
King Kong in the glass. 
A Latour, a Mouton-Rothschild among the French wines: a
Barolo, a Brunello di Montalcino among the Italians; a Ridge Zinfandel, a David
Bruce Cabernet among the Californias are prime examples of "big"
wines.Back to Top
"Bite"
Sharp and assertive in acid and tannin components, the wine stings,
pings the palate. When the wine’s bite is excessive, the palate smarts and the
finish suffers from roughness, brashness and abrasiveness. Bite is tolerable in
heavyweight rich reds as it supplies backbone to the wine. Bite bodes well for
the future in young wine, should smooth out with maturity. But when bite is
light, the wine is flat and flabby. For sure it is not love at first bite. Try a
young Dao from Portugal, a young rough Chianti, a newly bottled Spanish Rioja, a
California Barbera. Not at all bad wine drinking and you’ll learn the term by
tasting.Back to Top
"Bitter"
Tannin is the major source of bitterness, an unpleasant tactile
sensation. Acid, metal contamination, dirty wooden barrels, vegetable extracts
and oxidation also contribute to bitterness, but to a lesser degree; and
bitterness is then perceived in the taste. 
A wine is faulty when bitterness is
excessive in flavor, finish and farewell, but is a virtue in sweet wines; it is
counterpoint and prevents possible cloying. Its presence is positive when it
supplies some backbone to dry reds. When clean wooden barrels kiss the wine
gently, they impart a subtle and pleasant bitterness that is detected in the
finish. Also described as harsh, rough, hard, astringent and puckery. I’d
rather a biter pill to swallow – even two pills– than my disappointment with
a bitter wine.Back to Top
"Blend Influence"
The varietal flavor of the primary wine is influenced by the percentage
of lesser wines added to it, i.e., merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc and/or
malbec when blended into cabernet sauvignon. The resulting wines have different
personalities. The percentage of different wines in a finished blend may vary by
vintner: some wines are 100% varietal in some years, are blended with other
grapes in other harvests. Climatic conditions may dictate variation in blend
from vintage to vintage. That’s what makes wine so adventuresome! As
many as 13 different grape varieties may be blended to produce a Chateauneuf du
Pape. The diverse selection of grapes used for blending and proportions utilized
of each result in almost endless variation of Chateauneufs. Generic wines are
blends of different grapes, generally of lesser varieties.Back to
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"Bouquet"
Pleasant, complex, fragrant essences and flavors on the nose and palate,
which develop when the wine matures in the barrel and in the bottle. It is an
odor extension beyond the initial youthful aroma and is most subtle in its
nuances and complexity. A wine that sings with may voices – a glee club of
odor essences. Its magic envelops the olfactory sense in a cloud of airy
fragrances. Remember that smoky smell of brown October’s burning leaves?
Remember the nostalgic sweet smell of newly mown grass in a hidden meadow on a
lazy summer’s afternoon? Those are memories of different bouquets that also
linger on and on…though the years pass.Back to Top
"Brilliant"
A wine of pleasing color: polished, gleaming crystal; clean as the
falling snow, as bright as starlight in the dark sky, as clear as Cinderella’s
glass slipper; made by a vintner with the palette and palate of an artist. Like
the glint of sunshine after rain. Clear as tears in the eyes of a penitent.
Sparkles in the glass like a coquette’s smile. No dullness or haze, no
cloudiness, no sediment, no floating particles to keep the wine from its
deserved appreciation. And while you admire its limpid loveliness with raised
glass, take note of syrupy rivulets inside that denote good body and texture.Back
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"Clean"
An authentic, sound, well-made wine; no foreign sensory intrusions to
spoil it or conceal its charming qualities. Sight, smell and savor are free from
undesirable alien elements. A wine that finishes smooth and smiling, leaving a
pleasant taste in the mouth. I am reminded of the structure form and melody of a
Mozart quartet for strings which I find to be clean, pleasant and charming. From
it initial greeting to its reluctant farewell, a clean wine is an enjoyable
guest at the table. Such a ni-i-ice wine to bring home to meet Mama.Back
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"Closed-In"
A tight, stubborn wine, not about to relinquish any of its flavors or
yield any of its charms. A coy lass whose virtue is still intact – until its
time. Nose is subdued, flavors are angular on the palate. The wine is speechless
in the mouth. With a well-born wine, maturity will develop and reveal expansive
flavors. 
To drink it too young is like committing infanticide or rape; and the
taster, if not jailed thereby, then is scorned for his ignorance or lack of
discipline. In its youth the wine shows low flavor intensity; immature, austere,
severe, hard, reluctant, virginal. In the future the abundance of desirable
flavors will be freely forthcoming and the bottle will round out to a vinous
delight. Big wines need time to mature, especially Cabernet, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo
and Syrah varieties.Back to Top
"Coarse"
Rough texture, hard, brutish, common. A wine without quality or breeding
or good manners; lacking elegance. Gross. Yeah, a caveman in a glass. Could be
the result of unripe grapes fermented with stems and stalks, overripe grapes
fermented with some undesirable rot, hurried and/or indifferent vinification
procedures, unclean fermentation and storage barrels – the reasons are varied
and many, unfortunately. A wine you wouldn’t enjoy meeting in a dark alley. On
the palate, ordinary, crass, insensitive. Like the Russian army in hob-nailed
boots marching on your palate and down you gullet.Back to Top
"Complex"
A potpourri, a medley of flavor essences on the nose and palate that
develops with time in the barrel and the bottle (all of which presupposes
healthy ripe grapes to begin with). A thrilling experience when layer upon
layer 
of flavors titillate the taste buds. Complexity gives wine quality and
class and it becomes multidimensional with its multiplicity of flavors.
The measure of greatness is in a wine’s complexity--a wine with more than a
single aroma, with more than a single flavor. Seek out an aging, cedar-scented,
minty, currant-flavored, green-olive tasting, peppery, herbaceous premier cru
Bordeaux; a Barolo with its earthy, cherry-berry essences; a tarry minty,
tobacco-y French Burgundy; a buttery, vanilla, oaky, fruited, herbal, apple-y
Chardonnay. These will be pleasurable vinous experiences that are memorable.Back
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"Concealed"
The wine initially offers little or nothing to the nose and palate. Its
desirable vinous characteristics are not yet fully exposed. Given time, however,
the bouquet and flavor and aftertaste may reveal themselves. Try swirling and
letting the wine breathe a while, permitting it to open to its potential. This
ritual is not applicable to all wines, however: Some will never have anything to
reveal; unkind climate, soil, grape varietal elements left the wines meager.
Patience by the taster may be the key. Wait for time in the bottle with immature
wines or time on the table with mature ones to open them.Back to
Top
"Crisp"
Denotes refreshing tartness and snap, especially in dry young whites.
Light and lively, the zesty wine "pops" and "crackles" in
the mouth. The wine’s pronounced acidity imparts vim, vigor and vitality to
the glass and the palate. A delight in young white wines, sometimes enhanced by
a subtle spritz on the tongue. 
Crispness may be perceived in a Sancerre, a Fume
Blanc, a white Graves, a French Chablis, a California Sauvignon Blanc, some
Italian Chardonnays and Soaves, some young Beaujolais and Pinot Noirs, among
others. Recalls starched white linen on Grandma’s table.Back to
Top
"Deep"
A wine that is profound vs. superficial; multi-dimensional vs.
single-dimensional. Intense in nose, flavor and body, The wine is assertive by
its intense nose, flavor and body. No need to "reach" or
"look" for the wine’s attributes; they impress immediately upon the
senses and hold on. 
To
the eye, the color is opaque; to the nose the aroma is intense and complex; on
the palate, a variety of rich flavors abound; in the mouth the body is thick and
full; the aftertaste may last for many minutes. Experience "deep" when
you try a Cote Rotie, Hermitage or Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.
Try a big wine. Back
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"Delicate’’
The wine is like a lovely child: charming,
frail, light, graceful, shy, attractive. Aroma and flavor don’t assert
themselves strongly on the nose and palate, body and texture are restrained. 
The
wine is elegantly balanced with dainty, pleasing qualities—a Chopin Nocturne,
Debussy’s Claire de Lune in the glass. Goodness
and honesty throughout, a gentle impression throughout. A
subtle summer sipping wine that is delightful, but…in no way a wimpy
wine! Try a delicate rose (rozay), a tender Mosel, an off-dry chenin
blanc, a Johannisberg Riesling. Back
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"Disappointing"
Sniff once: big in the no
se,
promising celestial vinous delight. Alas! meager on the palate and unpleasant in
the finish. Oh woe! Short, thin, harsh, hot. The wine by reputation and price
promises much. On the nose, promises, promises; on the palate it doesn’t
deliver. Air it! Swirl it! Pray over it! Do an Indian rain dance around the
bottle! Now…maybe...hopefully. Sniff again, taste again….No luck! No joy!
All gone! No brass ring. Regrettable, forgettable. Back
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"Dry"
The absence of sweetness when the grape’s sugar has completely or nearly
completely fermented out. New oenophiles usually have trouble with dry wines
until they develop more tasting experience. But as sure as night follows day,
they will pass from devotees of sweet wines to dry wines. Definition
of dryness, however, varies from country to country, between vintner and
vintner; some "dry" wines may be less dry than others. With
Champagne the definition of "dry" is another story: "naturel"
is driest, theoretically no sugar (dosage of sugar syrup) is added;
"brut" has a little sweetness added, from .5 percent to 1 ½ percent;
"sec" (dry) may get as much as 2 ½ percent dosage; "demi-sec"
(extra-dry) receives even more sweetness, up to 6 percent dosage may be added. 
There
is variation, however, among Champagne houses within these parameters of
dryness. As Shakespeare said,
"What’s in a name?" Dryness in some Champagne bottles may taste
brut, dry, even extra-dry. In America, our dry table wines are really dry,
showing an absence of sweetness. Don’t confuse them with Champagne’s
definitions of dry. Beware the wine
snobs and pseudo wine sophisticates who aver their affinity for dry wines, when
at wine tastings. I know many bibbers that are closet off-dry, even sweet, wine
drinkers, no matter their protestations to the contrary. Back
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"Dull"
A wine that lacks freshness, liveliness and elicits no euphoria, is unappetizing
and uninteresting to the nose and palate. Monotonous. Lacks zest and excitement.
A wine perhaps poorly stored or having been opened for days before your
wine-by-the-glass was served. Some dull
wines have no major flaws, but they never fly. Remember the straight
"A" science major that tried romance by theorem instead of by
moonbeams? That’s a dull man! He never scored. Dull also refers to lack
of clarity in sight evaluation. The wine is hazy; it’s not clean, clear,
bright or brilliant. A dull wine may be suspect as to its drinkability.
Back
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"Earthy"
A peculiar flavor in the wine picked up from the particular soil (gout de
terroir, French; bodengeschamck, German) where the grapes are grown. In
California, we speak of "Rutherford Dust" in the cabernets. May
be used in a pleasant or unpleasant connotation. Not a dirty old wine and
doesn’t taste of dirt. If earthy quality is present to a marked degree, it can
be most unpleasant; but when subtle, adds complexity to the wine.
Variations in different soils reflect variations in earthy flavor. Madeira
flavor reflects wood ashes; southern Italian wine, volcanic ashes; Graves wine,
the taste of gravel. Don’t expect to taste earth in all wines, however. It may
be intermingled with a variety of other flavors in the wine and the earthy
tastes become diminished. Back
to Top
"Elegant"
An abstract term for sure. Close your eyes when you sip and think of your first
love: all ethereal, beautiful, graceful, star kissed. 
So,
also, is an elegant wine described. Use these terms at a tasting and see who
keeps a straight face! An elegant wine possesses balance, breed and
complexity; much style and refinement. It is pleasant, noble and fresh; classy,
distinguished and charming. A wine you’d love to show off to your snobby
relatives, assuming they know anything about wine. Nothing coarse about it of
which to be ashamed. Elegant wines, elegant prices: Lafite-Rothschild,
Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, Mouton-Rothschild, La Tache, Richebourg, Chambertin,
Montrachet, Meursault, Corton, Charlemagne, Brunello di Montalcino and many West
Coast cabernets and chardonnays. Don’t overlook Catena from Argentina and some
extraordinary wines from Spain and….Sardinia—yes—Sardinia’s Turriga.
Back
to Top
"Empty"
An empty wine is like an empty glass—there’s nothing in it! A thin wine that
does not fulfill its mission to please; nondescript, evokes no paeans of praise;
sings a reedy melody with a thin voice.
A hollow wine that has no merit. Promises nothing to the nose and palate,
gives nothing in the finish and aftertaste. A wine that won’t live or be
loved. Better the glass were never filled than the oenophile to have
sipped away on an empty wine. Back
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"Fading"
A loser is in the offing: color is fading; with reds note browning at the edges;
the whites are turning beige like autumn leaves. The bouquet is merely a
whisper on the nose, and then only if you sniff hard. The palate gropes
for flavor that is elusive. Gone is the wine’s youthful elixir. The
wine, late in its middle age, is on the downside of color, aroma and flavor. Old
age’s pending infirmity is apparent in the glass and in the mouth. A sad
experience, especially if once the wine had class and elegance. Back
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"Fat"
An over-abundance of goodies that sometimes isn’t too good. When full body,
heaps of fruit, glycerol and extract are not balanced by acidity and tannin (the
latter in reds), the wine becomes flabby, has no firmness, zest, vitality.
Fat describes almost an oily quality in some white wines when not enough acidity
is present. Wine lacks crispness, backbone and flavor distinction. A
wimpy, unbalanced wine, not distinguished on the palate or finish. Back
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"Fiery"
Found in many very young reds, high in alcohol, uneven in composition. When the
high alcohol is aided and abetted by excessive acid and tannin, added
unpleasantness is created, Hot in the swallow. See how the wine burns in
the finish and aftertaste. Don’t be surprised if it frizzes your hair. (What a
way to get a permanent!) If you’re bald, we’ll see the steam rise.
Happily, time in the bottle should quench the flame. Try an immature
vintage Porto or a young, rough Dao, or a common Cotes du Rhone, or a young,
late harvest zinfandel and experience a "fiery" wine. That’s the
price you pay for education. Back
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"Finesse"
The wine has great balance—like an acrobat on a tightrope. Great harmony—dare
I say, "Like the Westminster Choir?" Style, grace, elegance, class—like
a Victorian lovely in crinoline, with pink parasol, on the arm of her beau—like
the beautifully gowned and coiffed lady sweeping down the staircase on her way
to the ballroom; the raised eyes and whispered "aahs" of all below
express admiration. Finesse. A wine having finesse is a wine of "such
stuff as dreams are made on." Great wine—not "insubstantial,"
as the Bard meant when he wrote of "stuff" and
"dreams." A subtle wine, complex, self-assured, low-keyed,
sophisticated. Not assertive, not obtrusive, not forward, not intense; it doesn’t
attack the nose and palate, doesn’t come at you impetuously. Classy, elegant,
well-bred. Generally, a lighter-bodied wine; delicate, distinguished,
stylish. A Grande Dame wine. The finish and farewell become etched in memory. A
1982 Margaux. Back
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"Flat"
Low in acid, consequently the wine lacks vigor and crispness. In the mouth it is
insipid, dull, spineless. Undesirable, unappetizing; it has little bouquet or
fruit. Without charm or character, a wine you don’t love to touch. Doesn’t
excite the nose or palate. Nothing up front in the approach, nothing behind in
the finish. A "flat" wine is to a "round" wine what
Modigliani’s angular girls are to the gorgeous breasts of Renoir’s Filles en
Fleur. Not a seductive wine. What virtue it has is safe from
assault. Back
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"Flinty"
No, it doesn’t describe a person’s mother-in-law or old maiden aunt. Rather,
it is an austere flavor imparted to extremely dry white wines grown in certain
soils. Generally, a flinty, gun flint,
metallic bouquet is ascribed to the taste of Chablis and some Loire wines
produced from the soil of those growing areas in France. The grapes used
in these wines are chardonnay in Chablis and sauvignon blanc and muscadet in the
Loire. Although the aroma is sometimes described as "apple-y," the
taste is flinty—bone dry, almost "hard" on the palate. Try a
Sancerre—fabulous! Back
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"Flowery"
Lovely, light, fresh bouquet—like the subtle spicy scent of perfume; pleasant
and delicate. A quality experienced in certain white wines. Sniff
gewurztraminer or a Johannisberg Riesling—ummm, so flowery and fragrant; also,
a chenin blanc, German spatlese and auslese wine; also a French Sauternes, a
late harvest California riesling among others. Nice wines for lazy sipping
and for little old ladies just getting into wine. (For little young ladies,
too!) Flowery wines are generally drunk better by themselves as dessert
wines or with certain dessert foods. These wines, however, may marry well with
meals served with rich sauces or sweet garnishes. Back
to Top
Forward
Orson Welles would have trouble with this wine: it's mature before its
time! Would he or wouldn't he drink it? At a young, tender age, this
wine is soft and pleasant with the attributes of an adult wine: well-developed,
not awkward, it precociously projects its components to the nose and
palate. An eye-opening surprise - like the child Mozart composing at the harpsichord,
like baby Snooks quoting Shakespeare. In the year of 1982, the 1979
vintage of Bordeaux Cru Classe reds is spoken of as being :forward" wines -
much younger and perhaps more enjoyable than the 1970's , 1975's and 1978's at
this time. But the 1979's won't go 15 rounds.Back
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Full
Big, well-endowed, generous wines are said to be full. Lots of grape
extract fill the mouth, lots of character throughout. The wine possess a
high degree of alcohol for oomph with plenty of puckery tannin in reds and
tongue-tingling acidity in whites plus a chewy, fleshy tactile sensation thruout
the mouth. Sucy a wine will smooth out tand become mellow given
time. Try a Mersault, a Cote Rotie or a better quality Chateauneuf du Pape.
But don't drink too much at one sitting- a full and his senses are soon parted.Back
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Full-Bodied
A wine that is heavy with weight, thickness and density. Chewable.
Sometimes these are alcoholic hulks. Glycerine, alcohol, sugar and
extracts combine for a hefty mouthful. It is a nice, big, round wine; and
a nice, big, and balanced wine; and a nice, broad-beamed buster of a wine ready
to give you maximum enjoyment. If you can wait until it becomes smooth an
mellow, then it's ever better. Such wines may lack the delicacy and
finesse of Bordeaux St. Juliens and Margaux or Burgundy's Montrachets,
Chambertins, Charlemagnes, to cite a few. Most California boutique wine
producers especially, up until recently haver strived for and have attained,
full bodied monsters in both reds and whites. Glycerine, phenolic compounds,
volatile substances, various esters, natural fruit acids are significant
ingredients which comprise extracts. They are soluble solids which give
substance, body, taste and firmness to wines. Back
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Green, Stemmy, Stalky
Not a color problem! These terms relate to a decided nose and palate
problem that is caused by the taste of raw wine, sour wine, unripe wine, acid
wine, grassy wine, damp twigs, stems and stalks. A sharp, pinched, hard
wine. A rude wine. There! How much worse can it be?! The wine is
made from grapes picked unripe and or nursed too long on stalks or stems in the
must. Such wines have excessive acidity, which accentuates an already undesirable
"green", tangy taste. Maybe the Martians have an affinity for
the "green" taste. But how much of hte production can they
afford to buy? Guaranteed not to please earthilings. Good examples:
1972 Bordeaux reds (when there wasn't much sunshine and the grapes didn't
ripen), many 1971 California reds and some 1977 Burgundy whites. Back
to Top
Hard
High acidity and plenteous tannin invigorate the palate. An unyielding,
austere wine still all wrapped up and going no place yet. Severe, no give,
tight, inexorable. Closed up. hardness is o.k. in young reds, and it
usually promises improvement after time in the bottle. I can still taste
the hardness in those big northern Italy, Califormia and our Northwestern reds
that I drank tow years after release. Also I drank a Chianti Classico
Riserva and a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Tuscany of the 1970 vintage in
1977 and found them hard and not pleasant. For purposes of this book, I took
them again in 1982. The wines were agreeable, although they would improve
with time. I drank a 1971 Brunello in 1979. It was implacable.
I tried again in the spring of 1982. It thumbed its nose at me! Back
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Harmonious
All vinous elements are in happy harmony, the wine sings with one voice.
The different vinous characteristics are pleasantly integrated. The wine
is sound and good in that no one quality is lacking or over-emphasized, i.e. -
acid balanced sweetness - alcohol balances flavor and acid - tannin and oak are
balanced by fruitiness. Appearance, smell, taste and aftertaste leave
satisfaction in the empty glass and pleasant after-glow in the memory. A
very important element in assessing a wine's quality. Back
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Harsh
High astringency in the wine assaults the palate. Blame it on the tannin,
the major culprit. High alcohol and excess acid also lend their unwelcome
presence. Rough and tough and rootin' tootin' on the tongue. Some undertone
on vinegar may be discernable. Time in the bottle should mellow it
out. With excess astringency, the inside of the cheeks seems to
shrivel. The high alcohol causes the wine to go down the throat roughly, rudely,
coarsely. The excess acidity is just a mean cuss on the palate and threatens
heartburn. Back
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Hazy
The wine in the glass is dull, turbid, murky, cloudy. These terms denote
suspended material in the wine. Hazy wine may be barely drinkable, but
generally it is unsatisfactory; gets low marks for appearance; flawed; lacks
clarity and brightness. Wines that are maderized, over-aged, or poorly
stored will appear hazy. Winemaker's error, which may cause protein
instability, or yeast to spoil, or wine to ferment in the bottle, causes a hazy
wine. If the wine is unfiltered or unfined (noted on label of some California
wine). not to worry if hazy; let it stand upright for a day or so and then
decant - it should be clear then. Wines poorly stored for long duration
will become hazy, for sure. Back
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Heavy
Vigorous, full, macho, dense, robust, fleshy, masculine, big-bodied,
big-bellied, powerful. A boom-boom wine. Deep bass organ tones..like
in that Saint Saens symphony, featuring the organ, I used to listen to in Music
Appreciation II. Alcohol and grape extracts are prominent - perhaps
excessive. Wine is probably so over-balanced in tannin and or alcohol and
or extract that it may never achieve harmony with its fruit and acidity.
Result: most likely it will never attain smoothness (finesse) down the
road. It's just too overwhelming! A negative connotation.
Klutsy, clumsy as tasted in bargain-priced red Rhones, some Sicilians and some
Region V California hot climate reds. Back
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Herbaceous
Spicy, weedy smell and taste of herbs as detected in Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot
Noir and other red table wines.
"Herbaceous" is a term broadly applied in tasting: the nose noses
weeds...dusty cedar...broiled beef...dry
leaves...wet-hair...musk...peppers...vegetation...smoke...mint...spice...leather...tobacco...cloves...eucalyptus...among
other odors. Consensus agreement on defining a wine's specific herbaceous
qualities is not easily attained, and any wine may be perceived and described
differently by different tasters. One man's "spice" is another
man's "pepper" and another man's "mint" and another's
"freshly cut grass" ad infinitum. Please don't describe the wine
as "herby" - reminds me of the obnoxious kid I sat next to in the
seventh grade. Back
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Hollow
A wine that collapses in the middle. It is aggressive in the foretaste
(the primary taste) and departs with a resounding aftertaste, but has nothing in
the middle. Stated another way, the wine is alive, howling and kicking at birth
(primary taste), drops dead in the middle (on the palate) and wonder of wonders,
is born-again wine in its dramatic resurrections (aftertaste). I
once heard an expert use this term in his tasting class, observed with much
amusement the expression of funereal solemnity as they contemplated the
"dead in the middle" aspect of the wine. Back
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Hot
High alcohol and subdued sweetness cause a burning, irritating prickling sensation
to the nose, mouth and larynx. In some wines, after the fruit has faded
and tannin has vanished the wine now naked, except for acid and alcohol,
finishes "hot". To describe hot more accurately - it produces a very
warm and coarse sensation back in the mouth and throat; not sweaty "hotsy-totsy"
hot, instead a "rough" hot. Sometimes tickles the throat and
causes a cough. Try some 13.5 - 14% young Portuguese reds, some Sicilians,
or some reds from the French Provence region - untamed, coarse...and hot! I just
tasted a young California Zinfandel Port, 20.5% alcohol...hot! It was good,
though - Quady's. Back
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Impressive
Pronounced desirable characteristics in a wine as evidenced by sight, smell,
sip, savor, swallow, and speech describe a wine as impressive. When all
the "s's" are positive to the entire sensory and vocal apparatus, then
that's a might impressive wine, my friend! The wine is bright to sight
and has a helluva vinous smell; it's a pip to sip and the savor
is exquisite flavor; wallow in the swallow with delight and reach in speech
for the stars. A superior wine, clean and fine with distinction and class
- and a thrilling, memorable drinking experience. There are many
wines of this caibre available - some expensive, some modest in price. To
name a few among so very many: Heitz Martha's Vineyard and Robert Mondavi
reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; Freemark Abbey and Grgich Chardonnay; Barolo Riserva
Speciales, Brunellos, barbarescos from Italy; Latour, Lafite, Mouton, Margaux
from Bordeaux; Burgundys from the Cote d'Or; Riojas from Spain; some perfectly
marvelous reds from Australia, some white wines from California, Graves,
Burgundy, the Loire. And the list could go on and on. Back
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Improved
When wine needs to be improved, sugar or sugar syrup is added to the must to
increase th alcohol content or to reduce acidity. It does not make the
wine sweeter! Referred to as "chaptalization", this process is
introduced when grapes do not ripen satisfactorily due to lack of sunshine,
resulting in insufficient sugar. It is permitted in Bordeaux and Burgundy,
and in Germany with "table" class wines. "Improving"
is not allowed in California nor with German pradikat wines, but is permitted
elsewhere in the U.S. when the weather hasn't done right by the vineyard.
In California, what you grows i what you gets, and what nature gives is what you
bottles. Back
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Lacking Body
A simply ghastly wine that only a Banquo could love! Ethereal, of
insufficient body. A "disembodied" wine is light in color,
unimpressive to the nose, spineless on the palate, thin and diffident in the
mouth. It lacks necessary alcohol and extract to give it firmness and
substance; there is too little viscosity and too much "watery".
A wishy-wahsy wine. A faint-hearted wine. An unobtrusive wine...that makes
a quick getaway. It went thataway! Some awful insipid jug wines and
anemic carafe wines are worth trying if only for the experience and to help fix
this lesson in your mind. However, not all jugs or carafes are so
cursed. Robert Mondavi's red and white table wines come to mind; they are satisfactory
jug wines for my palate, and there are a few other good ones, such as C.K.
mondavi and Los Hermanos. Superior ratings were given to these jugs
recently: Almaden Mountain Chablis '81, Martini Burgundy, Montery Classic
Cineyard Red '79, Parducci Vintage red '78, Sebastiani and St. martin Burgundies
and Sebastiani Country Cabernet. Back
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Lacks Finish
Too little end to the taste. leaves nothing at the tip of the throat after
the swallow. The end is neither round, nor sound, nor firm, nor fully
packed. It leads into the aftertaste without a message.
Disappointingly, the flavor fades away - goes into a gentle swoon. The
wine's value is minimized. A short inconclusive wine, probably not
well-balanced; no feedback, no followthru; no positive aftertaste that lingers a
little longer. Generally, too little acidity, too little fruit. A
sign of poor quality. Back
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Legs
An oily film that coats the inner surface of the glass after the glass and wine
are rotated. (Make sure there is less than one-third of wine in the glass
or run the risk of splattering the tablecloth.) The wine moves quickly or
slowly down the sides of the glass as determined by glycerol density.
(Glycerol is derived from alcohol in the wine.) When thick, plentiful and dense,
the legs indicate the wine has big body, richness and thick viscosity.
Viscosity can be unctuous and syrupy at one extreme (observe in a rich
Sauternes) or thin and watery at the other end (in a light quaffing wine, say a jug
wine Burgundy or a bar wine Chablis). Unlike the parlance of the streets,
nice legs are not nice stems. (See "Green,
Stemmy. Stalky") Other popular terms: "tears",
"steeple", "globs", "arches". Back
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Maderized
The wine smells like a sick sherry; looks like muddy-brown maderia; projects
baked, burnt, stale nuts, toffee on the nose and palate. "How weary,
stale flat and unprofitable is such a wine," Hamlet might have said, except
that he was troubled with different problems. Maderization is a serious
flaw in table wines caused by air seepage into the bottle improper exposure to
sunlight and heat during long storage, or simply plain, old overripe old age.
The wine has a flat, heavy off-taste and a brown-toned color, which is more
discernible in white wines thatn reds. Maderization is not to be confused
with the desirable nut-like aroma and flavor of a well-made sherry.
"Oxidized" is frequently used to describe maderization.
Oxidized, speaking technically, relates to air contamination; maderization is
associated more with improper storage near heat and sunlight and old
age. Back
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Masked
A wine is masked whose virtue is shrouded in mystery: has she got it or hasn't
she? In the ever-ever land of tasting, all this means is that a wine's
flavor components are obscured on the nose and palate. Will time, maturity
and proper aging environment enable it to open up and reveal a saint or a
sinner? Paradoxically, the saint will open up, the sinner will remain
tight. Some Chablis (the French ones, that is) in their early youth are masked
of their subtle aromas and firm acidity. They may be perceived as hard and
flinty, narrow and tight-lipped. But maturity should unveil the wine and
enable it to bare itself in full triumphant glory. Oftentimes, prolonged
exposure to air (breathing time) or good ol vigorous swirling or back-and forth
decanting will do the trick! Blame a wine's youth and/or excessive alcohol
for concealing its potential delight. Now, this isn't to say that all young
or alcoholic wines are masked and aren't potable. But those wines made for
aging and destined for greatness, i.e., Latour, Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo
Riserva Spaciale, Chambertin, Richebourg, La Tache, Heitz's Martha's Vineyard
and other great ones, need to age to fulfill their destiny with the enophile.
Back
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Mild
A wine soft, subdued, unpretentious; hath really neither worldly nor lofty aspiration,
nor certitude of vinous grandeur, and not a very exciting wine, either! A
fresh, pleasant and humble wine, low in acidity and tannin, especially the
reds. Appeals to the new palate. not a gutsy wine in the raw which
is seldom mild. Gallo's good hearty Burgundy and jug whites, Sebastiani's
jug reds, Inglenook's generic reds and whites, Robert Mondavi's table reds and
whites, some Almaden reds and roses - really most California jugs, especially
the reds, are fresh, pleasant and mild. But they're forgettable.
Some of the whites are abominable: thin, sweetish and acidic, althought Paul
Masson and Wente Bros. make some pleasing ones. Back
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Musty
Unpleasant, stale, unaired-closet / attic smell. Damp, dank, tanky, moldy,
mildewy. A sure turn-off when it first assails the nose - and there the
interest stops. May never caress the palate of a connoisseur, unless he's
a masochist who opts for Château de Sade. But don't despair, it may not
be beyond redemption. With patience and faith on your part, a few minutes
in the glass on the wine's part, the disagreeable nose may become pleasing, pert
and pretty. With luck the ugly ducking may transform itself into a
beautiful swan. But...is the wine worthwhile agonizing over? Back
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Nose
"Nosing" is a sniffing the wine and relating the fullness of its aroma
to the size of the proboscis, i.e., "it's got a big nose," "it's
got a small, faint nose," or "it's got no nose at all."
Bear in mind, ninety per cent of taste is smell, so nosing is
significant in tasting. Try this exercise: sniff three times: 1. before
rotating the glass, 2. after rotating, and 3. a few minutes
later. Now note how the aroma opens up and expands. The nose
knows... if the wine will be a thrill or a disappointment. But there are
times when despite swirling the glass furiously, or decanting the wine to and
from to enable air to breathe life into it, the wine does not come alive to the
nose. (sometimes we plumb run out of patience and drink it..and don't wait for
the aroma or bouquet to develop.) Nonetheless, many faint or no-nose wines
are satisfactory in the mouth. The finish is generally muted, and
altogether the wine is not much more than acceptable. Back
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Noble
A wine of breed, distinction and stature 9 feet tall! Fine, elegant,
aristocratic - and an abstract subjective judgment! Really...what is a
"noble" wine? Depending on how liberal the connoisseur or the
bona fide wine expert is inclined to be, a few or many wines may qualify for
this accolade. A wine whose vinous attributes have matured to perfection,
having developed from origins of royal birth, may be deemed worthy of such
distinction, Not all grape varieties are so endowed that they can achiever
greatness. Those grape varieties that are born to the purple and are
nurtured in excellent soil, are blessed with optimum climate are vinified with
dedication and expertise, and are stored and handled with tender loving care may
possibly be judged a noble wine when the cork is drawn. Wines often referred to
as noble are these among others: Lafite and Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Magaux,
Haut Brion, Richebourg, Chambertin, Montrachet, La Tache, Brunello di Montalcino,
d'Yquem, the German Auslesen, and there are some remarkable California Cabernet
Sauvignons and Chardonnays that could be placed in this august company.
But...on the tongue, "noble" sounds - oh, so pretentious! In all
probability it reads better on the page than it tastes in the mouth.Back
to Top
Not Up To Expectations
With vineyard, vintage, vintner so highly praised, promising so much, the wine delivers
little in the bottle. After being thoughtfully tasted, the wine proves to
be less valuable than expected. A wine whose reputation is but a bubble in
the taster's mouth. Often it is a costly but valuable lesson to those who
buy to impress or to "drink" labels. Big price and big
reputation may influence the gullible to purchase. Be wary of wines with
deservedly big reputation inn off-vintage years: Bordeaux wines of 1972 were
meager vintages; the same wines of the great 1970 and 1975 vintages should be phenomenal
- in sharp contrast to the former. Better to pay the higher price for a
1975, 1976, 1978, or 1979 and be delighted, than to be disappointed with the
"bargain" off-vintage. But...this isn't to say that you also may
not strike out with your fine wine of a fine vintage. Confucius say:
Practice prudence with pocketbook before purchase when price painfully perverse.Back
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Oaky
Woody aroma or taste is derived from oak barrels or casks which nurse the wine
as it ages. Vanillin, toast, roast, char, which are leached from the wood,
are related to oak aroma. If aged too long, a wood taste predominates
which becomes a negative element; if aged in moderation, the wood subtlety
imparts yet another desirable facet to wine's complexity. Good examples: Chardonnays,
Sauvignon Blancs Cabernet Sauvignons from many California "boutique"
wineries who opt for the big, muscular style. Not so much oak in the
bottles of the more traditional, sophisticated, subtle French wines, whose
vintners look askance at our proclivity for making macho wines. Our big,
excessively oaky Chardonnays do not necessarily smell of wood shavings.
many taste of vanilla chocolate, hone or herbs, which may be derived from oak
aging. I like the quip of a California winemaker who said, "If I want
the taste of oak, I'll go chew on a door!" Back
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Off
A wine turned bad, a taster turned off. Relates to odor and taste in the
glass. And the appearance isn't too exciting, either. An off
condition prevents a wine from putting its best foot forward to show off its
fruit flavor. Contamination during production, unclean barrels during
aging, alien influences during fermentation or bottling simply spoil the
wine. The culprits perpetrating the dastardly deed may be any of these:
chemical action, bacterial action, excessive oxidation, fermentation aberration,
unclean containers - be they handling during shipping or subsequent improper
storage conditions are among others. In some instances, however, an off
wine may be served without lethal effect to someone you don't like. The
wine looks, smells and tastes "rousy," as the Japanese say. Not
to be confused with an over-the-hill, one grand wine spoiled by old
age. Back
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Overbalanced
Vinous characteristics are "out of joint." Equal interaction of
desirable components necessary to produce good wine is lacking. The wine
is dominated by one or more of the following elements: fruit, acid,
sweetness, alcohol, tannin. Failure of these components to integrate and unify
prevents the harmonious progression from sight to smell to taste to finish to
aftertaste. The preponderance of any single vinous component overbalances
the wine, which limits its appeal. Many newly bottled and released young
California Cabernets and Zinfandels that are made into the big style are
frequently overbalanced with tannin and/or under balanced in fruit. Back
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Overpowering
Too big; not pleasant' difficult for the palate to contend with.
Astringent, puckery high tannin; hot harsh alcohol; big chewy body; high, tart,
total acidity; the wine is like to bust the bottle. Whammo! massive and
muscular; aggressive, assertive, forceful; provocative, pugnacious; a monster; a
grand slammer; the wine overwhelms the palate. Whew! Time in the bottle may
soothe the savage beast - hopefully. Not enjoyable, unless you thrive on
violence or like to sleep with lady wrestlers, as a renowned wine pundit
wrote. Try a big late harvest Zinfandel or Cabernet with alcohol exceeding
14%. On second thought, maybe not if they overwhelm the accompanying
food. Better to have these wines with room-temperature sharp cheddar
cheese and crusty French or Italian bread. Back
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Over The Hill
Say bye-bye to freshness and other fine vinous characteristics from over-age or
improper storage. Like London bridge, the wine is falling down, is falling
apart. Color, bouquet, flavor and finish have said farewell, are now divided,
are out of sync, Wine is dried out. The wine has a flat smell; is
weak, low in fruit and acidity, and is losing its tannin. May be watery
and vinegary, or have a faint, sickly-sweet taste. Gone is the elixir of
youth. Old eyes, old nose, old taste, old everything. Decay is on
the way. I tasted some 1961 Pommards, a 1966 St. Emilion and some
1971 Burgundy whites of respectable pedigrees this year (1982). The
Pommards made from not-so-long-lived Pinot Noir grapes were not over the hill;
the St. Emilions which are blended primarily with Merlot were just a step down
from the crest of the hill; the Burgundy whites retained most of their fruit and
crispness. The moral: don't prejudge "over the hill."
Taste the wine first! If you possess the British palate, you'll probably enjoy
your wines slightly over the hill; the French palate, your wines before reaching
maturity, when the fruit is dominant; the American palate, a combination of
both: we like young wines young, old wine old.Back
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Penetrating
Aroma leaps from the glass lie a stag over the snow and sends a shaft of smell
up the nostrils. Nothing diffident about it! Like a punch on the
nose in its physical impression. The wine's components of high alcohol, rising
esters and volatile acidity are responsible for the sensation of smell.
However, when volatile acidity exceeds the taster's minimum threshold, its
effect is sharply penetrating, and more so as the volatile acidity
increases. Then the nostrils and the mouth get a mouthful and a snootful.
try a fruity, berry Zinfandel harvested late and containing 13-14%
alcohol. For starters, try a Ridge from the 1976 or 1978 vintage. A
1978 Barbera from northern Italy will do nicely, also as will a Burgess
Chardonnay of 1978 or 1979. Back
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Peppery
Hot, tart pepper on the nose (kerchew!) and palate. The body of a
peppery wine imparts a sharp texture and vigorous impression in the mouth,
unless its intensity is moderate. "Peppery" gives a wine a brash,
harsh quality, more noticeable in very young, full-bodied reds. It is a
sign of a wine's immaturity when excessive, and may adversely affect the wine's
balance. It is consistent with high alcohol. Hot, peppery texture
almost physically assaults the palate. try a young Petite Sirah - all inky
and peppery - and really not at all bas when "peppery" is muted.
Some young Chiantis and Amarone Reciotos display a nice peppery aroma and
flavor. Back
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Piquant
The wine has a nice tingle of fresh acidity...a nice taste of fresh fruit...a
sprightliness that dances lightly over the tongue. A whisper of fresh
spiciness, usually in a young light wine, either red or white, gives the wine
its piquancy. There is plenty of acidity on the nose and palate, which gets
the saliva juices flowing. This is a lazy summer's afternoon wine that one
sips by a quiet pond or in a hidden meadow to the hum of crickets and
bees. Such a wine in such a place - and the world far away - the vinous pleasure
blesses and transfixes the taster. Observe in a fresh light Mosel, a
Vouvray, a Pouilly Fume, a Sancerre or a Gewurztraminer. Back
to Top
Pleasing
All vinous elements are in happy harmony and pleasing to the palate: sight,
smell, sip, savor and swallow are satisfactory, but don't merit salutes reserved
for greatness. A good-natured, good humored wine, benevolent and
cheerful. No rough edges, no outstanding features, no pretensions.
The "good kid" kind of wine, like the girls you used to get fixed up
with - not a beauty (or handsome, for lady readers, lest my chauvinism
shows). An "it'll do" wine. That's all. Any of the many good
Eastern, Midwestern and Western wines that are made to be drunk soon after the
harvest are pleasing wines. Gallo, Colony, Almaden, Inglenook, Sebastiani,
Taylor, Mirassou, Souverain, Parducci, Commonwealth produce some very pleasing
wines, as do dozens of other wineries within our country, which are too numerous
to list here. Back
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Poor
Describes a cheapo product made from low quality grapes. Such a wine
simply odes not satisfy. lacks the warm richness in the bouquet and fruit
that pervades a Robert Mondavi fine Cabernet Sauvingnon. taste the two
wines if you can bear to suffer the former. No stature, no structure, no
character, no merit, no nuthin'. Not necessarily undrinkable (but who
would want it?!) At best, just ordinary stuff, rather than bad or
spoiled. No delight in this wine! Not such stuff as dreams are made
of. Back
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Powerful
First you takes mature, ripe grapes; and then you ferments them long on the
skins with seeds and stems and stalks; then you adds some long aging in
wood. After all of which it becomes Big Red, a brawny broth of a lad, high
in alcohol, tannin and flavor of wood. Its aroma grabs you by the nose; its
flavor explodes with fullness on the tongue and palate. Sturdy, solid, beefy,
raucous - the wine runs riot thruout the mouth. The finish and aftertaste
shout their farewell (no whispers here, no shy goodbye). Young Barolos,
some "home style" Italians, young Rhones, muscular heavy-oaked California's,
are examples of powerful wines that will knock your shoes off. Back
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Puckery
Teeth and gums are assailed by the astringency of high tannin, which is
contained essentially in young red wines. It puckers the mouth, causes the
cheeks to feel stuck together, puts the lips in kissing protrusion. It
ain't necessarily lip-smacking good! Time in the tank and bottle smoothes
out the astringent tannin. Sometimes, however, tannin outlives the wine's
fruit, then the bottle loses its appeal. Puckery sensation is seldom
experienced in white wines because of their low tannin content. if you can
bear to suck on aspirins or drink very strong tea, you'll experience the raw
feel and taste of tannin. It isn't all that pleasant, but... our great,
long-lived reds wouldn't develop into the gallant, firm-bodied wines they are
without it. Immature big red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and
Nebbiolo grapes are tannic and unpleasant until time reduces the tannin. Back
to Top
Pungent
Aggressively spicy, strong-scented, stale impression on the nose. Strong,
flat aroma like sherry or madeira, or perhaps fermented prunes and
raisins. Or the smell of sulphur used as a preservative. Assertive
and emphatic on the nose; should not be confused with, or ascribed to, the
delicate, refined Gewurztraminer which is fresh, spicy and strong-scented.
A very forward smell sensation. You'll know it when you nose it. If
the shoe fits, as the saying goes, with your next bottle, return it, if you
can. It will probably be oxidized, maderized, over-aged, or just plain
spoiled. Pour it on the weeds in your garden if you're stuck with
it. Back
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Ripe
A wine at the summit of its potential, reaching the full bloom of
maturity. Full vinous impression on the nose; soft and mellow on the
palate; smooth, velvety vinous finish; lingering, echoing aftertaste.
Round, rich and ripe; the grape's fruit is in abundance with balancing acid, alcohol
and tannin. A wine that has made it to the tip and has only decline in its
future. I drank my 1976 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon in 1982, my gift of a
Heitz's 1968 Martha's Vineyard in 1981, a Sterling 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon in
1981 - these wines were all ripe!! Back
to Top
Robust
Intense color, big nose, all other vinous components solid like a brick....etc.
Alcohol over 13%, aggressive tannins that almost make the cheeks stick together;
high acidity, unctuous texture, full fruit - that's what we are talking
about! A big-bellied buster of a wine. Alive and full in the
mouth. A tough, muscular, strapping fellow that isn't going to fade away.
May lack finesse, may be coarse and raucous. Full heavy, round; a
mouthful. Try a Barolo, a better Rhone variety, a good Spanish Gran
Riserva. But don't serve them with lightweight cuisine. Robust wines
are for your favorite lumberjack. Back
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Round
Round is sound (though not necessarily profound) in the mouth. The term
describes a wine that is full-bodied, soft-bodied, is eminently drinkable, had
good balance, has no excessive acidity. Round may describe the weight or
substance of the wine in the mouth. Flavor is rich, ripe, mature, but the
wine may be a tad low in tannin (if it's red), however. Not sharp, not
boney, not narrow. No sharp edges in this wine! Smooth, seductive,
persuasive, pleasing to the palate. The touch, the feel, the flavor are
all joy! If you can imagine Columbus' excitement when he discovered that
the earth was round, then your discovering a wine that is round is
just as thrilling! And if good ol' Chris had found that the earth was flat, then
he was gone, baby! And if you discover a wine that is flat, then it is
gone, baby. Back
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Senile
Long past the peak of development and deterioration in quality. Its once
manly voice now pipes and whistles in its sound. Second childishness and
mere oblivion ahead. Badly faded; very little life left - perhaps some
alcohol, some acid; no tannin, no fruit. What remains is a strange bouquet
and taste. The once fine color, bouquet and backbone have departed.
Poor, withered, moribund, discardable. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew
him.....!" Back
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Shy
Light, attractive, slim, quiet. Shy in intensity and flavor. The
wine's essences are only a whisper on the nose and palate. A charming
balance of flavor, quality and diffidence, the above description
notwithstanding. Self-effacing in its modesty. A demure, little
white wine with skirts shyly lifted just above the knee, in one writer's description.
But not brazen enough to give us a glimpse of the thigh! Try an
off-dry, light Chenin Blanc; a French Colombard, a Taylor California Cellars
Chablis, a tender Mosel. These are modest summer sipping wines, low in
alcohol and just plain quiet and unpretentious. Certainly not a "yo-ho-to-ho"
Valkyrie. Back
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Short
A short wine has no problem of height, nor length, nor capacity of breath, nor a
measure of the amount of wine in the glass. In vinous terminology, short
describes aftertaste: after the swallow, the flavor fades fast... "like my
beloved's plaintive goodbye, 'all too soon and I am gone...Oh, forgotten...
forgotten...forgotten am I!'" The wine lacks firmness and staying
power in the aftertaste. In no way does it sustain the first fine careless
rapture of an enjoyable initial taste. A short aftertaste definitely is
not an attribute of a great wine, or even a good wine. Generic jugs, ordinary
quaffing wines, generally shuffle off short. "Out, out, brief
candle!" The wine is but a fleeting shadow... Back
to Top
Sleeper
A pleasant stunning surprise! A moderately priced, unpretentious label or an
unpopular vintage year that puts you on your backside from astonishment. A
wine that promises no rose gardens, but delivers oodles of orchids in the
tasting. An exciting, mind-boggling wonder wine, considering its low
expectations. Nose, flavor. body, finish and farewell are prominent and as
well-balanced as barbershop quartet. Beychevelle 1973, Cantemerle 1974,
Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 1971 and Mirassou Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon 1972
are fine examples of sleepers from off-vintages. I wouldn't play Rip Van
Winkle with such sleepers, however. They should be drunk rather than aged
on. Back
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Smoky
Discernible aroma of wood smoke, oak, burning autumn leaves. Noted in
certain older Burgundy Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Aroma and flavor on
the nose and palate evoke nostalgic youthful memories in us country lads.
A nice, pleasant nose to some tasters. To some smoky is "dusty,"
to some, "husky;" to some "musty;" to some,
"musky;" to some, "Lusty." The later evaluation is
made by the macho voyeur wine taster who is roaring ahead full blast toward a
euphoric finish. Back
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Smooth
A pleasant wine the palate just loves to touch. Balanced with all
agreeable vinous characteristics combined in correct proportions and revealed up
front - or do you like "early on" better? Sound and good.
Mellow, soft and accessible to the palate. Easy, round texture in the
mouth. No roughness or sharpness in the finish. A wine that whispers
"A-a-a-ah" in the aftertaste. An ingratiating wine that's easy
to take, although it may not be particularly complex. It may lack layers
of taste sensations. Not Methuselah, so don't lay it away until your baby
son's wedding day. Back
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Soft
A wine of pleasant texture in the mouth, but it may lack character and firmness
because it is soft in acid an tannin and perhaps low in alcohol; but it should
show good fruit. Smooth, mature, mellow, nonetheless; mild, agreeable
doesn't make waves; tempered, tamed, yielding. Alcohol, tannin, acidity
and fruit don't come at you the way the great wines do on their ascent to
divinity. Generally all-together and well-balance. Not of heroic proportion.
A Gallo Hearty Burgundy; a Burgundy jug wine; a good jug Chablis or Chardonnay
low in alcohol and acidity. Back
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Sound
A well-made, properly balanced, well-structured wine of satisfying bouquet and
flavor with a pleasant finish and moderately long aftertaste. A clean,
healthy, happy, straightforward wine which passes the test of the fussy
palate. The wine is everything it was meant to be - authentic, true to
type, no major fault. In connotation, a "sound" wine is not a
"great" wine, but it is a "good" wine! There are many
moderately priced West Coast wines, such as Almaden Montery Cabernet Sauvignon,
Montery Vineyard Classis Red, Simi, Ste. Michelle and Angelo Papagni Chardonnay;
Gudlach-Bundschu and Louis Martini Pinot Noir; Sterling and Robert Mondavi
Sauvignon (Fume) Blanc - these wines and dozens more from the Atlantic to the
Pacific are sound, enjoyable and won't bust the budget. Back
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Steely
Austere, dry white wines having very pronounced fresh acidity. Look for
the "steel" in a clean, sharp Mosel, or a classic Riesling Kabinett
from the Rheingau, or in a crisp Muscadet or Sancerre, or from an Alsacian
Riesling. There are some white Spanish wines that affect the palate this
way, also. Not to be confused whith another "metal": gun-flinty
Chablis which picks up the flavor of the soil and is described as
"flinty." Back
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Superficial
What is immediately obvious is all you gets. Lacking are the attributes
that make for a great wine; no depth, no stuffing, low alcohol, shy bouquet,
indistinct finish, abrupt farewell. No complexity. You may experience a
superficial wine in a restaurant when it is served in a carafe. Order it
and let it be a lesson in your vinous educations. But be earned! The
carafe may be filled from a gallon jug which perhaps was opened... and reopened
many time over many days. Ask your waiter... and hope that he or she is
hones! A lightweight wine. Has little about it that's praiseworthy.
It don't get no respec'. has no message, leaves no mark. Soon
forgotten. There are some quite acceptable wines bottled in carafes:
Paul Masson comes to mind. Back
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Sweetness
Fragrant, flowery, fruity are often used to describe sweetness. There is,
generally, the presence of sugar, and occasionally glycerin, detected in the
taste of wine. Sugar, incidentally, is dependent upon the amount of
rainfall and sunshine the grapes get. Sweetness is a "basic"
taste which is sensed at the tip of the tongue (sour, salt, bitter are other
taste sensations and are experienced at other parts of the tongue).
Fruitiness, ripeness, vanilla, oakiness contribute to a wine's sweetness.
Alcohol, acid and tannins must balance the sweetness, otherwise it's soda
pop. Dry wines sometimes are perceived as sweet by the nose an palate, as
most wines possess at least a small amount of residual sugar. Many wine
drinkers have higher or lower thresholds for detecting sweetness. This
holds true for bitterness and acidity. So while one person perceives sweetness,
another may not. Interestingly, tasters' sensitivity to flavor components
may be sharper or duller at different times, depending on the tasting environment
or physical and psychological considerations at the specific tasting. Sauternes
and German pradikat wines are quite sweet. Back
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Tails Away
A wine that makes a big promise of extended earthly delight on the nose and
palate and then doesn't linger. It lacks grip. The nose fades
fast. The taste does not last beyond the initial taste. The taster
queries, "gone so soon?" Alas, the wine's character was never really
established. A disappointment. An expectation unfulfilled. An
anticipation of vinous delight never realized. Such a wine does not relate
to finish or aftertaste - it never gets that far: it disappears along the
way. But what is it like in the swallow, now that reference to finish and
aftertaste has been raise? Probably hollow...empty...a so-what wine.
Such a bottle picks you pocket if its price is out of proportion to its
worth. Back
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Texture
The weight, the substance, the "feel" of the wine in the mouth.
Press the tongue against the palate to experience the weight and tactile quality
of the wine. Too much alcohol and the wine is rough and hot; too much
tannin and the wine is astringent, parched and shrunk; too much glycerol and the
wine is silky, fleshy, unctuous; too much acidity and the wine is sharp, narrow
and mean. expect among the variety of wines a difference in body
texture. Body/weight, texture/tactile sensations are obtained from the
wine after the sight, after the smell, before the swallow, before
the finish, before the aftertaste. It is in the MOUTH, with its
sensitive gums, tongue and palate, that a wine's texture is first encountered
and best perceived. Some other words among many that may be used to
describe texture are velvety, creamy, smooth, even, heavy, awkward, thin, rough,
coarse, clumsy. Back
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Thin
Lacking in substance, the wine is watery and meager on the palate. A thin
wine is poor, small wine; thin-voiced like a reedy soprano. Not at all
pleasant. It is a wine deficient in glycerine, fruit, tannin, acidity,
alcohol, vinous extracts. And if the color were to go, then what
would we have left? A thin wine is not far removed from water. Thinness is
experienced in many inexpensive commercial and hurriedly made jug
wines. Back
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Tired
A wine that is not holding up well. The old zip has gone. Past its
prime, the wine lacks vitality and muscle to sustain it. The fruit has all
but vanished. Tannin and/or acid are petering out. The wine cannot develop
or improve. A tired wine is sometimes attributable to old age, sometimes
not: poor storage, sloppy vinification methods, faulty handling along the line
of distribution could be the cause, among other factors. Other descriptions:
faded, old, exhausted, dull, flat, played out, uninteresting. Requiescat -
let it sleep in piece. Back
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Tough
An aggressive, feisty wine that reflects the immaturity of its youth and makes a
strong impression in the mouth. Loads of tannin in this redhead that time
will reduce in intensity. Lots of extract, too. A firm, full-bodied
youngster that is powerful and overpowering. A breed of wine possessing the
potential of a champion, needing only time to develop and patience by the
taster. Perceived in big Bordeaux, Rhones, wines from the Nebbiolo grape,
Brunellos, young Portuguese Daos and Colares; Ridges, Martin Rays, Mayacamas and
Phelps from California, to name some tough wines that improve with
age. Back
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Unbalanced
The wine's main components are not in harmony: they sing in atonal scale - like
Schonberg and Hindemith compositions, which I always felt were written in
indigestion; the syncopation of the components is not enjoyable. An
unbalanced wine likewise doesn't please. The wine may have either too much
tannin (reds), too little acidity, too much alcohol, too little fruit, too
little extract. Time in the bottle may reduce the proportions that are in
excess, and help the wine achieve unity. Sometimes harmony won't be
accomplished: one or more of the components may dry out and the wine will never
balance. When any of the necessary vinous elements are lacking, bottle
therapy won't help. A deficiency of fruit in the wine, especially, bodes
ill for the future. Back
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Underripe
Poor wine made from unripe grapes; harsh, acidic with little prospect for
improvement. "Green" were the grapes which probably were
harvested at an early stage. Excessively sharp initially, the wine lacks
character and flavor and smells like cooking apples. May finish
tart. Grapes weren't blessed with good weather, which is the desirable
combination of warmth, sunshine and rain. Missing are the satisfying round
flavors and smooth taste impression of a wine made from ripe grapes.
Describes many wines of '72 vintage in California and 1963 - '65-'68 and some
'72 Bordeaux. Back
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Unpleasant
Negative impression on the nose and palate - a turnoff. A faulty wine at
time of tasting. Perhaps poorly made, poorly stored, over-aged, oxidized -
whatever. Don't confuse unpleasantness in the tasting sense with the
wine's immaturity which time can cure. Shakespeare might have written: The
fault, dear taster, is not in our wine, but in ourselves, that we are
imprudent. If you drink the greatest wine ever bottled after having eaten
pickles, cranberries, garlic, citrus fruits, candied vegetables, chocolate bars
or other very pungent or sweet foods; yech! Unpleasant pardner. Back
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Vegetal
Us'n country lads have a quick recognition for wines with vegetal qualities: the
smell of freshly mown grass, the fragrance of the hayfield, the pungency of
plants, and the varied odors and tastes of vegetables like asparagus or bell
peppers, among others. The vegetal qualities which are inherent in Cabernet,
Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Riesling and some other wines are positive attributes if
present in moderation. When unusual vegetal elements show up uninvited in
wines where they don't belong - well, bretheren and sistren, we got
trouble! Such wines may be considered flawed: e.g., asparagus flavor in
Sauternes. Back
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Velvety
A wine that purrs on the palate. Smooth, soft, mellow texture all over the
tongue. All silk and satin and smooth in the mouth. No bite, no
scratch, no coarseness, no roughness. A wine your palate loves to
touch. in the finish, after the swallow, the wine glides down the throat
gently and smoothly. A rich Sauternes with its unctuous, syrupy glycerine,
a late harvest California Riesling with 9% or better residual sugar or any of
the German beerenauslesen are splendid examples of the term
"velvety." Back
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Vigorous
A lively, firm-bodied, healthy wine qualifies as a vigorous wine.
Revealing, and reveling in, strong taste and texture, the palate is awakened and
alerted that something big is acomin'! Vigor is important to a youthful wine
enabling it to show pronounced, desirable youthful flavors which presage future
nobility. Vigor is perceived in a well-developed wine when it exhibits
zesty characteristics and sings and dances on the palate when the initial sip is
taken. Try a young 5 year old Barolo or Barbaresco which may be too
vigorous at this early age, but you'll at least learn the term for your
pains. Then indulge yourself by tasting their mature 10 year old, or
older, brothers and sisters and experience celestial vinous delight.
Back
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Vinegary
Sour smell, oddly sweet, sharp and tart taste in your wine? You may have a
faulty, vinegary wine in your glass, my friend. At low levels, the acetic
acid (vinegary) adds to the attractiveness of a well-made wine. At high
levels, a vinegary wine is beyond redemption and is not fit to drink.
Vinegar is created by the volatile acids which are not constituents of grape
acids (tartaric and malic). Volatile acids are formed during
fermentation. Their quantity increases proportionately as wine ages - the
older the wine, the more possibility of vinegar. (European reds have much
higher volatile acidity content than California reds.) Vinegar may be all
right in a salad or used as a condiment, or to describer one's frustrated
old maiden aunt. But it ain't got no place in the glass or on the
palate. Wine and vine-e-gar aren't compatible. Back
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Vinous
An all-purpose description: winery, grape aroma, fruit taste. The term is
used when the more precise varietal description cannot be made. The taster
experiences the smell and taste of wine, but further definition of its character
eludes the student enophile. Such a wine may be pleasing, clean, balanced
and sound, but it will lack a specific, definable charisma which makes it
something special. It will be devoid of the complexity and ethereal
nuances that sometimes make wine tasting "moment split from
time." Most good, generally younger wines merit the vinous
description. Back
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Viscosity
oh, the wine is so smo-o-o-th and slippery and full in the mouth from glycerine,
alcohol and sugar. Observe how the syrupy legs slide down provocativvely
inside the glass, sending a message that the wine has weight, texture and body;
chewy. Experience it in a luscious Sauternes, T.B.A., or Beerenauslese, or
in big, full-bodied reds; California Chardonnay and pedigree white Burgundys:
Montrachet appellations, Charlemagnes, Mersaults from Burgundy; Grgich, Freemark
Abbey, Burgess, Heitz, Mayacamus from California; Tualatin, Ste. Michelle, Eyrie,
Knudsen-Erath, Sokol Blosser from the great Northwest, and there are
others. Back
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Volatile
Volatile acidity releases a bouquet which rises to the nose and may be
fierce and harsh...or it may be pleasantly aggressive on the nose and palate. Volatile
acidity enables assertive aromas to escape from the glass to greet the
nose. The wine's chemical elements combined with a high level of alcohol
create volatile acidity. When volatile acidity is excessive
beware of a vinegar possibility. When moderate, however, it delivers a
delightful boquet. Without it, the wine is flat. Volatile acidity
is like the little girl with the little curl right in the middle of her
forehead: when she's good, she's very, very good; but when she's bad, she
is horrid. You should never forget this term: volatile acidity.
Back
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Watery
Low fruit, low alcohol, low acidity, low extract make this wine a dull
joy. Please...the emphasis should be placed on "dull" not
"joy". Other descriptions: thin, neutral, dull, poor. Generally,
"watery" is the product of a commercially made bargain-priced
wine. how well I remember the spate of watery Spanish wines that flooded
the shops of unsophisticated wine merchants in the early 1970's! There are
still some watery, wishy-washy jug wines that are served in carafes.
Bloodless, spineless. Not a swashbuckler of heroic dimensions in the world
of wine. Not Errol Flynn (Errol, who?) More like Truman Capote. Back
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Well-Developed
The wine has matured well; makes a strong favorable impression on the
palate. All vinous components have developed equally, have come together
at the same time, and are unified on the palate. Not too much of any one element
here, not too much of any one element there. All of the wine's desirable
properties are in solid sync: tannin, acid, alcohol, firm fruit, big body.
well-balanced. A square-shouldered, slim hipped admirable, masculine
wine. A big-bosomed, big-hipped, desirable, erotic, feminine wine. Take
your pick. Back
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Young, Immature
An under-developed, pre-pubescent wine. Desirable vinous components are
not yet all together. Professional tasters drink at this early stage only
to evaluate the wine's aging potential, like right out of the aging barrel when
the taste is awful and the appearance is worse! The wine will lack
balance: it may be overly tannic and acidic; the fruit may be submerged.
With time, a wine of pedigree should round out into a fine figure of a
wine. Often referred to as being dumb, closed-in, uneven, reticent,
awkward. Say it again, Orson: "I drink no wine before its
time. It will be too young and immature." Back
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