Wine Tasting Glossary (2)

The ABCs of Tasting by Château Fontesteau – Second installment: A through C. Stay tuned for more...

D

Dense: Deep in color, rich in flavors, and concentrated.

Dry: A wine with no residual sugar (under 4 g/L). Can feel drying.

E

Easy-drinking: A light, youthful, refreshing wine.

Elegant: A delicate, subtle wine without heaviness.

Empyreumatic: Aromas of smoke, toast, cocoa, or tar.

F

Fleshy: A wine with density, volume, and richness. Example: "A fleshy, sensual wine."

Flesh: Refers to the wine’s richness, roundness, or texture. Example: "A wine with generous flesh."

Finish: Sensations after swallowing or spitting the wine. Can be long, short, intense, etc.

Floral: Aromas of flowers (rose, violet, acacia, peony, jasmine, etc.).

Fresh / Freshness: A lively sensation linked to acidity, lending lightness.

Fruity: Fruit-driven aromas or flavors (red, black, yellow, tropical, etc.). Example: "A fruity nose of raspberry and black cherry."

Full-bodied: A dense, rich wine with texture and weight. Example: "A full-bodied wine with a velvety touch."

G

Green: A wine made from underripe grapes, with herbaceous notes and sharp acidity.

Grippy: A highly astringent wine that scrapes the palate.

Gunflint: A wine whose aroma evokes struck flint.

H

Hard: A wine that is overly tannic or acidic.

Harmonious: Well-proportioned, with balanced flavors and hues.

Hazy: A slightly cloudy wine.

Heavy: Overly alcoholic or cloying, lacking elegance.

Herbaceous: Vegetal aromas, often a sign of underripe grapes. Example: "A green, herbaceous nose, typical of early-harvested wines."

Hollow: A wine lacking depth, with a "gap" in the mid-palate.