Wine Tasting Glossary (3)

The ABCs of Tasting by Château Fontesteau – Third installment: L through R. Stay tuned for more...

L

Lacy: Extremely delicate, with subtle aromas.

Limpid: A wine with a clear color and no suspended particles.

Long: A wine with persistent flavors, measurable in caudalies.

Luscious: Sweet white wines made from botrytized grapes, with a distinctive bouquet.

M

Maderized: A white or red wine that turns amber with oxidation, resembling Madeira.

Mineral / Minerality: Aromas or sensations of stone, flint, chalk, or mineral water.

Example: "A flinty minerality adds tension and elegance."

N

Nervy: A lively wine with crisp acidity. Example: "A nervy, taut wine, ideal as an aperitif."

Nose: The olfactory aspect of tasting, revealing primary, secondary, or tertiary aromas.

O

Oaky: Aromas derived from aging in oak barrels (vanilla, toast, cedar, coconut, etc.).

Example: "A wine with elegant oaky notes, never excessive."

Open: A wine that is aromatically expressive and ready to drink.

P

Petillant: A lightly sparkling wine with fine bubbles.

R

Retronasal: Aroma perception via the mouth (back of the nose), key for analyzing the finish.

Round: A smooth, soft wine without harshness; can also describe melted tannins.