Used to describe the tart taste in the mouth when a wine’s acidity is too high (see “acidity” below).

The term which refers to the total content of acid in the wine. Acids in a wine include citric, lactic, malic and tartaric.

The word aftertaste describes the taste of the wine remains in the mouth after it has been swallowed.

Wines are aged in the barrels before they are bottled and they continue to age once they have been bottled.

Grapes contain large amounts of sugar. During fermentation, yeasts convert this sugar into alcohol, thus making the drink that we have loved for thousands of years.

The best way to describe this term is to provide the definition of its opposite descriptors, like “round” or “soft”. An angular wine does not possess this complexity or elegance. Often this is found i [..]

The aromas of a wine are often referred to as “appley”. Chardonnays, Rieslings and sparkling wines often possess this characteristic.

The smell of the wine.

Wines that are very high in tannins (or wines which have young tannins which have not matured) are often astringent. If the wine makes your mouth pucker to an almost uncomfortable level, then it is al [..]

My least favorite descriptor of all time… solely because it sounds so pompous. Austere is used to describe wines that seem a little flat. They are often acidic and seem to have no backbone, no depth, [..]