There’s no doubt that understanding the intricacies and complexities of wine is challenging and sometimes overwhelming. And when you’re going to a wine tasting at a winery, you may feel intimidated not knowing what certain terms mean. Understanding these terms is a great place to start if you enjoy drinking wine and want to learn more about picking out notes of fruit or other flavors.
7 Must-Know Wine Terms to Make You Sound Like a True Sommelier
Appearance
One of the first things that people do at a tasting is to simply look at the glass of wine. While you’re looking at the color of the wine, the appearance is actually referring to the clarity of the wine, or if there is any sediment in the wine. Words that can be used to describe the appearance include:
- Brilliant: If the wine doesn’t have any sediment, then it has high clarity.
- Clear: The wine is transparent.
- Cloudy: This may indicate that there is something wrong with the wine.
- Maderized: The wine may have a brownish hue to it, which indicates the wine is past its prime.
Legs
Another part of looking at the wine is analyzing its legs. As you tip the glass slightly to look at the color and appearance of the wine, you’ll notice as you tip the glass back that lines begin or droplets begin to form as it falls down the sides. The more legs there are, the higher the alcohol content.
Aroma
When tasting wine at a winery, the next thing to do is smell the wine. Don’t be afraid to really get your nose in the glass and take a slow deep inhale of the aroma. Experienced sommeliers will be able to determine where the wine came from just by smelling it. Some words to describe a wine’s aroma include:
- Complex: A wine may smell fruity, but use the word complex when you can pick out which specific fruits you smell, such as cherry or pear. If the wine has a floral aroma, do you smell violets?
- Heady: This is used to describe a wine that is high in alcohol.
- Spicy: If the wine has a particularly spicy aroma it may have hints of black pepper, oregano, rosemary, or cinnamon.
Body
After looking at the wine’s appearance and getting a good sniff, it’s time to taste! Take a small amount of wine into your mouth and swirl it around, letting every taste bud seep in the full flavor. When talking about a wine’s body, it’s generally referring to how the weight of the wine feels on your palate. The wine’s alcohol content, glycerin, and sugar levels all impact the body of a wine. The body is usually described as full-bodied, medium-bodied, or light-bodied.
Structure
Similar to the body of a wine, the structure is referring to how the texture of the wine physically feels in your mouth. The wine’s acidity, glycerin, alcohol, and tannins impact the structure of a wine. A good bottle of wine has a firm structure, while a low-quality wine may be described as being lacking in structure.
Tannin
This word actually isn’t really a wine term that describes wine but is an actual component of the wine. Tannins are derived from the skins, seeds, and stems of the grape as well as oak barrels where wines are commonly aged. A wine’s tannins give it that puckering quality and help the wine develop a fuller flavor as it ages.
Finish
As you sip at the wine, you’ll begin to notice how the flavor changes after you have swallowed. The finish, or aftertaste, is the flavor and texture of the wine that lingers after a sip. You may describe a wine’s finish as crisp or if the wine has stronger tannins it might have a strong finish. You can also describe how long the finish lasts in terms of seconds or minutes.
Visit Claremont Inn & Winery in Stratton, Colorado
Claremont Inn & Winery officially became a winery in 2012, and we have been developing a wide range of wines for our guests to enjoy, including red and white wine, port wine, as well as fruit wines. We are passionate about wine, talking about the beautiful complexities, how to pair wine with food, and helping guests learn more about how to taste and enjoy wine. If you want to experience a relaxing getaway to a Colorado winery, we can’t wait to host your stay.