{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T17:20:25+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-09-28T19:01:09+00:00","timestamp":"2023-09-28T21:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33809"},"slug":"home-auto-hobbies","categoryId":33809},{"name":"Food & Drink","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33839"},"slug":"food-drink","categoryId":33839},{"name":"Beverages","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33840"},"slug":"beverages","categoryId":33840},{"name":"Wine","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33841"},"slug":"wine","categoryId":33841}],"title":"Useful Terms for Describing Wine","strippedTitle":"useful terms for describing wine","slug":"useful-terms-for-describing-wine","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"If you're learning about wine from the experts, you will read or hear these terms, including bouquet, finish, oaky, fruity, and tannic.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"When describing wine, merchants, restaurant servers, and your oenophile friends will use specific language to tell you about its characteristics. Knowing these words will help you understand the wine they're describing:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\nAroma or bouquet: The smell of a wine — bouquet applies particularly to the aroma of older wines\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nBody: The apparent weight of a wine in your mouth (light, medium, or full)\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nCrisp: A wine with refreshing acidity\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nDry: Not sweet\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFinish: The impression a wine leaves as you swallow it\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFlavor intensity: How strong or weak a wine's flavors are\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFruity: A wine whose aromas and flavors suggest fruit; doesn't imply sweetness\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nOaky: A wine that has oak flavors (smoky, toasty)\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nSoft: A wine that has a smooth rather than crisp mouthfeel\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nTannic: A red wine that is firm and leaves the mouth feeling dry\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>","description":"When describing wine, merchants, restaurant servers, and your oenophile friends will use specific language to tell you about its characteristics. Knowing these words will help you understand the wine they're describing:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\nAroma or bouquet: The smell of a wine — bouquet applies particularly to the aroma of older wines\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nBody: The apparent weight of a wine in your mouth (light, medium, or full)\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nCrisp: A wine with refreshing acidity\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nDry: Not sweet\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFinish: The impression a wine leaves as you swallow it\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFlavor intensity: How strong or weak a wine's flavors are\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nFruity: A wine whose aromas and flavors suggest fruit; doesn't imply sweetness\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nOaky: A wine that has oak flavors (smoky, toasty)\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nSoft: A wine that has a smooth rather than crisp mouthfeel\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\nTannic: A red wine that is firm and leaves the mouth feeling dry\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9029,"name":"Ed McCarthy","slug":"ed-mccarthy","description":" Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9029"}},{"authorId":9030,"name":"Mary Ewing-Mulligan","slug":"mary-ewing-mulligan","description":" Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9030"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33841,"title":"Wine","slug":"wine","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33841"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":175788,"title":"Trig Identities for Pre-Calculus","slug":"trig-identities-for-pre-calculus","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","pre-calculus"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/175788"}},{"articleId":147241,"title":"How to Use the Z-Table","slug":"how-to-use-the-z-table","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","math","statistics"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/147241"}},{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":232914,"title":"The Flop, Turn, and River Cards in Texas Hold'em","slug":"flop-turn-river-cards-texas-holdem","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","games","card-games","poker"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/232914"}},{"articleId":193770,"title":"How to Play Rummy: All You Need to Know","slug":"rummy-understanding-the-rules-and-starting-a-game","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","games","card-games","general-card-games"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/193770"}}],"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":259776,"title":"How to Read a Wine Label","slug":"how-to-read-a-wine-label","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/259776"}},{"articleId":259773,"title":"How to Judge Wine for Quality","slug":"wine-quality-how-to-judge-good-or-bad-wines","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/259773"}},{"articleId":259770,"title":"How to Describe a Wine's Taste","slug":"how-to-describe-a-wines-taste","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/259770"}},{"articleId":259762,"title":"The Special Technique for Tasting Wine","slug":"the-special-technique-for-tasting-wine","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/259762"}},{"articleId":259759,"title":"The Differences between Red and White Wines","slug":"the-differences-between-red-and-white-wines","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/259759"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":true,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282321,"slug":"italian-wine-for-dummies","isbn":"9780764553554","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764553550/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0764553550/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/0764553550-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0764553550/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/0764553550/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/covers/9780764553554.jpg","width":250,"height":350},"title":"Italian Wine For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"\n Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world. Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world.","authors":[{"authorId":9030,"name":"Mary Ewing-Mulligan","slug":"mary-ewing-mulligan","description":" Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9030"}},{"authorId":9029,"name":"Ed McCarthy","slug":"ed-mccarthy","description":" Ed McCarthy is a wine writer, Certified Wine Educator, and wine consultant. McCarthy is considered a leading Champagne authority in the U.S. He is the Contributing Editor of Beverage Media. Mary Ewing-Mulligan is the first woman in America to become a Master of Wine, and is currently one of 50 MWs in the U.S. and 380 in the world. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9029"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/282321"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"]},{"key":"isbn","values":[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6515e98f60280\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["home-auto-hobbies","food-drink","beverages","wine"]},{"key":"isbn","values":[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6515e98f60ff5\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2023-09-28T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":173976},"articleLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{},"objectTitle":"","status":"initial","pageType":null,"objectId":null,"page":1,"sortField":"time","sortOrder":1,"categoriesIds":[],"articleTypes":[],"filterData":{},"filterDataLoadedStatus":"initial","pageSize":10},"adsState":{"pageScripts":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2024-10-21T10:50:01+00:00"},"adsId":0,"data":{"scripts":[{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script src=\"https://cdn.optimizely.com/js/10563184655.js\"></script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>var _comscore = _comscore || [];_comscore.push({ c1: \"2\", c2: \"15097263\" });(function() {var s = document.createElement(\"script\"), el = document.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0]; s.async = true;s.src = (document.location.protocol == \"https:\" ? \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();</script><noscript><img src=\"https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=15097263&cv=2.0&cj=1\" /></noscript>\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<script type='text/javascript'>\r\n(function(){var g=function(e,h,f,g){\r\nthis.get=function(a){for(var a=a+\"=\",c=document.cookie.split(\";\"),b=0,e=c.length;b<e;b++){for(var d=c[b];\" \"==d.charAt(0);)d=d.substring(1,d.length);if(0==d.indexOf(a))return d.substring(a.length,d.length)}return null};\r\nthis.set=function(a,c){var b=\"\",b=new Date;b.setTime(b.getTime()+6048E5);b=\"; expires=\"+b.toGMTString();document.cookie=a+\"=\"+c+b+\"; path=/; \"};\r\nthis.check=function(){var a=this.get(f);if(a)a=a.split(\":\");else if(100!=e)\"v\"==h&&(e=Math.random()>=e/100?0:100),a=[h,e,0],this.set(f,a.join(\":\"));else return!0;var c=a[1];if(100==c)return!0;switch(a[0]){case \"v\":return!1;case \"r\":return c=a[2]%Math.floor(100/c),a[2]++,this.set(f,a.join(\":\")),!c}return!0};\r\nthis.go=function(){if(this.check()){var a=document.createElement(\"script\");a.type=\"text/javascript\";a.src=g;document.body&&document.body.appendChild(a)}};\r\nthis.start=function(){var t=this;\"complete\"!==document.readyState?window.addEventListener?window.addEventListener(\"load\",function(){t.go()},!1):window.attachEvent&&window.attachEvent(\"onload\",function(){t.go()}):t.go()};};\r\ntry{(new g(100,\"r\",\"QSI_S_ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\",\"https://zn5o5yqpvmvjgdoun-wiley.siteintercept.qualtrics.com/SIE/?Q_ZID=ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\")).start()}catch(i){}})();\r\n</script><div id='ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN'></div>\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>\r\n (function(h,o,t,j,a,r){\r\n h.hj=h.hj||function(){(h.hj.q=h.hj.q||[]).push(arguments)};\r\n h._hjSettings={hjid:257151,hjsv:6};\r\n a=o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];\r\n r=o.createElement('script');r.async=1;\r\n r.src=t+h._hjSettings.hjid+j+h._hjSettings.hjsv;\r\n a.appendChild(r);\r\n })(window,document,'https://static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-','.js?sv=');\r\n</script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" <script src=\"//get.s-onetag.com/bffe21a1-6bb8-4928-9449-7beadb468dae/tag.min.js\" async defer></script>","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"<meta name=\"facebook-domain-verification\" content=\"irk8y0irxf718trg3uwwuexg6xpva0\" />","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<noscript>\r\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" src=\"https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=256338321977984&ev=PageView&noscript=1\"/>\r\n</noscript>\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career Shifting","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/career-shifting-295890"},{"collectionId":294090,"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/theres-something-about-space-294090"},{"collectionId":287563,"title":"For Those Seeking Peace of Mind","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-those-seeking-peace-of-mind-287563"},{"collectionId":287570,"title":"For the Aspiring Aficionado","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-bougielicious-287570"},{"collectionId":291903,"title":"For the Budding Cannabis Enthusiast","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-budding-cannabis-enthusiast-291903"},{"collectionId":299891,"title":"For the College Bound","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-college-bound-299891"},{"collectionId":291934,"title":"For the Exam-Season Crammer","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-exam-season-crammer-291934"},{"collectionId":301547,"title":"For the Game Day Prepper","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/big-game-day-prep-made-easy-301547"}],"navigationCollectionsLoadedStatus":"success","navigationCategories":{"books":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/books/level-0-category-0"}},"articles":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/articles/level-0-category-0"}}},"navigationCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"searchState":{"searchList":[],"searchStatus":"initial","relatedArticlesList":[],"relatedArticlesStatus":"initial"},"routeState":{"name":"Article4","path":"/article/home-auto-hobbies/food-drink/beverages/wine/useful-terms-for-describing-wine-173976/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{"category1":"home-auto-hobbies","category2":"food-drink","category3":"beverages","category4":"wine","article":"useful-terms-for-describing-wine-173976"},"fullPath":"/article/home-auto-hobbies/food-drink/beverages/wine/useful-terms-for-describing-wine-173976/","meta":{"routeType":"article","breadcrumbInfo":{"suffix":"Articles","baseRoute":"/category/articles"},"prerenderWithAsyncData":true},"from":{"name":null,"path":"/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{},"fullPath":"/","meta":{}}},"dropsState":{"submitEmailResponse":false,"status":"initial"},"profileState":{"auth":{},"userOptions":{},"status":"success"}}

Useful Terms for Describing Wine

By: Ed McCarthy and Mary Ewing-Mulligan and

Updated: 09-28-2023

Italian Wine For Dummies

Explore Book Buy On Amazon

When describing wine, merchants, restaurant servers, and your oenophile friends will use specific language to tell you about its characteristics. Knowing these words will help you understand the wine they're describing:

Aroma or bouquet: The smell of a wine — bouquet applies particularly to the aroma of older wines
Body: The apparent weight of a wine in your mouth (light, medium, or full)
Crisp: A wine with refreshing acidity
Dry: Not sweet
Finish: The impression a wine leaves as you swallow it
Flavor intensity: How strong or weak a wine's flavors are
Fruity: A wine whose aromas and flavors suggest fruit; doesn't imply sweetness
Oaky: A wine that has oak flavors (smoky, toasty)
Soft: A wine that has a smooth rather than crisp mouthfeel
Tannic: A red wine that is firm and leaves the mouth feeling dry

About This Article

This article can be found in the category:

Wine ,

Article Categories

Book Categories

Collections

Useful Terms for Describing Wine

Italian Wine For Dummies

About This Article

This article can be found in the category: