A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U |
 V | W | X | Y | Z

A
Acetic : Smelling and tasting of acetic acid ie vinegar.
Acidity : A taste component produced by existence of tartaric acid in grapes.
Aerate : To expose wine to air for a period of time before drinking to allow its bouquet and flavout to develop to the optimum level.
Alcoholic : Wines with excess alcohol.
Aftertaste : The taste of a wine after it is swallowed. Also called the finish.
AOC or appellation d'origine contrôlée : The highest quality classification for French wines.
Aroma : A nicer word for smell. Loosely interchangeable with Bouquet, tends to describe the fresh, fruit-based impressions of young wines.
Astringent : Dry, puckering effect on the gums produced by tannin.

B
Balance : The ration of a wine's key components, including fruitiness, sweetness, acidity, tannin and alcohol strength. A balanced wine shows a harmony of components with no single element dominating.
Blend : A mixture of wines made from different grape varieties.
Body : Impression of weight and a consistency in the mouth due to a combination of alcohol and extract. Wines are typically described as raning from light-bodied to full-bodied.
Bouquet : Used to describe the more mature, subtle smells that develop with bottle age. Not to be confused with "aroma", which is used to describe the smell of a young wine.

C
Corked : A wine fault, indicated by mouldy, musty smells which mask the wine's fruit and both dry and shorten its palate.
Chateau : Name used for many wine-producing estates in France. Can be reserved for labeling only top wines from an estate.
Crisp : A lively acidity; the kind you want in a juicy apple.

D
Decanting : Transferring the wine from the bottle to carafe by slow pouring.
Dry : The opposite of sweet wine.

F
Fermentation : The conversion of grape juice into wine through the action of yeasts present in the juice, which turn sugar into alcohol.
Finish : The sensations of taste, texture and smell you continue to perceive after swallowing.
Flat : Lacking in Bouquet, fresh flavours and acidity; of a sparkling wine, one that has lost its bubbles.
Floral : Aromas reminiscent of flowers.
Fortified wines : Dessert wines with an alcoholic strength of at least 15 percent.
Fruity : Aromas and flavours that derive from the grape, as opposed to the winemaking process or the barrels in which the wine was aged.
Full bodied : A heavy wine, rich in alcohol and in extracts.

G
Grand cru : French for "great growth". In regions such as Burgundy and Alsace, it refers to a few select appellations or vineyards that produce the best quality wines.

H
Harmonious : Well balanced proportions with no constituent lacking of obtrusive, and all the individual parts married and mellowed.
Heavy : High in alcohol; usually critical implying inadequate balancing acidity.
Herbaceous : Vegetal characteristics : bruised leaf, green pepper, olives and so on; associated with tannins that are not absolutely ripe in red wine grapes.

L
Legs : The viscous droplets that form and ease down the sides of the glass when the wine is swirled.
Length : The persistent of flavour and mouthfeel after you swallow the wine. Can be a good indicator of quality.
Light bodied : In body and/or flavour.
Lively : Acidity which gives an attractive zip and definition to a wine.

M
Mature : Ready to drink.
Mouth Feel : The physical impression of a wine in the mouth; its texture.
Must : The juice of pressed grapes.

N
Nose : General term for a wine's smell; bouquet

O
Oenology : The science of viticulture and vinification.
Oaky : This refers to a wine that has been aged in oak barrels. White wine can have strong oak flavours.
Oxidised : Possessing a tired or stale taste due to excessive exposure to air. An oxidized white wine may have a darker than normal or even brown colour.

P
Palate : Refers to the overall impression of a wine in your mouth.
Peppery : A distinct impression of pepperiness.
Plummy : Soft, round, supple, juicy - like ripe plums.

R
Rich : Abundance of flavout, opulence of texture.
Ripe : Natural sweetness of flavour resulting from fully ripe grapes.

S
Short : Across the palate and in aftertaste.
Soft : Refers in particular to the texture of tannin and/or level of acidity.
Supple : Of acidity or tannin : softness in a positive sense

T
Tannin : Astringent, mouth-puckering compound that comes for the skin, seeds and stalks of grapes.
Terrior : A French concept in winemaking : a complex interlay of soil and climate.
Texture : Tactile qualities of a wine, often compared to the feel of fine materials.
Toasty : Smell akin to fresh toast - particularly barrel-aged Chardonnay, mature Champagne.

V
Varietal : A wine made of single grape variety.
Velvety : Rich flavour, sumptuous texture.
Vin de Table : French for table wine.
Vinification : The process of making wine, specifically, pressing the grapes and fermenting the must.
Vintage : The harvest of any one year.