So you’ve grasped the tasting basics: Nosing, swirling, sipping and sometimes even spitting (shame to waste a good wine, but can’t afford to get too tipsy at a ‘tasting’) are all just about second nature.
But how about your tasting note? While most of us would be happy to say: “Delicious,” “Fruity” or “Really good,” somehow that doesn’t quite cut it if you want to sound like a pro.
12 wines tasting terms to know
To help you sniff out the aromas and describe some of the more complex (layers of flavour) qualities that come into play, we’ve picked 12 of the best (and sometimes silliest) wine terms to help boost your vino vocabulary…
1. Neutral
A wine with few distinctive flavours but still enjoyable. Sometimes used to describe a pinot grigio that’s pleasant, but not incredible.
2. Buttery
An oak aged, rich, smooth buttery-tasting white such as a Californian chardonnay.
3. Steely
The other end of the spectrum – this can relate to a crisp, clean white with good acidity, such as a chablis.
4. Minerally
Again, this could be used to describe a chablis. Essentially, it’s a trendy way to describe the taste of flint, wet stones or chalk.
5. Grassy
Wine enthusiasts love to wax lyrical about the ‘grassy’ elements of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc with its abundance of green notes and limey zest.
6. Austere
This is a polite way of saying the wine is far from fruity, has high acidity and is hardly a crowdpleaser.
7. Chewy
Here we’re referring to the structured tannins that come into play in full bodied, flavoursome reds.
8. Flabby
It’s when a wine lacks acidity or just tastes ‘blah’.
9. Jammy
Often used to describe a red such as a soft merlot that’s easy to guzzle – which isn’t a bad thing, although some sommeliers will disagree. Think sweet cooked berries with a slightly baked quality.
10. Rounded
Whether it’s white or red, a well rounded wine has the perfect flavour combination and is so good and drinkable, it won’t stay in the glass for long.
11. Leathery
Leather and tobacco suggest a savoury red such as a Left Bank bordeaux that’s dominated by cabernet sauvignon.
12. Dusty
This usually refers to dusty tannins in a red, which can be drying and leave an earthy taste, but still be appealing, depending on the fruit and how the wine finishes.
Read more: Classic wines to savour from some of our best loved wine regions
