What is the basic vocabulary for describing wine?
Quick answer
Basic wine vocabulary covers appearance (colour), nose (aromas), palate (attack, mid-palate, finish) and structure (acidity, tannins, body, alcohol). Mastering these terms is enough to describe any wine.
Detailed answer
Describing wine follows a logical order: eye, nose, palate. Here are the essential terms for each step.
Eye (appearance): colour terms for reds include ruby, garnet, purple, and brick. For whites: straw, gold, and amber. Intensity (pale, medium, deep) and clarity (brilliant, hazy, cloudy) complete the observation.
Nose (aromas): aromas fall into three families. Primary (from the grape): fruits, flowers, herbs. Secondary (from fermentation): brioche, butter, yeast. Tertiary (from ageing): vanilla, tobacco, leather, forest floor. Nose intensity ranges from restrained to expressive.
Palate (mouth): the attack is the first impression. The mid-palate reveals the structure. The finish (or length) is measured in caudalies (seconds of aromatic persistence). A quality wine has a finish of 6 seconds or more.
Structure: four pillars make up a wine's structure. Acidity (freshness, liveliness). Tannins — reds only — (supple, firm, rough). Body (light, medium, full). Alcohol (low < 12 %, medium 12-14 %, high > 14 %).
Summary terms: balanced (all elements in harmony), complex (many aromatic layers), elegant (finesse and precision), rustic (lacking finesse).