Essential Wine Terms Explained: A-Z Guide for Western Australian Wine Lovers

A

Acidity, Aeration & Aroma

Acidity

The fresh, mouth-watering sensation in wine. Wines with higher acidity often taste crisp and lively. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese are varieties commonly associated with noticeable acidity.

Aeration

Exposing wine to air so its aromas and flavours can open. Swirling a glass, opening a bottle early or using a decanter are all forms of aeration.

Aroma

The smells you notice in a wine, including fruit, flowers, herbs, spice, oak and savoury characters. Aroma is a major part of what we experience as flavour.

B

Balance, Body & Bouquet

Balance

How well the different parts of a wine work together. Fruit, acidity, alcohol, tannin, sweetness and oak should feel harmonious rather than one element dominating everything else.

Body

The overall weight and richness of a wine in your mouth. Pinot Noir is often light to medium-bodied, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz can be medium to full-bodied.

Bouquet

A traditional term for the more developed aromas that emerge through winemaking and bottle age, such as leather, toast, nuts, earth or dried fruit.

C

Cellaring, Complexity & Corked

Cellaring

Storing wine for future drinking. Only some wines improve with extended age, and good storage requires a cool, dark and temperature-stable environment.

Complexity

A wine with several interesting aromas, flavours or textures that develop as you smell and taste it. Complexity does not have to mean that a wine is heavy or difficult to enjoy.

Corked

A wine affected by cork taint, most commonly associated with a compound called TCA. It may smell like damp cardboard, a musty cupboard or wet newspaper. Finding small pieces of cork in the glass does not automatically mean the wine is corked.

D

Decanting, Dry & Dosage

Decanting

Pouring wine into another vessel. Young wine may be decanted to introduce air and soften its presentation, while mature wine may be decanted carefully to separate it from sediment.

Dry

A wine with little noticeable sweetness. Dry does not mean the wine lacks fruit flavour, and a wine can taste generously fruity while still containing very little residual sugar.

Dosage

A small addition used near the end of traditional-method sparkling wine production. It can influence the final sweetness and balance of the wine.

Read the Decanting Guide

E & F

Estate-Grown, Fermentation, Finish & Fortified

Estate-Grown

Generally used when the winery grows the grapes on vineyards it owns or controls. Exact label requirements can vary, so the producer’s technical notes provide the best detail.

Fermentation

The process in which yeast converts grape sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation also creates many of the aromas and flavours found in the finished wine.

Finish

The flavours and sensations that remain after you swallow. A long finish continues for some time, while a short finish fades more quickly.

Fortified Wine

Wine to which grape spirit or brandy has been added. In Australia, familiar examples include Tawny, Muscat and Topaque.

G & H

Geographical Indication, GSM, Herbaceous & Hue

Geographical Indication

Usually shortened to GI, this is a legally recognised wine-growing area. Margaret River, Great Southern, Swan District and Pemberton are examples of Western Australian GIs.

GSM

A red blend made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, which is also known as Mourvèdre. Grenache often brings juicy fruit, Shiraz adds body and spice, and Mataro contributes savoury structure.

Herbaceous

A leafy or herbal character that may resemble fresh herbs, tomato leaf, grass or capsicum. It can be attractive in balance, particularly in varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hue

The particular shade of a wine’s colour. A young red may have a purple hue, while an older red may develop garnet or brick-coloured tones.

I, J & L

Intensity, Jammy, Lees & Legs

Intensity

How pronounced the aromas and flavours are. An intense wine is expressive and easy to smell or taste, but intensity alone does not determine quality.

Jammy

A description for very ripe, concentrated fruit flavours that may resemble cooked berries or jam. Some drinkers love this generous style, while others prefer fresher fruit characters.

Lees

The spent yeast cells and other fine particles left after fermentation. Ageing wine on its lees can add texture, savoury complexity and flavours resembling bread, biscuit or nuts.

Legs

The droplets or streaks that run down the inside of a glass after swirling. They are influenced by alcohol, sugar and evaporation, but they are not a reliable measure of wine quality.

M & N

Malolactic Fermentation, Mousse, Natural Wine, Nose & NV

Malolactic Fermentation

A process that converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid. It can make a wine feel rounder and may contribute creamy or buttery characters, especially in Chardonnay.

Mousse

The sensation and texture of bubbles in sparkling wine. A fine mousse feels delicate and creamy rather than coarse or aggressively fizzy.

Natural Wine

A broad term generally used for wine made with minimal intervention. There is no single universal definition, so it is worth checking how each producer farms and makes the wine.

Nose

Another word for a wine’s aroma. If someone refers to the wine’s nose, they simply mean what it smells like.

NV or Non-Vintage

A wine blended from more than one vintage. The term is commonly found on sparkling wine and allows producers to maintain a consistent house style.

O

Oak, Oaked & Oxidation

Oak

Barrels or other oak products may be used to mature wine. Oak can influence texture and add flavours such as vanilla, toast, cedar, smoke, coconut or spice.

Oaked

A wine that has spent time in contact with oak. The effect may be subtle or obvious depending on the age and type of oak, barrel size, length of maturation and the proportion of new oak.

Oxidation

Exposure to oxygen that changes a wine’s colour, aroma and flavour. Too much unintended oxidation can make wine taste flat or stale, although controlled oxygen exposure is deliberately used in some wine styles.

P

Palate, Pét-Nat, Phenolics & Primary Fruit

Palate

The flavours, textures and sensations experienced in your mouth. A tasting note may separately describe the wine’s nose and palate.

Pét-Nat

Short for pétillant naturel. This sparkling style is bottled before its initial fermentation has finished, allowing carbon dioxide to become trapped naturally in the bottle.

Phenolics

A large group of compounds that contribute colour, bitterness, flavour and texture. Tannins are one type of phenolic compound.

Primary Fruit

The fresh fruit character of a young wine, such as citrus, cherry, plum or blackberry. These flavours may become less prominent as a wine develops with age.

R

Reduction, Residual Sugar & Reserve

Reduction

A lack of oxygen during winemaking or ageing can create reduced aromas. Mild reduction may present as struck match or flint, while stronger examples can smell like rubber, cabbage or rotten egg. Some reduced aromas improve with air.

Residual Sugar

Sugar remaining after fermentation. It is often shortened to RS and usually measured in grams per litre. The perception of sweetness is also influenced by acidity, alcohol and fruit character.

Reserve

A word often used to suggest a special selection, longer maturation or a higher-tier wine. In Australia it does not have one standard legal quality definition, so the producer’s explanation matters.

S

Savoury, Structure, Sulphites & Sur Lie

Savoury

Flavours that are not primarily fruity or sweet, such as herbs, earth, pepper, leather, olive, tobacco or dried leaves.

Structure

The framework created by acidity, tannin, alcohol, sweetness and body. A well-structured wine feels supported and balanced rather than loose or shapeless.

Sulphites

Compounds used in winemaking mainly to protect wine against oxidation and unwanted microbial activity. Small amounts also occur naturally during fermentation.

Sur Lie

French for “on the lees”. A wine labelled sur lie has been matured in contact with its spent yeast cells to build texture or complexity.

T

Tannin, Terroir & Texture

Tannin

The drying, gripping sensation most noticeable in red wine. Tannins come mainly from grape skins, seeds and stems, with oak also contributing. They provide structure and can help some wines develop with age.

Terroir

A French term describing how a wine reflects its growing place, including climate, soil, landscape and other site conditions, together with the human choices that shape the result.

Texture

How the wine physically feels in your mouth. It might be described as silky, creamy, chalky, velvety, waxy, firm or grippy.

U & V

Unfiltered, Varietal, Vintage & Vintage Variation

Unfiltered

A wine bottled without some or all conventional filtration. It may contain harmless sediment or appear slightly cloudy, although unfiltered does not automatically mean better or more flavoursome.

Varietal

The grape variety used to make the wine, such as Chardonnay, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. A varietal wine is named after its principal grape variety.

Vintage

The year in which the grapes were harvested, not necessarily the year the wine was bottled or released.

Vintage Variation

Differences between growing seasons caused by weather and vineyard conditions. The same wine can show different ripeness, acidity, flavour and structure from one vintage to the next.

W

Whole-Bunch & Whole-Berry Fermentation

Whole-Bunch Fermentation

Fermenting some or all of the grapes with their stems still attached. It can add perfume, spice, freshness and tannin, depending on the variety and winemaking approach.

Whole-Berry Fermentation

Fermenting intact grapes after they have been removed from the stems. This technique can encourage bright fruit, fragrance and a soft, juicy character.

Y & Z

Yeast & Zesty

Yeast

Microorganisms responsible for fermentation. Winemakers may use cultured yeast or rely on indigenous yeast naturally present in the vineyard and winery.

Zesty

A tasting term for a wine that feels bright, energetic and citrus-like. It is often used for fresh white wines with lively acidity.