Wine terminology wine terminology is a huge part of the wine experience. Many terms are specific to particular grape varieties, wine regions and tasting styles. This glossary will help you navigate through the myriad of wine jargon and find the right term for your needs.
Acidity – the measure of the amount and type of acids in a wine. Low levels indicate a sharp wine, while high levels create a flabby one.
pH – on a scale of zero to fourteen, it’s ideal for table wines to be at about 3.0 to 3.6 on the scale. A low pH indicates a lack of acidity which hinders the growth of bacteria needed to age the wine properly.
Understanding Wine Terminology: A Beginner’s Guide
Extract – a term used to describe the body and color that is transferred from leaving grape skins in contact with the juice during the fermentation of red wine (known as maceration). Big or heavy wines have more extract than lighter ones because they have been left in contact with the grape skins longer.
Legs – when you swirl a glass of wine, it often leaves viscous streams running down the sides called legs or tears. These aren’t a sign of poor quality, though – they usually signal that the wine is rich and full-bodied.
Dumb – another term referring to a phase in the life of some wines that begins when the fruitiness of youth is fading before complexity of age asserts itself. This phase can be a short or long one, depending on the wine’s particular characteristics.