Closed

Referring to a wines smell, lacking in a forceful impression, the opposite of aromatic.

Corked

A wine fault and the most common, its tell tail signs are musty smells which mask the wines fruit.

Crisp

A wine with a good level of acidity.

Depth

Wines which have complex and intense flavours.

Fierce

The aggressive and burning sensations produced by high levels of alcohol and/or tannin in wines.

Finish

The sensations of taste and smell you continue to experience after swallowing or spitting the wine. How long the finish lasts is an important benchmark for assessing a wines quality, the long the better. (See length in part 4)

Flabby

A wine lacking in acidity.

Green

Wines made from unripe fruit, they are often high in acidity and lacking in flavour.

Grip

Wines which have a firm texture, usually from the tannin, which helps give definition to fine red wines.