Acidity, Mouthfeel, and More Wine Tasting Jargon, Decoded by Industry Pros

You don’t have to be a certified sommelier to enjoy a glass of red, white, or rosé, but we’re going to level with you: Wine tasting can be a little intimidating. Not only is it tough to decipher all the notes and aromas in your pour, but there’s often a lot of jargon thrown around that’s just…well, confusing. 

“I think that wine vocabulary can be foreign for people who don’t use it every day,” says Brooke Shenk, winemaker at St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery. “There might be some words used that a new or young wine drinker may not understand, which makes them feel intimidated. I never want anyone to feel intimidated when tasting wine.” 

Michael Baldacci, director of winemaking and vineyards at Baldacci Family Vineyards in Napa, agrees and says too much jargon can put a whammy on the whole experience. “Wine should feel like a conversation, not a quiz,” he adds. Baldacci says it’s always a good idea to trust your senses and share anything you notice. For example, is a wine refreshing or smooth? 

However, if you’re looking to up your oenophilic IQ, check out our cheat sheet for commonly used wine jargon. There are a lot of wine terms to learn, but you can think of this as your Wine 101. 

“There are many different options out there,” Shenk shares. “Hopefully, this will help you target the wine styles you are drawn to and then you will feel confident trying other wines.”

Acidity

While drinking an acidic wine might seem like a bad thing, the pros would disagree. While acidity can deliver a tart taste, it can also help preserve your wines for longer. (A must when it comes to aging!) So, how can you identify acidity in wines? Jamie Jamison, hospitality director of St. Supéry, says acidity usually causes you to salivate after sipping.

Body 

Unless you’re an avid wine drinker, it can be hard to suss out the difference between a light-, medium-, and full-bodied pour. But for Jamison, “body” typically refers to how the wine coats your mouth in preparation for your next bite. “I often compare it to the milk scale from skim milk to heavy cream,” he says.

Clones

Jamison admits clones can be a tricky word to explain, but think of it like propagating a clipping from your best friend’s house plant. 

“A clone is an exact DNA copy of a single plant,” he explains. “They are derived from taking cuttings from a mother vine that showed superior characteristics to reproduce desired characteristics, which could be for specific growing attributes, or flavor and aroma contributions.” 

Winemakers usually enlist clones to help find the best version of plant for the environment it will be grown in—and ultimately create a yummy beverage. For example, pinot noir famously grows well in Burgundy, so you very well may see clones of French wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, which is also a premier pinot destination. 

Dry 

Contrary to popular belief, dry wines won’t leave your mouth feeling completely parched. “Dry simply means the wine isn’t sweet,” Baldacci says. “Most wines you’ll see on a menu are dry, even if they taste fruity.” On the flip side, Muscat, white Zinfandel, and some Rieslings are generally considered sweet wines.

Finish

If you ask Baldacci, “finish” usually refers to how the taste lasts. “The finish is how long the flavors linger after you take a sip,” he says. “A longer finish means the taste sticks with you a bit longer.” Though not always, long and smooth finishes are associated with high-quality wines.

Malolactic Fermentation

“Many times, guests will ask if a wine has gone through malolactic fermentation, but I can tell they don’t know what that means,” Shenk observes. Jamison says this process is basically the conversion of harsh apple acid, or malic acid, to a soft milk acid called lactic acid.

While malolactic fermentation is a secondary fermentation—and not always mandatory—it can do wonders for wine. “It’s what gives many Chardonnays and red wines that smooth [and] rounded feel,” Baldacci adds. “In Chardonnay, it can lend a buttery flavor to the wine.”

Mouthfeel 

Simply put, mouthfeel equals the texture of the wine. From a scientific standpoint, a wine’s acidity, tannins, and alcohol and sugar content can all affect a pour’s mouthfeel. But between us? Just lean into your senses. “It’s all about texture,” Baldacci says. “Is it smooth, silky, creamy, or firm?”

Haley Warnock

Oak

White wine drinkers may hear a lot about oaky Chardonnays, but let’s get one thing straight: No oak was added to your wine. Rather, Baldacci says any mention of oak usually refers to the barrels wine ages in. 

Of course, these containers offer more than storage: The oak from the barrels can also influence the taste. “It can add flavors like vanilla, spice, or toast—and can also affect how smooth the wine feels,” Baldacci explains. “The length of time a wine spends in oak, aging, will impact the way a wine tastes.”

On the Lees

After wine finishes fermenting, tiny spent yeast cells settle at the bottom of the tank. “When a wine is left to rest with those particles—what we call ‘on the lees’—it can become richer and smoother, with subtle flavors that feel creamy or toasty,” Baldacci says. “A little like fresh bread.” It’s a stylistic choice, but one that can deftly sway a bottle’s mouthfeel over time. 

Structure

“Think of it as the wine’s framework or balance,” Baldacci explains. “Structure is how the main elements of a wine—acidity, tannins, alcohol content, and body—work together.” When someone refers to a “well-structured” pour, they’re basically looking for the Goldilocks of wines: a perfect mix of all the factors without one element overpowering the rest. 

Tannins

Red wine drinkers know that tannins are key to a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, but what exactly does that mean? “Tannins are natural compounds from grape skins, seeds, and oak barrels,” Baldacci says.

“They create that grippy feeling in your mouth and provide a wine with structure.” Tannins often create an astringent, puckering effect—especially in younger wines. 

Terroir 

When it comes to delicious wine, it’s all about location, location, location—or terroir. While many pros say factors like soil, elevation, and climate play a role in the terroir, Jamison says there’s way more underneath the surface. “Not just the soil, but the soil history, the geology surrounding the vineyard, the height and aspect of the vineyard, including human interaction with the vine and the local customs of farming,” he adds. All these components, Jamison says, play a “tremendous impact” on the final wine.

Varietal 

In the wine world, varietal is shorthand for the grapes used to make your favorite vino. “Think of it like apples,” Jamison recommends. “You have everything from Fuji to Granny Smith.” While blends are typically made with several varietals, wines labeled “Cabernet Franc” or “Sauvignon Blanc” are mostly created with that respective grape.

Vintage 

The word “vintage” typically refers to home décor or clothes that are time-honored, and a wine’s vintage is pretty similar. “The vintage is the year the grapes were harvested,” Baldacci says. “It often reflects the weather conditions of that growing season.” 

When it comes to finding the newest vintage, patience is a virtue. In the United States, harvest usually happens in fall and that liquid goodness usually ages in big barrels for a few months to years. Translation? You’ll have to wait a few years to get your hands on a 2025 vintage.