10 Esoteric Wine Descriptors (and What They Really Mean!)

By Etty Lewensztain, Wine Expert for Menuism.com

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Joe Shlabotnik

Ever find yourself sitting at a chic restaurant, staring at the sommelier with puzzled eyes wondering what in God's name he means when he tells you that the bottle of red burgundy you're about to drop 95 bucks on is mineral-driven, fleshy and polished?

Every industry has its own brand of quirky jargon, but the wine world takes the cake for its esoteric vernacular that is virtually unfathomable to the average Joe. Want to sound like an industry insider when you go wine tasting with friends? Need some go-to wine descriptors to casually bust out next time you're trying to impress a date at a wine bar? Read on to get the scoop on the most obscure adjectives the wine pros use when they talk shop.

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1. Austere/Tight

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The term austere is typically used to describe something strict, stern, severe or stark. A wine with this character, such as a peppery Grüner Veltliner from Austria, can come off as being closed or tightly wound, aromatically speaking, as well as piercingly acidic. An austere or tight wine can benefit from some time spent in a decanter, which will soften the wine’s crisp edges and will enable some of the fruit flavors to come forth.

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The term austere is typically used to describe something strict, stern, severe or stark. A wine with this character, such as a peppery Grüner Veltliner from Austria, can come off as being closed or tightly wound, aromatically speaking, as well as piercingly acidic. An austere or tight wine can benefit from some time spent in a decanter, which will soften the wine’s crisp edges and will enable some of the fruit flavors to come forth.

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Etty Lewensztain is the owner of Plonk Wine Merchants, an online shop focused on small-production, artisanal and altogether great cheap wine. The food- and wine- obsessed Los Angeles native cut her teeth in the wine biz running a marketing campaign to promote Chilean wine in the United States, and is certified by the esteemed Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the American Sommelier Association. Plonk Wine Merchants specializes in hidden gems from around the globe and every bottle in the store is priced below $30. Follow Plonk Wine Merchants on Twitter @PlonkOnline.

10 Esoteric Wine Descriptors (and What They Really Mean!) was originally published on The Menuism Blog.

Related Links from Menuism:
The 6 Best Red Wines for Summer
The 6 Best White Wines for Summer
8 Outstanding Italian Red Wines You've Never Heard Of
The Optimal Serving Temperatures for Your Favorite Wines

 

Follow Menuism on Twitter: www.twitter.com/menuism

Comments

[Carbon Forteetoo]

03:40 PM on 09/25/2011

Grapy? These wines are never grapy.

[Tammy Quackenbush]

05:20 PM on 09/22/2011

I'm grateful that HuffPo posted this, don't get me wrong but it's this kind of elitist wine snobbery that turns a lot of people off to drinking wine altogether and people who talk like this about wine all the time turn off their normal, rational friends.

[giono]

08:21 PM on 09/22/2011

so ...how do you talk about taste sensation? curious to know how you describe flavor beyond salt, sweet, bitter etc...

[Menuism]

12:44 PM on 09/23/2011

Tammy, thanks for your comment and sorry to hear you feel that way. We're simply looking to help people who are passionate (or just curious) about wine to learn a little more about what they love, and to become more fluent in wine jargon so they can get the most out of the experience. We respectfully disagree that the author has promoted elitism or snobbery in this article in any way.

[RK Johnston]

01:51 AM on 09/22/2011

I remember a local liquor store trying to pass off French plonk wine with a sales campaign touting this new "Parisian Discovery" called "Chateaux Pierre de la Deceptionaire." Talk about a gullible buying public...that stuff tasted like Nastyville!

Of course, those who bought that stuff shuld have known that "Chateaux Pierrre de la Deceptionaire" translates to "Sneaky Pete!"

--RKJ

[infinity]

04:52 PM on 09/21/2011

What goes with elephant? Any good grey wine, of course!

[keysbreezin]

04:52 PM on 09/21/2011

I like mine right out of the bag. Just screw the cap back on and keep drivin'! I long for the days when Boones Farm was a dollar a bottle. Helped me make a little romance in the backseat of my 62 chevy convertible back in the day. Now I just pop a Viagra, screw the top back on and hope I don't take someones eye out.

[garystartswithg]

04:37 PM on 09/21/2011

racy/nervy i always think "fruit forward", not just citrusy. god forbid a wine taste like grapes. one of my favorite things to do on a bad date is swig the wine and say "mmmmmm, grapey". try it sometime.

[Dionita]

04:27 PM on 09/21/2011

These descriptors really resonated with me. I was swilling and swirling my Gatorade while looking at the clock to see when my favorite wine tasting room opens and VOILA! It’s already past opening time. Bye for now. Iv’e got some tasting to do!

[Menuism]

11:34 AM on 09/22/2011

Dionita, so glad you liked the post! Thanks for commenting -- hope you had an enjoyable tasting. Did you use any of the descriptors? :)

[Hillrick]

04:22 PM on 09/21/2011

So what's the term for how well a wine gives you a warm glow and a bit of a buzz? Also, does Annie Greensprings still make plum wine?

[Zillacabra]

05:11 PM on 09/21/2011

Answer to question 1: hedonistic
Answer to question 2: F if I know.

[darquelourd]

04:14 PM on 09/21/2011

The trick is to ADD sugar to your wine until it tastes just like Kosher wine!

mmmmmmmmmmm, yummy

[ABQ-Mike]

04:12 PM on 09/21/2011

Look. Let's get this straight. Wine is just fermented grapes and is one step away from vinegar. If it weren't for the alcohol content, nobody in their right mind would ever touch the stuff, much less pay the sort of exorbitant prices that some of it commands. It has just become another tool for insecure elitist snobs to reassure themselves of their own supposed superiority.

[nolabear]

04:51 PM on 09/21/2011

Just not true. Wine is interesting and complex and combines with different foods to produce very different and wonderful combinations of flavor. If alcohol was all anyone was interested in then straight shots of vodka would be the only drink anyone ordered. To say it's "just fermented grapes" leaves out centuries of technique and is like saying that the Mona Lisa is "Just paint and canvas."

[ABQ-Mike]

08:12 PM on 09/21/2011

Bunk!

[Zillacabra]

05:13 PM on 09/21/2011

This rant should qualify for Webster's definition of clueless.

[ABQ-Mike]

08:13 PM on 09/21/2011

Hit the nail on the head didn't I?

[rotideqmr]

04:11 PM on 09/21/2011

My favorite is "Tastes like cat pee." Pretty much describes all wines!

[yasunari]

04:20 PM on 09/21/2011

Try again, it's stale beer you're talking about.

[bmora]

04:10 PM on 09/21/2011

That MD 20/20 red grade wine I had last night was very menacing!

[queman]

04:05 PM on 09/21/2011

I like a ballsy Bordeaux.

[CobaltMoon]

04:43 PM on 09/21/2011

I prefer a "brooding" Pinot Noir. As a matter of fact..........

[queman]

05:21 PM on 09/21/2011

Brooding Pinots work...

http://www.capiauxcellars.com/

This guy makes awesome, brooding, Pinot.

[Menuism]

11:35 AM on 09/22/2011

Couldn't agree more!

[marikane]

04:02 PM on 09/21/2011

Good explanations all. However, I was surprised that pinot noir was omitted from the Racy category as I find it is a common descriptor for that varietal.
And I agree with Giono about elegance. Light doesn't mean flavorless.
Cheers!

[Etty]

03:55 PM on 09/22/2011

Yes, great Pinot should have bright acidity. I usually hear the word racy associated with white wines, but certainly, a high toned Pinot could be depicted as racy. Thanks for your insight Marikane!

[RButler]

03:57 PM on 09/21/2011

I usually go by the discription on the box.

[leslie7139]

04:53 PM on 09/21/2011

I usually go with the picture on the label!

[montanadan]

04:54 PM on 09/21/2011

THUNDERBIRD!! From the finest wineries of Detroit!