Top wine terminology to taste like a pro 

Usually used for full-bodied wines, often those that have spent significant time aging in oak barrels.

Wines that are rich are dense and opulent and mouth-coating.

A tricky descriptor used commonly for wines grown in cool climates, a mineral wine is one that doesn’t display ripe fruit characters, but instead has a distinct tang and higher levels of acidity.

Often used in combination or interchangeably with mineral, this is a descriptor is all about the acid levels in the wine – think dry rieslings and young semillons. These wines are electric!

Fairly straightforward this one – think flavours of ginger, white pepper, or even a bit of heat brought on by high levels of alcohol.

Wines that are elegant are fine, graceful and focussed – they are built around a line of acidity and don’t have any obtrusive flavours - think brut nature or zero dosage champagne.

A wine that isn’t necessarily full of fruit, but instead has a slight rustic edge or an elevated level of acidity. Good examples include southern french reds or perhaps older, dry rieslings.

This is a pretty advanced wine vocab – succulence in a wine is a combination of balance between acidity and fruit, as well as an inherent juiciness to the wine.

Power, power, power! A full-bodied wine that really covers all parts of your mouth when you taste it. Often high alcohol, lots of fruit, really big flavours. This is not used as a negative descriptor.