Wine Glossary

Essential wine terms to better understand the world of wine, from vineyard to glass.

Enolisa - Your Smart Wine Cellar

Tasting Terms

Tannins: Polyphenolic compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, as well as in oak barrels. They provide structure, astringency, and aging potential to red wine. Perceived as a dry, grippy sensation on the palate.
Discover everything about wine tannins.
Wine tannins: what they are, how they feel, and why they matter
What are wine tannins and where do they come from
How tannins feel in wine: astringency, texture, and balance
Tannins and wine aging: why some wines improve over time
High-tannin wines: which styles have them and how to choose
Tannins and food: pairings that soften or highlight astringency
Bouquet: The complex aromas that develop in wine during aging. Unlike primary aromas (from grapes) and secondary aromas (from fermentation), bouquet includes notes of leather, tobacco, spices, truffles, and other evolved nuances.
Finish / Aftertaste: The aromatic and taste sensations that linger after swallowing or spitting the wine. A long, complex finish usually indicates quality. Also known as "length" or "persistence".
Body: The sensation of weight and density of wine in the mouth, determined mainly by alcohol content, glycerol, and dry extract. Wines can be light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied.
Acidity: A fundamental component of wine that provides freshness, liveliness, and balance. Main acids are tartaric, malic, and citric. Good acidity helps wine age well and pair better with food.

Terroir: French concept encompassing all natural factors that influence a wine's character: soil, climate, orientation, altitude, and vineyard microclimate. Terroir is what makes each wine from each place unique.
Aging / Crianza: The maturation process of wine in barrels and/or bottles after fermentation. Aging adds complexity and softens tannins. In Spain, "Crianza" wines must age at least 24 months, with 6 months minimum in oak.
Malolactic Fermentation: Secondary fermentation where bacteria convert malic acid (sharper) to lactic acid (softer). Reduces acidity and adds creamy, buttery notes. Common in reds and some oaked Chardonnays.
Maceration: Contact between grape juice and skins during and/or after fermentation. Extracts color, tannins, aromas, and flavors. Maceration length largely determines red wine style.
Blending / Assemblage: Mixing wines from different varieties, vineyards, or vintages to create a balanced, complex final wine. Common practice in regions like Bordeaux, Rioja, or Champagne.

Decanting: Pouring wine from bottle to decanter to separate sediment and/or aerate the wine. Especially useful for aged wines with deposits or young reds that need to open up.
Pairing: The art of combining wines with food so both complement and enhance each other. Good pairing considers acidity, body, aromatic intensity, and flavors of both wine and dish.
Serving Temperature: Optimal temperature to serve each wine type. Light whites are served cold (42-46°F), full-bodied whites slightly warmer (50-54°F), young reds cool (57-61°F), and aged reds at cellar temperature (61-64°F).

Harvest / Vendemmia: Grape picking, a crucial moment that determines wine quality. Can be manual (for quality wines) or mechanical. Harvest timing depends on desired ripeness levels for sugars, acidity, and phenolics.
Vineyard: A plot of land planted with grapevines. Vineyard management (pruning, irrigation, treatments) directly influences grape quality and thus the resulting wine.
Variety / Grape: The type of wine grape. Thousands of wine grape varieties exist, each with its own aromatic and structural characteristics.

AI-Lisa: Artificial intelligence assistant integrated into Enolisa that analyzes your tasting history and preferences to offer personalized recommendations, pairing suggestions, and helps discover wines suited to your palate.
Digital Cellar: Virtual inventory of your wine collection in Enolisa. Track additions, consumption, locations, and storage conditions for each bottle, accessible from any device.
Tasting Journal: Personal record of all your wine experiences in Enolisa. Includes tasting notes, ratings, label photos, and sensory analysis that builds your palate profile over time.
Palate Profile: AI-Lisa generated analysis summarizing your wine preferences: favorite varieties, preferred regions, styles you enjoy, tannin sensitivity, acidity preference, and other sensory patterns.