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Last Updated: Mar 6, 2026
Length
Length
Length is a tasting term that describes how long a wine’s flavor, aromas and tactile sensations last on your palate after spitting it out or swallowing. A “long” finish often lasts over 20 seconds and it is a hallmark of high quality, balanced and complex wines. The length of a finish is created by a complex interaction of tannins, acids and alcohols and it is sometimes measured in seconds, called “caudalies”, derived from the latin word for tail: cauda.
See Also
Hot
A "hot" wine is a wine with unbalanced, excessively high alcohol (>14.5% ABV) that creates a burning sensation in the throat and mouth.
Balance
Balance is the proportional relationship between acidity, alcohol, sugar, tannin and fruit concentration in a wine, where no single element dominates.
Acidity
Acidity can be described as a "zing" on the tongue, acting as a structural backbone that balances sweetness and alcohol, while preventing spoilage.
Body
A wine's body is its weight, texture and overall mouthfeel which is determined by a combination of alcohol content, tannins, sugar and extract. A wine may be light, medium or full bodied.
Aroma
Aroma in wine refers to the specific, volatile odors detected by the nose, which may be fruity, floral, earthy or mineral.
ABV
ABV means alcohol by volume, referring to the percentage of alcohol in a wine, typically ranging from 11% to 15% for table wines.
Extract
The extract of a wine is everything in it apart from water, sugar, alcohol and acids. It refers to the non volatile solids such as tannins, anthocyannins and glycerol which are drawn from the grape during maceration.
Bouquet
The term "bouquet" refers to the complex aromas and perfumes that develop in wine due to bottle maturation, fermentation and wood aging. It includes scents like vanilla, toast, earth and truffle.
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