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Last Updated: Mar 6, 2026Length
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
QPR
QPR in wine stands for Quality to Price Ratio, a metric used to assess a bottle's quality relative to its price. The higher a wine's QPR, the more quality you get for your money.
Balance
Balance is the proportional relationship between acidity, alcohol, sugar, tannin and fruit concentration in a wine, where no single element dominates.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds gotten from grape skins, stems and seeds. They are found in high concentrations in red wine.
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.
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.
Acidity
Acidity can be described as a "zing" on the tongue, acting as a structural backbone that balances sweetness and alcohol, while preventing spoilage.
ABV
ABV means alcohol by volume, referring to the percentage of alcohol in a wine, typically ranging from 11% to 15% for table wines.
Umami
Umami, which means "savory or delicious taste" in Japanese, is the "fifth taste" that adds complexity, richness and length to a wine's finish. It develops through glutamate and amino acids from late harvest grapes or lees aging and it enhances the other flavors.
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