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Last Updated: Mar 6, 2026Legs
Legs
Wine legs, also known as “tears “or “cathedral arches”, are the droplets and streaks of wine that form on the inside of a wine glass. Wine legs resettle at the bottom after swirling the liquid, demonstrating a physical phenomenon called the Gibbs-Marangoni effect. They are not an indicator of wine quality, but rather they show that a wine has higher alcohol content, increased sugar or that it is served at cooler temperatures. Thicker, slower moving legs indicate higher alcohol (>13.5%) or higher sugar content. A crisp white wine such as Riesling will produce thinner, faster moving legs.
See Also
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.
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.
Finish
A wine's "finish" is the lasting impression it leaves on your palate after swallowing or spitting it out. It is a key indicator of quality, often described by its length, which can be short, medium or long and its flavor profile.
Structure
A wine's structure refers to its foundational components, namely the tannins, acidity, alcohol, body and sugar. It describes the balance and backbone of the wine which determines how it feels, rather than its flavor or how it tastes.
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.
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.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds gotten from grape skins, stems and seeds. They are found in high concentrations in red wine.
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