Wine vocabulary can be incredibly confusing, both to consumers and to wine professionals. One of the main reasons for this is a misunderstanding of the definitions of many of these words. We often use wine vocabulary according to the way we use these same words in every day life, but when it comes to wine, those words may take on a different meaning entirely. Consider the word “dry” for example. Many consumers believe a dry wine is a wine that dries out their mouth, a sensation that is caused by tannins. However, when it comes to wine, the word dry actually means a wine that lacks sugar. It has nothing to do with a dry mouth sensation. See how confusing it all is?

To help remedy this disconnect, we’ve broken down the five most-used wine words, explaining their meaning in plain english. No more disconnect.