Glossary of Wine Terms (F - O)

F
Fat - Full of body and flavour; fleshy.
Finesse - Distinctive balance; fineness; elegance and flair.
Finish - Aftertaste, or final impression the wine leaves; it can have a long finish or a short one (not desirable).
Firm - Taut balance of elements; tightly knit structure; also distinct flavour.
Flat - Dull, lacking in liveliness; wine without sufficient acid.
Flavour - How the wine tastes.
Flinty - Dry, mineral character that comes from certain soils, mostly limestone, in which the wine was grown; typical of French Chablis and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs (Sancerre).
Flowery - Aroma suggestive of flowers.
Fruity - Ddescriptive of wines in which the fruit is dominant; most common to young, light wines but also to such fruit flavours in wine as apple, blackcurrant, cherry, citrus, pear, peach, raspberry, or strawberry.
Full-bodied - Full proportion of flavour and alcohol.

G
Green - A wine made from unripe grapes that is tart and lacking fruit flavour.
Grip - Firmness of flavour and structure.

H
Harmonious - All elements -- fruit, acid, tannin -- in perfect balance
Harsh - Rough, biting character from excessive tannin or acid.
Heady - High in alcohol, very full-bodied
Herbaceous - Aromas reminiscent of fresh grass or hay; grassy, as in certain Sauvignon Blancs; also the green pepper character of some Cabernets.
Herby - Reminiscent of herbs, such as mint, sage, thyme, or of eucalyptus.
Honest - Without flaws, typical and straightforward, simple but not great.
Honeyed - Smell or taste reminiscent of honey, characteristic of late-harvest wines affected by "noble rot" (Botrytis cinerea).

I
Intricate - Interweaving of subtle complexities of aroma and flavour.

L
Legs - The viscous rivulets that run down the side of the glass after swirling or sipping, a mingling of glycerin and alcohol.
Length - Lingering aftertaste.
Light - Refers to wines light in alcohol but also to texture and weight, how the wine feels in the mouth. Lightness is appropriate in some wines, a defect in others.
Lively - Crisp, fresh, having vitality.
Long - Fine wines should have a long finish, or aftertaste; see Length.
Luscious - Rich, opulent, and smooth; most often said of sweet wines but also intensely fruity ones.

M
Mature - Fully developed, ready to drink.
Meaty - A wine with chewy, fleshy fruit; sturdy and firm in structure.
Mellow - Smooth and soft, with no harshness.
Mouldy - Wines with the smell of mould or rot, usually from grapes affected by rot or from old mouldy casks used for ageing.
Muscular - Vigorous fruit, powerful body and flavour; robust.
Musty - Stale, dusty or rank aromas.

N
Noble - Great; of perfect balance and harmonious expression. The so-called "noble" grapes are those that produce the world's finest wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Riesling (some would also include Syrah, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese).
Nose - The smell of the wine; it may have a "good nose" or an "off-nose," meaning defective odours.
Nutty - Nutlike aromas that develop in certain wines, such as sherries or old white wines.

O
Oak, oaky - Aroma and flavour that derive from ageing in oak casks or barrels. Characterised by smokiness, vanilla, clove or other spices. Should not be overly pronounced.
Off-flavours (also off-aromas or off-nose) - Not quite right; flavours or odours that are not correct for a particular type of wine; opposite of clean; defective.
Open - Revealing full character.
Oxidised - Flat, stale or sherrylike aroma and flavour; spoiled as the result of overexposure to air.