Today’s word is used to describe robust wines of great substance. Powerful wines can be a bit overwhelming to the palates of those who prefer their wines on the mellow side. Despite their potent nature, these wines never lack a sense of balance, Â which is why this is viewed as a positive tasting descriptor. “Powerful” […]
Simply put, a wine with a noticeable perception of the effects of oak. This can also include the sense of sweet or baking spices, vanilla, butter, coconut a creamy body and a smoky or toasted flavor. These qualities are created by the use of oak barrels during the fermentation or aging process. Oak barrels are […]
24
Oct
Oct
This week’s word is one that has been growing in popularity, cropping up in tasting notes, reviews and used by critics, sommeliers, and wine makers alike. If you have been following our tasting notes series from the beginning you may be coming to the realization that many of the words we use to describe wine […]
17
Oct
Oct
Leather as a wine descriptor can refer to either the aroma or texture/ mouthfeel  of the wine. Like most terminology used to describe wine it is subjective, but the overall consensus seems to be that this is positive characteristic. Most of us are pretty familiar with the scent of leather. In terms of aroma it […]
10
Oct
Oct
Like many wine tasting descriptors “jammy” can be either positive or negative all depending on your personal palate and feelings on jam. So if you crave concord jelly, are mad about marionberries, or are ravenous for raspberry jam then wines with this quality might be right up your alley. A fruit forward wine is not […]
Intensity in wine is a term used to evaluate appearance and aroma. As a very general rule of thumb, the intensity of a wine’s color is directly proportional to the intensity of the wine’s flavor. Paler wines are generally milder while deep rich colors represent more robust flavors. To test the color intensity of […]
26
Sep
Sep
While the term “hot” in reference to wine may bring up visions of sipping mulled wine next to a roaring fire, it actually denotes that the wine is too high in alcohol. These wines usually have an alcohol level in excess of 14.5% and lack the depth of fruit needed for balance. The result for […]
16
Sep
Sep
Wine Spectrum is the purveyor of the best wines in the world. And we believe that incredible wines don’t necessarily need to come at an incredibly high price. So we have rounded up 5 of our favorite (and top -selling) wines for under $50. 1. 2013 LePich Cabernet / 2. 2013 Martinelli Sonoma Coast […]
05
Sep
Sep
Beautiful, graceful, polished, and refined…. No we aren’t talking about the future Miss America, these are some of the accompanying words you’ll hear to describe an elegant wine. And like a pageant queen tottering across the stage on six inch heels, one of the defining characteristics of an elegant wine is their amazing sense of […]
29
Aug
Aug
Depth:Â This is a term we often come across in tasting notes (which is a good thing because these wines have a lot to offer). Depth is a general term to describe the complexity and concentration of flavors in a wine, as in a wine with excellent or uncommon depth. It also refers to a quality […]
