| Accessible, Approachable |
| When wine flavours are harmonious, a wine that is ready to drink. |
| Acetic Acid |
| The acid that gives vinegar its characteristic taste. Small amounts are normal in wine; larger amounts give wine a vinegar-like character. |
| Acidity |
| Gives wine its crispness. Grapes have two primary acids: tartartic and malic. |
| Aftertaste |
| The lingering flavours of a wine; its persistence. A long aftertaste is a good characteristic. |
| Alcohol |
| Produced when yeasts ferment the sugars in the grape. Alcohol gives an impression of fullness, richness and, at higher levels, sweetness. Also a preservative, helping keep wines in good condition. Measured by volume of the total liquid. |
| Alluvial |
| Soil that contains clay, silt, sand or gravel deposited by running water is alluvial. Grapes grown in mostly sandy and stony alluvial soil produce wines with more concentrated fruit flavours. |
| Aroma |
| The fragrance of the wine when sniffed. |
| Astringent |
| A mouth-puckering sensation associated with high tannin (and sometimes acid). |
| Attack |
| Initial sensations on palate or nose. |
