Taste Decoder

Wine words, in plain English.

Somebody said the wine is “flabby”? The label says “sur lie”? Look it up — 200+ terms decoded, no jargon in the definitions.

Faults and storage

Tartrate Crystals

What it means in wine

Tartrate crystals may look like glass shards or crystals on the cork or in the bottle, especially after cold storage. They are not dangerous.

Why it matters

This entry should reassure consumers while linking to stabilization.

Want it explained for your bottle? Ask Scott about “Tartrate Crystals”.

All Bottle formats Classification terms Faults and storage Geography Label terms Sparkling wine Storage and service Styles Tasting Tasting terms Vineyard Wine basics Wine faults Wine-specific Winemaking

Bottle Shock A temporary muted or disjointed state sometimes observed after bottling or trans… Brettanomyces A yeast associated with animal, barnyard, medicinal, smoky, or leathery aromas i… Cork Taint A wine fault most commonly associated with musty, damp-cardboard aromas. Corked A common shorthand for a wine affected by cork taint. Heat Damage Damage caused by excessive heat exposure before opening. Lightstrike A wine fault caused by exposure to certain light wavelengths, especially in vuln… Maderized A term for wine that tastes oxidized or heat-aged in a way resembling Madeira-li… Mousiness A wine fault that can create unpleasant mouse-cage or cereal-like flavors, often… Oxidation Chemical change caused by exposure to oxygen. Reduction A set of aromas associated with low-oxygen conditions and sulfur compounds. Refermentation A renewed fermentation that occurs after a wine is considered finished or bottle… Sediment Solid material that settles in a bottle or glass. TCA 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, a compound commonly associated with cork taint. Tartrate Crystals Harmless crystals that can form from tartaric acid salts in wine.