Finish
Definition - What does Finish mean?
The finish of a wine describes the wine’s taste that is leftover on the palate and in the back of the throat after the wine is swallowed. The finish can vary in tastes and lengths (how long the wine’s taste affects the palate), which can be an indicator of the wine’s quality. There are many different categories such as smooth, tart, spicy, or bitter which describe the aftertaste of the finish. Each wine will have a different finish, and it may taste different to each drinker, which can be the determining factor for preference.
WineFrog explains Finish
The type of wine also determines its finish, as white wines usually have a light, sweet or crisp finish and reds have a deeper savory, spicy or rich finish. The longer the finish, the more flavors may be exposed - typically 20-30 seconds can be observed in standard wines with 45 seconds or longer reserved for more powerful, higher quality wines. The style of the finish can indicate where the wine was grown, the style in which it was fermented and bottled and how long it has been aged.
It is important to notice the finish of any wine, as it adds traits and characteristics that impact the overall wine-drinking experience. Some common adjectives used to describe the sensory finish include, smoky, sweet, harsh, spicy, rigid, and citrusy. But that all depends on the type of grape or grapes used to make the wine.
