This is a highly subjective judgment based on the wine's characteristics. The smell a wine derives from the ageing process, especially in bottles. Aging is the gradual oxidation of chemical esters in the wine. Clean A wine that is sound, with no noticeable defects off smells or tastes. If clean is the only descriptor, the wine is likely to be simple and not especially interesting.
Winemakers always strive for complexity in fine wines.
The distinctive taste or smell in a wine resulting from a moldy cork. Disagreeable but not harmful. Delicate This is a positive term to describe a light wine without intense flavors but one that is well made and elegant. Herbaceous The aroma or taste of herbs in wine. Light A wine with a low concentration of the various characteristics of wine.