Can you identify these smells and tastes in your wine?

acidic . . . Out of balance. (High acidity sometimes results from excessive sulphur).

bitter . . . Usually due to too much sulphur - though in small concentrations, a slight bitterness can be characteristic of certain white aromatic varieties, and certain red varieties (notably Pinotage), sometimes even enhancing their flavours. Very occasionally, bitterness is caused by bacterial spoilage.

burning sensation . . . Too much alcohol relative to the wine's fruit, body and weight (unbalanced). "Alcoholic" or "hot" characteristics are more acceptable in fortified wines - usually in the aftertaste.

cloying . . . Overtly sweet or sugary wines, lacking in balance.

earthy . . . Sometimes regarded as an attribute, but can warn of brett.

flat . . . Lacking acidity, worse than flabby. (Also descriptive of sparkling wine that has lost its bubbles).

leathery . . . Too much so is indicative of brett.

musty, mouldy . . . Usually due to tainted wood, as in the corks or the barrels. Sometimes, rarely, a case of bacterial spoilage.

nutty . . . Occasionally used as a positive description of oaked wine, but can be a sign of oxidation.

oaky . . . See "tannic".

porty . . . Over-ripe when describing unfortified wine. Stewed, heavy. Obviously acceptable in Port wines! Like it or not.

prickly sensation . . . An irritation felt at the back of the throat - usually accompanied by an acidic, bitter, burning finish - is indicative of too much sulphur.

prune, raisiny . . . Over-ripeness - can add complexity, particularly in certain dessert and fortified wines, but in most table wines it's usually a sign of dried-out grapes. Like it or not.

Sherry-like . . . If the wine tastes of Sherry but isn't, it's probably oxidised - "stale". (Likewise for maderised wine).

sour . . . See "acidic".

stale . . . Excessive exposure to air, loss of freshness and fruit character - oxidised.

stalky . . . Sometimes an alternative for "vegetal", but usually denoting wine that has had excessive contact with grape stems during fermentation.

tannic . . . Mostly descriptive of wine that is too young and unready to drink - tannins derived from grape skins and stems, or from wooden barrels, tend to become increasingly less aggressive during the bottle-ageing process. However, very dominant tannins can be indicative of unbalanced or dried-out wine. Negatives include: "burnt", "green", "plywood".

tart . . . See "acidic".

vegetal . . . Can be pleasant if subtle, even adding complexity, but a flaw if too dominant - usually denoting wine made from unripe fruit; sometimes attributed to tainted cork or barrel.