What is left in the mouth after the wine has left it. The impression that stays with you after you have swallowed the wine.

In wine tasting, the aftertaste of a wine, also known as its finish, is an important part of the evaluation of a vintage. After tasting a wine, a connoisseur or sommelier pauses to judge the aftertaste, one of many aspects of the wine he considers in determining its quality. The flavors and length of the aftertaste are particularly noted. The aftertaste of wine may be described as bitter, harsh, hot, lingering, long, persistent, rich, short, sweet, smooth, tannic, or even non-existent. Also known as “afterimage”.

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