Fruity

• Fruity can mean many different things; it can refer to the taste of berries, the sharpness of currants or the bitter sweetness of plums. These flavors generally relate to red wines. For example Syrah has a blackcurrant flavor while Merlot is reminiscent of black cherries. Fruity white wines, on the other hand, can have notes of melon, apples, pears and citrus. Dry white wines sometimes taste of citrus and slightly acidic like Chardonnay.
  
  

Spicy

• All wines (red, rose or white) can be spicy. Flavors can vary from the peppery, fruity aroma of a Zinfandel rose, to the spicy, heavy Syrah, which goes well with meats. Other wines may taste of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.
  
  

Smokey

• Smokey flavors arise when wine has been aged in oak barrels, imparting a woody, earthy taste. These are often found in full-bodied reds such as Rioja and Barolo, although the French Pouilly-Fume also has a smokey aroma. Interestingly, certain wines develop different flavors when aged in oak; Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance, develops hints of vanilla.
  
  

Floral

• Floral wines are often refreshing whites such as the German Gewurztraminer, which tastes of rose petals, or Malbec's hints of violets. More herbal flavors can also be appreciated such as the fresh grass-like flavor of Sauvignon Blanc. Other common floral tastes are lavender in Riesling and elderflower in Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet.