Do you have an unrefined palate? Don’t know your Merlot from your Malbec? Don’t worry! It’s time to self-educate. If you’re an amateur at a wine tasting, here are some keywords to keep you afloat.

• Aftertaste is the flavor that remains on your palate after you swallow the wine. How long that taste remains can be indicative of the wine’s quality. Longer aftertaste means better quality. Aftertaste can also be referred to as the “finish.”

• The wine’s “body” refers to its thickness.