Aftertaste

Aftertaste is defined as the sensation that remains in your mouth after the wine is swallowed or spit out.

A high quality wine should have a long, rich and savory aftertaste, which can peak at 20+ seconds. A young or value wine will typically have a fairly short aftertaste. A wine with no aftertaste, however, is flawed. A tainted or mishandled wine may have an undesirable aftertaste.

Aftertaste is not exactly the same as finish, although they are often used interchangeably. The finish of a wine occurs right as you swallow the wine. The aftertaste should stay in your mouth well after the wine has been swallowed and linger long after the finish.