You’re reading a wine review, getting genuinely excited, and then someone drops the word quaffability like it’s completely normal. What the quaff? I mean, what does this word mean, and is it even useful when it comes to wine? This Wine Terms Explained dives into everything you need to know about this confusing wine term.
What is a quaffable wine?
A quaffable wine is simply an easy-drinking wine. That’s it. It’s usually affordable, uncomplicated, and the kind of thing you’d crack open on a Tuesday night without much thought. No complex tasting notes required, no decanting, no ceremony.
The word “quaff” dates back to the 16th century and is believed to have Irish Gaelic origins (the word for “cup”), though it made its way through Scottish before landing in English. As for exactly when wine critics started attaching it to bottles of mid-range Shiraz, nobody seems to know. It just… appeared, as wine jargon tends to do.
In wine terms: quaffable = easy to drink, well-priced, and uncomplicated. Think that reliable bottle you grab for pizza night. Nothing more, nothing less.
Depending on who’s using it, quaffable can be a compliment or a mild insult. At best it means great value, goes down easily, buy a case. At worst it implies the wine lacks depth or complexity. Context matters, but mostly it just means drinkable.
Why does this word even exist?
The purpose of this blog has always been to make wine easy and accessible, to strip away the stuffiness that the industry clings to like a wine stain on a white shirt. So when I encounter a word like “quaffable” used to describe wines that are, by definition, for everyone, I find it genuinely funny.
These are the affordable bottles at your local bottle shop. The wines that don’t need a sommelier or a tasting note. They’re the wines most people drink most of the time. And yet the industry has wrapped them in a word that most people can’t define without Googling it.
If anything, quaffable wines deserve more attention, not fancier vocabulary.
Should you embrace quaffable wines?
Absolutely. Some of my favourite bottles have been quaffable wines, and I’d wager the same is true for most wine drinkers. They’re honest, they’re accessible, and they’re the bottles you actually finish.
So next time you see “quaffable” in a review, don’t let it put you off. It’s not a dig at the wine’s quality. It’s a slightly pompous way of saying: this is a good, easy, well-priced drink. Which, honestly, is what most of us are looking for.
The wine world could do with a lot more of them featured front and centre, and a lot fewer obscure adjectives to describe them.
Quick answers: quaffable wine FAQ
Is quaffable a compliment for a wine?
Usually, yes. It means the wine is easy to drink and well-priced. Occasionally, it implies the wine lacks complexity, but in most contexts it’s a positive term.
What kind of wines are considered quaffable?
Affordable, everyday wines with simple, approachable flavours. Think entry-level reds, fresh whites, and rosés that you’d happily drink without overthinking it.
Is quaffable the same as cheap wine?
Not exactly. Quaffable is more about drinkability than price. That said, most quaffable wines are on the affordable end of the spectrum.
Are there other wine terms you’ve found confusing or unnecessarily complicated? Check out Wine Terms Explained to learn about other strange wine terms and what they mean.
2 comments
The great Len Evans, who introduced many European varieties of wine to Australia, set up Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley in the late 60s with Murray Tyrell (of Tyrells also in the Hunter). One of the dry red wines they produced in the 70s and 80s was labelled QDR on the bottle….Quaffing Dry Red…. which was a dry, easy drinking red that was sold at that time for around $4-5 per bottle!
$4-5 per bottle?! That is the dream! I wish I could get a QDR for that price now!