vinegary
The sharp smell and/or flavor of vinegar in wine is a sign of bacteriological breakdown or excessive acetic acid (see acids)—and the wine’s demise.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.