Buttery
A descriptor used to describe the smell and, sometimes, the flavor of melted butter in a wine, most often in Chardonnay.
The taster often has a sensation of thin film of cream on the tongue. Buttery and cream or creamy are used synonomously together. Not all whites exhibit this cream sensation. Malolactic fermentation can make a wine smell buttery or creamy.
Quite simply, this is one the harder concepts of white wine to grasp. CREAM OR BUTTER IN A WINE? It is more of a sensation rather than a taste. It becomes more evident as the taste begins to fade on the palate. I often picture eating a butterscotch candy to help me imagine what I am sensing. Rich is another great way to put it. Older white wines have a great tendency for this butterscotch flavor, as they mellow they become more sweet and more smooth (just as a butterscoth would taste). Great Chardonnays have a beautiful color to them, which can also be referred to as BUTTERY.