2,400+ tasting notes of mine in CT, and I’ve never used the descriptor “linear.” I suppose that’s because I’m not sure what that means within the context of a wine tasting note.
What is meant by “linear” when describing a wine?
I use it, tough to put into words. It’s the opposite end of the spectrum of a round wine.
Linear - Focused
Drank from top to bottom.
I use it, though not often. It fits when I have a wine of high acidity that is therefore bright, but not very mouthfilling. Laser focus is another way to say it.
Has the form ax+b.
Though technically, that should be called affine.
Typically to me correlates with a front-to-back palate presence, e.g., a nice Verdelho. Typically acid-driven, like a Sancerre. Can have variation in intensity and depth and develop complexity in the mouth, but has a sense of being driven straight through, with no lingering - so precise and focused and quite lively.
Linear can be a modest swipe at a lack of complexity in an expensive wine, but potentially fine in a cheap wine.
I see other opinion though, illustrating the danger of using an ambiguous term.
Focused, narrow, intense (the latter, potentially).
At least when I used it, it’s not a prerogative as how Ian sees it, so as he notes, context is key. The whole note should elucidate the usage, or it can be ambiguous.
Yes. It is almost always a positive for me.
Foursquare, limited complexity, narrow. Runs in a straight line, with no spreading tendrils. A pejorative for an expensive wine.
That is, if I used it, that is what I’d mean.
We cannot be friends.
That is exactly how I use it.
Increasing, decreasing or remaining constant at some fixed rate, or what Ken said, preceded by y=.
I’ve never used the word in a tasting note. If I mean one dimensional, or lacking complexity, that is what I’ll say. Otherwise, I’m likely to say “focused” if I mean to praise the wine.
P Hickner
Of course, Ken got it right!
I’d say “straightforward” is the best connotation and a far better descriptor. Not sure what else it could mean.
I do understand that can be used as a synonym for focused but then “polar” would work far better to describe the meaning.
Hard to tell, isn’t it? Luckily I don’t use it so avoid confusion. It’s not a term of complexity and I always thought it had something to do with acidity and focus. I think of German/Austrian dry riesling, Godello, Santorini…as a matter of fact, I feel it relates more to white wine than to red.
I don’t use it, but from what I’ve observed, “linear” seems to be the positive/complimentary version of a “simple” wine.
In theory “simple” doesn’t need to be pejorative, but given that we often rate wines on their “complexity”, it feels weird to use “simple” for a wine you think is high-quality.
Other related terms: straightforward, uncomplicated, focused, precise.
Each of these can be unpacked more, and often varies from individual to individual.
For me it means “one note” and it is not really positive.
So elementary school. 
A wine W is linear over a field F if, for a and b in F, and c scalar, W(ca + b) = cW(a) + W(b).
I take as a positive adjective with the key characteristics continuing from the attack to the aftertaste with possibly the ‘laser-like’ acidity being the main elements.
I’ve recently noticed it used in a negative way and find it quite strange. Maybe it’s a word to be avoided if it can have such opposite connotations. Having to define a word through the context, to me, means it’s a very imprecise word at best and practically useless at worst.