The Complete Wine Glossary
AC, AOC
Acronyms for
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.
ACETIC ACID
All wines contain acetic acid, the main component in vinegar, but usually the concentration is imperceptibly small--from 0.03 percent to 0.06 percent. Overexposure to oxygen during winemaking or bottle-aging can increase the concentration of acetic acid; once it reaches 0.07 percent, a sweet-sour vinegary smell and taste are detectable and the wine can be called acetic. At higher levels (over 0.1 percent), the vinegary character dominates the wine and is considered a flaw.
ACIDS
Present in all grapes and an essential component of wine, acidity imparts a crisp, refreshing character to wine, contributes structure, prolongs the aftertaste and acts as a preservative, allowing wine to mature.
ACIDIC, ACID
Describe wines with such a high level of acidity that they taste tart or sour and have a sharp mouthfeel.
ACIDIFICATION
The addition of acid to wine by a winemaker. The goal is to balance the wine’s soft components (sugar, alcohol and fruit). It is legal in some areas — such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Australia and California — to correct deficient acidity by adding acid. When overdone, acidity leads to unusually sharp, acidic wines. It is illegal in Bordeaux and Burgundy to both chaptalize (add sugar to) and acidify a wine.
ACIDITY
The level of acidity in a balanced, dry table wine is in the range of 0.6 percent to 0.75 percent of the wine's volume. The balance of acidity in wine is important; when acidity is too low, the wine’s flavors are dull and the wine can be called flabby. Too high, and the wine becomes sharp, tart or even sour. The four major types of acids found in wine are tartaric, malic, lactic and citric. Common descriptors (from high levels of acidity to low) include sour, tart, sharp, crisp or refreshing, balanced, soft, flabby and flat or dull.
ACRID
Describes the harsh, bitter taste or pungent, nose-biting odor smell due to excessive amounts of sulfur added during winemaking. Sulfur dioxide plays a beneficial role in winemaking; it kills unwanted organisms, protects wines from spoilage and cleans equipment.
AERATION
This process of encouraging the wine to absorb oxygen is also called breathing. Simply pulling the cork out of a bottle does not allow for sufficient since air contact; decanting or even swirling the wine in a glass are preferred methods. The goal is to allow the wine to open up and develop, releasing its aromas into the air. Ten to thirty minutes aeration can help open tight young red wines that are meant to age. Some wines can also develop off-odors or a bottle stink that blows off with a few minutes of aeration. Since older (15+ years) red wines are more delicate and can lose their fruit during aeration, aeration is not recommended; the wines can evolve quite quickly in the glass.
AFTERTASTE
Describes the tastes and flavors that linger after swallowing or spitting. Great wines have rich, complex aftertastes with layers of flavors.
AGGRESSIVE
Describes a wine that has an unpleasantly harsh taste or texture, usually due to high levels of tannin or acid.
AGE-WORTHY
Describes the small number of top wines that have sufficient flavor, acidity, alcohol and tannin to gain additional complexity with time in the bottle. Most popular wines are meant to be enjoyed shortly after release and will only diminish with age.
AGING
Storage in barrels, tanks or bottles for a period of time allows wine components to knit together or harmonize and develop additional flavors called bottle bouquet and complexity.
ALCOHOL
Ethyl alcohol is produced during fermentation. Alcohol adds body and a perception of sweetness to wine. See also alcoholic.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
The law requires wine labels to state the alcohol content, usually expressed as a percentage of volume. For table wines, the law allows a 1.5 percent variation above or below the stated percentage – as long as the alcohol does not exceed 14 percent.
ALCOHOL FERMENTATION
Also called primary fermentation, this is the process in which yeasts metabolize grape sugars and produce alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat. The final product is wine.
ALCOHOLIC
Describes a wine that is unbalanced due to excessive alcohol. High levels of alcohol can make a wine feel heavy and leave a burning sensation in the nose and throat. Such wines can be described as "hot."
ALLIER
A forest in France that produces oak used for barrels. See also French oak.
AMERICAN OAK
Oak grown in American forests is increasingly popular as an alternative to French oak for making barrels thanks to its relatively low cost (American oak barrels are about half the price of French oak barrels). In contrast with French oak, American oak can have more pronounced vanilla, dill and cedar notes; it is used primarily for aging more intensely flavored wines such as Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. See also French oak.
AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREA (AVA)
A clearly defined, geographical grape-growing area in the U.S. that has officially been given appellation status by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Two examples are Napa Valley and Willamette Valley. See also viticultural area.
AMPELOGRAPHY
The study and identification of grape vines and varieties.
AMTLICHE PRÜFUNGSNUMMER
The tracking number that appears on German wines indicating that the wine has passed a number of tests and meets all German legal requirements.
ANTHOCYANINS
The pigments found in red grape skins that give red wine its color.
APPEARANCE:
Refers to a wine’s clarity, not color. Common descriptors refer to the reflective quality of the wine; brilliant, clear, dull or cloudy for those wines with visible suspended particulates.
APPELLATION
Defines the area where a wine's grapes were grown, such as Bordeaux, Chianti, Alexander Valley or Russian River Valley. Wines are frequently named after the appellation especially in Old World regions. Regulations vary widely from country to country and sometimes from appellation to appellation. See also appellation d'origine contrôlée, American Viticultural Area and D.O.C.
APPELLATION D'ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE (AOC or AC)
The French system of appellations, begun in the 1930s, is considered the wine world's prototype. To carry an appellation in this system, a wine must follow rules regulating the area in which the grapes are grown, varieties used, ripeness at harvest, alcoholic strength, vineyard yields, irrigation and various techniques used in grapegrowing and winemaking.
AROMA
Aromas are smells, which originate with the grapes, in contrast to bouquet, which defines smells acquired during bottle-aging. In the process of sensory evaluation, purists also discriminate between wine’s aroma (smells sensed by sniffing the wine through the nose) and its flavor (smells sensed via the mouth).
AROMATIC
Describes a wine with intense, often floral, aromas. Particularly aromatic varieties include Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Viognier.
ASPERSION
A frost protection method used by grapegrowers, especially in the springtime; sprinklers spray the vineyards with water, which freezes around delicate buds and shoots, keeping them relatively warm.
ASSEMBLAGE
French term for blending various lots of wine before bottling, especially in Champagne.
ASTRINGENT
Describes wines which leave a coarse, rough, furry or drying sensation in the mouth. Astringency is usually attributed to high tannin levels found in some red wines (and a few whites). High tannin levels are frequently found in Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
AUSLESE
German classification for wines made of very ripe, late-harvested grapes.
AUSTERE
Tasting term for relatively hard, high-acid wines that lack depth, roundness, richness and body. Can also describe young wines that need time to soften.
AWKWARD
Tasting term for a wine that has poor structure and is therefore out of balance.
BACCHUS
Roman god of wine.
BACKBONE
Describes the structure of a wine, referring to balanced acidity, alcohol and, in red wines, tannin. Wines lacking structure are thin or flabby.
BACKWARD
Describes a young wine that is less developed than others of its type and class from the same vintage.
BALANCE
A wine is balanced when its elements are harmonious and no single element dominates. The "hard" components –acidity and tannin– balance the "soft" components –sweetness, fruit and alcohol.
BALTHAZAR
An oversized bottle, which holds the equivalent of 12 to 16 standard bottles.
BARREL AGED
A period of time spent in barrels before bottling affects wine in a number of ways; the flavors in newly blended wines knit together, tannins in red wines soften and white wines become richer and more full-bodied. Aging in new oak barrels (barrels used for the first few times) can add aromas and flavors of vanilla, spice and smoke.
BARREL FERMENTED
Denotes wine that has been fermented in small casks (usually 55-gallon oak barrels) instead of larger tanks. At the cost of additional labor, barrel fermentation may increase body and add complexity, texture and flavor. The process is used mainly for white wines.
BARREL MAKING
After the wood for a barrel is cut and dried, the cooper heats the wood while shaping it into a barrel. Steam, natural gas, boiling water, the burning of oak chips or some combination of these is used in the three-part heating process. The first application of heat (the warming stage) is called chauffage, the bending of the wooden staves into a barrel shape is called cintrage, and, finally, the toasting of the wood for flavor is called bousinage.
BARRIQUE
French term for small oak barrel.
BAUMÉ
A measurement of the dissolved solids in grape juice which indicates the grapes’ sugar level and ripeness and therefore the potential alcohol in the wine. Commonly used by winemakers in France and Australia. See other measurement scales: Oechsle and Brix
BEAD
The tiny bubbles found in sparkling wines; a small, persistent bead is an indicator of quality.
BEANS
Small bean-shaped pieces of wood added to wine during winemaking to impart oak flavors. Less expensive than oak barrels, beans are used primarily in popularly-priced wines. Rounder in shape and thought to add fewer harsh flavors than oak chips.
BEERENAUSLESE
Also known as BA, this is the German classification for wines made from very ripe grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea.
BERRY
This term has two meanings. An individual grape is called a berry by grapegrowers. It also describes the set of fruit flavors found in many wines, which includes strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry.
BIN NUMBER
A term sometimes used to designate special wines, Lindemans Chardonnay South Eastern Australia Bin 65, but often applied to ordinary wines to identify a separate lot or brand. Synonymous with cask number.
BITE
A marked degree of acidity or tannin on the palate; indicates an unbalanced wine, which lacks fruit, alcohol or sweetness.
BITTER
One of the four basic tastes (along with sour, salty and sweet). If the bitter taste dominates the wine, it is considered a fault and can be ascribed to poor fruit or excessive use of oak or oak chips.
BLACK GRAPES
Another term for red grapes.
BLANC DE BLANCS
"White of whites," meaning a white wine made from white grapes, most often used to describe sparkling wines made from Chardonnay.
BLANC DE NOIRS
"White of blacks," white wine made from the black grapes, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunieur. To avoid extracting color from the skins, the juice is quickly pressed from the grapes and fermented without skin contact. The wines can have a pale pink hue and has some of the red berry fruit and fuller body normally associated with red wines.
BLENDING
Wines are blended for a number of different reasons. To make a more harmonious or complex wine, wines with complementary attributes may be blended. For example, a wine with low acidity may be blended with a high acid wine or a wine with earthy flavors may be blended with a fruity wine. To create a uniform wine from many small batches is another goal, since grapes from different vineyards, stages of the harvest and pressings are frequently vinified separately and the small batches differ slightly. Red Bordeaux offers a prime example; five different grapes may be used, each contributing its own nuances to the blend.
BLIND TASTING
A tasting in which the wines are not identified; often the bottles are disguised in paper bags. The goal is to reduce tasters’ expectations of specific wines, offering a more objective analysis of each wine. In a single-blind tasting, the taster may know which brand or types of wine are in the flight, but not the order. In a double-blind tasting, the taster has no information about the wines in the flight.
BLUSH
Also known as rose, this term describes a pink or salmon-colored wine made from red grapes. The wine may be dry or sweet.
BODY
The impression of weight, fullness or thickness on the palate; usually the result of a combination alcohol, sugar, dissolved solids (including sugars, phenolics, minerals and acids) and, to a lesser extent, glycerin. Common descriptors include light-bodied, medium-bodied and full-bodied. For example, skim milk could be considered "light-bodied", whole milk "medium-bodied" and cream "full-bodied." Although a fuller-bodied wine makes a bigger impression in the mouth, it is not necessarily higher in quality than a lighter-bodied wine.
BOTRYTIS CINEREA
"Noble rot" is the common name for Botrytis cinerea, a beneficial mold that grows on ripe white wine grapes in the vineyard under specific climatic conditions. The mold dehydrates the grapes, leaving them shriveled and raisin-like and concentrates the sugars and flavors. Wines made from these berries have a rich, complex, honeyed character and are often high in residual sugar. Botrytis contributes the unique, concentrated flavors in such wines as BA and TBA Riesling from Germany, Sauternes from Bordeaux, Aszu from Hungary’s Tokay district and an assortment of late-harvest wines from other regions.
BOTTLE AGING
A period of time spent in bottle prior to consumption; a small percentage of wines gain complexity and bouquet during extended bottle aging. The vast majority of wines produced are meant to be consumed shortly after release.
BOTTLE SICKNESS
Also known as bottle stink due to the unpleasant odor sometimes caused by sulfur. Usually blows off with decanting.
BOTTLE SHAPES
Although a standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters, or 25.4 ounces, wine bottles vary in shape, depending on regional, cultural and marketing considerations. The basic shapes identify wines by type in most parts of the world. Bordeaux-style wines (red wines made of blends relying on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and/or Cabernet Franc; whites made of Sauvignon Blanc and/or Semillon) are put in Bordeaux-style bottles with straight sides and high shoulders. Burgundy’s traditional varieties (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) go into slope-shouldered Burgundy-style bottles. Aromatic wines (such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer) usually go into tall, narrow German-style bottles and sparkling wines go into thick, heavy Champagne bottles with deep punts designed to withstand the gas pressure inside.
BOTTLE SHOCK
A temporary condition characterized by muted or disjointed flavors. It often occurs immediately after bottling or when wines (usually fragile, older wines) are shaken in travel; a few days of rest is the cure.
BOTTLED BY
Means the wine could have been purchased ready-made and simply bottled by the brand owner, or made under contract by another winery. When the label reads "produced and bottled by" or "made and bottled by" it means the winery produced the wine from start to finish.
BOTTLING
Putting wine into bottle is an automated process. The bottle is washed, dried and then filled with wine. Before the cork is inserted, a puff of inert gas displaces any oxygen remaining in the bottle to prevent spoilage.
BOUQUET
Sometimes called "bottle bouquet," this term describes smells such as earth and leather that develop during fermentation and bottle aging. Contrast with aromas such as fresh young fruit and oak, which are developed in the grape itself.
BRAWNY
Describes wines that are hard, intense and tannic with raw, woody flavors. The opposite of elegant.
BREATHE
See aeration.
BRIARY
Describes young wines with an earthy or stemmy wild berry character.
BRIGHT
Describes fresh, ripe, zesty, lively young wines with vivid, focused flavors and perceptible acidity. Also describes the appearance of wine.
BRILLIANT
Describes the appearance of very clear, bright wines with absolutely no visible suspended or particulate matter. Not always a plus, as it can indicate a highly filtered wine.
BRIX
A measurement of the dissolved solids in grape juice, indicating the sugar level and the degree of ripeness attained by the grapes. Most grapes destined for table wine are harvested between 21 and 25 degrees Brix. The grapes’ sugar level determines the potential alcohol content of the wine; to convert brix to percent alcohol, multiply the stated brix by .55. Other scales include Oechsle and Baumé.
BROWNING
Describes a wine's color and indicates wine that has been aged. A bad sign in young red and white wines, but less significant in older wines. Wines 20 to 30 years old may have a brownish edge and still be enjoyable.
BRUT
Designates a relatively dry Champagne or sparkling wine, brut is the driest wine made by many producers. The scale, from driest to sweetest is: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.
BUDBREAK
Refers to the start of the new growing season, when tender green buds emerge in early spring’s warm temperatures; typically March in the northern hemisphere and September in the southern hemisphere. The vines are especially vulnerable to frost at this stage.
BUNG
The rubber, glass or plastic stopper that can be placed into a barrel’s bung hole, similar to a cork placed in a wine bottle. Barrels are usually filled through the bung hole.
BUTTERY
Indicates the aroma or flavor of melted butter. Also a reference to texture, as in "a rich, buttery Chardonnay."
CANOPY and CANOPY MANAGEMENT
The green foliage of a grapevine is called the canopy. The canopy can be trimmed or thinned to manage the amount of air and sun reaching the fruit, improving fruit quality, increasing yield and controlling disease.
CAP
The thick layer of skins, stems and seeds that forms at the surface of fermenting red wine. Cap management, or breaking up the cap to increase contact between the skins and the liquid, is important since red wines extract color and flavor from the skins. See also pump over.
CAPSULE
The metal or plastic protective coating that surrounds the top of the cork and the bottle. Before pulling out the cork, at least the top portion should be removed to expose the cork and the lip of the bottle.
CARBONIC MACERATION
Most frequently associated with Beaujolais, this is a method of producing light-bodied, fresh and fruity red wines. Instead of crushing the grapes and releasing the juices to be fermented by yeasts, whole grape bunches are placed in a tank and the oxygen is displaced by carbon dioxide. Fermentation starts on an intracellular level inside the berry, producing some alcohol as well as fruity aromatics. In practice, the weight of the grapes on the top crushes the grapes on the bottom and yeasts ferment the juice; the wine is partly a product of carbonic maceration and partly of traditional yeast fermentation.
CASE
A case contains 9 liters or 12 standard 750ml bottles of wine. The size of wineries is most frequently measured in the number of cases produced annually. For example, Kendall-Jackson produces about 4 million cases annually; Groth Vineyards & Winery, 50,000; and Harlan Estate, a mere 1,500.
CASK NUMBER
A term sometimes used to designate special wines, as in Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23, but often applied to ordinary wines to identify a separate lot or brand. Synonymous with bin number.
CAVA
Spanish term for sparkling wine made using the traditional méthode champenoise.
CEDARY
Describes the smell of cedar wood frequently associated with mature Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet blends aged in French or American oak.
CELLARED BY
On U.S. labels, this term usually indicates that the wine was purchased from another source rather than being produced at the winery where it was bottled.
CÉPAGE
French term for "grape variety."
CHAPTALIZATION
The addition of sugar or concentrated grape must to grape juice before fermentation is complete. The goal is to boost the meager sugar levels found under-ripe grapes and the alcohol levels in the subsequent wines. Chaptalization is not uncommon in northern European countries, where cold climates may keep grapes from ripening completely, but it is forbidden in southern Europe (including southern France and all of Italy) and California.
CHARMAT
Bulk production method for sparkling wine in which the wines undergo secondary fermentation in large stainless steel tanks and are later bottled under pressure. Also known as the "bulk process." See also méthode champenoise.
CHEWY
Describes highly extracted, full-bodied and tannic wines that are so rich they seem as if they should be chewed, rather than simply swallowed.
CIGAR BOX
Aroma frequently associated with mature Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends, this descriptor refers to the cedary and tobacco leaf scents associated with cigar boxes.
CLARET
The British term for red wines from Bordeaux. Originally the wines were quite pale or nearly clear in color, giving rise to the term, clairet.
CLARITY
Referring to suspended particulate matter in a wine, clarity is described in terms of the wine’s reflective quality; brilliant, clear, dull or hazy. A pronounced haziness may signify spoilage, while brilliant, clear or dull wines are generally sound.
CLEAN
A wine that is free of any off aromas or flavors. On its own, the descriptor implies that a basic standard of quality has been met.
CLIMATE
The long-term weather pattern — including temperature, precipitation and hours of sunshine — in a specific region. In contrast, weather is associated with a specific event such as a hailstorm.
CLONE
A group of vines that originate from a single plant. Clones are valued for their grapes’ unique qualities, such as flavor, resistance to disease and adaptability to growing conditions.
CLOS
A walled vineyard such as Clos du Vougeot in Burgundy.
CLOSED
Describes wines that are concentrated and have character, yet are tight or timid in aroma or flavor. See also bottle shock.
CLOUDY
An evident lack of visual clarity. Fine for old wines with sediment, but in younger wines cloudiness can be a warning signal.
CLOYING
Describes sweet wines that lack the acidity to balance their sugar content. Rather than leaving the palate clean, a sticky, gummy sensation remains.
COARSE
Usually refers to texture, especially the roughness associated with excessive tannins or oak. Also describes harsh, large bubbles found in some lesser sparkling wines.
COLD STABILIZATION
A clarification technique that can prevent the formation of crystals in wine bottles. Prior to bottling, the wine's temperature is lowered to approximately 30°F for two weeks, causing the tartrates and other solids to precipitate out of solution. The wine is then easily racked off —separated from— the solids.
COMMUNE
French term for village.
COMPLEXITY
A combination of elements found in all great wines and many very good ones including layers of flavor that unfold as the wine is sipped, richness, depth, flavor intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse.
COOKED
Describes a dull, stewed flavor associated with wines adversely affected by excessive heat during shipping or storage.
COOPER, COOPERAGE
Synonymous with barrel maker. A cooperage is the facility where barrels are made.
CORKAGE FEE
The fee charged by restaurants when guests bring their own bottle of wine rather than ordering from the wine list.
CORKED or CORKY
Describes a wine with the off-putting flavor and aroma caused by a tainted cork; musty basement or moldy newspaper.
COULURE
During flowering in the spring, wind and rain as well as chemical deficiencies can keep the flowers from being properly fertilized, causing these flowers to drop off the cluster. This dropping of flowers is called coulure. Since each flower is responsible for a grape, the cluster of grapes that eventually forms is missing grapes and loose. If the improperly fertilized flower stays attached, it produces a puny, seedless grape called a "shot" grape. Although the yield is reduced, there is a corresponding benefit; loose clusters that allow for increased air circulation are less susceptible to rot in humid conditions.
CRIANZA
One of Spain’s quality classifications, it requires that reds are aged for two years, with at least a year in wood, and whites a total of six months.
CRISP
Describes a wine with moderately high acidity; refreshing and bright with a clean finish.
CRU
Meaning "growth" or "vineyard" in French, this term is often used in quality classifications. In Bordeaux, the highest quality wines are called Premiers Crus and in Burgundy, Grands Crus.
CRUSH
Harvest season when the grapes are picked and brought into the winery to be pressed; fermentation is usually started after crushing the berries.
CUVEE
A blend or special lot of wine.
DECANT
A technique, which removes sediment from wine before drinking. After allowing the sediment to settle by standing the bottle upright for the day, the wine is poured slowly and carefully into another container leaving the sediment in the original bottle.
DÉGORGEMENT
When making sparkling wine, this technique for removes sediment remaining in the bottle after the second fermentation. Sediment settles in the bottle neck and the neck is then dipped into a brine solution and frozen. Working quickly, the bottle is turned upright and the crown cork removed. The plug of frozen sediment is ejected by the pressure of the carbon dioxide.
DEGREE DAYS
A method of classifying the climate based on the number of days the temperature is within a range that vines can grow. In California, climates are rated from coolest (Region I) to the warmest (Region V). This classification can help winemakers determine where to plant which variety.
DELICATE
Describes light- to medium-weight wines, which nevertheless have intense flavors. A desirable quality in wines such as Pinot Noir or Riesling.
DEMI-SEC
A term describing sweetness in Champagne. It can be misleading; although demi-sec literally means "half-dry", demi-sec sparkling wines are usually slightly sweet to medium sweet. The scale, from driest to sweetest, is: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.
DEPTH
Describes the complexity of flavors in a wine, as in a wine with many layers of flavor that unfold on the palate. Contrast with vinous.
DESTEMMING
The process of removing the grape berries from the stems once the grapes have been harvested and brought into the winery. The goal is to minimize the amount of astringent tannins that stems that can add to wine.
DESUCKERING
The removal of young, non-fruit-bearing shoots from a vine.
DEUTSCHER TAFELWEIN
A wine classification within Germany’s lowest level of wines, Tafelwein; indicates that the grapes were grown in Germany.
DIRTY
Describes wine with foul, off-putting smells resulting from poor winemaking.
DISJOINTED
Describes wine with components that are not well-knit, harmonious or balanced. The timing of the components may be off; upon tasting, a disjointed wine might first reveal big fruit, followed by a blast of screeching acidity and finishing off with a dose of tannins.
DIURNAL TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE
The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures, which can affect the speed of ripening and grape quality. Shifts can be considerable; parts of Napa Valley regularly experience a 40-degree difference.
DO (Denominatión De Origen)
As with Italy’s DOC, this used to be Spain’s highest level until it was awarded to too many areas.
DOC (Denominazione D'Origine Controllata)
The Italian system for defining wine regions and wine names. In addition, the D.O.C.G. (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata Garantita) covers regions willing to submit their wines to tougher requirements, including tasting approval.
DOCa (Denominatión De Origen Calificada)
Spain’s highest quality classification. Created in the early 1990s, Rioja is the sole region awarded DOCa status.
DOLCE
Italian term for "sweet".
DOSAGE
When making bottle-fermented sparkling wines, the small amount of wine that added to top off the bottle after the sediment from the second fermentation has been removed (see dégorgement).
DOUX
Designates a sweet Champagne or sparkling wine, doux is the sweetest wine made by many producers. The scale, from driest to sweetest is: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.
DRIP IRRIGATION
An irrigation process associated with grapegrowing. Hoses with individual spouts for each vine deliver precise amounts of water, drop by drop. This saves water and allows grapegrowers to carefully control the water vines receive in dry areas.
DRY
A wine with no perceptible taste of sugar. Most tasters begin to perceive sugar at levels of 0.5 percent to 0.7 percent.
DRYING OUT
Describes wine that has reached maturity and begun to decline, losing its fruit flavor (or sweetness in a sweet wine); the wine becomes unbalanced as acid, alcohol or tannin begin to dominate.
DUMB
Tasting term for a phase in young wines when their initial freshness has faded and bottle character has not yet developed. See also closed.
EARTHY
Describes wines with aromas or flavors of soil or earth. In small amounts the aromas or flavors can add complexity and be positive characteristics, but become negative as the intensity increases. Frequently associated with Pinot Noir.
EISWEIN
Wine made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. Since only the water in the grapes freezes, the super-concentrated grape pulp produces a wine that is very sweet and often high in acidity. Eiswein is an official German classification; such wines from other regions are called icewine.
EDELFÄULE
German term for Botrytis cinerea.
ELEGANT
Describes balanced, harmonious, refined wines; subtle rather than a highly-extracted blockbuster.
ÉLEVAGE
French term for the progression of wine between fermentation and bottling. There isn't a direct equivalent in English; think of élevage as a wine's adolescence or education. The raw fermented juice is shaped during this period into something resembling its final form; through techniques such as barrel aging, filtering and fining. Good winemaking decisions during élevage can help the juice achieve its full potential; bad decisions can leave it flawed.
ENOLOGIST
A scientist involved with winemaking.
ENOLOGY
The science and study of and winemaking. Also spelled oenology.
ENOPHILE
A lover of all things vinous.
ESTATE-BOTTLED
Originally used to describe wines made entirely by the producer from vineyards owned by the winery and contiguous to the winery "estate." Today it indicates that the winery controls the grapes -- through vineyard ownership or a long-term lease to purchase the grapes -- and makes the wine from crushing to bottling.
ESTERS
The fragrant chemical compounds responsible for the aromas and flavors; found in food and wine.
ETHYL ACETATE
In small amounts, this ester contributes fresh fruity flavors. At higher concentrations, ethyl acetate becomes unpleasant and smells like vinegar or nail polish.
EXTRACT
Richness, depth and concentration of fruit flavors in a wine. Usually a positive quality, extract adds to wine’s body, yet highly extracted wine can also be very tannic. To calculate extract levels, some winemakers measure the dry residue remaining after the wine is boiled off.
EXTRA-BRUT
The driest Champagne or sparkling wine. The scale, from driest to sweetest, is: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.
EXTRA-DRY
A common sparkling wine term not to be taken literally; most wines labeled extra-dry are slightly sweet. The scale, from driest to sweetest, is: Extra-Brut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.
FADING
Describes a wine that is losing color or flavor, usually as a result of age.
FAT
Full-bodied, high alcohol wines give a "fat" impression on the palate. Can be a plus with bold, ripe, rich flavors.
FEMININE
Describes wines with more feminine qualities: smoothnesser, rounder, gentlefinesse,r, elegantce and delicacy. See also masculine.
FERMENTATION
The process in which yeast metabolizes grapes sugars, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide and transforming grape juice into wine.
FIELD BLEND
Describes the wine produced from a vineyard planted with several complementary grape varieties, which have been harvested —and blended— together.
FIGHTING VARIETAL
This term was coined in the 1980s to describe a new category of wines, labeled as varietals but priced nearly as inexpensively as generics (e.g., "Mountain Chablis" or "Hearty Burgundy"). Glen Ellen was one of the first to sell good quality Chardonnay and Cabernet for $4 to $6 per bottle. Since then, the category has expanded; it includes varietals such as Merlot, producers as far-flung as Chile and the south of France, and prices up to nearly $10 per bottle. But the concept is the same: a varietal wine of good quality at an everyday price.
FILL LEVEL
The amount of wine in a bottle is gauged by its height in the bottle. Common descriptors are good fill, high shoulder (the wine level is even with the sloping part of the bottle just below the neck), or low shoulder. Important since fill level is an indicator of the wine’s condition and whether it has been properly stored. The air space in the bottle, called ullage, can cause harmful oxidation.
FILTERING
Pumping wine through a screen or pad to remove leftover grape and fermentation particles. Most wines are filtered for both clarity and stability, although many winemakers believe that some flavors and complexity are also stripped from the wine.
FINING
A technique for removing suspended particulates that can make wine hazy or add undesirable aromas. A fining agent such as bentonite (powdered clay) or egg whites is added to the top of a tank or barrel full of wine. As the fining agent travels down through the wine, it combines with the suspended particulates. Once the sediment has settled at the bottom of the container, it is easy to rack off the wine.
FINISH
Finish refers to the length of time a wine's flavors and mouthfeel linger after swallowing or spitting, and like aftertaste, is an important indicator of quality. In general, the longer the finish, the better the wine.
FLABBY
Describes a wine that is unbalanced due to insufficient acidity, lackin#acidsg backbone.
FLAT
Describes a wine that is dull in flavor and unbalanced due to insufficient acidity. Can also refer to a sparkling wine that has lost its bubbles.
FLAVOR
Flavors are the scents (or esters) that reach the olfactory epithelium via the mouth (in contrast with aromas, which are perceived via the nose). In wines, flavors can range anywhere from tobacco and leather to floral notes and green apples.
FLESHY
Describing a wine with good extract and a smooth texture. The sensation of drinking the wine recalls biting into ripe, fleshy fruit such as a plum.
FLIGHT
A set of wines, which are compared and contrasted with one another. A single flight can include as few as two wines, but three to six wines are common.
FLINTY
A descriptor for extremely dry white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, whose bouquet is reminiscent of flint struck against steel.
FLORAL (also FLOWERY)
Literally, having the characteristic scents of flowers. Mostly associated with white wines.
FLOWERING
The emergence of tiny blossoms in late spring. An important time of year, since spring rains and winds can disrupt flowering, reducing the potential crop.
FLYING WINEMAKER
Since the Northern and Southern hemispheres have opposite seasons, winemakers have the opportunity to work two harvests each year. Given that Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, its winter takes place during the Northern Hemisphere's summer. In the late 1980s, during France's harvest season, a group of Australian winemakers consulted on the vintages in French wine cooperatives. Since then, the term "flying winemaker" has been used to describe wine consultants who travel outside their own country to make wine.
FORTIFIED
Indicates wine whose alcohol content has been increased by the addition of brandy or neutral spirits. Port and sherry are two examples.
FOXY
Describes the unique musky, grapey character of many native American labrusca varieties. Think Welch’s grape juice.
FREE-RUN JUICE
The juice released by a pile of grapes as their skins split under their own weight, before they are mechanically pressed. With white wines, this initial juice is considered to be the highest quality since it has the least amount of contact with bitter elements in the pips, skins and stems.
FRENCH OAK
The traditional wood for wine barrels is oak grown in French forests. The barrels impart vanilla, cedar and sometimes butterscotch flavors. Pricey compared to barrels made from American oak; French oak costs upwards of $600 per barrel vs. $250 for American.
FRENCH PARADOX
Despite a high-fat diet, the French have low rates of coronary heart disease. An explanation can be found in scientific evidence, which points to the benefits of moderate wine consumption.
FRESH
Describes wine with good levels of acidity and a lively, crisp character.
FRIZZANTE
Italian term for sparkling wines with lighter effervescence and fewer bubbles than found in ordinary sparkling wines. Not a fault, it is a stylistic choice in many Italian sparklers.
FROST
Sub-freezing temperatures, which can damage or kill vines, are especially harmful in the early spring after bud break. Heaters, wind machines that keep cold air from settling in the vineyard and aspersion may be used when frosts are forecast. In the winter, before bud break, a moderate frost can be a blessing; it hardens the vine’s wood and also kills spores and pests living under the bark.
FRUIT SET
In late spring or early summer, fertilized flowers swell into tiny bunches of grapes.
FRUITY
Describes wines with pleasant fruit aromas. Sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for sweet.
FULL-BODIED
A rich, extracted wine with a mouth filling sensation of weight or mass. See body.
GENERIC
Lower-quality blends with names like "Mountain White" that are frequently made from inexpensive varieties. New World wines with generic place names such as Chablis or Burgundy have largely disappeared thanks to international trade agreements; understandably wine producers in those places do not appreciate the use of their name on lower-quality wines.
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION
Australia’s hierarchy of appellations.
GLYCERIN
Produced during fermentation, glycerin contributes to the wine’s body.
GOÛT de TERROIR
French for "the taste of terroir," meaning the unique characteristics imparted by a specific vineyard.
GRACEFUL
Describes wine that is harmonious and pleasing in a subtle way.
GRAFTING
Uniting two plants so they grow as one. Most often used to join phylloxera-resistant rootstock with vitis vinifera buds that will bear fruit.
GRAND CRU
French, literally "great site," or the top tier of vineyards and their wines in regions that use the term. For example, in Burgundy, these wines are one step above Premier Cru.
GRAND CRU CLASSÉ
French term used to categorize vineyards by quality. In Bordeaux’s Medoc region, for example, five levels of Grand Cru Classé were established in 1855.
GRAN RESERVA
Gran Reserva, the highest level of Spain’s quality categories, is only made in the best vintages. This distinction requires reds to be aged at least five years with a minimum of two in oak.
GRAPEY
Denotes the simple flavors and aromas of fresh table grapes, as opposed to the more complex fruit flavors (such as currant, black cherry, fig and apricot) found in fine wines.
GRASSY
Having the scent of grass, including freshly mown grass and hay. A pleasant signature descriptor for Sauvignon Blanc unless overbearing and pungent.
GREEN
Tasting of unripe fruit. Wines made from less ripe grapes will often possess this quality. Pleasant in lower concentrations when balanced with other flavors. Often associated with Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
GRIP
A welcome firmness of texture, usually from tannin, which helps give definition to wines such as Cabernet and Port.
GROWN, PRODUCED AND BOTTLED:
On U.S. labels, means the winery handled all aspects of wine growing, making and bottling.
HALBTROCKEN
German term meaning "half-dry." Contains some residual sugar, but not more than 18g/l.
HALF-BOTTLE
Holds 375 milliliters or 12.5 ounces; equivalent to three small glasses of wine.
HARD
Beyond firm; having so much acidity or tannin that the wine requires cellaring to be pleasant to drink; most frequently a descriptor for young red wines. Usually results from high acidity or tannins.
HARMONIOUS
Tasting term that goes beyond balanced; all the elements work together to create a satisfying whole.
HARSH
Describes astringent wines that are tannic or high in alcohol.
HARVEST
The process of picking the grapes, whether by hand or machine. Also the time period when the grapes are picked; usually September through October in the northern hemisphere and March through April in the southern hemisphere.
HAZY
Describes a wine’s clarity; between clean and cloudy. Not necessarily a fault, especially if a wine is unfined and unfiltered.
HEARTY
Describes the full, warm qualities of simple red wines with high alcohol. See also robust, rustic.
HEADY
Describes high-alcohol wines.
HECTARE
A quantity of land equivalent to 10,000 square meters or 2.47 acres. Used frequently in Europe to measure vineyard size.
HECTOLITER
A quantity of liquid equivalent to 100 liters or 26.4 gallons. In most of Europe, yield is measured in hectoliters per hectare vs. tons per acre in the U.S.
HERBACEOUS
Describes the aromas and flavors of herbs in a wine. A plus in many wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and, to a lesser extent, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Herbal is a synonym, though when the concentration of the aroma is high — and becomes less than pleasant — the term herbaceous is used.
HOLLOW
Lacking in flavor, especially in the mid-palate. Describes a wine that has some flavor on the beginning of the sip and on the finish, but is missing intensity or distinct flavors in between.
HORIZONTAL TASTING
An evaluation of wines from a single vintage; the wines may highlight producers from a single region or the same grape variety from many regions, among other permutations.
HOT
Describes high alcohol, unbalanced wines that tend to burn with "heat" on the finish. Generally a fault, but acceptable in fortified wines.
IGT or Indicazione Geografica Tipica
Italian quality classification meaning "wine typical of a region.". IGT is one level above the base category, Vino da Tavola. It can also be used by Super Tuscans.
IMPERIAL
A large format bottle holding six liters; the equivalent of eight standard 750ml bottles. The Bordelaise equivalent of Burgundy’s Methuselah.
INTENSITY
Intensity relates to appearance and aroma. When evaluating appearance, intensity describes the concentration of color. The more concentrated and opaque a wine's color, the higher its intensity. Common descriptors for color intensity are pale, medium or dark. When evaluating aroma and flavor, the more pronounced or evident the characteristic, the more intense the wine.
IRRIGATION
Watering the vines. Banned in some regions, yet indispensable to establishing and maintaining vineyards in arid regions, especially where soils retain little moisture. Two methods include drip irrigation and the less precise flood irrigation.
JEROBOAM
The Bordelaise use this term for large format bottles holding 4.5 liters or the equivalent of six bottles. In Burgundy and Champagne, the Jeroboam is the same size as Bordeaux’s double magnum and holds 3 liters or four bottles of wine.
JUG WINE
American term for inexpensive, ordinary wines sold in half-gallon or gallon jug bottles. Sales in this category are currently declining as wine drinkers look for higher-quality wines.
KABINETT
German quality classification. At the entry level of QmP, the highest group of quality German wines, Kabinetts are usually low in alcohol, with crisp acidity. The wines can be dry, halbtrocken or sweet.
KOSHER
Wines made according to Jewish dietary law, supervised by a rabbi. In the United States, these wines have most commonly been sweet and of average quality made from Concord grapes. Since the 1980s, an increasing quantity of high-quality kosher wines have been made from vitis vinifera. Any type of wine can be kosher, including some Bordeaux châteaus, as long as rabbinical law is followed.
LACTIC ACID
A smooth (not sharp) acid created during malolactic fermentation. This acid is also found in milk.
LANDWEIN
German quality classification. Landwein is a slightly higher quality level within the Tafelwein, the lowest designation.
LATE HARVEST
On U.S. labels, indicates that a wine was made from grapes picked later and at a higher sugar level (Brix) than normal. Usually associated with botrytized and other sweet wines.
LEAN
Describes wines made in an austere, rather than showy or fleshy, style. When used negatively, the term indicates that a wine is lacking fruit.
LEATHERY
The scent of old leather club chairs, most frequently associated with older red wines.
LEES
Sediment composed of expired yeast cells and grape solids that settles at the bottom of a barrel or tank during and after fermentation. White wine is often aged "on its lees" to gain additional complexity. See also sur lie.
LEGS
The viscous droplets that form and ease down the sides of the glass when the wine is swirled. The more pronounced and persistent the legs, the higher the alcohol content of the wine. Note that neither legs nor alcohol content are absolute indicators of quality.
LENGTH
The amount of time that taste, flavor or mouthfeel persist after swallowing a wine. The longer the finish, the better the wine quality. Common descriptors are short, long and lingering.
LIMOUSIN
A forest near Limoges, France that produces oak for barrels. The loose-grained wood from this area readily imparts flavors to wine. See also finish French oak.
LINGERING
Describes the length of a wine’s finish. When the aftertaste is very long and lasts more than a few seconds, it is said to be lingering.
LIVELY
Describes wines that are fresh and fruity, bright with noticeable acidity.
LUSCIOUS (or LUSH)
Describes wines that are soft, viscous, fleshy and round; more often associated with sweet white wines than rich red wines.
MACERATION
Used primarily in making red wine, the process of steeping grape skins and solids in wine after fermentation, when alcohol acts as a solvent to extract color, tannin and aroma from the skins (aided by heat, alcohol, the amount of skin contact and time). Cold maceration, (steeping when the must is not heated) takes place before fermentation.
MADE AND BOTTLED BY
On U.S. labels, indicates only that the winery crushed, fermented and bottled a minimum of 10 percent of the wine in the bottle.
MADERIZED
Describes the brownish color and slightly sweet, somewhat caramelized and often nutty character found in mature dessert-style wines such as Madeira. Sometimes used to describe a wine that is oxidized due to poor storage.
MAGNUM
A large format bottle that holds 1.5 liters.
MALIC ACID
A sharp, tart acid found in grapes as well as in green apples. Less-ripe grapes or grapes grown in cooler climates can contain high levels of malic acid; the resulting wines often contain aromas and flavors reminiscent of green apples. Converted to smoother lactic during malolactic fermentation.
MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION or ML
A bacterial fermentation occurring in most wines, this natural process converts sharper malic acid (found in green apples) into softer lactic acid (found in milk). Total acidity is reduced; the wines become softer, rounder and more complex. In addition, ML stabilizes wines by preventing an undesirable fermentation in the bottle. Often called the secondary fermentation. Frequently associated with big, rich buttery Chardonnay, ML is prevented when fresher, crisper styles are desired.
MASCULINE
Describes wines with more masculine qualities: firmness, power and strength. See also feminine.
MATURE
The stage at which the wine will not gain any additional complexity with further bottle aging and is ready to drink. Also describes grapes when they are fully ripe.
MEATY
Describes highly extracted red wines that are so full-bodied and concentrated, they seem chewy. Can also describe the aromas of cooked meat, bacon and game that are sometimes associated with Syrah and Pinot Noir.
MENISCUS
The thin rim at the edge where the wine meets the glass.
MERCAPTANS
An unpleasant smell of burnt rubber, garlic or sulfur. Encountered mainly in very old white wines or during winemaking; aeration or racking may lessen the offensive odor.
MERITAGE
California vintners invented this term for their Bordeaux-style red and white blended wines. The grapes approved to use this term are the classic Bordeaux varieties: for reds, they are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec; for whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
METHODE CHAMPENOISE (Methode Traditionelle)
The traditional method for making high-quality sparkling wine in which the secondary fermentation, which creates the bubbles, occurs inside the bottle. Required in Champagne. See also charmat.
METHUSELAH
An extra-large bottle holding 6 liters; the equivalent of eight standard bottles. The Burgundian equivalent of Bordeaux’s Impériale.
MOUSSE
French for the frothy head that forms at the surface of sparkling wine.
MOUTHFEEL
Describing the sensation of wine in the mouth. Most descriptors are related to texture; for example, silky, smooth, velvety and rough. Mouthfeel is influenced by wine components, as acidity can be sharp, alcohol can be hot, tannin can be rough and sugar can be thick or cloying.
MUST
The unfermented juice of grapes before it is converted into wine.
MUSTY
Describing wine with an off-putting moldy or mildewy smell. The result of a wine being made from moldy grapes, stored in improperly cleaned tanks and barrels, or contaminated by a poor cork.
NASAL FATIGUE
Diminished sensory perception; not uncommon after sniffing the same scent a number of times.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR
A giant wine bottle holding 15 liters; the equivalent of 20 standard (750ml) bottles.
NÉGOCIANT (NÉGOCIANT-ÉLEVEUR)
French wine merchants who buy grapes, must or wine and bottle the final product under their own label. The term éleveur indicates that the négociant oversees the wine at least from right after fermentation all the way to bottling. Most commonly found in Burgundy where individual vineyard holdings are small and the négociant offers significant economies of scale. Two well-known examples are Joseph Drouhin and Louis Jadot.
NEVERS
A forest in France that produces hard, medium-grained oak for barrels.
NEW OAK
Refers to the first time a barrel is used, when it has the greatest impact on wine. With successive uses, the wood imparts fewer flavors and tannins. Flavors associated with new oak include vanilla, cedar, toast and smoke. The wood tannins in newer barrels add firmness to the wines’ structure. As with most components in wine, moderation and balance are key; new oak can be a positive or a negative influence, depending on whether it subtly enhances the wine or overpowers the fruit flavors.
NEW WORLD
The "New World" is comprised of countries that have started producing wine
more recently such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa. See also Old World.
NOBLE VARIETIES
Considered the classic grape varieties, originating in the Old World, which have the ability to make outstanding wines. Reds include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Syrah (Shiraz in the Southern Hemisphere). Whites include Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gerwürztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillion.
NOBLE ROT
See Botrytis cinerea.
NONVINTAGE
Blended from more than one year’s grapes. Many Champagnes and sparkling wines are nonvintage; this allows the vintner to keep a house style from year to year. Most Sherry and Port is also nonvintage.
NOSE
The character of a wine as determined by the olfactory sense. Also called aroma; includes bouquet.
NOUVEAU
Light, fruity red wine bottled and sold as soon as possible after fermentation, meant to be drunk up quickly. Applies mostly to Beaujolais.
NUTTY
Describes the aroma and flavor frequently found in fortified wines such as Madeira and Sherry; the result of exotic fermentations or deliberate oxidation. Can be a negative character in wines not intended to be made in an oxidative style.
NATURAL YEAST
These are yeasts that occur naturally on the grapes, rather than commercially cultured yeasts; both are used for fermentation. Many feel that the natural yeasts add more complexity to the wine. Large-scale producers shy away from natural yeasts, which can be unreliable since they are less controlled than cultured varieties.
OAK CHIPS
Instead gaining complexity in expensive oak barrels during the aging process, some popularly-priced wines use small pieces of wood for their oaky flavors. Also called beans.
OAKY
Describes the aromas and flavors imparted by oak barrel-aging. As with most characteristics, balance is key; the descriptor can be positive, or if the oak dominates over the fruit it can be negative. The terms vanilla, cedary, toasty and smoky indicate desirable qualities of oak; burnt, plywood, toothpicks and a forest of oak describe its unpleasant side.
OECHSLE
Scale used in Germany to measure sugar levels and other solids in grapes or must to determine ripeness and potential alcohol. scale measuringThis scale is based on the density or specific gravity of the must. See also Baumé and Brix.
OFF-DRY
Indicates a slightly sweet wine in which sugar is barely perceptible; usually contains 0.6 percent to 1.4 percent residual sugar.
OLD VINE
Some wines come from vines that are 50-, 70- or even 100-years of age, which yield small quantities of concentrated fruit, and make a more concentrated and complex wine. Because this is an unregulated term, the wine can come from relatively young vines.
OLD WORLD
The "Old World" of winemaking refers to the traditional European wine producing countries including France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. See also New World.
OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM
A dime-sized patch of nerve endings situated in the retronasal passage that connects the nose to the mouth. As we inhale through the nose or mouth, this little patch captures airborne aromas and flavors as they pass by and transmits the information to the olfactory bulb, which can distinguish the presence of and identify nearly 10,000 unique aromas even at very low concentrations.
ORGANIC WINE
The rules and methods for producing organic grapes and wine are still evolving. The answer usually depends on the country of origin and the various governing organizations involved. France, for example, legally defined organic farming in 1981 as "farming which uses no synthetic chemical products." In most cases, organic wines are fermented from grapes grown without the use of synthesized fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides. In organic wines, natural yeasts and minimal amounts of sulfur are often used in the fermentation process.
OXIDIZED
Describes wine that has been exposed to air for too long resulting in a brownish color, lack of freshness and a suggestion of sherry or old apples. Oxidized wines are also called maderized.
PALATE
The flavor or taste of a wine; also referred to as different sections of taste in the mouth. As the wine travels through the mouth, it first contacts the front palate, then the middle palate and finally the back palate, all which can process different tastes, such as sweet, sour and bitter.
PASSETOUTGRAINS
A red Burgundy made from Pinot Noir blended with Gamay.
PEAK
Technically speaking, the period of time that a wine is at its most complex, having developed bottle bouquet without yet diminishing or fading.
PERFUMED
Describes the intense aromas found in some wines, especially in floral white wines.
PETILLANT
French for lightly sparkling.
PH
A chemical measure of acidy or alkalinity. The lower the pH the higher acid theand the tarter the wine. Most wines range from 3.0 to 3.7; white wines are generally in the lower end of the range and reds in the upper end.
PHENOLICS
Tannins, color pigments and flavor compounds originating in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes. Phenolics, which are antioxidants, are more prevalent in red wines than in whites.
PHYLLOXERA
Tiny root lice that attack vitis vinifera roots, eventually killing the vine. The disease was widespread in both Europe and California during the late 19th century, and returned to California in the 1980s.
PIERCE’S DISEASE
This bacterial disease, frequently spread by insects called glassy-winged sharpshooters, kills vines within a few years of infestation; there are no known preventatives (other than quarantine) and no known cures. Right now it is an increasing problem in California; both grapegrowers and legislators are working to find solutions to stop the disease from spreading to healthy vineyards.
PIP
Another term for grape seeds.
PLATEAU
The time during which a wine is at its peak.
POMACE
The mass of grape solids — skins, stems and seeds — remaining after pressing (for whites) and after the wine has been drained from the fermentation vessel (for reds).
PRESS WINE (or PRESSING)
The juice extracted after normal pressing for white wines and after fermentation for reds. Press wine has a deeper color and often more tannins
than free-run juice. Wineries often blend a portion of press wine back into the main cuvée for backbone.
PRIVATE RESERVE
This description, along with Reserve, once stood for the best wines a winery produced, but because it lacks a legal definition many wineries use it or a spin-off (such as Proprietor's Reserve) for rather ordinary wines. Depending upon the producer, it may still signify excellent quality.
PRODUCED AND BOTTLED BY
Indicates that the winery crushed, fermented and bottled at least 75 percent of the wine in the bottle.
PRUNING
The process of trimming the vine. Determining how many buds to leave on the vine, the grower decides the number of bunches and the maximum quantity of fruit each vine can bear in the coming year.
PUMPING OVER
The process of pumping red wine up from the bottom of the tank and splashing it over the top of the fermenting must; the purpose is to submerge the skins that carbon dioxide has pushed to the surface of the must.
PUNT
The dimple or indentation in the bottom of a bottle, originally meant to strengthen handblown glass containers; now mostly for show, except in sparkling wine bottles. Bottles for Champagne and sparkling wines, which must withstand extra pressure, have especially deep punts.
Qualitätswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete or QbA
German quality classification meaning "quality wine from designated cultivation areas." Usually a wine of low to medium quality to which producers may add sugar when grapes don’t meet the minimum levels of natural ripeness at harvest time.
Qualitat mit Pradikat or QmP
German quality classification meaning "quality with distinction" and includes Germany’s best wines. QmP is divided into six classes of ascending ripeness at harvest: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. Sugar is never added to these wines.
RACKING
During winemaking, moving wine by hose from one barrel or tank to another, leaving sediment behind. Used to aerate or clarify the wine.
RACY
Describes a wine with pleasantly high acidity and bright flavors.
RAISINY
Having the taste of raisins from ultra-ripe or overripe grapes usually used to make sweet wines. Can be pleasant in small doses.
RAW
Describes a young and undeveloped, often tannic wine; typical of red wine sampled from the barrel.
RECENTLY DISGORGED
Indicates that the lees have been removed from a sparkling wine just prior to release. After sparkling wine has undergone the second fermentation in the bottle, the wine can remain on the lees for many years to develop additional complexity, richness.
RECORKING
The practice of replacing corks that have become fragile during extended cellaring. Once the old cork is removed, the bottle may be topped up with wine from the same or a similar vintage and a new cork is inserted.
RECIOTO
Extremely concentrated Italian wine made from grapes that have been dried or raisined in special drying rooms for a few months after harvest before being crushed. The wine can be dry or slightly sweet.
REDUCED
Wine that has not been exposed to air can develop stinky aromas due to reductive chemical reactions (as opposed to oxidation). Off aromas usually dissipate after exposure to air.
REFRACTOMETER
A handheld instrument that gauges grapes ripeness by measuring the ratio of sugar and other solids in the grape juice. Used extensively during harvest by grapegrowesrs.
REHOBOAM
Large format bottle equivalent to 4.5 liters; equivalent to six regular bottles. The Burgundian equivalent of the Bordelaise Jéroboam.
RESERVE
An unregulated term on U.S. wine labels; sometimes indicates the best wine of the lot, sometimes over-zealous marketing.
RESERVA
A quality classification in Spain. Red Riservas must be aged at least three years, with a minimum of one year in oak.
RESIDUAL SUGAR
Unfermented grape sugar in a finished wine. Adds sweetness and body.
RETRONASAL PASSAGES
The retronasal passages are the are airways that connects the nose and the mouth. Also home to a dime-sized patch of nerve endings called the olfactory epithelium. As we inhale through our nose or mouth, this little patch captures airborne aromas and flavors as they pass by, helping us identify thousands of unique aromas.
RICH
Describes full-bodied wines with generous flavors and a pleasing roundness.
RIDDLING
In making sparkling wine, the process of moving the sediment remaining in the bottle from the second fermentation to rest on the cap for easy removal. The process of riddling is unique to méthode traditionelle and was developed by the Widow Cliquot (Veuve Cliquot) in the early 1800s to remove the cloudy lees from the bottles. In this process, the bottles are loaded in a horizontal position with onto wooden racks called pupitres. At this point, the sediment rests on the side of the bottle. As the bottles are riddled, or given a sharp quarter-turn daily and gradually tilted upside-down, the sediment works its way to the bottle neck. Today, most producers use efficient mechanical riddlers.
RIPE
The stage at which the grapes’ many components have reached maturity. As a grape ripens, sugar content increases and acidity decreases. Flavor compounds develop and the stems turn from green to brown, indicating that the tannins in the stems, seeds and skins are softening.
RIM
The thin rim at the edge where the wine meets the glass.
RISERVA
Italian term indication that the wine has been aged for an extra period of time prior to release.
ROOTSTOCK
Disease-resistant native American grapevine grown specifically to provide a root system on which to graft Vitis Vinifera varieties. Most of the world takes these measures to prevent attacks of phylloxera.
ROSÉ
French for "pink wine," rosés range in color from muted salmon-orange to day-glo pink. These wines are made from red grapes, colored through limited skin contact or the addition of small quantities of red wine.
ROUGH
Describes the drying, furry mouthfeel associated with higher levels of tannins and course tannins.
ROUND
Describes a mouthfeel that is smooth and harmonious, not rough or tannic.
RUSTIC
Describes wines made by old-fashioned methods or tasting like wines made in an earlier era; usually coarse and earthy, can at times also resemble a simple and fruity table wine.
SAIGNÉE
French term meaning "bleed" refers to the process of bleeding or pulling juice from a tank of red must that is just beginning fermentation. The goal is two-fold. First, the lightly-colored juice that is bled out of the tank produces a rose. Second, the must remaining in the tank has a higher proportion of grape skins to juice; the resulting wine will be richer and more concentrated.
SALMANAZAR
A large format bottle holding 9 liters, the equivalent of 12 regular (750ml) bottles.
SEC
French term for dry, not sweet.
SECONDARY ALCOHOL FERMENTATION
The process that creates the bubbles in sparkling wine. As the wine is bottled, a small amount of yeast and sugar is added before the bottle is sealed with a sturdy crown cap. The yeasts quickly start fermenting the sugars, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. Since the gas cannot escape, it dissolves into the wine.
SECOND LABEL
Estate wineries often bottle excess production, lesser wines or purchased wines under a label other than the one that made them famous, often at a lower price.
SEDIMENT
As red wines age, color pigments and tannins bond together and fall out of solution, producing a natural sediment. While the sediment is not harmful, it tastes bitter and adversely affects the wine’s mouthfeel. Sediment is most frequently found in older (10+ years) darker red wines, which typically have more color pigments and tannins such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux and Port. Rarely will lighter reds like Pinot Noir throw sediment.
SENSORY THRESHOLD
For any given aroma, flavor or taste, there is a concentration below which we are no longer able to detect it. This point is called the sensory threshold, and where it occurs varies considerably from person to person, determining our ability to taste and explaining why tasting wine is such a personal, highly subjective experience.
SKIN CONTACT
Refers to the process of grapes skins steeping in juice or fermenting must; to impart color and flavor.
SHOULDER
The area where the bottle slopes outwards, just below the narrow, straight neck.
SIN CRIANZA
A Spanish quality classification indicating that the wines are not aged in wood, but may be bottle-aged.
SMOKY
Describes aromas and flavors imparted to wine by charred barrels. A positive characteristic at lower concentrations.
SOMMELIER
In a restaurant, the server responsible for wine. Often this is a manager who buys wine, organizes the wine list, maintains the cellar and recommends wines to customers.
SPÄTLESE
A German quality classification meaning "late harvest," this wine is usually richer than Kabinett since the grapes contained higher concentration of sugar at harvest. The wines can be dry or sweet.
SOFT
Describes wines low in acid or tannin (sometimes both), made for easy drinking. Opposite of hard wines that contain high acid or tannins.
SORTING
Checking the grape clusters for soundness during harvest. When bins loaded with grapes come in from the vineyard, they may contain overripe grapes, underripe grapes, moldy grapes, leaves and other debris. Many quality-oriented wineries sort through the grape bunches to remove these unwanted items.
SPACING
The distance between vines in a vineyard; can vary from about three feet to eight feet. Generally, tighter spacing increases the competition between vines, producing fewer, more flavorful grapes.
SPICY
A descriptor for many wines, indicating the presence of spice flavors such as anise, cinnamon, cloves, mint and pepper . Red Zinfandel and Côte du Rhone often described as spicy.
SPUMANTE
Italian term for sparkling wine.
STALKY or STEMMY
Describes an unpleasant greenness and astringency from overlong contact with the grape stems or the use of underripe grapes .
STRUCTURE
Related to the mouthfeel of a wine, provided by acidity, tannin, alcohol, sugar and the way these components are balanced. Wines with low, unbalanced levels of acidity or tannin can be described as "lacking in structure" or "flabby." When the acidity or tannin levels are sufficiently high, a "firm structure" is the result.
STYLE
Refers to the character, not the quality, of a wine, which is determined in the vineyard and in the winery. Common styles at two ends of a continuum are fresh and fruity at one end and big and oaky at the other end. Style is not strictly correlated with quality; one style is not inherently better than another. Rather, style is a matter of personal preference for both the winemaker and the wine lover.
SULFITES
Winemakers all over the world use sulfur dioxide to clean equipment, kill unwanted organisms on the grapes and protect wines from spoilage. A tiny amount remains in the bottle and U.S. label laws require a statement to announce its presence. People extremely sensitive to sulfites should avoid wine.
SUBTLE
SUBTLE: Describes delicate, understated wines; contrast with highly extracted "fruit-bomb" wines.
SUPER SECOND
Bordeaux’s 1855 Classification, which established a five-tiered system of Grands Crus Classées or growths, has remained relatively unchanged. In recent years, the quality of several second-growths has improved to the point that they can now challenge the first-growths in every way but price. These super seconds include Cos-d’Estournel, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Léoville Las Cases, Palmer (actually a third-growth) and Pichon-Longueville-Lalande.
SUPER TUSCAN
Wines from Tuscany made using international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah rather than relying primarily on local varieties such as Sangiovese. Although their quality can be outstanding, these wines must be labeled with the lower levels of Italy’s classification system, Vino da Tavola or Indicazione Geografica Tipica, since they do not conform to Tuscany’s traditional winemaking practices.
SUPPLE
Describes a smooth textured wine with well-integrated tannins; most often used for red wines.
SUR LIE
French for "on the lees." Denotes white wines kept in contact with expired yeast cells after fermentation. This procedure is a normal part of fermenting red wine. Used in Burgundy, Muscadet, Alsace and Germany, and in the New World to add complexity; often used with Chardonnay.
SWEET
Sweet describes the sugar content in a wine, found at higher levels in late-harvest and sweet wines. Not to be confused with fruity wines. Most people begin to perceive sweetness at concentrations of 0.3 to 0.7 percent.
TABLE WINE
Still wines containing 7 to 14% alcohol. The term is also a quality classification in many EU countries, indicating the lowest level of quality; Vin du Table in France, Vino da Tavola in Italy and Tafelwein in Germany.
TAFELWEIN
German quality classification meaning "table wine," the lowest category recognized in the EU, indicates only that the wine was bottled in Germany. When the grapes are grown in Germany, the term Deutscher Tafelwein is used. Landwein is a slightly higher quality level within the Tafelwein designation.
TANK METHOD (or CHARMAT)
A less expensive method for making sparkling wine. The Charmat method, named after its inventor, Monsieur Charmat, is used to produce bulk quantities of inexpensive sparkling wines. The second fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank, rather than in a bottle, decreasing lees contact and producing larger, coarser bubbles. The wine is filtered under pressure and bottled.
TANNIN
Wine component — found mostly in red wines — derived primarily from grape skins, seeds and stems, but also from oak barrels. Tannin acts as a natural preservative that helps wine age and develop. Excessive, unbalanced tannin can taste bitter and leaves the same drying, furry sensation in the mouth as very strong tea. Common tannin descriptors include smooth, velvety, mouth-drying and rough.
TART
Describes a wine that is very refreshing and crisp due to high acidity.
TARTARIC ACID
The principal acid in grapes and wine; contributes to taste and stabilizes color. Unlike malic acid, tartaric acid does not decline as grapes ripen. Tartaric acid can precipitate out of solution in bottled wine to form harmless tartrate crystals resembling shards of glass.
TARTRATES
Harmless crystals resembling shards of glass that may form during fermentation or bottle aging (often on the cork) as tartaric acid naturally present in wine precipitates out of solution. Components of tartaric acid, including potassium bitartrate and cream of tartar, they are less soluble in alcoholic solutions than in grape juice and solidify at cooler temperatures (such as those found in a refrigerator); can be avoided in finished wines through Decanting. cold stabilization and careful pouring can prevent transferring the crystals from the bottle into the glass.
TASTE
The sensations of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami that are perceived by the tongue. The sensation of saltiness is hardly ever found in wine.
TASTEVIN
French term for the shallow saucers still used by some sommeliers and wine merchants to taste wine. Originally used by winemakers and wine merchants in dimly-lit cellars, the shiny, dimpled surfaces were helpful in evaluating appearance since they reflect the small amount of light.
TEMPERATURE OF FERMENTATION
As yeasts convert grape sugars into alcohol, they also produce heat. Excessively high temperatures can kill the yeasts and make the wine’s fruit flavors seem stewed or dull, whereas cooler temperatures maintain the freshness of the fruit. Just the right amount of warmth can contribute a richer, rounder mouthfeel.
TERROIR
French term describing the interaction of soil, climate, topography and grape variety in a specific site, imprinting the wine and making each wine from a specific site distinct.
TEXTURE
Describes how wine feels in the mouth. Closely related to taste, but since the sensations of taste and texture occur simultaneously, we do not usually distinguish them as separate. Sweetness has a smooth, rich feeling that seems to coat the mouth. Sourness feels sharp and may cause the mouth to pucker and salivate; imagine biting into a lemon wedge. Bitterness has a drying, astringent feeling, like the sensation you get after drinking very strong tea. See also mouthfeel.
THREE-TIER SYSTEM
The traditional distribution system in the United States for wine involves three separate entities: the producer, the wholesaler and the retailer.
THIN
Describes a wine lacking body, depth, richness, intensity and extract.
TIGHT
Describes a wine's current structure, concentration and body in comparison to its potential. Although it may have the potential to be a good wine, its components are "tightly wound" like a spring ready to be released.
TIRED
Describes a wine that is lackluster or feeble, short on fruit and acidity.
TOASTED BARRELS
As a barrel is being constructed, but before the heads at either end are added, the cooper chars the inside edges of the staves. This final treatment imparts aromas of vani"#aroma"lla, spice and smoke to the wood and then the wine. Char levels include light, medium and heavy toast. Winemakers order barrels with their favorite levels of toast to influence their wine styles.
TOASTY
Describes a wine characteristic reminiscent of lightly burnt toast, complete with the bready notes. Often derived from barrel-aging and frequently associated with dry sparkling wines.
TRAINING
The process of shaping the vine’s permanent wood. In cool regions, vines trained low absorb more heat reflected off the ground, which helps ripen the fruit. In warmer regions, vines are trained higher so they don’t absorb reflections. See pruning.
TRANSFER METHOD
Technique for making sparkling wine sometimes called the Charmat Method. After the second fermentation in the bottle and a short period of sur lie aging (but before riddling) the wine is transferred — with sediment -- to a pressurized tank. The wine is then filtered under pressure and bottled. With the enormous savings in labor and time, the wines are slightly less intense and less creamy than those produced using the more time-consuming and expensive méthode traditionelle.
TRELLISING
The process of tying up the annual green growth on wires; a vine naturally wants to sprawl, but trellising organizes the new shoots, to exposing more leaves and grape bunches to the sun and encouraging air circulation to prevent rot.
TROCKEN
German term for dry, describing a wine with little or no residual sugar.
TROCKEN-BEERENAUSLESE or TBA
German quality classification meaning literally "dry berry selection." This very sweet dessert wine is made from individually selected shriveled grapes that have the highest sugar levels with flavors concentrated further by the fungus botrytis. Trockenbeerenausleses rank among the greatest sweet wines in the world.
ULLAGE
Refers to the small air space in a wine bottle or barrel. Excessive air in the bottle increases the speed of oxidation. See also fill level.
UMAMI
Although there is no direct English translation, umami is essentially the fifth taste. Discovered and noted by Chinese gourmets over 1200 years ago, the concept is fairly new to western scientists and gourmets alike. Mushrooms, consommés, long-cooked meats, cured meats, shrimp, dried tomatoes and soy sauce all contain umami. This taste tends to bring out tannins or the oaky character in wines.
VARIETAL
Referring to a wine made from a single grape variety. Used predominantly in the United States and Australia, the term "varietal" denotes a wine named after and made predominantly from a single grape variety. For example, "The popular varietal is served in many restaurants" and "The herbal aromas of this Sauvignon Blanc are varietally correct."
VARIETY
Variety refers to the grape itself and varietal refers to the wine. For example,
"Chardonnay is an early-ripening variety."
VEGETAL
Describes wines containing scents reminiscent of herbs and green vegetables such as bell pepper, celery and asparagus. A positive descriptor in small amounts when this quality varietally character correct, as with Cabernet Sauvignon. A negative descriptor when the vegetal element dominates.
VENDAGE TARDIVE
French term for late harvest.
VENDANGE
French term for harvest.
VERAISON
Occurs in late summer or early fall, when grapes start to lose their green color and take on mature hues, which can range from greenish yellow to red to almost black, depending on the variety.
VIGNERON
French term for the grape grower or winemaker.
VIN DE PAYS
French quality classification meaning "country wine" that is one level above vin de table.
VINICULTURE
The science or study of making wine. Contrast with viticulture.
VINO JOVEN
One of Spain’s quality categories; green or young wine meant to be drunk as soon as it is bottled.
VINO DE LA TIERRA or VDLT
One of Spain’s quality categories; wines produced in a specific region; an average level of quality.
VINO DE LA MESA or VdlM
Spain’s quality category equivalent to table wine; mass quantities of ordinary wines are produced at this level. As in Italy, some of the country’s most expensive wines made outside the DO/DOCa regulations are sold at this level.
VINO DA TAVOLA
Italy’s quality category equivalent to table wine; mass quantities of ordinary wines are produced at this level. Some of the country’s most expensive wines made outside the DOC/DOCG regulations are sold at this level; see Super Tuscans.
VINOUS
Literally means "wine-like" and is usually applied to dull wines lacking in distinct varietal character.
VINTAGE
Indicates the year in which the grapes were grown. For vintage dated wines made in the United States, 95 percent of a wine must come from grapes that were grown and picked in the stated calendar year. In the southern hemisphere where the grapes may grow in the year preceeding a February through March harvest, the vintage date refers to the year of harvest. Also refers to the time of year in which the harvest takes place. See also nonvintage.
VINTED BY
Largely meaningless phrase; on its own, indicates that the winery purchased the wine in bulk and bottled it.
VINTNER
Literally a wine merchant, but generally used to mean wine producer or winery proprietor.
VISCOUS
Describes full-bodied, thick, rich wines.
VITICULTURAL AREA
In the U.S., a legally defined grape-growing region (also known as American Viticultural Area, Or AVA). Area may be distinguished by geographical features, climate, soil, elevation, history and other definable boundaries. See also appellation.
VITICULTURE
The science or study of wine grapes. Contrast with viniculture.
VITIS LABRUSCA
The species of grape native to the eastern U.S. that includes the Concord and Catawba varieties. See also foxy.
VITIS VINIFERA
Classic European grape species used to make fine wines. Famous varieties of Vitis vinifera include Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay among others and are called the noble varieties.
VOLATILE (or Volatile Acidity)
Describes an excessive and undesirable amount of acetic acid, which gives a wine a sour, vinegary edge. At very low levels (0.1 percent), it is largely undetectable; at higher levels it is considered a major defect.
VOSGES OAK
Tight-grained oak from the Vosges Mountains, Alsace; used to make barrels.
WEATHER
Temperature, precipitation and sunshine hours associated with specific events such as a hailstorm. Contrast with climate.
WILD YEAST
Sometimes used to mean natural yeast, but a stricter definition. Winemakers use this term to refer to unwanted yeasts that may contribute off odors or flavors to a wine.
YEAST
Micro-organisms that convert sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide in the process known as fermentation. The predominant wine yeast, saccharomyces cerevisiae, is the same micro-organism that ferments beer and makes bread dough rise. Three categories of yeasts are common, including cultured, natural and wild.
YIELD
The quantity of grapes or wine produced per acre. Although it is true that overcropped vines with high yields produce less concentrated grapes, it is not true that lower yields mean higher quality. Different soils, vineyards and varieties are able to successfully carry different levels of crop. Measured in tons per acre or hectoliters per hectare. For example, a Grand Cru from Burgundy may yield about 35-40 hi/ha. See also crop level.
