WINE GLOSSARY

A

Acetic Acid - All wines contain acetic acid or vinegar, normally the amount is quite small, somewhere between .03%-.06%, and not noticeable to taste or smell. Once wines reach .07% to just under .10%, a sweet, sour vinegary smell and taste becomes noticeable. At low levels, acetic acid can enhance the flavour of a wine, while at higher levels - over 0.1% - this flavour can dominate, and flaw the wine.

Acid - An essential component of wine, that preserves it, enlivens, shapes it's flavors, and helps prolong it's aftertaste. There are four major kinds of acids - tartaric, malic, lactic, citric - found in wine. Acid contributes to the crispness and longevity of a wine, particularly white wine. Acid is identifiable by the crisp, sharp character it imparts to a wine.

Acidic - A term used to describe wines whose total acid is so high that they taste tart or sour and have a sharp edge on the palate.

Aeration - The process of letting a wine 'breathe' in the open air or the swirling of wine in a glass. It's questionable whether aerating bottled wines, usually reds, improves their quality, as aeration can soften young, tannic wines, but fatigue older ones.

Aftertaste - The taste or flavors that linger in the mouth after tasting or swallowing wine. Also known as a wine's finish, this flavor can be buttery, oaky, spicy, tart or bitter. The aftertaste or finish is one of the most important factors in judging a wine's character or quality. Some say great wines have rich, long, complex aftertastes. Aftertastes may also be harsh, hot, soft, lingering, short, smooth, tannic or non existent.

Aggressive - A wine described as unpleasantly harsh in taste or texture, usually due to high levels of tannin or acid.

Albarino (Ahl-ba-REE-n'yo) - Albarino is a premium white wine grape grown in the Galicia region of Spain. The skin is so thick, that only a small amount of juice can be squeezed from it. The results are often creamy citrus and peachy. Albarinos are crisp, refreshing and light bodied.

Alcohol - This integral component of wine is a natural by-product of fermentation, and one of the mainstays of perceived flavor. Most wines range from 7% to 14% alcohol by volume.

Aleatico (Ah-lay-AH-tee-co) - Aleatico is a red member of the Muscat family of grapes and a popular variety in Italy, where it produces an array of table and dessert wines, also found in California

Alicante Bouschet (Ah-lee-KAHNT Boo-SHAY) - Alicante Bouschet is a unique grape variety that was developed in France in the late 1880's by Henri Bouschet. It is unique in that it is the only red grape variety that actually possesses red flesh. All other red grape varieties get their color from their skins, not their juice. Also found in California's Central Valley.

Aligote (Ah-lee-go-tay) - Burgundian white-wine grape. Usually a medium-bodied, crisp, dry wine with spicy character.

Alsace (Al-zahss) - Northeastern province of France, bordering the Rhine, known for it's rich dry white wines made from grapes of German heritage, primarily Riesling and Gewurztraminer. The wines are light to full bodied with great varietal character. Alsace has nearly 100 picturesque villages and also produces wonderful late harvest sweet wines.

Amarone (Ah-ma-ROE-nay) - A powerful, hearty dry red wine from Italy's Veneto region, made from a blend of partially dried red grapes.

American Oak - Used primarily for aging Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel, this alternative to French Oak is becoming increasingly popular for making wine aging barrels. Marked by distinct vanilla, dill and cedar notes. Used occasionally for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

American Viticultural Area (AVA) - In the USA, a delimited, geographical grape-growing area that has officially been given appellation status by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The Napa Valley and the Sonoma Valley are two examples.

Amontillado (Ah-MOHN-tee-YAH-doe) - A dry, rather full-bodied style of Sherry from Spain, aged in barrels, made famous by Edgar Allan Poe.

Ampelography - the study and identification of grape varieties.

Angular - Opposite meaning to round, soft or supple - the total effect of dominant, tart edged flavors and tastes in many young, dry wines.

Aperitif - A French word that describes an alcoholic beverage served before dinner to stimulate the appetite. Traditional French examples include kir, Lillet and both sweet and dry vermouth.

Appellation - Defines the area where a wine's grapes were grown.

Appellation D'Origine Controlee (AOC) - The AOC system, the French system of appellations, originated in France in 1935 and is considered the wine world's prototype for legally defined and regulated wine regions. In this system a wine must follow rules describing the area the grapes are grown in, varieties used, ripeness, alcoholic strength, vineyard yields and methods used in growing the grapes and making the wine.

Appley - Refers to smell or aroma of a wine, usually with additional descriptives. Some Chardonnays are associated with a full, fruity, clean smell described as "Ripe apples". "Fresh Apples" similarly is used for some types of Riesling. However, "green apple" is almost always used for wines made from barely ripe or underripe grapes. "Stale apples" applies almost exclusively to flawed wine exhibiting first stage oxidation.

Arneis (ahr-NAYZ) - A white wine grape grown in the Piedmont area of Italy. Can produce excellent wines with perfumey characteristics of apple, pear and hints of licorice. In Italian means "little difficult wine".

Aroma - Usually refers to the particular scent of the grape in the wine. Commonly means the wine's total smell, including changes that occurred from oak aging or in the bottle.

Aromatic - Refers to the distinctive spicy character of certain grape varieties - Gewurztraminer, Muscat.

Ascescence - Term used to mark the presence of acetic acid and ethyl acetate. Can be detected by sweet and sour, sometimes vinegary smell and taste together with a sharp feeling in the mouth.

Asti Spumante - A semidry sparkling wine produced from the Moscato di Canelli grape in the village of Asti, in the Piedmont region of Italy.

Astringent - Descriptive of a rough, harsh, puckery taste and feel in the mouth, usually from tannin or high acidity that red wines, and a few whites have. When the harshness stands out the wine is considered astringent.

Attack - The initial impact of a wine.

Auslese (OWS-lay-zeh) - Designated quality level for a German white wine made from very ripe grape bunches picked out for their sweetness. The word Auslese means 'selection'.

Austere - Usually used in description of relatively hard, high acid wines that usually lack depth and roundness. Often said of young wines that may soften a bit with age. Term sometimes applied to wines made from noble grape varieties grown in cool climates or harvested too early in the season.

Awkward - Describes a wine with poor structure - one that is clumsy or out of balance.


B

Bacchus - Another name for Dionysus, The Greek and Roman God of Wine.

Backbone - Used to describe red wines that are big, full-bodied, well structured and balanced by a desirable level of acidity.

Backward - Used to describe a wine that retains youthful characteristics despite considerable aging. A wine that should be more developed than it is for it's age.

Baked - A perceptible roasted quality in grapes grown in hot climates.

Balance - A wine has balance when its elements are harmonious and no single element dominates. Acid balances sweetness; fruit balances against oak and tannin content; alcohol balances against acidity and flavor. A wine's balance may only be realized after some aging and is the primary goal of a winemaker.

Balthazar - An oversized bottle which can hold the equivalent of 12-16 standard sized bottles.

Bandol (Bahn-dole) - Wine region in southwestern France. Gaining increasing attention for it's rustic reds, particularly those of Domaine Tempier.

Banyuls (Bahn-YOOLZ) - A French dessert wine made from late harvest Grenache grapes, which by law must contain 15% alcohol. Banyuls is a small village with steep hillside vineyards, above the Mediterranean in the southern Roussillon.

Barbaresco - An excellent and respected red table wine made from the Nebbiolo grape in the Piemonte of Northwestern Italy.

Barbera - A noble red grape used to make hearty red wines in the Piedmonte of Northwestern Italy and also in California. Produces dark, fruity, astringent wines and may also be made into sparkling and semi-sweet wines.

Bardolino - A light, simple red wine from the Veneto in Northeastern Italy, blended from several grapes and sometimes lightly sparkling. The wine is garnet colored, dry and can be slightly bitter.

Barnyard - A strangely positive term for a rotting straw and sweaty horse smell of a fine red or white Burgundy.

Barolo - One of the most highly regarded Italian reds. Outstanding, full-bodied and complex Nebbiolo based red wine from the Piedmonte of Northwestern Italy. The wine is dark, high in tannin and alcohol and can improve with decades of aging.

Barrel Fermented - Refers to wine that has been fermented in casks, usually 55-gallon oak barrels, rather than larger tanks. It is the belief of some advocates that barrel fermentation contributes greater harmony between the oak and the wine, increases body and adds complexity, texture and flavor to certain wine types. Used mainly for whites.

Barrique - The French name for a 225 litre Bordeaux style barrel.

Barsac (BAR-zock) - Sub region of Sauternes in Bordeaux, France making, generally less expensive, Sauterne-like sweet wines.

Beaujolais (Boe-zho-lay) - Typically light, fresh fruity red wines from the area of the same name, immediately south of Burgundy in France.

Beaumes-de-Venise (BOME da Veh-NEES) - A region in the Southern Rhone of France best known for its delicious white dessert wine made from Muscat grapes.

Beaune (Bone) - Small city in Burgundy, at the centre of it's wine region.

Beerenauslese (BARE-ehn-OWS-lay-zeh) - Quality rating for very sweet, rich, golden German dessert wines, made mostly from overripe Riesling grapes. A German word meaning 'selected berry picking'.

Bereich (Beh-RYE'KH) - A German wine region - usually a rather broad area including a number of neighboring villages and vineyards.

Berrylike - Like the ripe, sweet, fruity quality of raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and cherries. The aroma and taste of red wines, usually Zinfandel, are often partly described with this term.

Big - Overall flavor of a wine, red or white, that has full, rich flavors. Generally has a positive ring to it, but can imply some clumsiness, the opposite of elegance. 'Big' reds are often tannic. 'Big' whites are generally high in alcohol and glycerin.

Bite - A marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid 'grip' in the finish which should be like a zestful tang and is favorable only in red full-bodied wine.

Bitter - One of the four basic tastes along with salty, sour, and sweet. Can signify the fruit of immature vines or excessive tannin. If the bitter component dominates in the aroma or taste of a wine, it is considered a fault. In sweet wines a hint of bitterness enhances and complements the other flavors, creating an overall taste balance.

Black Currant - The predominant aroma in Cabernet grapes.

Blanc de Blancs - 'White of whites', meaning a white wine made of white grapes, such as Champagne made of Chardonnay.

Blanc de Noirs - 'White of blacks' a white or blush wine made of dark (red or black) grapes, where the juice is squeezed from the grapes and fermented without skin contact.

Blending - A winemakers task, taking wines from different lots or barrels and blending them together for bottling. Traditional and regional laws and regulations dictate what particular grape varieties may be blended together to produce a specific wine. It is the winemakers decision on the percentages of each to use, with vintage often playing a crucial role in this equation.

Blunt - Strong in flavor, often alcoholic and contrarily lacking in aromatic interest and fine development on the palate.

Blush - A term for rosé, and any wine that is pink in color.

Boal (or Bual) - One of the top grape varieties grown on the island of Madeira, that produces a medium-sweet wine.

Body - The mouth feel, the weight of the wine in the mouth and on the palate. Commonly referred to as full-, medium- or light-bodied.

Bordeaux - Major wine region of Southwestern France, located along the Gironde, Garonne, and Dordogne rivers that produces some of the world's most famous and long-lived wines, made from Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other minor grapes. Advocates say that Bordeaux from specific delimited sub-regions, from Medoc and Haut-Medoc down to specific villages like Pauillac and Margaux, are considered most desirable - wines from the 'right bank' of the river, St.-Emilion and Pomerol, often contain higher proportions of Merlot.

Botrytis - The 'Noble Rot' - a beneficial kind of mold or fungus that may appear on late-harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars become highly concentrated, and honey charactered.

Bottle Sickness - A temporary condition affecting wines immediately after bottling or shipment, characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors. Also called bottle shock. A few days of rest and proper storage is the cure.

Bouquet - The perfume of fermented wine, often the first indicator of a wine's quality during a testing.
Most appropriate for mature wines that have developed complex flavors beyond basic young fruit and oak aromas.

Bourgogne (Boor-GON-yeh) - French for 'Burgundy'.

Brawny - Used mainly to describe young red wines and wines that are hard, intense, tannic and have raw woody flavors.

Breathe/Breathing - The act of allowing a wine to mix with the air, to 'breathe', for example when wine is poured into another container, such as a decanter or wineglass. Breathing is thought to be beneficial for many red wines and also for some young, white wines.

Breed - Term reserved for wines of high quality, from the best grape varieties, often referred to as 'noble grapes'. Wines with elegance and finesse.

Briary - Describes a young wine having an earthy, prickly taste best described as peppery often with as stemmy wild berry character.

Bright - Used to describe fresh, ripe, zesty, lively young wines with vivid, focused flavors.

Brilliant - Wines with very clear appearance and no visible suspended or particulate matter. Not always thought to be positive as it can indicate some loss of flavor in highly filtered wines.

Brix - Measurement system for sugar content of grapes and wine, indicating the degree of the grapes' ripeness (meaning sugar level) at harvest. Most table-wine grapes are harvested at between 21 and 25 Brix. To get an alcohol conversion level, multiply the stated Brix by .55.

Browning - Denotes aging in a wine. Describes a wine's color, , and is a sign that a wine is mature and may be faded. A wine of good character and depth can still be most enjoyable even with a significant 'brown' tint. Wines 20 to 30 years old may have a brownish edge yet still be pleasurable.

Brunello di Montalcino - The Brunello grape, grown in the town of Montalcino in southern Tuscany in Italy, produces excellent, full-bodied, rich, powerful, red wines.

Brut - A French term meaning 'raw' used to designate a dry finish Champagne or sparkling wine. Can be the driest wine made by a producer.

Burgundy - Region of France that is 160 miles southeast of Paris, between Dijon and Lyons. The noble grapes grown here, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, produce elegant wines with extreme finesse and subtle earthy characteristics.

Burnt - Describes a wine that has an overdone, smoky, toasty or singed edge. Also used to describe overripe grapes.

Buttery - A smell and taste sensation found in better white wines, particularly oak-aged Chardonnay.
Indicates a smell of melted butter or toasty oak. Can also be reference to texture, as in a rich 'buttery' Chardonnay.


C

Cabernet Franc (Cab-air-nay Frahn) - French red wine grape used in a Bordeaux blend. The Cabernet Franc that is grown in California and the Loire Valley produces a spicy wine with medium body. Increasingly trendy as a varietal, in which blueberry aromas are characteristic.

Cabernet Savignon (Cab-air-nay So-vee-n'yawn) - One of the noblest of the red wine grape varieties, used in Bordeaux, and successfully grown in many countries. Cabernet Sauvignon is often referred to as the king of red wines.

Cahors (Cah-ORE) - Wine region in Southwestern France, close to Bordeaux and well known for inky-dark red wines made from the Malbec grape.

Candylike - In wines made for early consumption this term is used to describe the perfumed fresh fruit aromas and flavors of the grape.

Capsule - Refers to the metal or sometimes plastic protective sheath over the cork and neck of a wine bottle. A capsule protects the cork from drying out and letting air into the bottle.

Caramel - Refers to a burnt-sugar smell and taste in oak-aged Chardonnay from a hotter than usual growing season.

Carbonic maceration - Fermentation for light red wines, especially Beaujolais, that takes place inside the skins of whole, uncrushed grapes in the absence of air, in a carbon dioxide atmosphere.

Carignan (Cah-reen-yawN) - Increasing popular red grape from Southern France with a sometimes peppery character like Syrah.

Cava - Spanish sparkling wine produced by the traditional French méthode champenoise, of bottle fermenting champagne. The word cava originated in Catalonia and means 'cellar'.

Cedar/Cedary - Refers to an element of cedar wood in the bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon that has been aged in either American or French oak. Can also be present in Cabernet blends that are aged in the same way.

Cellared by - Means the wine was not produced at the winery where it was bottled.

Cépage - A variety of grape.

Chablis - Excellent dry, full-flavored, white wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the region of the same name in northern Burgundy.

Chai - A French term for an aboveground structure used for wine storage and aging, that is popular in Bordeaux.

Chambourcin (Sham-boor-saN) - A pleasing red French-American hybrid wine grape, widely used for in the Eastern USA in the production of table wines.

Champagne - Sparkling wine made in the region of the same name, just 70 some miles northeast of Paris, using a traditional process in which the wines are bottle fermented, and made only from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes.

Chancellor - A French hybrid grape used to produce hearty red wines mostly in the Canada and the Eastern USA.

Chaptalization - The process of adding sugar to the fermenting wine to raise the final alcohol level. A process that can give wine a candied nose. Because the sugar is converted to alcohol, it does not add sweetness to the finished wine, but is forbidden in some regions.

Character - A wine's distinctive personality that stem from a combination of a region's wine-making traditions, soils, and grape varieties.

Charbono - An Italian style red grape used mostly in California to produce robust, richly flavored red wines.

Chardonnay - One of the world's most well known and noble white grape varieties that produces possibly the most popular medium to full-bodied white wines. Varies widely in style from crisp lemon-lime-mineral flavors of classic Chablis to rich, oaky, buttery wines. Also apple and green apple aromas are classic although tropical fruit and pineapple often show up especially in US and Australian Chardonnays, and when aged in oak barrels aromas of vanilla, spice and definite tropical fruit flavors can be present.

Charmat - The process of mass producing, generally inexpensive, sparkling wines in large stainless steel tanks, and then bottling under pressure.

Chasselas - White wine grape variety most common in dry Swiss white wines.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape - A favored, complex, dry red wine produced in the Rhone region of Southern France, made from a blend of up to 13 specific grape varieties, and boasts a history reaching back to the 14th century sojourn of the Catholic Popes in nearby Avignon.

Chelois (Shel-wah) - A French hybrid grape that makes a light and fruity red wine, used somewhat in the Eastern US.

Chenin Blanc - A versatile, noble, French white wine grape used to make the famous dry, slightly sweet whites of the Loire Valley. Can be found in California and other regions too, and is somewhat variable, although pleasant honey overtones along with cantaloupe and honeydew melon flavors and light muskiness are common.

Chewy - Rich, full-bodied wines with unusual thickness of texture or tannins that one almost "chews" before swallowing.

Chianti - The fruity, classic, dry red wine from Tuscany, made from Sangiovese and other grape varieties in North Central Italy. Chianti Classico is made from grapes grown in the central part of the region and is considered more desirable - to be labeled Chianti Classico, both the vineyards and the winery must be within the delimited region.

Cigar Box - Another descriptive for a cedary nose or aroma, classically pertaining to Médoc Cabernet Sauvignon. Spanish cedarwood is traditionally used in making cigar boxes.

Cinsaut (or Cinsault) (SaN-so) - a dark red French wine grape, most common in Languedoc.

Citric/Citrusy - The smell of lemon, grapefruit or lime in the bouquet and as an aftertaste, most common in white wines made from grapes grown in cooler regions of California, Canada and some other regions.

Claret - An old British term for red Bordeaux.

Clean - Fresh, with no discernible defects; refers to aroma, appearance and flavor. Not necessarily indicative of quality.

Clone - A group of vines derived by propagation from a single mother vine, or source. Clones are selected for the unique qualities of the grapes and wines they yield, such as flavor, productivity and adaptability to growing conditions.

Clos - An old term often used in French wine names that means a walled vineyard. Used by some California producers.

Closed - Young, undeveloped wines that do not readily reveal their character, that are shy in aroma or flavor, are said to be closed. Can be expected to develop with age.

Cloudy - Opposite of clear or brilliant. Characteristic of old wines with sediment, but it can be a warning signal of protein instability, yeast spoilage or re-fermentation in the bottle in younger wines. Sometimes also results from sediment being stirred up during transportation.

Cloying - Refers to ultra-sweet or sugary wines that lack the balance provided by acid, alcohol, bitterness or intense flavor. Can sit heavily on the palate not unlike honey.

Coarse - Usually refers to harsh or clumsy flavor and texture, sometimes in particular, excessive tannin or oak. Also used to describe harsh bubbles in sparkling wines.

Cold Stabilization - A clarification process in which a wine's temperature is lowered to 32° F, causing the tartrate crystals and other insoluble solids to precipitate.

Collioure - A dry red wine produced in Bayuls in southwestern France.

Complete - Refers to a mature wine that provides good follow-through on the palate, a satisfying mouth-feel and firm aftertaste.

Complex - Wines that possess the elusive qualities where many layers of flavor seem to unfurl and change over time in the glass. A balance that combines all flavor and taste components in perfect harmony. A complex wine is a combination of richness, depth, flavor intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse.

Concord - A native American grape - vitis labrusca - used in making traditional country style red wines with the aroma of grape jelly and a flavor that tasters sometimes refer to as foxy.

Constantia - A legendary sweet wine produced in South Africa, and said to have been a favorite of Napoleon.

Cooked - A term sometimes used to describe wines that are overripe or wines of very hot growing regions.

Cork -traditional bottle stopper produced from the bark of cork trees are the best way to seal wine bottles.

Corbieres - A Languedoc region where desirable red wines are made based on Syrah, Carignane and other varietals.

Corked - Describes a bottle of wine that is "off" due to air spoilage, a tainted cork or improper cellaring.

Cornas - Wine region in northern Rhone that produces a fine, ageworthy wine from Syrah.

Cortese - White wine grape grown in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions of Italy, that produces a light-bodied, crisp, well balanced wine. Best known for the wine called Gavi.

Cosecha - Spanish word for 'vintage'.

Cote Rotie - Superb, age-worthy red wine produced in the northern Rhone which is primarily Syrah based and named for the 'roasted slopes' on which the vineyards grow.

Coteaux du Languedoc - Appellation in Southern France and a popular, fine dry red wine produced with various blends, combinations or individually using Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and others.

Cotes-du-Rhone - General term for Rhone Valley appellation and the red or white wines produced there.

Creamy - The almost 'silk like' texture - taste component - some wines have in the mouth. Can refer to the texture of champagne, or the vanillin smell that new oak imparts to wine. Creamy is in contrast to crisp.

Crianza - Spanish term for "aged in oak".

Crisp - A fresh, almost green apple like, brisk character, usually with lively acidity, and usually referring to white wines.

Cru Classe - French legalese meaning 'classed growth', referring to a vineyard historically identified as being of exceptional quality.

Cuvee - The blend of different grapes that make up a specific wine. A French term for 'vat'

D

Decant - To pour aged bottled wine carefully into a larger vessel, often a glass decanter for the purpose of leaving any accumulated sediment behind. Decanting also lets a wine breathe, and almost always pertains to red wine.

Delicate - Used to describe light- to medium-weight wines with pleasant mild flavor and fragrance. A desirable quality in wines such as Pinot Noir or Riesling. Sometimes pertains to well made wines produced from so called 'lesser grape' varieties.

Demi-Sec - Meaning "half-dry" usually pertaining to Champagne and relating to sweetness. Demi-sec sparkling wines are usually slightly sweet to medium sweet. - so half dry, half sweet.

Dense- Considered a favorable quality in young wines and describes a wine that has concentrated aromas on the nose and palate.

Depth - Describes complexity in a wine that fills the mouth with subtly changing flavours - subtle layers of flavor that go 'deep'.

Dessert Wine - (1) A Sherry or other fortified wine. (2) Sweet wine customarily drank with dessert or by themselves 'as' dessert, usually in small amounts or single portions.

Developed - A mature wine that displays flavors that emerge after aging for a period of time in the bottle.

Direct - Wines that come right to the point and reveal their entire personality immediately.

Dirty - Describes any of the undesirable, rank, off-putting odors that can occur in a wine, including those caused by bad barrels or corks. A sign of poor winemaking.

Disgorgement/Disgorged - A step in the traditional process of sparkling wine or champagne production of removing frozen sediment from the neck of the bottle after secondary fermentation.

DOC (DENOMINAZIONE DI ORIGINE CONTROLLATA) - The regulatory wine system, set up in Italy in 1963. Set up to protect the quality of the wines by specifying geographical limits, grape varieties, alcohol levels, top yields per acre, and aging requirements for particular wines.

DOCG (DENOMINAZIONE DI ORIGINE CONTROLLATA E GARANTITA) - Represents the highest level of quality among Italian wines, and is basically the next step above DOC in Italy's regulatory wine system.

Dolcetto - Pleasing red grape variety of the Piedmonte region of northern Italy, that produces a light, fruity wine. Dolcetto literally means 'little sweet one', and likely stems from a quality of the grapes rather than the wine that is not sweet. Some production in California as well.

Domaine - French term meaning 'estate' and in Burgundy a domaine may incorporate numerous separate vineyards.

Dosage - The process of adding sweetened wine to champagne just prior to closure.

Dry - Description of a wine produced specifically to possess little or no sweetness, whereby the sugars have been almost totally fermented. Commonly defined as containing less than about 0.5% residual sugar.

Drying out - The fading of the fruit in mature red wines. Acid, tannin and oak begin to predominate over fruit flavors and at this stage the wine will not improve.

Dumb - Characteristic description typical of wines that are too young or possibly too cold that refuse to reveal much flavor or bouquet at all; closed.


E

Earthy - At its best, a pleasant, clean quality that adds complexity to aroma and flavors and hints of rich-earth A certain earthiness can be favorable, positive; too much can cross over to the more unfavorable barnyardy aspects of a wine.

Eiswein - Just like it sounds in English 'ice wine', the German term also refers to a rare sweet wine made from late-harvested grapes that have frozen on the vine. British Columbia and Ontario also produce delightful ice wines.

Elegant - Used to describe well-balanced wines of distinguished quality and grace.

Empty - A wine without character, hollow.

Enology - The science and study of wine and winemaking. Also spelled oenology.

En Tirage - A French term for the period of time a sparkling wine has rested in the bottle in contact with the yeast sediment from the secondary fermentation.

Erzeugerabfullung - 'Estate bottled' under German wine regulations.

Essence - (1) Aroma 'kits' containing vials of various flavor essences - designed to 'pull' specific bouquet and taste qualities from the wine. (2) Sometimes used to describe a sweet, late-harvest red wine.

Ethyl Acetate - A substance that contributes the sweet, vinegary smell that often accompanies acetic acid.

Extra Dry - A term not to be taken literally that appears on Champagne or other sparkling wine labels to indicate not-quite-dry; not as dry as Brut.

Extract/Extracted - Commonly refers to the coloring imparted to wine during the fermentation process by the grape skins used. Usually a positive quality, although high extract wine can also be highly tannic. Can also refer to the richness and depth of concentration of fruit flavor in a wine.

Eucalyptus - A term sometimes used to describe the characteristic in the bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon grown in warm climates.

F

Fading - Describes a wine that is losing it's color, fruitiness or flavor, most often as a result of age.

Fat - Full-bodied, bold, ripe, rich, flavor laden, high alcohol wines low in acidity give a "fat" or fleshy impression on the palate.

Faugeres - Refers to a Languedoc region and the wines produced there.

Fendant - A dry Swiss white wine produced from the Chasselas grape.

Fermentation - The primary chemical process in winemaking by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide thus turning grape juice into wine.

Field Blend - Refers to the single wine produced when a vineyard is planted with several different varieties and the grapes are harvested together.

Filtering - The process of removing particles from wine after fermentation.

Finesse - The distinctive balance and elegance, subtlety and delicacy of a wine.

Fining - A technique for clarifying wine using agents such as a powdered clay called bentonite, gelatin or egg whites, which combine with sediment particles and cause them to settle to the bottom, where they can be easily removed.

Finish - One of the keys to judging a wine's quality is finish, also called aftertaste; the way flavors and textures linger or fail to linger on the palate after a wine is swallowed. As in "This wine has a silky finish." Great wines are said to have rich, long, complex finishes.

Fino - A light-bodied dry Sherry that is light in color, commonly served cold as an aperitif.

Firm - Distinctive tightly knit flavor, often used when referring to a young wine.

Flabby - A soft, feeble wine that falls apart on the palate, lacking the definition acidity gives.

Flat - A wine without liveliness, lacking in flavor, due to low acidity. Can also sometimes refer to a sparkling wine that has lost it's bubbles.

Fleshy - Soft and smooth in both body and texture due to limited tannin.

Flinty - Derived from a French phrase "gout de pierre a fusil", that means a smoky, whiff of gunflint and refers to the dry, mineral character of some wines that are produced from grapes grown in certain soils, mostly limestone, typical of French Chablis and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blancs among others.

Floral/Flowery - Almost always pertains to white wines having a characteristic aroma of fresh flowers, as do Mosel and Rheingau Riesling.

Fortified - Refers to a wine whose alcohol content has been increased by the addition of brandy or neutral spirits.

Forward - Wines that give you the immediate impression of fruitiness, often pertaining to a wine having reached it's peak prematurely.

Foxy - The unique musky, grapey character of wines made from native American grapes, Vitis labrusca varieties. Also evident in Concord grape juice.

Fragrant - A fragrant wine is aromatic and flowery.

Frascati - A fruity, golden white wine produced from the hilly vineyards close to Rome that can range from dry to sweet.

Free-Run Juice - A term used for the juice that escapes after the grape skins are crushed or squeezed prior to fermentation.

French Colombard - Used primarily in California's Central Valley, this productive white wine grape makes an inexpensive jug wine.

French Oak - The traditional wood for wine barrels, which supplies vanilla, cedar and sometimes butterscotch flavors, and used in the production of both red and white wines.

Fresh - Quality found mostly in young white wines from an acidity which suggests a clean, liveliness on the palate.

Frizzante - A lightly sparkling Italian wine.

Fruity - A wine whose character has developed from fully ripened grapes, which pleasingly offers fruit like tastes and aromas.

Full-Bodied - Full proportion of flavor and alcohol; feels weighty on the tongue.

Fumé Blanc- Same as Sauvignon Blanc, the two names are used interchangeably.

Furmint - A Hungarian white wine grape used to make the renown dessert wine Tokay.


G

Gamay - Red grape of Beaujolais that is best known for producing fruity, light to medium-bodied wines, that are low in alcohol and very refreshing. Gamay is also grown successfully in California, and the Loire Valley of France. Generally speaking these wines are best consumed young.

Garnacha - Spanish term for the Grenache red wine grape.

Gattinara - A powerful, long-lived red wine made from Nebbiolo blended with other grapes, in northwestern Italy's Piedmont region.

Gewurztraminer - A perfumed, pungent, spicy and flamboyant white grape best-known in Alsace, France that produces semisweet to dry wines. Also grown in California, New York, Germany, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Glycerol - An alcohol formed during fermentation said to add sweetness and roundness to a wine.

Graceful - Describes a wine that is pleasingly harmonious in very subtle ways.

Grapey - A distinct impression of the flavors and aromas associated with fresh table grapes.

Grappa - An Italian spirit, dry and high in alcohol, that it is typically consumed after dinner.

Grassy - Refers to the pleasant, herbaceous aromas and flavors reminiscent of newly cut spring grasses, that specifically describe the overall character of Sauvignon Blanc. British or European tasters sometimes use the word 'gooseberry' to describe this flavor.

Graves - A region inside the larger Bordeaux region of France, named for it's gravelly soil, and known mostly for red wines as well as Bordeaux's classic dry, whites.

Green - A wine made from and tasting of unripe grapes, with a tartness on the tongue.

Grenache - Red wine grape variety widely planted in Southern France, typically producing hearty, peppery wines, with strawberry and red berry overtones.

Grip - A pleasing firmness of texture, and structure, usually from tannin, which helps give definition to wines such as Cabernet and Port.

Grosslage - A German wine-law designation meaning 'large vineyard', used for a group of individual vineyards whose fruit may be assembled into a wine sold under the Glosslage name.

Gruner Veitliner - An distinctive white grape variety widely planted in Austria that produces light, but crisp, racy dry white wines.


H

Halbtrocken - Refers to the German term 'half dry', characteristic of wines intentionally made with less than the typical amount of residual sugar.

Hard - High acidity or tannin content that creates a mouth puckering effect. Often descriptive of young red wines suitable for aging.

Harmonious - All elements, the fruit, acid, and tannin, in perfect balance.

Harsh - Very astringent wines, usually with a high alcohol component and excessive tannin, often display this rough, rustic taste characteristic.

Haut-Medoc - Major sub-region within the infamous Medoc region of Bordeaux, that produces many great red wines.

Hazy - Used to describe a wine that has small amounts of visible particles when viewed against the light. A good quality if a wine is unfined and unfiltered.

Hearty - Most often used to describe the full, warm, sometimes rustic qualities found in red wines with high alcohol component.

Heady - Descriptive of full-bodied, high alcohol wines.

Herbaceous - Wines having green, grassy, herblike taste and aroma. Often characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Merlot grapes. Usually associated with the grape variety as mentioned, not the climate or soil.

Hermitage - Considered one of the best wines produced in the Rhone, usually red and made from Syrah grapes. It is told that a white was also produced by a Crusader who returned from the Holy Land coveting Syrah vine stock and declaring that he would war no more, it was time to plant a vineyard and his would be hermitage.

Hock - Indiscriminate British term for German wines produced in the Rhine region. The term originates from the town of Hochheim in the Rhine Valley.

Hollow - . Describes a wine that is lacking in flavor, that has a first taste - nothing in the middle - and a short finish, that lacks depth at mid-palate. Can be caused by grapes from improperly pruned vines.

Honest - Simple, straightforward, typical of its kind, but nothing more.

Honeyed - A term, most usually used to describe the cohesive sweetness of late-harvest Riesling or mature Sauternes.

Hot - Term used for high alcohol, sometimes unbalanced wines that tend to burn with "heat" on the finish, giving a prickly, sensation of heat on the palate. Can be acceptable in Port-style wines only.


I

Imperial - An oversized bottle, usually holding 4-6 litres.

Inky - Refers to the slightly metallic flavors that can be present in some red wines.

Intricate - A term used to describe a wine with underlying complexities of bouquet and flavor.


J

Jammy - Usually refers to a natural berrylike taste of a certain grape variety, and most often describes wines such as California Zinfandel made from Amador County grapes.

Jurancon - Tasty, dry, aromatic wine produced in southwestern France in the Pyrenees region.

Jeroboam - An oversized bottle holding the equivalent of four to six regular sized bottles.


K

Kabinett - The term used for light, un-sweet (low alcohol) German wines.

Kir - A popular apéritif that originated in France, in the Burgundy region, whereby a spoonful of creme de cassis is added to a glass of dry white wine.

Kosher Wine - In the Jewish traditional manner, wine that is produced under strict rabbinical supervision with requirements that can differ from country to country.


L

Lambrusco - A fizzy, usually red, dry to sweet wine produced from Lambrusco grapes in regions of northern Italy.

Languedoc - A wine producing region in Southern France, becoming more popular with their production of some varied wines of interest.

Lanolin - A somewhat creamy smell that can be associated with Sémillon and Chenin Blanc wines.

Late Harvest - Is noted on labels and refers to wines made from grapes picked later than normal and at with high sugar levels, and usually affected with noble rot or botrytis, thus producing sweet dessert-style wines.

Leafy - Describes somewhat herbaceous, green overtones reminiscent of leaves. Can add to the complexity of a wine if present only in negligible amounts.

Lean - Not necessarily a bad quality, but indicates the presence of more body would be favorable; describes austere wines with evident acidity.

Lees - Derived from a French term that means 'lies' and referring to the sediment remaining in a barrel or tank after fermentation and generally composed of dead yeast cells and small grape particles.

Legs - Term used to describe the droplets left on the side of the glass after swirling which ease down the surface as tears or "legs." The thicker the legs and the more slow-moving they are, the higher the alcohol content.

Lemony - Usually descriptive of a slightly acidic white wine that reminds one of the flavor of fresh lemons.

Length - The amount of time the flavor and aroma of a wine stay on the palate after swallowing., the longer the better the wine.

Light - Can refer to wines light in alcohol or wines light in texture, weight, body - how the wine feels in the mouth.

Limousin - A forested area, province, of France near the town of Limoges which is the major source of French Oak for wine barrels.

Lingering - Used to describe the persistence of the flavor of a wine on the palate after tasting.

Lively - Crisp, fresh and fruity wines with vitality and the presence of acidity.

Loire - Famous wine region in northeastern France, known for it a goodly variety of fine wines as well as it's scenic beauty, and through which runs the country's longest river of the same name.

Lush/Luscious - Soft tasting, rich, opulent, and smooth; most often said of wines high in residual sugar, also sometimes refers to intensely fruity wines.


M

Maceration - During fermentation, the process of the steeping of the grape skins and solids in the wine, where alcohol acts as a solvent to extract color, tannin and aroma from the skins.

Macon - A large region of Burgundy that is known for good, modest table wines.

Madeira - Portuguese island in the Atlantic, about 400 miles off the coast of Morocco that produces an interesting fortified wine of the same name.

Maderized - Usually pertaining to white wines that have oxidized, and describing the brownish color and slightly sweet, somewhat caramelized and often nutty character found in mature dessert-style wines.

Madiran - A small but well known appellation in in the Languedoc region of France that produces robust red wines.

Magnum - An oversize bottle that holds 1.5 liters, twice the size of a regular 750 ml bottle.

Malbec - A red-wine grape used, both in California and France, and other parts of the world, for blending in many Bordeaux wines, where its intense color and extracts add to the wine's body; also used as primary grape in the inky red wines of the Cahors region of France and in some Argentine reds. Malbecs can be fairly deep in color with dark berry flavors and a fair amount of tannin.

Malic - Used to describe the green apple-like flavor found in young grapes which diminishes as they ripen and mature.

Malolactic Fermentation - A secondary fermentation occurring in most bottled wines, this process converts the naturally occurring malic acid into softer lactic acid plus carbon dioxide gas, thus reducing the wine's total acidity. Adds complexity to whites such as Chardonnay and softens reds such as Cabernet and Merlot.

Malvasia - One of the most ancient of Italy's white-wine grape varieties and it said by some to be a member of the Muscat family, which is often blended with other grapes, including the traditional Chianti; also seen as a 100 percent varietal. As finished wines Malvasias vary widely in style and color, from crisp, bone-dry whites to rich, unctuous dessert wines.

Manzanilla - Dry style Sherry, similar to Fino, made in a seaside town where it is said a saltwater tang from the air is actually added to the wine.

Marc - A distilled spirit made in all parts of the world from pomace, and is generally consumed after dinner. (In Italy same as grappa)

Marechal Foch - A French hybrid grape used to make red wines, mostly in the Eastern United States.

Margaux - One of the most well known sub regions of the Medoc region of Bordeaux, France.

Marsanne - Excellent white-wine grape from the Rhone Valley of France, that produces medium-body to rich wines, and now enjoying some successful plantings in California regions.

Master of Wine - A title bestowed by the Institute of Masters of Wine which was founded in 1953 in England,and is an exclusive organization requiring those qualified to pass a rigorous three-day exam. Part of the exam includes blind-tasting about 36 wines with the aim of correctly identifying them. A person with this title may put the abbreviation M.W. after his or her name.

Mataro - Spanish name for Mourvedre.

Matchstick - Descriptive of the odor of sulphur dioxide gas, not unlike the smell of burnt matches and found, very occasionally, in negligible amounts trapped in bottled white wine. With careful decanting can be dissipated.

Mature - Fully developed, ready to drink.

Mead - A wine common in medieval Britain and Europe, made by fermenting honey and water.

Meager - Descriptive of a wine that is somewhat insipid, that lacks body and depth.

Meaty - A red wine that is sturdy, full-bodied, and chewy.

Mellow - Soft, smooth without harshness.

Mercaptan - Unpleasant, sulphur-like rubbery smell that may be present in very old white wines.

Meritage - An invented term, used by California wineries, for Bordeaux-style red and white blended wines. Combines "merit" with "heritage."

Merlot - Very good red-wine grape that produces smooth, plummy, mellow reds, often a key component of Bordeaux blends, and in California successfully grown as a varietal of its own accord. Black cherry and herbal flavors are also typical.

Methode Champenoise - French term for the costly, labor intensive method to make champagne, whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles. The monk Dom Pérignon is credited with inventing this method.

Methuselah - An extra-large bottle holding 6 liters; the equivalent of eight standard bottles.

Microclimate - Refers to the climate within a small, defined area, possibly different from the area directly surrounding this area that can dramatically affect the character of the wine produced there.

Mid-Palate - When you take a sip of good wine there is often a sequence of flavor and texture impressions, of which the mid-palate is the impression registered as you hold the wine in your mouth for a moment but before you swallow.

Minervois - In the Languedoc wine region which produces fairly inexpensive, fruity red wines.

Minty - Sometimes refers to an aroma from certain Cabernet Sauvignon wines grown in warm climates.

Mise en bouteille - French term which literally means 'put in bottle'.

Mise en bouteille au Chateau - French term, meaning 'estate bottled'; with some legal significance and referring to a wine produced and bottled at the property where the grapes are grown.

Monopole - A label used on some French wines to indicate sole ownership, or monopoly, of the wine's name, with no bearing on the wine's quality.

Montepulciano - Well known, quality red grape from the Abruzzi region of Italy used to produce medium to full-body wines with good structure and color, such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. It is also the official grape used in Rosso Cónero and Rosso Piceno.

Moscato - The Italian word for Muscat, referring to the family of white wine grapes used to produce still and sparkling, medium sweet to sweet wines.

Mosel/Moselle - The scenic river valley in Germany, a tributary of the Rhine and the source of some of the best German white wines produced from Riesling grapes.

Mourvedre - A late-ripening red grape variety widely planted in southern France, Spain and increasingly California that is rich in color and extract producing dark, fruity wines that are sometimes said to have earthy bouquets, likened to tree bark.

Mulled Wine - Any red wine, served hot, that has been mixed with any combination of sugar, fresh orange or lemon, even fresh apple, spices, usually including cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Muller-Thurgau - Modern grape variety that is a mainstay of England's small vineyard industry, and is widely planted in Germany used to produce a straightforward, lighter wine than the more common Riesling.

Murky - Mainly a fault in red wines that are lacking brightness; somewhat swampy.

Muscadet - A light, dry, French white wine made from grapes of the same name, sometimes said to have a slightly musky, cantaloupe quality and typically served with seafood.

Muscat - Ancient, aromatic white wine grape with a very extended family and said by some to be the ancestor of most other vitis vinifera grapes, which produces fruity, softly perfumed wines, some fine Italian sparkling wines and some enticing dessert wines from Austria and other parts of the world.

Must - Mixture of grapes - grape juice, skins and pulp that is fermented into wine.

Musty - Having a stale, 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.

N

Nebbiolo - Noble red grape variety of northwestern Italy's Piedmont region used to produce the great ageworthy Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Often tannic by nature with good complexity; typical descriptives for aroma and taste include violets and intense dark fruit.

Nebuchadnezzar - A huge wine bottle holding 15 liters; the equivalent of about 20 standard bottles.

Negociant - A French term used to describe wine merchants who may buy grapes and vinify them, or buys wines and combines them to bottle and sell under their own label. Most common in Burgundy.

Nervous - Describes a wine that has goodly amounts of alcohol and acidity in balance.

Noble - The commonly referred to 'noble' grapes are said to produce some of the world's greatest wines with perfect balance and harmonious qualities.

Noble Rot - Also called Botrytis Cinerea - a beneficial kind of mold or fungus that may appear on late-harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars become highly concentrated, and honey charactered.

Nonvintage - Wines produced with a blend of more than one vintage, often occurring with Champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as Ports and Sherries.

Nose - The character of a wine as determined by smell; the aroma or bouquet.

Nouveau - French term meaning 'new', indicates a style of light, fruity, young, immediately drinkable wine, and most often applies to Beaujolais.

Nutty - Nutlike bouquet that develops in some wines especially barrel-fermented Chardonnays or Sherries.


O

Oaky- Describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels or casks in which it was aged, and in a positive way can be characterized by toasty, vanilla, cedary, dill, coconut, sandalwood. Can also refer to less desirable qualities.

Oenology - The science and study of wine and winemaking. Also spelled enology.

Off-Dry - Not quite a dry wine; refers to a very slightly sweet wine where the residual sugar is only faintly perceptible.

Off-Flavors - Indicates flavors being a bit off for the particular type of wine.

Oily - Refers to the somewhat fat, slippery sensation on the palate that can come from the combination of low acid and high glycerin, sometimes encountered in good quality Chardonnays and late harvest sweet wines.

Oloroso - Spanish term meaning 'fragrant', and one of the two broad categories of Sherry, that are typically dark and full-bodied.

Optima - German grape variety used primarily in a blend but can sometimes be found as a varietal.

Orvieto - The name of an ancient town in Umbria, Italy that produces a dry white wine.

Overripe - Grapes that have been left on the vine to dry in the sun to develop a desirable raisiny character or just a more concentrated sugar needed for making certain styles of Zinfandel and some specialty wines.

Oxidized - Wine that has been overexposed to air and taken on a brownish color and a flat, stale or sherry-like aroma and flavor.


P

Passito - An Italian wine-making process whereby harvested grapes are dried before being pressed to concentrate the sugars prior to fermentation.

Pauillac - Name of a village in the Haut-Medoc area of the world famous Bordeaux region in France.

Peak - Being a very subjective issue of when the taste of a wine is at its best.

Penedes - A Spanish wine district near Barcelona with a good reputation, home to the Torres winery.

Perequita - A red-wine grape grown in southern Portugal that produces, hearty, medium-bodied, robust reds.

Perfumed - Distinct quality referring to the usually sweet and floral aromas of some white wines.

Petillant - Lightly sparkling, or crackling, possibly only realized as a slight prickly sensation on the tongue.

Petite Sirah - A red grape variety, most widely grown in California, not to be confused with the true Syrah of the Rhone Valley of France.

Petit Verdot - Red wine grape variety most often grown in Bordeaux and used for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon.

pH - A measure of the intensity of acid a wine contains; the lower the pH the more acidic the wine.

Phylloxera - Tiny aphids or root lice that attack Vitis vinifera roots and can devastate entire vineyards.

Piedmont/Piedmonte - Wine region of northwestern Italy that produces some of the world's best red wines. Literally means the 'foot of the mountains'.

Pinot Blanc - White wine grape variety usually producing a favorable dry, medium-body white wine not unlike Chardonnay, that can be drank young.

Pinto Gris/Pinto Grigio - French and Italian names respectively for the same white grape, known to produce flavorful, dry, crisp white wines, sometimes with a light musky overtone well-suited to accompany seafood and fish.

Pinot Meunier - Red wine grapes originating from the Champagne region of France and used for blending with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to add a certain fruitiness to champagne. Recently the Pinot Meunier varietal is being grown and marketed in Oregon.

Pinot Noir - Highly regarded, noble red grape variety originally from Burgundy, proven to produce some of the best velvety, voluptuous red wines to be had.

Pinotage - A red grape that is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, grown commercially only in South Africa, where it is fermented at higher temperatures and matured in new oak for finesse and elegant berry flavors.

Plonk - A British term for simple, usually inexpensive, 'ordinary' wine.

Pomace - The residue from the grapes used to make a wine - the skins, seeds, pulp, and stems left in the fermenting vat or cask after wine making, and one of the necessary ingredients used in the distillation of French marc and Italian grappa.

Pomerol - French Village on the right bank of the Dordogne, where some noteworthy Merlot-based red wines are produced.

Potent - Strong, powerful, intense.

Primary Fruit - The recognizable fruity overtones of a young wine where distinct berry or cherry influences are present - wines can lose primary fruit as they age picking up other qualities that come with the maturation process.

Priorato - Wine region of northeastern Spain, near Barcelona that produces hearty, dark red wines.

Private Reserve - Denotes quaility and along with 'Reserve', once stood for the best wines a winery produced, however, many wineries have diluted the true quality seal behind this term by using similar tags such as Proprietor's Reserve for rather ordinary wines.

Produced and Bottled by - On the label indicates that the winery crushed, fermented and bottled at least 75 percent of the wine in the bottle.

Provence - Wine region of southeastern France, boasting an enviable Mediterranean climate, and well known for dry rosés and fruity red wines.

Pruney - The flavor of overripe, sun-dried grapes that can add an unfavorable pungency to wines; not unlike the taste of dried prunes. Can add complexity in the right small doses.

Puckery - Describes the mouth's reaction to highly tannic and very dry wines.

Pungent - Describes a powerful, assertive aroma linked to high levels of active acidity.

Q

QBA - (QUALITÄTSWEIN BESTIMMTER ANBAUGEBIETE) - The German wine law enacted in 1971, that guarantees the consumer a particular level of quality.

R

Racking - Traditional method of wine clarification whereby wine is moved, by hose from one container to another leaving behind the unwanted sediment.

Racy - A good quality, light wine with a lively acidic quality.

Rainwater - Generic name used for a medium-dry style of Madeira, whose origin is a little sketchy but thought to have come from 18th century England.

Raisiny - Mildly rich, raisin like taste that comes from overripe grapes, sometimes from fruit that is grown in hotter than usual areas causing the grapes to dry out while still on the vine. Can be considered a fault and is only pleasing in very small amounts in some wines.

Rancio - Spanish term used to describe the nutty, sweet aroma of some wood-aged, old Sherries.

Raw - Undeveloped, young wines, that are often high in alcohol, acidity and quite tannic.

Recioto - A most usually sweet wine from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, made from very ripe grapes.

Refined - Most often refers to well-balanced red wines.

Rehoboam - An over-sized bottle, holding 4.5 liters or the equivalent of about 6 regular sized bottles.

Remuage - A process used in the making of Champagne whereby the sediment is removed after secondary fermentation in bottle.

Reserva - A Spanish term relating to the regulatory specifications of the length of time wines are aged before being sold; for red wines, at least 3 years, including at least 1 year in wooden barrels.

Residual Sugar - The unfermented grape sugar in a finished bottled wine; usually measured by percentage, by weight or volume.

Rheingau - A German wine region along the Rhine River, highly regarded due to the very nature of the steep vineyards most of which face due south.

Rhone - Infamous, historic wine region in France, south of Lyons, best known for the production of hearty red wines, with a history dating back to the 14th century.

Rich - Enticing body, flavor and bouquet; full on the palate.

Riesling - One of the world's finest grape varieties, this classic, noble German white grape produces many great flavorful, wide ranging, crisp wines.

Rioja - Wine region of northern Spain that produces some of the country's best red wines, as well as some whites and rosés.

Ripasso - A unique Italian wine-making process in which the wine made during the current vintage is saved, put atop the pressed grapeskins and other particulate residue in the vats just used and allowed to ferment further with the skins and other grape residue, thereby acquiring additional flavor and body.

Robust - Descriptive of a full-bodied, intense, vigorous, heady wine.

Rosé - A pale pink wine, ranging from dry to sweet and traditionally made by removing the skins from red grapes early on in the fermentation process, before they have the time to impart too much color. Less traditionally, some labels carry rosés that have been made by the blending of red and white wines.

Rough - Not pleasing in texture or flavor; harsh, possibly biting.

Round - Describes flavors that are smooth, with a sensation of completeness, balance; well developed without any rough edges.

Rousanne - White grape grown in the northern Rhone Valley of France, most often used for blending with the white wine grape Marsanne.

Rustic - Used to describe wines either made in old-fashioned or centuries old, traditional techniques and processes or tasting as if they had been.

S

Saint-Chinian - Wine region of the Languedoc area of southern France, that is becoming more popular all the time as the wines from this region get more notice.

Saint-Emilion - Wine region of the Bordeaux area of France, on the right bank of the Dordogne, best known for its red wines often made with Merlot.

Saint-Estephe - An area of northern Haut-Medoc in the Bordeaux region.

Salmanazar - An over-sized bottle holding 9 litres, the equivalent of about 12 regular bottles.

Sangiovese - The all important red-wine grape of Tuscany in central Italy, and the key to producing the infamous Chianti. Known to produce a range of styles from fresh, light, young wines to hearty, full-bodied reds that can age well. Literally translated 'blood of love'.

Sauternes - Renown French (sweet) dessert wine from the Bordeaux region made from a blend of mostly late-harvested Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes that have been infected by botrytis.

Sauvignon Blanc - Noble, white grape variety grown in the Loire and Bordeaux regions of France, with plantings now in other regions including, California, New Zealand, Australia. Usually blended with Semillon grapes, and varies in style, but generally speaking produces soft, assertive, herbaceous, sometimes complex wines.

Savennieres - A small region in the Loire area of France that produces top quality Chenin Blanc.

Schaumwein - German term referring to a 'sparkling wine'.

Scheurebe - Newer variety grape from the Rhine region of Germany, made from a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner, that is generally used to produce sweet, late harvest wines.

Sediment - In red wines, the deposit or residue that can accumulate in the bottle during the aging process. Not considered a negative quality, and can be separated from a well aged wine by decanting.

Sekt - German term for sparkling wine that is usually produced using the charmat process.

Semillon - White wine grape, native to the Bordeaux region of France, but now widely grown in many of the world's wine regions; is most often used in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc grapes that generally produces a pleasant, somewhat dry, medium-bodied wine.

Seyval Blanc - Hybrid grape of French origin that is widely used in the U.S.A., generally producing oak-aged dry whites.

Sharp - A predominant acidity presence.

Sherry - Spanish style fortified wine from the Jerez de la Frontera region, most commonly using the Palomino grape. Sherries can range from sweet to dry, served either at room temperature or chilled.

Short - A wine with very little aftertaste or finish.

Silky - Soft, flowing texture and finish.

Simple - Wine with straightforward character.

Shiraz - A term used mostly in Australia or South Africa; same as Syrah.

Sinewy - Usually referring to a wine with not much fruitiness, but a good balance of alcohol and acidity.

Smoky - (1) Simply refers to the aroma or taste imparted, such as anything 'smoked' might impart.
(2) Flavor and aromatic quality associated with wines that have been oak-aged, as with certain Chardonnays, Rhone reds and so on.

Soft - Refers to wines with low acidity and or tannins creating a mellow quality on the palate. Can also refer to low alcohol content.

Solid - Firm textured, well structured.

Sommelier - A wine steward in a restaurant.

Sour - Refers to a wine with sharp acidity.

Spanna - Local name for the Nebbiolo grape and the red wine produced from it in the northern Piedmont region of Italy.

Sparkling - Wine with bubbles, either naturally occurring or created by injecting carbon dioxide gas.

Spatburgunder - A German term for Pinot Noir.

Spatlese - German term meaning 'late harvest, late picked' and referring to white wines made with sweeter, late-harvested grapes.

Spicy - Usually a complex, red or white, wine imparting the soft nuances pepper, cloves, cinnamon, mint or other spices.

Split - A 6 ounce, or quarter bottle of champagne, most frequently found in hotels, airplanes, ships or trains.

Spritzig - German term for a lightly sparkling wine.

Spritzy - Very slight sensation of carbonation, most common in very young wines and can be considered a minor flaw.

Spumante - Italian term meaning 'foaming' and referring to sparkling wines.

Stale - Wines that are lifeless, having lost their fresh, lively qualities.

Stalky - A somewhat green taste and aroma, reminiscent of grape stems or vines, or possibly underripe grapes.

Steely - Firm, taut, acidic.

Stoney - Term used to describe a clean, earthy characteristic in young white wines; flinty.

Strong - Robust.

Structure - Referring to how a wine is build, the flavor plan - the interaction and final composition of all elements, such as acid, tannin, alcohol, fruitiness, body. Usually used with another descriptor as in 'firm structure'.

Stylish - Bold, lively character.

Subtle - A positive characteristic usually referring to a delicate wine that offers up nuances of flavor and aroma.

Supple - A positive characteristic that usually refers to red wines that are smooth, soft textured and rounded on the palate.

Sur Lie - French term meaning 'on the lees' and referring to the technique/method of storing wine, prior to bottling, in the yeast sediment and grape particles (lees) from the fermentation, producing a more complex wine.

Sweet - Refers to the presence of residual sugar, occurring when all of the grape sugar is not completely converted to alcohol.

Sylvaner - German grape, generally of lesser quality than Riesling and usually planted as a blending grape.

Syrah - Classic red wine grape grown in the Rhone Valley of France, producing love-lived, spicy, aromatic wines. Grown increasingly in other wine regions.


T

Tafelwein - German term meaning 'table wine'.

Tanky - Stale; usually refers to wines that display a somewhat dull, dank character, often from being aged too long in tanks.

Tannic - Usually refers to a wine that is not balanced in that the tannins overpower the fruit and other components.

Tannin - A naturally occurring substance found in grape skins, seeds and stems or sometimes from oak barrels, that gives wine its astringency. Most prominent in red wines where it creates a dry, puckering mouth-feel. Tannin acts as a natural preservative that helps wine age and develop, and in the right proportion contributes to the balance of a wine, but considered a fault if present in excess.

Tart - Acidic; sharp tasting.

Tartaric Acid - The prominent natural acid in wine.

Tartrates - Harmless crystals that often form on a cork, or in a bottle or cask, that are composed of potassium bitartrate from the tartaric acid naturally present in wine.

Tastevin - A small, shallow, usually polished silver cup used by wine stewards or sommeliers in a restaurant for tasting wine; originally used in the Burgundy region of France.

Tempranillo - Spanish, good quality red-wine grape that produces wines that are hearty, robust.

Terroir - French term literally meaning 'soil' or 'earth', generally referring to all the physical/environmental characteristics in and around a particular vineyard site that are imparted into a wine such climate, soil, geographical location and so on.

Thief - Syringe like instrument used for sampling wine from a cask, tank or barrel.

Thick - Dense, heavy texture.

Thin - Lacks body, depth and therefore flavor.

Tight - Generally refers to the body and structure of young wines.

Tirage - A term used in the production of Champagne or sparkling wine referring to the first bottling step in the process.

Tinny - Somewhat of a metallic aftertaste.

Tinto - Spanish term for red wine.

Tired - Past it's peak; feeble.

Toasty - Aroma and flavor imparted by oak barrel aging; similarly 'caramel', 'toffee', 'vanilla', with spicy overtones such as 'cinnamon' and 'cloves' are used as descriptors of the same.

Tocai Fruilano - White wine grape grown in the northeastern regions of Italy and occasionally in California that produces uniquely floral, aromatic white wines.

Tokay - Renown dessert wine from Hungary.

Tough - Astringent; tannic.

Trockenbeerenauslese - Top quality, costly German sweet, dessert wine.

Troncais - Name of a type of French oak and the region where it comes from.

Trebbiano - Italian white-wine grape. In France called Ugni Blanc.

Trocken - German label term meaning 'dry'.

Tuscany - Renown wine region of Central Italy.


U

Ugni Blanc - White-wine grape grown in France generally producing crisp, fruity white wines. In Italy called Trebbiano.

Ullage - The empty space in a wine bottle between the bottom of the cork and the surface of the wine. If the ullage is too big that is usually an indication of oxidation problems.


V

Valpolicella - Semi-dry, light-bodied red wine produced in the near Verona, Italy.

Valtellina - Wine region in the Lombardy area of northern Italy that produces top quality red wines.

Vanilla - A scent imparted by aging in oak, generally new oak.

Varietal - A wine produced and named primarily from a single grape variety.

Vegetal - Aroma or taste that similar to that of leafy greens, of plants, of vegetables; a somewhat grassy character.

Velvety - Rich, silky smooth texture.

Vendange - French term for 'vintage'.

Vendimia - Spanish term for 'vintage'.

Veneto - Wine region in Northeastern Italy, in the area of both Venice and Verona.

Verdicchio - Italian white-wine grape from Central Italy, generally producing a light-bodied, somewhat crisp white wine.

Vermouth - A renown fortified wine, white or red, that has been flavored with the addition of aromatic herbs or spices and is most often used as a aperitif or in the mixing of cocktails.

Vernaccia - Historic Italian white-wine grape generally producing a crisp, dry white wine.

Vidal Blanc - French hybrid white-wine grape variety, used commonly in the USA.

Vigneron - French term for 'winemaker' or 'winegrower'.

Vignoble - French term meaning 'wine growing area'.

Vignoles - French hybrid white-wine grape, often used in the Eastern USA.

Vigorous - Assertive flavor, strong bodied wine.

Vin - French word for 'wine'.

Vina - Spanish word for 'vineyard'.

Vin de paille - A sweet wine traditionally produced from grapes that have been dried on straw mats.

Vin de Pays - A French term meaning 'wine of the country' or region that is generally used for categorization.

Vin Doux Naturel - Sweet French wine that has been fortified by the addition of brandy.

Vinho Verde - A specific Portuguese wine best when young; literally means 'green wine'.

Viniculture - The study and science of grape production for the purpose of making wine.

Vinous - Tasting descriptive for 'wine-like', 'winey' qualities; the aroma and taste common to all wines.

Vintage - Indicates the season, the year the grapes were grown and the wine was made.

Viognier - French white-wine grape variety most common in the Rhone Valley of France and California.
These aromatic wines are best consumed young and vary in character.

Viticulture - The science, cultivation and study of grape growing.

Vitis Vinifera - The classic, primary grape species used to produce nearly all of the world's best wines.

Volatile/Volatile Acidity - Powerful. aggressive aroma denoting excessive acidity.


W

Watery - Lacking in flavor; thin.

Weedy - Grassy.

Weighty - Strong, full-bodied.

Wein - German term for 'wine'.

Woody - Tasting term for too much of a oaky presence, usually caused by too lengthy an aging process in the barrel or cask.

X

X - Check back soon...it won't belong before we dig one up.


Y

Yeasty - The bready smell of yeast, most common in Champagne and pleasing if not excessive.


Z

Zinfandel - Versatile, red wine grape variety most common in California, producing a wide range of wines styles.