Abbadia
The term for abbey, sometimes shortened to just badia. Buildings that wereThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Abboccato
SlightlyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Acetaldehyde
Produced naturally during FERMENTATION, acetaldehyde is a colorless volatile The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Acetic
A negative description for a wine with an unpleasant, sharp, vinegar-like smellThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Acid
A natural component of wine; responsible for the zesty, refreshing qualitiesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Acidification
A process practiced in warm wine regions whereby a winemaker adds acid to fermentingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Acidity
SeeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aeration
The process of intentionally exposing wine to oxygen to “open up” and soften it.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aftertaste
SeeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aging
The process of intentionally holding a wine for a period of time so that the componentsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ah-So
A wine opener often used by sommeliers to remove corks that have begun to crumble,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Alcohol
During FERMENTATION, yeasts convert the natural sugar in grapes to alcohol The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Alcohol by Volume
The percentage of the ALCOHOL content by volume in a wine must, by United States law,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aldehydes
Produced as FERMENTATION converts sugar to ALCOHOL, aldehydes have pungent odorsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Alte Reben
The term usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Amabile
A little The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Amaro
Bitter. Many Italian wines, both white and red, have a slight amaroThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ampelography
The science of identifying and classifying grapevines according to their physicalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Amphora
An earthenware vessel used by the ancient Greeks and other Mediterranean peopleThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Amtliche Prüfungsnummer
A quality-control test number (the AP number) signifying that a wine has passedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Añada
SeeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Anbaugebiet
One of thirteen specifiedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Angels’ Share
Any beverage left to age in wooden barrels will ultimately lose some of its The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Annata
The year The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Año
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Anthocyanins
The red pigmentsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Apera
Apera is the term used in Australia for Australian wines made like Sherry,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Appasimento
A method utilized in the Veneto region of Italy whereby wines are made by firstThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Appearance
One of the categories by which a wine can be judged by sensory evaluation,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Appellation
In general conversation, the word appellation is often used simply to indicateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Archondiko
A word appearing on the labels of TOPIKOS OENOS,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aroma
A term broadly used to describe a wine’s smell. Technically, however, the smellThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aromatic
A positive description, indicating that a wine has a pronounced AROMA.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Asciutto
TotallyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Assemblage
A Champagne or SPARKLING WINE term that refers to the blending, or assembling,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Astringent
Astringent describes the dry, raspy MOUTHFEEL of a wine with a considerable amountThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Aszú
The term for shriveled grapes that have been attacked by the beneficial moldThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ausbruch
A category of wine made in Austria, in Burgenland. Ausbruche (the plural) are The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Auslese
Plural auslesen. Literally, “select harvest.” A level of full ripeness accordingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Autolysis
Autolysis is the name for the process whereby spent yeast cells decompose.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
AVA
The acronym for American Viticultural Area. An AVA is defined as “a delimited grapeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Azienda Agricola
Italian wine estate—this term, sometimes abbreviated Az. Ag., often appears onThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Azienda Vinicola
The term for a winery.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Azienda Vitivinicola
Grape-growing and winemaking company.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Baked
Negative term used when a table wine’s AROMA and/or flavor seems overripe,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Balance
A harmonic equilibrium among the components of a wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ban des Vendanges
Literally “opening of the harvest”—the official date when harvest can begin.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Barrel-Fermented
Used to describe a wine—usually a white—that has undergone FERMENTATION in smallThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Baumé
The scale used in France and much of the rest of Europe for measuring sugarThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Beerenauslese (BA)
Plural beerenauslesen. Literally “berry select harvest.” A level of considerableThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bentonite
A type of light clay, mixed into wine to clarify it by removing tiny suspendedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bereich
One of thirty-nine official districts. Germany’s thirteen wine regions The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Berg
Hill orThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bianco
White, as in vinoThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Big
A descriptive term used for FULL-BODIED,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Biodynamic Viticulture
Sometimes described as a “spiritual science,” biodynamic The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bitter
A harsh flavor in wine, often derived from stems and seeds that have been The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Blanc de Blancs
Literally, “white from whites.” A golden ChampagneThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Blanc de Noirs
Literally, “white from blacks.” A golden Champagne or SPARKLING WINE made from blackThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Blau
Blue; when used toThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Blend
To combine two or more lots of wine in hopes of enhancing flavor, BALANCE,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bocksbeutel
The flagon-shaped, rounded, and flattened bottle used for the wines ofThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bodega
Wine cellar or wine-producing company. Curiously, a single wine company mayThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Body
The perceived weight of a wine in your mouth. The perception is dependent onThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bonbonne
A large glass jar used for storing small lots of wine. Bonbonnes—which hold 6.6 The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Booze
Once spelled bouse, the word booze comes from the medieval Dutch word Büsen,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bota
The Spanish name for “butts”–600-liter (160-gallon) American-oak casks usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Botrytis Cinerea
A beneficial fungus, also known as noble rot, which is necessary to produce manyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Botrytized
Affected by The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Botte
Cask orThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bottiglia
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Bottle
Initially, the amount glass bottles held was not consistent. From the fifteenthThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bottle Aging
The process of allowing a wine to rest for a considerable period of timeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bottle Sickness
A temporary condition that occurs following the bottling process, during whichThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bouchon
Bouchon is the French name of a special stopper with clamps that is used onThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bouquet
Technically, bouquet refers specifically to the aspects of aThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Branco
Denotes aThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Brettanomyces
Brettanomyces, called brett for short, are often associated The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Briary
A term used to describe a briar patch or light bark-like taste in a wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bricco
The sunny The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Brilliant
When applied to a wine’s color,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Brix
A measure of the sugar content of grapes before they are harvested.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Brut
French term indicating a Champagne or sparkling wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Brut
A DRY to very dry Champagne or SPARKLING WINE containing less than 15 gramsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bud
The small node on a grapevine shoot that carries within it the grape clusters for the year to come.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Budding
The act of grafting buds of one vine onto an existing planted vine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bulk Process
An inexpensive and quick way of making SPARKLING WINE. The bulk process,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bulk Wine
Literally, wine not in a bottle. Wineries of all types, sizes, and levels of qualityThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bung
A plug for The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Burg
The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Buschenschenk
In the southern Austrian countryside, this is the name for a rustic restaurantThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Bushvine
A vine that is free-standing with no trellis system. In other words, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Butler
Curiously, the word butler is thought to have derived from the term bottler.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Buttery
Used to describe a wine that has an AROMA and flavor reminiscent of butter.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cailloux (KIGH-you)
The French term for stones or pebbles left behind by ancient rivers or glaciers.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cane
A vine SHOOT (or stem) that has turned from green to tannish-brown and hasThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cane Training
The process of training a vineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Canopy
The “umbrella” formed byThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cantina
Wine cellar or yetThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cantina Sociale or Cooperativa
A growers’ cooperative cellar. Italy,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cap
The crusty layer, up to two feet or more deep, of grape skins, pulp, stems, andThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Capsule
The molded plastic, bimetal, or aluminum sheath that fits over the cork and topThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Carbon Dioxide
Along with ALCOHOL, the gas carbon dioxide (CO2) is a by-product of FERMENTATION.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Carbonic Maceration
More accurately called semicarbonic maceration, carbonic maceration is a type ofThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cartouche
The raised glass logo or emblem embossed on a bottle of wine, most often found onThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Casa Vinicola
A wine firm, usually making wine from wine or grapes it has purchasedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cascina
Northern ItalianThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Castello
The word for castle. Several famous Italian wine estates are housed inThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cava
The name for Spanish SPARKLING WINE made by the Champagne method (MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE).The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cépage Noble
Cépage means “grape variety.” The so-called noble grape varieties—cépagesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Chai
A French word for an above-groundThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Chaptalization
The addition of cane or beet sugar to wine MUST before or during FERMENTATIONThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Charmat Method
SeeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Château
A building where wine is made and around which vines grow. Despite the imagesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Chewy
A term for mouthfilling, FULL-BODIED wines, chunky and viscous enough to seem The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Chiaretto (key-are-ET-oh)
An Italian wine term signifyingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Claret
The British often call red Bordeaux claret. The word comes from the French clairet,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Classico
An official designation, referring to the heart of a DOC zone—by implication,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Climat
The term used especially in Burgundy to mean a specific field or plot.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Clone
The noun “clone” refers to plants of the same species that have identicalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Clos
A term used especially in Burgundy to indicate a vineyard enclosed by a wall.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Closed In
Refers to a wine that seems to have considerable potential, yet its AROMASThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cloudy
Descriptive term, not necessarily negative, for a wine that looks hazy ratherThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cloying
Describes a wine with unbearable,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cluster
An entire The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cluster Thinning
During the vine’s growth cycle, the act of removingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Coarse
Descriptive term for a harsh,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cold Fermentation
A type of FERMENTATION that takes place in a vessel that can be cooled,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cold Stabilization
A common winemaking technique whereby harmless TARTRATE crystals and smallThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Colheita
Literally, harvest. However, colheita is also the nameThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Color
One of the distinguishing characteristics of wine, color is derived primarilyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Commune
A small village that is often an APPELLATION. In Bordeaux, the communes of Margaux,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Complex
Describes a multifaceted wine with compelling nuances and character. Importantly,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Concrete Eggs
Large, egg-shaped, concrete vessels used to ferment white wine. There are distinctThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Conjunctive Labeling
A type of labeling whereby small appellations within a large appellation must alsoThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Consejo Regulador
Local governing body that enforces wine policy for a given area, includingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Consorzio
A consortium of producers of a certain wine,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cooperage
The general term for containers used to store wine. Small barrels, largeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cooperativa
SeeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cordon
A permanent woody arm that is trained horizontally from the trunk of the vine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Corked
A term used to describe a wine that smells like a wet dog in a basement or, sometimes,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cosecha
Year of The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Coulure
The failure of grapes to develop after flowering occurs. Weather conditions The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Crayères
Deep chalk pits in Champagne used by Champagne houses to age Champagne.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Crémant
The word Crémant is used for French sparkling wines made outside of theThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Criadera
Literally nursery, criadera refers to a layer of Sherry casks, all of whichThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Crianza
The basic-quality wine produced by each BODEGA. Crianzas are consideredThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cross
A grape created by fertilizing one genetic variety of grape with anotherThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cru
Translated in English as “growth,” the word cru can mean a vineyard or anThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Crush
Used as a verb, “to crush” means to break the grape skins so that the pulp oozesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cuba de Calor
A method of making fortified base wine for inexpensive Madeiras that involves heatingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cutting
A segment of a dormant CANE 14 to 18 inches long that is cut off a growing The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cuvée
The wine from a selected barrel or vat (the term is derived from the FrenchThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Cuverie
The building that houses FERMENTATION tanksThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
DAC
Districtus Austriae Controllatus, or protected Austrian declaration of origin.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
De Primeur
Wines that are sold and drunk very young. The most famous of these is BeaujolaisThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Decant
The act of pouring a wine (generally an older wine) off any SEDIMENT or depositsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Declassify
With European wines, the decision to place a wine in a category that is lowerThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dégorgement
Disgorgement (see DISGORGING)—the process of removing the yeastyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Demi-Sec
Literally half-dry in French. Term used forThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Demi-Sec
A sweet Champagne or SPARKLING WINE containing 33 to 50 grams of sugar perThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Depth
Intensity and concentration. An especially intense and concentratedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dessert Wine
General term for a wine that is sweet and, as such, could accompany,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Destemmer
A machine that separates the stems from the grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Deutscher Wein
German table wine, the humblest category of wine. Although the ALCOHOLThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Diacetyl
Diacetyl is a buttery-tasting compound that is a by-product of malolacticThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dirty
A negative description of wines with chemical or microbial “off” odorsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Disgorging
Referred to in French as DÉGORGEMENT (see French glossary), this is theThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Diurnal Temperature Fluctuation
The difference in temperature from the coolest point in the morningThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
DNA Profiling
The practice of using DNA markers to identify the parentageThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dolce
Fully sweet. Italy produces countlessThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Domaine
A wine-producing estate. Many wineries throughout France incorporateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dosage
The degree of sweetness of the LIQUEUR D’EXPÉDITION, which is usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dry
Commonly used to describe any wine that doesn’t contain significantThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dulce
Sweet. Spain has less of a reputation for making top-quality sweet winesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Dumb
A description for a wine that temporarily has little taste. This canThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Earthy
Used to describe a wine, the AROMA or flavor of which is reminiscent of the earth.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Eau-de-Vie
Literally, “water of life.” Eaux-de-vie (the plural) are grape spirits,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Edelfäule
BOTRYTIS CINEREA; Germany’s and Austria’s luscious DESSERT WINES BEERENAUSLESENThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Edes
Slightly sweet, a term usually applied to Szamorodni, the type of wine made in The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Einzellage
The official name for an individual vineyard site. There are 2,658 of them in Germany.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Eiswein
A rare and especially intense DESSERT WINE made by pressing frozen grapes thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Elaborado por
ProducedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Elegant
A descriptive term for a wine with such FINESSE and BALANCEThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Embotellado por
BottledThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
En Coteaux
Vines planted on slopes,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
En Primeur
A method of buying, wherein the wine is bought before it is released.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
En Rama
Literally, “in an unrefined state.” The name of fino or manzanilla SherriesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Encépagement
The various grapeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Enology
The science and study of winemaking, differentiated from viticulture,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Enoteca
Historically, an enoteca was a wine library, a place where bottles of wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Epitrapezios Oenos (E.O.)
The simplest category of Greek wine,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Erste Lage
Designation which indicates a “First Class” vineyard, similar to the designationThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Erstes Gewӓchs
An old term meaning “First Growth.” Used before 2006 in the Rheingau forThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Erzeugerabfüllung
Wines produced and bottled by a grower or a cooperative.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Escolha
Translated as “choice,” it is used on labelsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Estate Bottled
Exact definitions of estate bottled differ depending on the countryThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Esters
Aromatic compounds produced by yeasts and bacteria primarily during FERMENTATION.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Estufagem
The Portuguese term for the step in the process of making Madeira that involvesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol
Commonly referred to simply as alcohol. ALCOHOL results when yeastsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Etichetta
Label.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Extra Brut
A very DRY Champagne or SPARKLING WINE, with minimalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Extra Dry
A confusing designation, extra dry actually refers to ChampagneThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Extra Dry
Slightly sweeter than Brut, contains extra dry Champagne or SPARKLING WINE.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Extra Seco
SPARKLING WINE that is notThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Extract
The soluble particles in wine that wouldThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fat
A descriptive term for the texture of a FULL-BODIED wine with saturated fruit.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fattoria
Tuscan term for a farm or wine estate. Many top Chianti producersThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Federspiel
A term used in the Wachau region of Lower Austria to indicate naturalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Feinherb
An unofficial term used in Germany as a synonym for halbtrocken or half-dryThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fermentation
Also known as primary fermentation, the process whereby yeasts convert the naturalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fiasco
Literally, “a flask,” but more often the word fiasco is used to describeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Field Blend
An old method of viticulture whereby different grape varieties are plantedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Field Selection
Known in French as selection massale, a field selection is made up of a groupThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Filter
A filter is a porous membrane or other device used to remove selected particlesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Finesse
Used to describe a wine with elegance and BALANCE. The term implies thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fining
A process of softening the texture of a wine by adding one or more proteinThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Finish
The impression that a wine leaves in your mouth even after you have swallowed it.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Flasche
Bottle—the English wordThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Flat
Refers to wines that taste dull and uninteresting.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fleshy
The word fleshy is used to describe wines with a certain plumpness and richThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Flor
Literally flower, a layer of yeast cells that forms naturally on top of manzanillaThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Flowery
Used to describe AROMAS and flavors, usually presentThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fortified
A wine, such as Sherry or Port, that has had its ALCOHOL content increasedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Foudre
Large woodenThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Foxy
An odd descriptive term (having nothing to do with foxes, or sex appeal, for that matter) The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Free Run
The juice that runs—freely—simply as the result of the weightThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Frizzante
Slightly fizzy,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Front Palate
It might seem like the term front plate refers to the front of the mouth,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fruit
The part of a wine’s AROMA and flavor that comes from grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fruity
A catchall term for the pronounced flavor or AROMA that comes from the wine grapesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Full-Bodied
Having pronounced weight on the palate. Full-bodied wines are to LIGHT-BODIED The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Futures
See EN PRIMEUR The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Fynbos
Many South African wines have an aroma or flavor that South Africans call fynbosThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Galet
A type of large, rolled stone that is commonly found in the soilsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Garagiste (gare-a-JEEST)
A French term first used in Bordeaux in the 1990s, the word garagiste refersThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Garrafeira
Used in reference to Portuguese still wines, the word garrafeira indicatesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Garrigue (gare-REEG)
When a wine pro describes a wine as “earthy,” the characterization can meanThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Generic
A category of inexpensive wine that has been given a general name that The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ghost Winery
Ghost winery is a nickname for a dormant, deserted winery. The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Glycerine
Also called glycerol, glycerine is a colorless, odorless, slightly sweet,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gönci
The traditional barrels, which hold about 140 liters of wine, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Goût de Terroir
The distinctive taste of a given grapeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gradazione Alcoolica
Percentage of The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Graft
To splice one grape species (say, vinifera) onto another species (say, rupestris).The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gran Reserva
A BODEGA’s top wine, produced only in excellent years and then subject to lengthy AGING.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gran Selezione
Highest quality category in Chianti Classico. Wine must beThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grande Marque
A member of a particular association of about thirty of the longest-establishedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grappa
A clear brandy (EAU-DE-VIE in French) made by distilling the POMACE leftThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grassy
A descriptive term for the green flavors and AROMAS reminiscent of just-cut grass,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Green
A flavor in wine generally associated with those of grass, moss, or vegetables.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grosse Lage
A term used by members of the VDP in Germany to indicate a vineyard thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grosses Gewӓchs
The VDP term for a dry wine from a vineyardThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Grosslage
One of approximately 167 collections of vineyards. Germany’s 13 wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gunflint
The taste or smell suggested by wet metal. Often usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gutsabfüllung
Estate The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gutswein
A term used by members of the VDP to indicate the wine comesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Gyropalette
Also called a girasol, Spanish for “sunflower,” gyropalette is a pieceThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Halbtrocken
Germany for “half-dry”—defined as less than 1.8% residual sugar.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Herbal
When used to describe a wine with flavors or AROMAS slightly reminiscent of herbs,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Heurige
In Austria, a rustic type of restaurant often attached to a winemaker’s home.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Hogshead
A modern hogshead, quite a bit larger than a small barrel, holds 79.25 gallonsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Hot
Refers to a wine with a level of ALCOHOL that is out of BALANCEThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
House
As used in the Champagne region, house refers to a producer who sellsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Hybrid
A new grape variety developed by breeding two or more genetically distinctThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ice
The word ice is usually used along with the word wine, as in ice wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Imbottigliato all’Origine
Bottled at the source; the term may be used only by estates that produceThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Imbottigliato da
Bottled by, which will be followed by theThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Imbottigliato dal Viticoltore
Bottled by the grower; may be used onlyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
IRF Scale
A scale created to indicate how dry or sweet a riesling tastes. Created by theThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Isinglass
A gelatinous material, obtained from—get ready—the air bladders of sturgeonThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Jammy
The word jammy is usually used to describe a wine with a dense,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Jug Wines
Inexpensive wines sold in large bottles. Jug wines can beThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Kabinett
A level of ripeness indicating that the wine was not completely ripe The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Keller
Cellar.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
KMW
Acronym for Klosterneuburger Mostwage. In Austria, the KMW scale is usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Krater
A shallow bronze or pottery bowl used in antiquity to hold wine;The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ktima
Estate; can appear on theThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Kylix
A shallow, two-handled, often beautifully decoratedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Kythos
In antiquity, a ladle used to scoop wine fromThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Labrusca
See VITISThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Lagar
A shallow stone or cement trough in which grapes are trodden by footThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Lágrima (la-GREE-ma)
A Spanish term, literally, “tears.” Lágrima also refers to a wine madeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Late Harvest
As the term suggests, a wine that comes from grapes picked after the normalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Lees
The remnants of yeast cells and bits of grape skin that settle to the bottomThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Left Bank
The term refers to all of the appellations of Bordeaux that are on the leftThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Legs
Also known as tears in Spain and cathedral windows in Germany, legs are the The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Lese
Harvest. Harvest dates generally range from September to December,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Lieblich
Semi-sweet. The term used to describe German wines with discernible sweetness.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Light-Bodied
The term that describes a wine that has very little weight on the palate.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Liqueur d’Expédition
The wine added to the Champagne bottle after DISGORGING to top it up.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Liqueur de Tirage
The mixture of wine and sugar added along with yeasts to the blend of stillThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Liquoroso
Strong, often but not necessarilyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Luxury Wine
The top category within the widely accepted hierarchy of wine pricesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Macération Carbonique
CARBONIC MACERATION, as it is referred to in English, is a type of FERMENTATIONThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Maderized
A term for a wine that has been subject to a long period of heatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Magnum
A 1.5-liter bottle, which contains the equivalentThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Malolactic Fermentation
This process has nothing to do with primary FERMENTATION since it doesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Marc
The French term for an EAU-DE-VIE made specifically by distilling the POMACEThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mas
The southern French term for aThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Massale Selection
An ancient method (literally mass selection) of establishing a newThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mazedar
The Urdu word mazedar is used to describe the idea of wanting to experienceThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Meniscus (men-IS-cuss)
The thin edge of wine at the top; the meniscus forms a kind of ring whereThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mercaptans
Offensive-smelling compounds that result from poor winemaking when hydrogenThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Meritage
A United States trademarked designation, adopted in 1988 by the MeritageThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Merroir
A play on words, merroir combines the idea of terroir with mer—the FrenchThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Méthode Champenoise
The labor-intensive method used to make Champagne and other fine SPARKLING WINES.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Método Tradicional
Spanish term denoting SPARKLING WINE made by the Champagne methodThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Metodo Tradizionale
The Champagne method (MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE) for making SPARKLING WINE;The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Microoxygenation
A process winemakers use to add oxygen to wine in a controlled fashion.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Millerandage
A viticultural problem caused by abnormal pollination, millerandage resultsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Millésime
A vintageThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Moelleux
A term commonly used in the Loire for very sweet,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Monastiri
Monastery; several Greek wine estates are located in former monasteries,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Monopole
A vineyard owned entirely by one domaine or estate.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mousse
The French term for the snowy layer of bubbles that form onThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mousseux
French for sparkling. Some VIN MOUSSEUX are made by the MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISEThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Mouthfeel
The tactile impression of a wine in your mouth.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Muselet
A muselet (mew-zeh-LAY) is the wire cage or “hood” that holds a Champagne or sparklingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Musque (moose-KAY)
The term musque refers to an especially aromatic version of a grape variety.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Must
The juice and liquidy pulp produced by The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Musty
A dank, old-attic smell in a wine, attributed to unclean storageThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Négociant
An individual or firm that buys grapes and/or ready-made wine from growersThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Nero
Black or very dark red;The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
New World
A descriptive term encompassing all of those wine-producing countriesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Noble Rot
See BOTRYTISThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Nonvintage
When applied to Champagne, a blend of wines from different vintage years.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Nose
The smell of a wine, including both the AROMAThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Nouveau
A young wine meant for immediate drinking, usually seven to ten weeksThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oaky
A descriptive term for the toasty, woody, and vanilla smells and flavorsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Odors
The panoply of smells that may emanate from a wine. These include a wholeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oechsle
Scale used in Germany to indicate the ripeness of grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oeil de Perdrix
Literally “partridge eye,” oeil de perdrix is the term usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oenology
See ENOLOGYThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Off Odors
Unpleasant smells (chemicals, dankness, moldiness, rotten eggs, burnt rubber, sauerkraut, and so on)The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Off-Dry
Ever so slightly sweet. In the U.S., there is, however, no legally definedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oidium
A vine disease alsoThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Old World
As applied to wine, Old World refers to those countries where wine first flourished,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Olfaction
The process of perceiving smells. In order to smell things—that is, in orderThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Organic Viticulture
In general, organic viticulture eschews the use of syntheticThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ortswein
Designation which indicates the wine comes from a good but not great The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Oxidation
The process of exposing wine to air, which changes it.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pago
The Spanish term for a single estate considered exceptional, roughly equalThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pasada
Term used to describeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Passito
The general term for winesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pastoso
Medium (not very) dry.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pét-Nat
Pét-Nat is a contraction of the French term pétillant-naturel (natural sparkling).The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Petrol
One of the characteristics certain rieslings have is what is commonly called The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
PH
A measure of the strength of the relative acidity versus the relativeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Phenols
A group of chemical compounds occurring naturally in all plants.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Phylloxera
A small aphid-like-insect that attacks the roots of vines belongingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pipe
In Victorian England, where a pipe of Port was commonly given to a newbornThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pipe
A traditional Port barrel holding the equivalent of sixty cases of wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Podere
A small farm, often turned into a wine estate. These often useThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pomace
The mashed-up, solid residue of skins, stems, seeds, and pulp thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Prädikat
The word roughly translates as “superior quality” or “possessing special attributes.”The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Premium Wines
In the 1980s, the California-based wine consulting and managementThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Press
To press means to exert pressure on grapes to extract their juices.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Primae Classis
Literally, first class. A Latin designation used by the Hungarians sinceThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Prise de mousse
Literally, “capturing the sparkle,” a term for the secondary fermentationThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Private Reserve
A term found on some NEW WORLD wine labels for which thereThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pro Mensa Caesaris Primus
Around 1700 two Tokay vineyards were given this designation, which meansThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Produced and Bottled By
A term found on U.S. wine labels, indicating that not less than 75% of The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Produttore
Producer.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pruning
The removal of living canes, shoots, leaves, and other vegetative growth.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Puckery
Used to describe a wine that is so high in TANNIN that it causes yourThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pulp
The soft, fleshy part of the grape,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pumping Over
A process during the FERMENTATION of red wine in which the juice is pumped fromThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Puncheon
Modern puncheons, commonly used for wines like sangiovese that don’t The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Punching Down
The opposite of PUMPING OVER, this process accomplishes the same goals.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Punt
The indentation found in the bottom of most wine bottles. The punt mayThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Puttony
The traditional basket in which ASZÚ grapes were gathered.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Pyrazines (PEER-a-zeens)
More correctly known by their long name methoxypyrazines,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)
A broad category of basic everyday wine under German law. QbA winesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP)
Translated as “quality wine with specific attributes,” this is the top levelThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Quinta
Literally farm. In Portugal, the word quinta is used to refer both to a specificThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Qvevri
A large earthenware vessel originating in Georgia around 6,000 B.C. LinedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Racking
After a wine has SETTLED, solids and bits of grape particulate matterThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Raisiny
A descriptive term for a wine (generally a red) that tastes slightly likeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Recioto
A word indicating the wine is sweet (as in recioto di Soave and recioto di Valpolicella).The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rémuage
The RIDDLING (rotating and tilting) of Champagne bottles to concentrateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Reserva
A wine produced only in excellent years. Though national law stipulatesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Reserve
Many producers the world over make a reserve wine in addition to their regularThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Residual Sugar
Natural grape sugar that remains in wine because it has not been convertedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Retsina
A pungent, resin-flavored wine from Greece made by adding small amountsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Riddling
Called rémuage in French, riddling is the process during the making of ChampagneThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Right Bank
The term refers to all of the appellations of Bordeaux that are on the rightThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Riserva
A wine that has been matured for a specific number of years, according The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Roble
Oak in Spanish. Despite Spain’s proximity to France, many Spanish producers The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rocios
Literally, “morning dew.” The name of the process of transferring SherryThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rootstock
The part of the grapevine that is planted directly in the soil.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rosado
Rosé. It’s still a well-kept secret that Spain makes some of the bestThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rosato
Rosé.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rosé Champagne
A pink Champagne. The rosé color, which actually ranges from translucentThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rosso
Red. Vino rosso is distinguished from vino biancoThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rotten Egg
The term most often used to describe a wine thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rotwein
Red wine; Germany and Austria are famous for their whites,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Rough
Used to describe the coarse texture of a (usually young) tannic redThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Saignée
A process used to make rosé by drawing pink-colored juice offThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Schilcher
Austrian name for a high-acid rosé made from the blauerThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Schloss
Castle—many German wine estates are housedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Scion
The above-ground portion of the vine. The scion is grafted onto the rootstock.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sec
French for DRY. In wine, however, the opposite is usually true.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sec
DRY. However, when sec appears on a Champagne or SPARKLING WINE label,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Secco
DRY.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Seco
Dry.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Second Crop
Fruit that matures after the first crop has been picked.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Second Wine
The term for a secondary and usually less expensive wine made by a winery.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Secondary Fermentation
A FERMENTATION that takes place after the first fermentation,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Secundo Classis
Second class in Latin, first used in Hungary around 1700 to indicateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sediment
The particulate matter (usually harmless) and color pigments that mayThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sekt
SPARKLING WINE.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sélection de Grains Nobles
In Alsace, the term for wines made from veryThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Semisecco
Semidry; in reality, medium sweet.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Semiseco
Medium dry.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Settling
The precipitation (settling out) of solid matter in wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Shatter
A phenomenon that can occur in the spring whereby individual grape berriesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Shoot
A tender, new green stem that begins to grow on a vine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Shoot Thinning
The act of removing some shoots in order to improve the quality of the fruit,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Single Quinta
“Single farm” in Portuguese. It is used to refer to a specific vineyard and to a wine estate.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Skin Contact
In a sense, all red wines experience skin contact since in red wine FERMENTATIONThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Small Barrel
Although first used as a general term to describe any wooden container,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Smaragd
Austrian term used in the Wachau region of Lower Austria for the ripestThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Smoke Taint
Smoke taint in wine was first identified in 2003. In California wine country,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Smoky
A smoky smell and taste found in both white and red wines.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sobretable
In Sherry production, the term for the period of time a new wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Solera
Complex network of barrels used for aging Sherry by progressively blendingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sommelier
The French term for a wine steward, which has also been appropriated by The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sori
The sunny top of a hill whereThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sour
A descriptive term, generally used negatively, for a wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sparkling Wine
A wine with bubbles. The most famous sparkling wine is Champagne,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Spätlese
Plural spätlesen. Literally “late harvest.” A level of ripeness indicatingThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Spicy
A descriptive term for a wine with an AROMA or flavor suggestive of aromatic spices.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Split
A small wine bottle containing 6.4 ounces (187.5 milliliters),The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Spritzy
Wines with a small amount of sparkle from carbonation leftThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Spumante
Sparkling; literally,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Starter
Commercial yeasts used to initiateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Stefáni
A way of training grapevines that is especially common on heavilyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Steinfeder
In the Wachau region of Lower Austria, natural unchaptalized winesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Stemmer
A machine that separates the stems from the grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Stemmy
A descriptive term for a wine with the green odorThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Stickies
The affectionate name Australians give to their sweet wines.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Still Wines
All wines that areThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Strausswirtschaft
German wine pubs, often attached to growers’ homes, where they The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Stravecchio
Very old, a term more frequentlyThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sulfur
A natural chemical compund that has been used as a wine preservative since antiquity.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Superiore
Generally indicates a wine of higher quality, often becauseThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sur Lie
Sur lie is French for “on the lees,” and lees for their part are expired yeast cells.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Süssreserve
Grape juice that has been held back from the harvest and unfermentedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Sustainable
As applied in the wine industry, the term sustainable is used to indicateThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Száraz
Dry. The term is usually applied to Szamorodni, the type of wine made in the TokayThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Table Wine
The term used around the world to describe wines of moderate alcoholic strengthThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tannin
A PHENOL (a kind of compound) derived from the skins, seeds, and stems of grapesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tartrates
Usually found clinging to the bottom of a cork, tartrates look like bitsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tension
Tension is the sense in a wine that there are two opposing forces that create a kind of dynamic energy.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tenuta
Holding or estate. Wine estates often incorporate the word tenutaThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Terpene
An organic compound that is produced by a variety of plants (including grapevines)The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Terroir
French term for the sum entity and effect (no single word exists in English)The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tertiary (TUR-she-air-ee)
If you drink only young wine, you might not have run across this word.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Thin
Used to describe a wine lacking character and flavor, possibly becauseThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Thiol
The compound found in the skins of some sauvignon blanc grapes that leadsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Tinto
Denotes a red wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Toasting
Charring the inside of new barrels over an open flame. Charring caramelizesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Topikos Oenos (T.O.)
One of the simpler categories of Greek wine, equivalent to PGIThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Topping Up
To add more wine to a barrel or container to replace any wine lost throughThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Transfer Process
A less expensive way of making SPARKLING WINE than the traditional MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Trocken
Dry. Wines labeled trocken from both Germany and AustriaThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Trockenbeerenauslese (TRAWK-en-bear-en-OWSS-lay-zeh)
Trockenbeerenauslese wines, or TBAs, are generally made only a few times a decade,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Trunk
The vine’s permanent vertical stemThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
TTB
The acronym for the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Txakoli (sha-ko-LEE)
Txakoli is made from the indigenous white grape called hondurrabi zuri.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Txakolina (shack-o-LEE-na)
In Basque, technically translates to “place of txakoli.” Txakolina is a typeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Typicity
A quality that a wine possesses if it is typical of its region and reflectsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ue
A softer, lighter type of GRAPPA achieved byThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Ullage (ULL-edge)
Ullage is the space that develops near the neck and shoulder inside a wine The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Unfiltered
Used to describe a wine that has not been FILTERED to clarify it and removeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Unfined
A wine that has not gone through FINING to remove large particulate matter and some tannins.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Unoaked
A wine that has been fermented and aged in stainless steel or concrete tanks,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Uva
Grape.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
V.A.
Volatile Acidity. All wines have a tiny amount of V.A., usually,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vanillin
A compound in oak barrels that is ultimately imparted to wine as a flavorThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Varietal
Wine made from a particular variety of grape. Chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
VDP
Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter, or Association of German PrädikatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vecchio
Old; said of mature wines.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vegetal
Used to describe a wine with off-putting AROMAS and flavors reminiscent of stewedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vendange Tardive
In Alsace, the term for wines made from late-picked, very ripe grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vendemmia
The vintage, can be used in placeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vendimia
Vintage.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Veraison
The time in summer when grape berries change color signaling the onsetThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viejo
Old.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vigna
Vineyard, also referredThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vignaiolo
Grape grower, also called a viticoltore.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vigneron
Literally “vine grower.” Many French The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Villa
Country manor, often oneThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin de Garde
A wine to save—in other words, a wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin de Pays
Country wine—an everyday wine from a specific region,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin de Table
Table wine. Generally used to indicate a simpleThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin Gris
Vin gris is not the same as pinot gris, the name of a white grape variety.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin Liquoreux
A very sweet, syrupy white wine, generally madeThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin Mousseux
Sparkling wine, made either by SECONDARY FERMENTATION The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vin Ordinaire
Literally ordinary wine—a plain wine with no regional or VARIETAL characteristics.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viña
Literally means vineyard, but the word viña is often usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vinegary
Describes a wine with the harsh aroma of vinegar, usually producedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viniculture
The science of winemaking. The term is usedThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vinifera
See VITIS.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino da Arrosto
Wine for a roast, implying a red thatThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino da Pasto
Everyday wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino da Tavola
Table wine—the regulation termThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino de Mesa
Table wine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino Espumoso
General termThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino Generoso
FORTIFIED wineThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vino Novello
The wine of the current year, now used in the same senseThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vinous
Winelike. Europeans sometimes criticize California winesThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vintage
The year the grapes were grown and harvested. A vintage year appearsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vintage Champagne
Champagne made from a single year’s harvest. Aged a minimum of three yearsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vinted and Bottled By
A term found on United States wine labels, indicating that the wine was bottledThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vintner
A person who makes or sells wine. Often used to describe the owner The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viscous
The character some wines possess of being somewhat syrupy and slow to moveThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vite
Vine.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viticoltore
Grape grower.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Viticulture
The science of growing grapes.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vitigno
Grape variety.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vitis
The genus of the plant kingdom to which grapevines belong. Within the genusThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vitis Labrusca
American vine species that generally produces wines that are far lessThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Vitis Vinifera
A vine species accounting for most of the wines made in the world today.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Volatile Acidity
All wines have a tiny amount of volatile acidity, usually, with any luck,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Weingut
Wine estate.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Weinkellerei
Winery that buys grape MUST or wine from a grower,The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Weinstube
German for wine tavern; a comfortable, casual restaurantThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Weissherbst
In Germany, a rosé wine of at least QUALITÄTSWEIN BESTIMMTER ANBAUGEBIETEThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Winzer
Grape farmer.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Yeasts
Single-celled microorganisms used to convert sugarThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Yeasty
In STILL WINES, yeasty describes an AROMA suggestive of the yeasts used in FERMENTATION.The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
Yield
The measure of how much a vineyard produces. In general, very high yieldsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
A. The medieval French word for a small village, similar to the Old English “burg”
B. A nomadic German tribe which once settled in the area
C. The Latin word Burgarius which was the name for a Roman province that once extended over most of central France
D. The name for early French rural governing bodies which were made up of noble councilmen who were known as Burrs
8.8
Number of pounds (in millions) of dried, smokable, legal marijuana The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
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