Winemaking and The Facts about Sulfites

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WINE GLOSSARY

Glossary to the Words of Wine
Understanding the words and terms used to describe the wine making process is critical to improving your craft. Even the vernacular used to describe flavors, mouthfeel and aromas when tasting wine can be confusing. This comprehensive glossary to the words of wine will help.

Barrel Aged	Refers to wines that are fermented in containers such as stainless steel, then placed in oak barrels to mature. Also refers to wines that are fermented in the barrel. Barrel-fermented: Some white wines, notably Chardonnay, may be fermented in barrels rather than in stainless steel to impart a subtle oak character. Barrique: Small French oak barrel.
Big	Used to describe wines that are very full and intense; considered the opposite of elegant.
Black Fruits	Aromas and flavors found typically in red wines including those of blackberries, black currants, blueberries and black cherries. :
Black Grapes	Grapes with reddish or blue pigment in their skins used to make red wine.
Blend	To assemble individual lots of wine together to make one wine. Can apply to different grape varieties, or grapes of the same type from different vineyards, regions and vintages.
Body	The tactile impression of wine in your mouth. Think in terms of light, medium and full-- or skim milk, whole milk and cream! Bordeaux blend: A style of wine assembled from the classic red grapes of Bordeaux including Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot .
Bottle Aging	he winemaker decides how long a wine will age in the bottle before it is released for sale. Many wines are made to be consumed upon release; finer wines, particularly reds, may require additional bottle aging by the consumer. In the case of Champagne and sparkling wine, bottle aging allows the wine to acquire, complexity, depth and fine texture; it is also known as aging "on the yeast" or "en tirage".
Bouquet	The more developed and complex aromas said to be evident in older and mature wines.
Bright	A wine descriptor referring the character of the wine, including its appearance in the glass, to be fresh and exciting, and refracting light.
Brix	Scale of measurement of total dissolved compounds in grape juice and approximate concentration of sugars used in the United States as one gauge of ripeness at harvest. One degree Brix is approximately 12-g/1 sugar.
Brut	Champagne style that is very dry, meaning little or no residual sugar.
Bung	Barrel stopper made of glass, plastic, rubber, silicone or other material which seals the bung-hole in the barrel like a cork. Can be removed to permit topping up or racking. The position of the bunghole can be changed to maximize or reduce aeration.
Buttery	Descriptor often applicable to Chardonnay that has undergone malolactic fermentation; describes both texture and flavor attributes.
Castello	The Italian word for castle; refers to a wine estate, such as Castello d'Albola. Cedary: A woody aroma that characterizes certain red varietals.
Champagne	Refers to sparkling wines made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France and vinified using the Methode Champenoise winemaking process. Term is sometimes used to refer to sparkling wines from different regions, but correctly, only sparkling wine from Champagne may be called Champagne.
Charry	Aromas and flavors of a toasty nature created by the application of oak barrel aging to the wine.
Chateau	A French winery estate, typically found in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, the architecture of chateaux can range from grand to mundane.
Classico	Italian term indicating that wine comes from the heart of a specific region. While Chianti Classico is a demarcated DOCG district, the Classico for Verdicchio, for example, refers to the central part of the appellation.
Clone	A selection within a grape variety, which exhibits certain characteristics distinct from others in the group. Viticulturists and winemakers experiment with different clones of the same variety to optimize their plantings and provide specific flavor and tactile characteristics.
Colheita	Term used in Port winemaking referring to vintage.
Commune	Typically refers to a wine-growing village in the Burgundy region of France. Compact: Wine described as intense but not full.
Complex	Opposite of simple. A wine that has a lot going on. Concentrated: Dense aromas and flavors.
Concentration	What wines with dense aromas and flavors evidence (as opposed to weak and watery).
Cooperage	Collective term for wooden containers; also used to refer to the activities and workplace of coopers, who make and repair small barrels and large wooden vats.
Creamy	Wines, particularly barrel-fermented Chardonnay that has undergone a secondary, malolactic fermentation, that have a rich, smooth mouth feel and are fuller in body are often characterized as creamy.
Crisp	Describes wines that are clean, and possibly a bit on the tart side. Opposite of soft. Wines that are crisp are typically higher in acid, and go well with food.
Cuvee	A blend of many lots of still wines, particularly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, designed to become a well-balanced Champagne or sparkling wine.
Decant	To transfer wine from the bottle into another container, to aerate or to separate a red wine from its sediment Demi-sec: A Champagne style that is semi-dry, but sweeter than sec. Depth: The impression of many layers of complexity in a fine wine.
Disgorging	The process by which the sediment collected in the neck of the Champagne bottle during the riddling process is frozen and expelled prior to the final corking.
District	Refers to a geographic area more specific than region, but less specific than commune.
DO	Abbreviation for Denominacion de Origen, which means place name and refers to Spain's official category for wines whose name, region of origin, variety and other defining factors are regulated by law.
DOC	Abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which means controlled place name. Italy's official category for wines whose name, region of origin, variety and other defining factors are regulated by law. In Portugal, DOC is also an abbreviation for the highest official wine category, Denominacao de Origem Controlada.
DOCG	Abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita , meaning controlled and guaranteed place. Italy's official category for its highest ranking wines.
Dosage	The liqueur, or sugar dissolved in reserve wine, added to the Champagne just before final corking. The dosage finishes the Champagnes and determines its level of sweetness.
Doux	A Champagne style that is sweet.
Domaine	French term for wine estate, commonly used in Burgundy.
Dry	Refers to a wine that is not sweet. Can also mean a wine that feels rough or dry in the mouth.
Dull	Opposite of bright and clean; can refer to a wine's appearance, aromas and flavors or overall style.
Earthy	Refers to aromas and flavors that suggest wet or dry earth or minerals.
Elegance	Suggests a wine of a certain delicacy and grace as opposed to power and intensity. Estate: A property that grows grapes and makes wine from its own vineyards. Extra-sec: A Champagne style that is extra dry I but sweeter than Brut .
Fermentation	A naturally occurring process by which the action of yeast converts sugar in grape juice into alcohol, and the juice becomes wine.
Finish	The final impression of the wine in the mouth after swallowing, particularly in terms of length and persistence of flavor.
Firm	Describes a wine neither soft nor harsh in reference to tannins in a red wine and acidity in a white.
Flabby	Describes wines that are too soft.
Flavor Compounds	Organic compounds in grapes responsible for many of the aromas and flavors in wine.
Flavor Intensity	How strongly wine flavors are perceived.
Flavors	The aromatic components of wine that define its varietal characteristics as noted in the mouth.
Fleshy	Wines described as fleshy have a rich texture and mouth feel.
Fortified Wine	Wines such as Port to which alcohol has been added.
French Oak	Considered by many to be the finest oak for the aging of white wines; also used for reds.
Fruit Character	The characteristics of the wine has derived from the fruit, including aromas, flavors, tannins, acidity and extract.
Fruity	The fruit aromas and flavors evident in wine. Can be fresh, dried, cooked; examples include fresh apples, dried figs, and strawberry jam.
Grape Tannin	Tannins in a red wine attributed to the grapes as opposed to winemaking methods.
Grape Variety	Type of grape, such as Chardonnay or Merlot.
Harmonious	Referring to a pleasant and graceful balance of components in a wine. Herbal: Aromas and flavors in wine that suggest those of herbs.
IGT	Indicazione Geografica Tipica. A category of wines created in Italy by Wine law 164 in 1992 to approximate the French Vin de Pays and German landwein.
Intense	Used to describe wines that express their character powerfully.
Lees	The grape solids and spent yeast cells that fall to the bottom of a white wine after fermentation.
Length	The sustained impression of a wine across the tongue.
Maceration	The process of soaking the skins of red grapes in their juice to extract color , tannins and other substances into the wine; can occur pre or post fermentation.
Malolactic Fermentation	A natural, secondary fermentation, optional in the winemaking process, which softens the total acidity of the wine through the conversion of malic into lactic acid.
Maturation	The process by which a wine reaches a point of readiness for bottling; can continue in the bottle.
Methode Champenoise	The traditional French Champagne winemaking method used for producing sparkling wine.
Methode Traditionelle	The equivalent of the traditional French Champagne process know as Methode Champenoise, but applied to the making of sparkling wines outside the Champagne region.
Minerally	Used to describe flavors and aromas that suggest minerals, such as flint, steel, chalk etc.
Mousse	The ring of light foam at the top of a glass of sparkling wine.
New World	Winemaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Canada etc. outside of Western Europe.
New Oak	Can refer to brand new barrels, or barrels that have been used from one to four years previously.
Non-vintage	Refers to those Champagnes whose Cuvee contains wine from a previous vintage.
Nutty	Broad descriptor to describe aromas and flavors of nuts in a wine; more specifically hazelnut, almonds, roasted nuts etc.
Oaky	The aroma and flavor characteristics imparted to a wine through the use of oak barrel fermentation and/or aging. These may be characterized as vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, toast, smoke or char. Sometimes associated with imparting a higher tanning level than the wine might ordinarily have.
Off-dry	Term for wines that are neither fully sweet not dry.
Old World	Refers to the winemaking countries of Western Europe including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Old Oak	Barrels old enough to have lost much of its woody character. Generally five year or older.
Old Vines	Term referring to vines that are generally 40 years or older. Presumed to deliver small yields, but good quality.
Palate	Referring to the mouth, or how a wine I s characteristics manifest themselves in the mouth.
Petrol	Aromas or flavors reminiscent of gasoline, classic in European versions of Gewi.irztraminer and Riesling.
Phylloxera	A parasite that feeds on the roots of vi tis vinifera grapes, resulting in decline and premature death.
Plummy	Aromas and flavors that suggest ripe plums.
Plush	Describes a wine that feels luxurious in the mouth. Powerful: Describes a wine of intensity and strength. Pretty: Describes a wine of delicacy and finesse.
Primary Aromas	Fresh fruit aromas suggestive of the wine varietal. Punt: The dome-shaped indentation in the bottom of a wine bottle.
Racking	The process by which clear wine is removed by siphon from the settled sediment or lees in the bottom of a container.
Red Grapes	Also called black grapes, with skins that have reddish or blue pigment in their skins.
Region	Geographical area for wine growing less specific than a district; more specific than a state or country.
Reserve	Loose designation for presumably higher quality than "standard" version of the wine. In the case of Champagne, reserve wine refers to wine from previous vintages added to the cuvee for consistent quality and style.
Residual Sugar	Remaining sugar in wine after fermentation.
Riddling	The art of turning and tilting bottles of sparkling wine in order to ease the sediment into the neck of the bottle. Often performed mechanically in modern facilities. Riserva/Reserva: Italian/Spanish term for "reserve" indicating longer aging before release and suggesting higher quality. Regulations determine how long this is for individual wines.
Rose	In still wine or Champagne, a slightly pink tint comes from contact with the grape skins or the addition of a small portion of red wine to the cuvee.
Round	As opposed to flat or angular, refers to a wine's structure, particularly acid, tannin, sweetness and alcohol.
Sec	A Champagne style that is dry, but sweeter than extra-sec.
Second-label	A less expensive or second brand made from grapes or wine a level down from primary label.
Sediment	Residue in the bottom of a bottle of red wine that forms as the wine ages. Serious: Describes a high-quality wine.
Silky	Refers to a smooth, supple texture.
Single-vineyard Wine	Wine made from the (presumably) good grapes of a single plot of land and not blended with any other grapes.
Skin Contact	The pre-fermentation period in which the grape juice rests in contact with the skins of the grapes. Used in red winemaking to enhance colors and texture; may be used briefly in white winemaking to enhance aromas.
Smoky	Aromas and flavors suggesting smoke or smoked wood imparted by oak barrel fermentation or aging.
Smooth	Describes a wine that is not rough or harsh.
Soft	Wine lacking in hardness or roughness, and present when alcohol and sugar dominate acidity and tannin.
Sparkling	Refers to all effervescent wines outside those from the Champagne region of France, vinified the Methode Champenoise, correctly known elsewhere are Methode Traditionelle.
Stemmy	Red wines with green or stalky tannins.
Stems	Woody part of the grape bunch which are high in tannin. Usually removed and discarded before fermentation.
Stony	Aromas or flavors that suggest the mineral quality of stones.
Structural Components	A wine's alcohol, tannin, acid and sugar if any.
Structure	How a wine's structural components are perceived. Ideally structure should be well-balanced, without anyone component dominant.
Style	Characteristics that form the personality of the wine.
Supple	Describes a wine that is fluid in texture in the mouth, without roughness or harshness.
Sweetness	The impression of a sugary taste in a wine. Can be due to the presence of residual sugar or other sweet-tasting substances such as alcohol.
Tannic	Describes wines too high in tannin.
Tannin	A substance found in the skins, stems and seeds of grapes (grape tannins) and imparted by oak barrels (wood tannins), that, in balance, can lend structure, texture and ageability to red wines.
Tarry	Aromas and flavors that suggest fresh tar.
Tart	A term that can be applied to wines that are too high in acid, or made from under ripe grapes.
Taste	The impressions formed by wine in the mouth, perceived as bitter, sweet and sour.
Terroir	French term referring to the growing conditions in the vineyard, including climate, soil, elevation, slope, drainage, topography etc.
Texture	How a wine feels in the mouth.
Tight	Can refer to a certain lean or underdeveloped quality of the wine in its aromas, flavor or structure.
Tirage	The process of bottling a cuvee with the addition of active yeast and sugar in order to induce a second fermentation. The carbonation produced by this second fermentation is trapped in the bottle, producing the effervescence of Champagnes and sparkling wines.
Topping Up	The process by which evaporated wine is replaced in the barrel or carboy.
Varietal	Term for grape variety.
Varietal Character	The unmistakable set of sensory characteristics attributable to a grape variety.
Vegetal	Aromas or flavors that suggest vegetables.
Vin de Pays	French phrase for country wine. Lower status than AOC.
Vinification	The activity of making grape juice into wine.
Vintage	The year in which a wine I s grapes were harvested; sometimes referring to the grape harvest itself. Vintage designations are only given to Champagnes whose cuvees contain wines made from a single year's harvest. As with Port, a Champagne vintage is only declared in a year of exceptional quality.
Viticulture	The activity of growing grapes.
Vitis Vinifera	Species to which most of the worlds wine grapes belong.
Weight	Impression of heft and volume of the wine in the mouth.
Well-balanced	Used to describe wines in which all component--alcohol, acid, tannin (if any) and sugar (if any)--relate to each other in such a way that none seems dominant.
Wood Tannin	Describes tannins attributable to barrel aging, rather than the grapes.
Yeast	One-celled organisms responsible for turning grape juice into wine.


copyright 2004 J.R.Leverentz