Spanish aging designation that for red wine stipulates that it has been aged for a total of 5 years after harvest with at least 18 months in oak (in Rioja and Ribera del Duero the minimum is 24 months). For Spanish white wines the requirement is 4 years o ...
Originally created in California these blended wines can be summed up as the "American Bordeaux". The term is a blend of the words "merit" and "heritage" and pronounced the same. The Red blend is made from at least 2 of the 5 Bordeaux grape varieties: Cab ...
A technique of fining that uses the whites of eggs to attract negatively charged matter.
The French term for destemming. Destemming is removing stems prior to pressing and fermenting the grapes and their juice. Stems have a significant amount of coarse and often green tannin undesirable in the finished wine.
The juice that comes from the very first pressing of the grapes. After the free run juice this is the highest quality juice with the best balance of phenols sugars and acids.
How well a wine reflects the characteristics of its grape variety and terroir
Another term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol which is accounts for the majority of alcohol compounds found in wine
French term most often associated with Bordeaux where it denotes a Chateau's premier wine or "first wine". On a wine label the word's Grand vin may appear to help distinguish the wine from an estate's second or third wine.
Limestone based vineyard soil that is almost pure calcium-carbonate. Associated with several wine regions such as the Champagne wine region of France.
French term for a grape grower who makes their own wine. Often associated with the Champagne wine region where producers of Grower Champagnes are identified by the initials RM (for Récoltant-Manipulant) on wine labels
A measurement of "total acidity" (TA) including tartaric malic and lactic of a wine minus the volatile acids.
The French term for the period of time during alcoholic fermentation when the wine is in contact with the solid matter such as skin pips stalks in order to extract colour flavour and tannin.[8] See also maceration.
Wine labeling term introduced to the European Union in 2009 to replace the "Table Wine" designation. Used to denote a wine with lower specification and regulation than that with a PDO or GI designation.
Soils with high levels of sodium that will interfere with the growth and development of the grapevine.
The shoot fruit or flower offspring that arise from bud that has experienced a spontaneous genetic mutation in at least one gene in one of the buds cells. This offspring will be genetically different from the rest of the bud offspring on the plant and ma ...
A blending term used to refer to either blending a wine with one distinct characteristic (such as high acidity) into a wine that currently dominated by the opposite characteristic (such as low acidity). It can also mean blending a red wine with a white wi ...
The quality of wine that gives it its crispiness and vitality. A proper balance of acidity must be struck with the other elements of a wine or else the wine may be said to be too sharp – having disproportionately high levels of acidity – or too flat – ha ...
A micro-organism present on the skins of grapes that reacts with the sugars inside and results in the production of ethyl alcohol during a process called fermentation.
The degree of temperature variation that occurs in a wine region from daytime to night.
An A-frame rack used in the production of sparkling wine. The drilled holes in the boards allow sparkling wine bottles to go through the riddling process to slowly move the leftover sediment from secondary fermentation into the neck for removal.
The plastic or foil that covers the cork and part of the neck of a wine bottle.
Italian term for a winery that only produces wine from its own estate vineyards
Crystalline deposits of the tartaric acids that precipitate out of the wine over time or through exposure to cold temperatures such as the process of cold stabilization.
Abbreviation for the French term Union Coopérative denoting a regional or local cooperative.
Also known as malo or MLF a secondary fermentation in wines by lactic acid bacteria during which tart tasting malic acid is converted to softer tasting lactic acid during which carbon dioxide is generated.
A chemical reaction in winemaking. In alcoholic fermentation it is the conversion of sugars to alcohol by yeast while in malolactic conversion it is the conversion of malic acid to lactic by bacteria.
Wine packaged in a bag usually made of flexible plastic and protected by a box usually made of cardboard. The bag is sealed by a simple plastic tap.
Varies by region. In the UK a very sweet low alcohol wine. In the US by law any wine containing over 15% alcohol.
Italian term for a very large barrel that can hold up to 160 hectolitres (4 200 US gal)
An Italian term for a wine that has been blended from several grape varieties-the opposite of a varietal. An example would be a Chianti that is based on Sangiovese but include other grape varieties in the bend.
Cane pruning is when one or two canes from a vine's previous year's growth are cut back to six to fifteen buds which will be the coming growing seasons grape producers.
The lowest level of the Portuguese classification system. Similar to a vin de pays.
The juice that is still remaining the wine grapes during Champagne wine production after the second pressing has retrieved the taille fraction. By law this juice can not be used to make Champagne and is usually discarded or distilled
A wine that is either drunk by itself (i.e. without food) or before a meal in order to stimulate the appetite.
A wine that was allowed to complete the process of fermentation without interruption to produce a wine that is completely dry.
In Australia wine bottled without a commercial label usually sold cheaply in bulk quantities.
A stage during the flowering period of the grape vine when the calyptra has fallen off and the vine is in full bloom.
An acronym for "Buyer's Own Brand" which refers to a private label wine owned by the restaurant or retailer that sells the wine.
The degree to which bottled wine of the same style and vintage can vary.
A cask of wine used to store Sherry with a capacity between 159 to 172 gallons (600-650 liters)
Roots that develop in areas of the grapevine where there previously was no root system such as the roots that develop from the nodes of a newly planted cutting. While grapevines have adventitious roots they do not have adventitious buds and requiring pr ...
The area of the winery where point of sale purchases occur. This can be a tasting room or a separate sales area.
French cask capable of holding 900 litres (240 US gal) or the equivalent of 100 cases of twelve standard 750ml (75 cL) bottles of wine.
A highly toxic concoction of chemicals used to eliminate pests in the vineyards such as flies larvae moths and spiders. In organic and biodynamic viticulture the use of pesticides is prohibited.
The tendency of the central mid-section region of a grapevine shoot up to the apex to exhibit the most growth and development of foliage tendrils and grape clusters. The apical dominance of the grapevine also inhibits the growth of lateral buds.
The indentation found in the base of a wine bottle. Punt depth is often thought to be related to wine quality with better quality wines having a deeper punt.
Also known as 'Brouillis the cloudy water-white alcoholic spirit of around 30% ABV that is derived from the first distillation of Cognac production
The growth cells located at the tip of a grapevine shoot that have the ability to differentiate and continue to grow. Unlike other plants grapevines do not have terminal buds that limit growth.
French term (now English also) for the onset of ripening of the grape cluster.
French term along with cuvier that refers to the building or room where fermentation takes place. Essentially the room building grange barn garage or shed or other building used for "making wine." When the grapes are first picked they arrive at the cuveri ...
Higher quality classification of wine above every day drinking table wines. While premium wines maybe very expensive there is no set price point that distinguishes when a wine becomes a "premium wine." Premium wines generally have more aging potential tha ...
An aromatized wine that is made with wormwood and potentially other ingredients.
French term for the sorting of grapes after harvest but before crushing/pressing to remove less desirable bunches or MOG
The tendency of water of within two solutions separated by a semipermeable membrane to travel from a weaker solution to the more concentrated one to achieve equilibrium. In winemaking osmotic pressure is observed in yeast cells added to grape must with a ...
A large bottle holding six liters the equivalent of eight regular wine bottles.
Also known as bottle-sickness a temporary condition of wine characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors. It often occurs immediately after bottling or when wines (usually fragile wines) are shaken in travel. After several days the condition usuall ...
A classification of Bordeaux wine estates in the Medoc that were not part of the originally 1855 Bordeaux classification.
Vine training system where the vines are kept as individual free-standing vines not supported by or joined together by a trellising system. Also known as Goblet training. Common training system in the Rhone Valley and in parts of California with old vine ...
The removal of the mound of dirt added to the base of the vine to protect the graft union from frost danger
A white wine with extending skin contact similar to red wine production. The opposite of a rosé
Chemicals or other materials that are mixed with sprays aid in the penetration wetting or spreading of the active ingredient in the viticultural spray.
A sour-tasting highly acidic liquid made from the oxidation of ethanol in wine cider beer fermented fruit juice or nearly any other liquid containing alcohol.
A technique of filtering wine that involves running the wine through a series of pads made of asbestos cellulose or thin paper sheet.
Italian terms for a sparkling wine that has gone through secondary fermentation according to the traditional method
A dry wine from a "great growth" vineyard that has been designated as Erste Lage. In many regions this term has been replaced by Grosses Gewächs.
French cask capable of holding 900 litres (240 US gal) or the equivalent of 100 cases of twelve standard 750ml (75 cL) bottles of wine. Historically associated with the wine of Bordeaux.
An optional attachment to the Cognac still that heats the wine prior to the first distillation
The time a sparkling wine spend aging in the bottle between when it has been disgorged to when the bottle is opened for consumption.
The abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or controlled and guaranteed place name which is the category for the highest-ranking wine in Italy.
A German wine region. Anbaugebiet are further divided into bereiche or districts.
The balance of weight acidity and fruit flavors that are perceived while the wine is still in the tasters mouth and before swallowing
The highest class of wine in the German wine classification formerly called Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. These wines always display a specific Prädikat on their label.