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The calculation based on brix must weight and other measurements of the potential finished alcohol levels if a batch of grape must was fermented to complete dryness
The supplementation of water in the vineyard either by drip-systems overhead sprinklers or canals. While commonly used in New World wine regions the practice was until recently banned in most wine-regions in the European Union
The undeveloped primordial grape shoot that is usually located along nodes of a cane.
A United States & South Africa winery license allowing farms to produce and sell wine on-site.
A natural by product of the fermentation process in which yeast cells convert sugar into nearly equal parts alcohol and carbonic gas. While a small amount stays presence in the wine as carbonic acid most of the gas will rise to the surface of the ferment ...
Vineyard soils that include two contrasting soil textures layered one on top of the other. An example is the vineyards of Western Australia where coarse sand is commonly found over fine grained clay. Duplex soils are categorized based on the color of the ...
A sweet fortified wine which is produced from grapes grown and processed in the Douro region of Portugal. This wine is fortified with the addition of distilled grape spirits in order to boost the alcohol content and stop fermentation thus preserving some ...
Spanish aging designation. For red wines this means that a wine has been aged for at least 3 years following harvest with at least 12 months in oak. For Spanish white wines the designation means that the wine has been aged for at least 18 months with at l ...
The length of time that wine has been allowed to age and mature in bottle.
A phrase that may appear on French wine labels from Alsace Condrieu Coteaux du Layon and Macon to indicate a wine made from botrytis-infected grapes
The second fraction that is collected during the distillation process in Cognac production that makes up the vast majority of the end product
The outward extensions or "arms" of a grapevine extending from the trunk which carries the fruiting grape shoots or spurs.
A mechanical means of concentrating the grape must (and such increasing sugar concentration) by chilling the must until its water content freezes into ice crystals that are then removed. This production method is used to make so called "ice box wines" in ...
The molecules of sulfur dioxide that binds with sugar and acids in the wine. This leaves the unbound "free sulfur" to combine with molecules of oxygen in order to prevent oxidation.
A piece of stemware having a long stem with a tall narrow bowl on top.
A style of winemaking using organically grown grapes and a minimum amount of chemical additives such as sulfur dioxide.
A metric measure of volume equal to 33.8 fluid ounces (U.S.) or 35.2 fl oz (imperial).
Italian term for a trade organization of wine producers. Often members of individual consorzio will have their wines packaged with a specific neck label that identifies their membership in the consorzio.
A wine blended from several vats or batches or from a selected vat. Also used in Champagne to denote the juice from the first pressing of a batch of grapes.
French term for fortifying a wine by adding alcohol to the must either before fermentation (i.e. vin de liqueur) or during (i.e. vin doux naturel)
French term for a famous brand of wine most commonly associated with the large Champagne houses.
A method of fertilization that involves spraying plant nutrients directly onto the foliage of the grape vine so that it is absorbed by the leaves rather than through the root system.
Wines for which committed buyers will pay large sums of money because of their desirability and rarity.
A fine powder-like substance of volcanic origins that is sometimes used for ceramic filtration. It has many of the same filtering properties as diatomaceous earth.
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.
In a vertical tasting different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery are tasted such as a winery's Pinot noir from five different years. This emphasizes differences between various vintages for a specific wine. In a horizontal tasting the w ...
A style of Italian wine that became popular in Tuscany in the late 20th century where premium quality wines were produced outside of DOC regulations and sold for high prices with the low level vino da tavola designation.
Austrian term originally referring to the aszú production method of mixing grapes affected by noble rot with a fermenting base wine. Today a Prädikat in Austria intermediate between Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.
A vine whose parentage is from grape varieties that belong to the same Vitis species such as Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc from the Vitis Vinifera family crossing to produce Cabernet Sauvignon.
A wine that was allowed to complete the process of fermentation without interruption to produce a wine that is completely dry.
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 man-made support system used in vine-training where shoots and cordons of grapevines are held along wires attached to posts
The skins stalks and pips (seeds) that remain after making wine. Also called marc.
A fortified wine that has been subjected to controlled oxidation to produce a distinctive flavor.
Italian term for a wine that has been aged either in oak or in the bottle
Compounds found in the seeds skins and stalks of grapes that contribute vital characteristics to the color texture and flavor of wine. Two of the most notable phenols in wine include anthocyanins which impart color and tannins which add texture and agin ...
Winemaking organization that is jointly owned by a number of growers who pool their resources and vineyards to produce wine under one label
French term for a "First growth". Used mostly in conjunction with the wines of Burgundy and Champagne where the term is regulated.
The degree to which bottled wine of the same style and vintage can vary.
A chemical or natural product (such as manure or compost) used to enrich the soil with one or more of the vital nutrients (nitrogen phosphorus and potassium) needed for optimal vine development.
The stage in the annual growth cycle of a grapevine where the grapes ripen and change color.
An optional attachment to the Cognac still that heats the wine prior to the first distillation
A highspeed form of microfiltration that has the wine flow across a membrane filter rather than through it.
French term for a wine made from grapes that have been harvested by hand
Blending unfermented fresh grape juice into a fully fermented wine in order to add sweetness. Synonymous with the German winemaking technique Sussreserve.
Another term for producer vine. This the part of the vine usually Vitis vinifera that is grafted on the rootstock and from which wine grapes will be harvested from
A wine fermented in oak barrels as opposed to stainless steel or concrete. Traditional with white Burgundies some Chardonnays and some Champagne.
Substances added at or near the completion of wine processing to remove of organic compounds for the purpose of improving clarity or adjusting flavor or aroma.
Yeast assimilable nitrogen a measurement of amino acids and ammonia compounds that can be used by wine yeast during fermentation
The "tails" of alcohol spirits leftover at the end of distillation in the production of Cognac. These are usually low in alcohol and may be re-distilled or blended with the "heart" (distillate with 70% ABV taken after the "heads" are produced) to add flav ...
A term often abbreviated as LD on sparkling wine labels that means the wine was recently disgorged after spending an extended period aging on its lees.
The point when a grape has achieved a sufficient balance of sugars and acids. In recent years there has been an emphasis on developing the physiological ripeness of phenolic compounds in the grape such as tannin. Unlike sugar/acid ripeness "physiological ...
Also known as "ethyl alcohol". The primary alcohol in wine and most other alcoholic beverages. The alcohol content of a wine contributes to its body.
Portuguese term for the process where Madeira is heated in estufas (ovens) and then cooled to create the unique flavors and texture of the wine.
An umbrella term for various methods of sterilization and stabilization of the grape must.
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.
A pale pinkish color wine. It may refer to a sweet rosé such as White Zinfandel.
French for "bottled at the winery" usually in Bordeaux.
Abbreviation for the Spanish term vino comarcal denoting a local wine similar to a vin de pays in France.
Also known as late picked wine made from grapes that have been left on the vine longer than usual. Usually an indicator for a very sweet or dessert 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.
Vintage is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product. A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all or primarily grown and harvested in a single specified year.
A large bottle holding 15 litres the equivalent of 20 regular wine bottles.
A technique that permits grafting of different grape varieties onto existing rootstocks in a vineyard.
Chemicals such as sulfur dioxide that are used to prevent the grape must from oxidizing.
Chemical herbicide which kills the portion of the plant that it comes into contact with.
Fungal infection of grapevines that can negatively impact photosynthesis by covering the leaves in a downy patches. Also known as Peronospora
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 process of decreasing the volatility of a wine by removing particles that may cause unwanted chemical changes after the wine has been bottled. In winemaking wines are stabilized by fining filtration adding sulfur dioxide or techniques such as cold s ...
A container with a neck that is narrower than the body and a "mouth." Modern wine bottles are nearly always made of glass because it is nonporous strong and aesthetically pleasing.
The process of pouring wine from its bottle into a decanter to separate the sediment from the wine.
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.
A large bottle holding 3-5 litres the equivalent of 4-6 regular wine bottles.
A term used by the World Trade Organization to designate a wine region that can produce wines with defined characteristics (such as an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in France).
The primary acid found in wine that is detectable only on the palate. Prior to veraison the ratio of tartaric and malic acid in grapes are equal but as malic acid is metabolized and used up by the grapevine the ratio of tartaric sharply increases.
