A
Tartness that comes from any of several types of acid found in wine. The right amount of acidity gives a wine freshness.
Aeration
Exposing the wine to oxygen during the winemaking process helps to round, soften and age it slightly. It also allows the yeast some necessary oxygen to grow and do its job of fermentation. This must be done carefully so as not to oxidize the wine. Aeration is also associated with decanting or giving the wine some breathing time before drinking it.
Aftertaste
The flavor the wine leaves in your mouth after it is swallowed. It is also known as the finish of a wine. Fine wines have a long finish, or aftertaste.
Aging
As a wine ages, one of the natural chemical components in it, called tannin, binds together and makes the wine taste smoother. The flavours mellow and often take on a nutty, smoky or dried-fruit character, depending on the wine. Not all wines benefit from aging. In fact, most are made to be consumed within a year or two of their purchase.
See Tannic
Aglianico
Aglianico is a good quality, robust red wine from southern Italy. In its youth, it’s very tannic and acidic, so it requires many years to become smooth and enjoyable on the palate. It has great balance with subtle fruit flavors and hints of earthiness, tar, coffee and chocolate. Anglianco complements rich meat and game dishes.
Ajaccio
Ajaccio is a wine made from the sciacarello grape grown on the island of Corsica, the highest elevation for a wine region in France. The wine is light red, tannic and has aromas of pepper and candied fruit. It pairs well with lamb, Venaco and goat’s cheese.
Alcohol
The substance formed by the fermentation of sugar by yeast. In the wine industry, alcohol usually refers to is ethyl alcohol.
Amarone
Amarone is made from the grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara that are grown in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. This dry, full-bodied red wine has a slight tartness with a raisiny sweetness of concentrated black cherries and the aroma of cedar or tobacco. This robust wine pairs well with beef, cheese, chocolate desserts, game, spices and vegetables in casseroles and stews.
Angel’s Share
The Angel’s Share is that portion of the wine that evaporates through the porous oak barrels during the aging process. In cellars or caves with low humidity, most evaporation is water. In high humidity conditions, more alcohol than water is lost, reducing the alcoholic strength of the wine, but making the angels a lot happier.
Angular
A young wine that has a tart taste or flavour. This is the opposite of a round, soft, supple wine.
Appellation
The area where grapes are grown and made into wine. Appellations are used to identify most of the wines of France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal. Often laws that govern the type of grapes used, yields and other aspects of winemaking are based on the appellation system. New World countries such as the United States and Canada are embracing a voluntary appellation system as a means of differentiating wines from various regions.
Aroma
The scent from the grape or the merely vinous smells found in young wine as opposed to smells that develop later with age.
See Bouquet
Astringent
A dry, mouth-puckering effect derived from high tannin (see Tannic) content that should soften and mellow as a wine matures. This effect is similar to drinking over-steeped tea or chewing on a grape stalk.
Austere
A wine that is dry, hard, and acidic, lacking in fruit and character.
B
The Greek god of wine. Also the name of a grape variety grown in Germany that is a crossing of silvaner, riesling and müller-thurgau.
Balance
The relationship between a wine's acids, sugars, tannins and alcohol. When all are in harmony, a wine is well-balanced.
See Tannic
Bandol
Bandol wine comes from Provence in southern France. It’s most famous for its red wines that are full-bodied and made from the mourvèdre grape. This robust wine has aromas and flavors of spice and black fruit that marry well with beef and other hearty meat dishes.
Barbaresco
Barbaresco is made from the nebbiolo grape in Piedmont, in the northern region of Italy. This medium- to full-bodied red wine can be sweet or dry and usually has low acidity. Its berry and ripe red fruit aromas, coupled with the flavors of tar and licorice, make it a lovely match for deeply flavored meat dishes such as beef, game, venison and chicken.
Barbera
Barbera is both the name of a grape and the red wine it produces. Its ancestral home is in Italy’s Piedmont region from the vineyards around the towns of Asti, Alexandria and Casale Monferrato. It is Italy’s most common red grape. Barbera is a fairly light-bodied wine with mouth-watering acidity, a bit of tannin and is best consumed young. It has enticing aromas of tar, plum, cherry and vanilla. Barbera pairs well with antipasto, beef stroganoff, fried chicken, pasta with cream-based sauce, pizza, pepperoni, pork, salami, spicy sauces, spices, herbs, bagna cauda marinara, meaty tomato-based sauces, veal agnolotti, vegetables and salads, chanterelle mushrooms and ratatouille tomatoes.
Bardolino
Bardolino is a light ruby red wine from Veneto in northeast Italy and made from the grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. The wine is not as full-bodied as valpolicella, made from the same grapes, and has a pleasant grassy flavor with tangy red currants. Bardolino can be dry or sweet and is well-balanced. This light, easy-drinking wine pairs well with artichokes, white meat, game, vegetable soup, pork or sausages.
Barolo
Barolo is often referred to as the "king of Italian wines" because of its complexity and longevity. This dry, full-bodied wine is produced in the Piedmont region of Italy southwest of Alba and is made from the grape nebbiolo. Signature aromas include violets, tar, truffles, licorice, chocolate and earth. This wine needs at least three to five years to age and soften because it is high in tannins, acidity and alcohol. Many of these wines last for ten to twenty or more years.
Big
A wine powerful in aroma and flavor; full-bodied.
Blanc
The French word for white.
Blended Wines
Blended wines are made from two or more grape varieties or from two or more grapes of the same variety that have different characteristics. Although blending can be used to mask poor wine or to give more complexity to wine, these wine are not necessarily superior or inferior to single-grape wines. Some of the most famous wines, such as bordeaux and champagne, are blends. Well-known unblended wines include red burgundy (pinot noir) and riesling.
Blind tasting
Tasting wine without knowing the winery name, vintage or other label information. Both critics and consumers taste wine this way to evaluate it free from the bias that comes with knowing that information. It's only after writing a tasting note and giving the wine a score that they look at these details.
Blush Wine
In North America, blush wine now describes what the French call blanc de noir or rosé. These wines are made from red grapes that have very brief contact between the grape skins and juice during fermentation to achieve their light color, which ranges from light pink to salmon.
Body
The weight of wine in the mouth due to its alcohol or other components. For example, a full-bodied wine can have enough density on the palate to feel chewy.
Botrytis Cineria
Also known as “noble rot,” and shouldn’t be confused with winemakers who cash out their interest in making quality wine for higher profits. This is a good mold that attacks grapes causing them to shrivel up. As a result, the grape juice has a higher sugar content and the flavor of the dessert wine made from this juice is more concentrated, complex and delicious. The most famous examples of these wines come from Sauternes in Bordeaux and the king of them all is Château d’Yquem.
Bouquet
In the broadest sense, the odour created as a wine ages. Namely, the smell formed by the slow oxidation of the fruit acids and alcohol.
Breathing
Allowing a wine to breath or aerate can improve its taste and smell. Exposing the wine to the air allows the wine’s aromas to open up and the flavors to improve. Breathing can occur during pouring, decanting or swirling the wine.
Brix
The measurement of the amount of sugar in a liquid. Grapes gain more brix as they ripen. The sugar converts to alcohol during fermentation, and therefore the higher the brix, the greater the alcohol in the wine.
Brooding
This does not refer to your mood when the house wine you’ve been served at the local greasy spoon is akin to Liquid Drano. Rather, it describes a complex, intense red wine with hidden nuances and glories. A brooding wine may have a hulking depth and concentration of flavor.
Brut
A dry champagne or sparkling wine is said to be brut.
Buttery
A wine with the taste or aroma of butter comes from the wine's contact with yeast during the primary alcoholic fermentation, the conversion of harsh acids into softer ones during the secondary malolactic fermentation, or the flavors imparted from oak barrel. New World chardonnays from California, Chile, and Australia in particular, are often described as having buttery aromas and flavors.
C
An important variety in Loire and Bordeaux, it's blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This grape also does well in Ontario, as it's well-suited to cool climates. It tends to be lighter in tannins and more fruit forward, with some herbaceous notes.
See Tannic and Fruity
Cabernet Sauvignon
The most renown grape for making cellar-worthy reds. While it's most famous in Bordeaux, this grape is grown worldwide. At its most powerful, Cabernet Sauvignon is deeply coloured, tannic and oaky from barrel aging. Lighter versions are made fresh and fruity. Its aromas can evoke black currant, cedar, herbaceousness, berries and, with age, undergrowth and tobacco.
Carbonic Maceration
A process of winemaking in which whole grapes are fermented without crushing them or breaking the skins. The flesh of the grape starts to ferment inside the skin. This produces a wine that is less tannic, less acidic, and more light and fruity and ready to drink quickly. Beaujolais nouveau is most famously made this way. Just saying “carbonic maceration” will make many people think that you are a wine expert.
Chardonnay
A popular and versatile grape that thrives in most wine-growing countries. Aromas range from lemon to apple to tropical fruit. It adapts well to oak, which adds scents of vanilla, butter and spice. In its home region of Burgundy, it makes some of the world's finest whites.
See Aroma
Chenin Blanc
A native of the Loire Valley in France, where it's made in many styles from bone dry to dessert sweet. Chenin Blanc can have aromas of quince, honey, flowers and minerals, not to mention a steely acidity that gives it longevity. In South Africa and California, this grape is often made into a simple, off-dry fruity wine.
Chewy
Chewy refers to a wine that is full-bodied, robust and often tannic. The texture or mouthfeel of the wine is therefore often rich and chewy.
Chianti
The name of a specific geographical area between Florence and Siena in the central Italian region of Tuscany, associated with tangy, dry red wines of varied quality.
Clarify
Wines are clarified using either fining or filtering. Fining agents such as egg whites attract any unwanted particles, which either settle at the bottom or float along the top of the wine where they are removed or filtered.
Closed
A young, undeveloped wine that does not easily reveal its character.
Cloudy
A cloudy wine is visually dull and hazy because particles haven’t been removed during winemaking. This sediment can be removed by fining or decanting.
Cloying
An overly sweet wine that lacks balancing acidity and is therefore unpleasant and not refreshing. This should not be confused with the false praise that some winery visitors lavish on the vintner in the hope of a free bottle or two.
Coarse
Although a coarse wine may be full-bodied, it’s also harsh in flavor and texture and often too tannic. Its lack of balance and flavor is usually the result of inferior grapes. A coarse wine is a person whose opinions are too blunt: you can’t swallow too much of either of them.
Complex
Wines with a combination of flavours and aromas.
Corked/corky
A musty, wet cardboard smell and taste. This is most often caused by TCA (trichloroanisole) found in a defective cork, hence the name. A wine that has been corked is unsalvageable.
Crisp
A wine with fresh, brisk character, usually with high acidity.
Cru
A French term meaning growth that is used in classifying vineyards. Often, but not always, grand cru refers to the best wine.
Cuvée
The word Cuvée comes from the French word “vat”. The term is unregulated, but often refers to a blended wine of high quality. This is part of the process of making champagne, though not exclusive to sparkling wine styles.
D
This describes red wine that has intense color and/or flavor, and often it’s full-bodied in both depth and texture. A brooding heart of darkness wine.
Decant
To transfer wine from a bottle into a crystal or glass container (a decanter).
Delicate
A delicate wine is mild and light in fragrance, flavor, and body. It may have many flavours but none is so strong that it overpowers the rest.
Demi-Sec
The French term for medium-dry.
Disgorging
A part of the process of making sparkling wine. The dead yeast from the second fermentation is frozen in the neck of the bottle. When the bottle is opened, this mass comes out.
Domaine
A wine estate in France.
Dosage
After disgorging the wine, the bottle is topped up with the dosage until it reaches the desired level of sweetness. This is a mixture of wine and sugar syrup.
Dry
The puckering sensation that wine imparts.It is the opposite of sweet. It's often caused by tannins in the wine.
E
A characteristic smell that suggests the soil in which the grapes were grown.
Eiswein
The German word for icewine.
Elegant
When a wine exhibits refined character, distinguished quality, stylish, not heavy.
Elevation
The height the vineyard is, either above sea level or above some local landmark, such as that of a valley floor.
Enology
The science of wine production.
Essence
Refers to "odor kits" containing vials of representative flavor essences.
Estate Bottled
Wines that are estate-bottled ("mise en bouteille" in French) are bottled at the winery where the grapes were grown and made under the control of the winemaker. Most wineries originally sold their wines in barrels to merchants for bottling, however they started bottling their own wines as a measure of both control and of quality assurance against tampering, dilution or substitution.
Ethyl Acetate
Acid and alcohol combine during fermentation to produce esters, one of which is ethyl acetate. It has a sweet, vinegary smell like nail polish remover and it’s considered a fault in wine.
Expectorate
Before giving any fancy definition, let’s just call this what it is: spitting. It may seem socially aberrant, but when you’re tasting many wines, you need to do it unless you’re sleeping overnight at the tasting room. Simply form your mouth into a circle and lean over the spittoon (spit bucket) and let go. Practice in the shower will reduce the incidence of unsightly dribbles and carpet stains.
Extra Dry
A sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. This term often leads to confusion since Dry means without sweetness, but Extra Dry means slightly sweet.
Extracted/Extraction
Extraction is the process of taking the flavor, color and tannin out of the grape skins during maceration when the grape skins are steeped in the grape juice during fermentation. It's a similar process to steeping tea and gives wine the color, flavor and structure that the winemaker desires. The challenge is to extract the right amount of these compounds so that the wine is still balanced. Highly extracted wines are described as full-bodied, intense and alcoholic, with powerful fruit flavors and tannins. This can be a criticism if it means that the wine is out of balance. These wines are often referred to as fruit bombs.
F
A descriptor that usually refers to the texture of a wine that is smooth, round and slippery on your palate. Often these wines are high in glycerine, low in acidity and generous in their fruit flavors. In the wine world, fat is usually a positive term … I like that.
Fatigue
When a wine is subjected to shaking and jostling, either through the winemaking process, or during shipping, it is said to become fatigued.
Fault
A fault in wine is a serious characteristic often caused by improper winemaking or wine storage. Examples include oxidation or cork taint, but not over-pricing. (The latter is a fault of the winery marketer, not the wine itself.) A fault can spoil the wine.
Fermentation
The process that turns grapes into wine. It is the metabolization of the sugars by the yeast, into alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat.
Fined
A winemaking process to remove small particles from the wine in order to clarify it. Some vintners believe that this removes some flavor and body from the wine, and therefore do not use the technique. Their bottles may be labeled as “unfined” or “unfiltered.”
Finesse
A wine with finesse exhibits elegance, refinement and delicacy. There is balance and harmony among its components.
Finish
The impression left in the mouth after a wine has been swallowed. To be good, it should be distinctive and memorable rather than watery or short (the flavour isn't sustained).
Flinty
Flinty usually describes dry white wines, such as chablis and sancerre, with an aroma of flint striking steel. This character is believed to come from the limestone soil in which the grapes were grown and is a positive attribute.
Flowery
A wine is said to be flowery when the aroma suggests flowers.
Forward
A wine which is felt to be developing quickly and is ready to drink before it might otherwise be expected.
Fragile
This doesn’t refer to the emotional stability of wine lovers who open their $350 bottle of cabernet to discover it’s corked. Rather this describes an older wine, fully mature, but of such age that it's declining. Its aromas can be fleeting and therefore it’s often better to pour it straight from the bottle into the glass rather than decant it and risk losing those delicate aromas and flavors. Carpe diem and don’t decant ‘em!
Fruit bomb
A wine that’s fruit-forward in that the fruit aromas dominate over others. The wine may lack balance, with too much fruit for the wine’s acidity. Think Jim Carrey rather than Jeremy Irons, or Carmen Electra not Helen Mirren.
Fruity
An attractive fruit flavour that comes from healthy, ripe grapes.
Full-bodied
Wine that has a full proportion of flavor and alcohol. It is also know as big or fat.
G
These grapes produce light, fruity red wines and are used to make beaujolais nouveau and beaujolais. Grown in France, Canada and many other countries.
Garagistes
Winemakers whose production is so small it could fit into a home garage.
Gewürztraminer
Has a fragrant aroma of lychee and spice (gewürz). It's soft in acidity and often feels velvety and full on the palate. Best examples of wines made from this grape come from Alsace, France.
Glycerin
A chemical compound (sugar alcohol) in wine that is a natural byproduct of fermentation. Glycerin, also known as glycerol, improves wine's quality by making it taste richer, more full-bodied and viscous. Although glycerin is colorless and odorless, its slightly sweet taste and syrupy texture gives the impression of smoothness on the palate.
Grand Vin
French for “grand or great wine,” and refers to the best quality wine made by a chateau. Many wineries make second and third labels that aren’t considered as good as their grand vin. Although it sounds impressive, it actually has no legal or official designation. However, giving a bottle of wine with this on the label to friends may increase its value (and yours) in their eyes.
Grassy
Wines that have slight vegetal-tasting undertones as part of the overall character like sauvignon blanc and certain other grape varietals.
Grey Rot
Grey rot grows on unripe grapes after long stretches of humid weather and spoils them for winemaking.
H
A wine that has a perfect balance of fruit, acid and tannins. At this point, it is perfectly ready to drink, and usually so am I (ready to drink that wine).
Harsh
A wine with excessive acidity. The acid accentuates the tannins and increases the drying sensation known as astringency.
Harvest
The process of picking the ripe grapes from the vine and transferring them to the winery.
Hearty
An adjective for a full-bodied wine with high alcohol content. It often refers to a tannic red wine.
Heavy
The wine is out of balance in favor of the tannins.
Herbaceous
A wine that has a green, vegetable smell. For example, sauvignon blanc is grassy when subtle, herbaceous when overpowering.
Hermitage
Hermitage, pronounced without the ‘h’ (air-mee-tahj), is a wine region in southern France in the Rhône Valley. It’s rich, robust wines are made, primarily, from syrah, Grenache and mourvèdre grapes for the reds and marsanne, rousanne and viognier for the whites.
Hollow
A wine which lacks flavor and texture.
Honeyed
The smell or taste in wine reminiscent of honey and is characteristic of late-harvest wines affected by "noble rot."
I
A Canadian style of dessert wine made from frozen grapes.
Inert Gas
Used to protect wine from spoilage or oxidation by the air. These include nitrogen, carbon dioxide and argon.
Insipid
A descriptor for a wine that is bland and devoid of character and body. Think of the sequels to many Hollywood movies and you’ll know what I mean.
Integrated
When the components of wine, such as tannin, oak and acidity fade as the wine develops.
Intricate
The interweaving of subtle complexities of aroma and flavor in the wine.
J
The natural berrylike taste of the grape.
Jeroboam
A large format wine bottle.
Judging Wine
An extension of wine tasting where you use your sensory perceptions of sight, smell, and taste as a basis for evaluating the quality of wines.
K
A cocktail made with crème de cassis and white wine.
Kosher wine
Is produced according to Judaism's religious law, specifically, the Jewish dietary law.
L
Produces grapes that are riper and sweeter. This makes sweet, dessert-style wines.
Leafy
Describes wines that smell like leaves and sometimes herbs. A hint of this can add to the complexity of the wine, however a strong whiff of it is unpleasant and vegetal.
Lees
A heavy sediment consisting of dead yeast cells and other solid matter such as grape pulp, seeds and other grape particles.
Legs
The rivulets of wine that slowly glide down the glass after swirling the wine are often called legs or tears. They’re related to surface tension differences between water and alcohol. Contrary to popular belief, these aren't related to the compound glycerine in wine. The more alcoholic the wine, the slower the legs go down the glass and the more defined they are. This doesn’t indicate a better wine, just a more alcoholic one.
Length
How long the flavor of the wine persists on the palate after it has been swallowed. This is also called the finish.
Light
Wines light in alcohol but also in texture and weight. It also describes how the wine feels in the mouth.
Lively
Describes a fresh, young, thirst-quenching wine with crisp acidity. Don’t be afraid of acidity: it is to wine what salt is to food in that it brings the flavor forward. Think of it as a dinner party guest who’s willing to talk about more than the weather.
Luscious
The rich, opulent, and smooth taste of sweet wines and intensely fruity ones.
M
Wine that has been oxidized. It has a brown or amber color and stale odor.
Magnum
A large format bottle equivalent to two standard 750 ml bottles, containing about two fifths of a gallon or 1.5 liters of wine or liquor. This is a dramatic size and just placing it on the table tells your guests that the evening is going to be a festive one.
Malic acid
One of the main contributors to the acidity of a wine. Malic acid has a sharp, green apple like taste.
Malolactic Fermentation
A bacterial process which results in conversion of the sharp tasting malic acid to the softer lactic acid.
Mature
The wine is fully developed and ready to drink.
Mellow
Smooth and soft, with no harshness.
Merlot
Less tannic with lower acidity than Cabernet Sauvignon, this grape makes reds that are often rounded and smooth textured. Aromas can be plums, hay, berries and chocolate.
See Cabernet Sauvignon
Microclimate
The climate immediately around the vine.
Moldy
Wines that have the smell of mold or rot, usually from grapes affected by rot or from old moldy casks used for aging.
Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is red wine usually mixed with sugar, lemon, and spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and sometimes honey). The spices were often used to mask poor wine, much the way oak is sometimes used to hide plonky wine. It’s served hot and often around Christmas.
Muscular
Vigorous fruit and powerful body and flavor; robust.
Must
The term used to describe the grape pulp and juice after crushing the grapes during the harvest, before the wine is fermented.
N
One who buys grapes and grape juice from different vineyards throughout the region. They make wine from these grapes and sell it.
Neutral
A neutral wine is void of any notable characteristics. However, this ordinary wine is not necessarily a bad wine.
New World Wine
Wine from North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Noble
Great; of perfect balance and harmonious expression. Noble grapes are those that produce the world's finest wines, such as cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, riesling and so on.
Nose
The way a wine smells.
Nouveau
Young, immediately drinkable wine.
Nutty
The nutlike aromas that develop in certain wines, such as sherry.
O
The number one choice of wood for wine barrels. It imparts toasty, vanilla, and smoky aromas to the wine.
Oenology
The science behind winemaking.
Off
A general word for any wine that is not quite as it should be. The wine could be faulty.
Off-dry
Not quite dry, with a touch of sweetness.
Old World Wine
Wine from European nations, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and others with a long history of viticulture.
Open
This describes a wine that's ready to drink, often because it’s been decanted (a process of opening up the wine by exposing it to oxygen). I also think of many people as open, especially around 5 pm when they’re ready to drink.
Organic Viticulture
The approach some winemakers take when they rely less or not at all on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals. Those that meet certain criteria may be labeled as organic.
Oxidation
The distructive action of oxygen on a wine.
P
The process of sterilizing liquids by heating.
Peak
A subjective evaluation of when a wine reaches its prime for drinking. This is usually expressed as a year or range of years rather than say this Thursday at midnight.
Perfumed
An aromatic wine, often with a floral fragrance, that is usually due to
the grapes from which the wine is made. See also Bouquet.
Petillant
A light sparkle in bubbly.
Pinot Blanc
Produces crisp and refreshing white wines that appeal to many people as the aromas and flavours are not pronounced.
See Aroma
Pinot Gris/Grigio
An interesting mutation of Pinot Noir that can produce full, rich and spicy whites, especially in Alsace, France and Germany. Pinot Gris is known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it's fresher and lighter. In Germany, it's called Grauburgunder.
See Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
A seductive variety known as the red grape of Burgundy, this "heart break grape" is difficult to grow. The best are complex and sensual in texture, with flavours of strawberries, cherries, violets and sometimes animal "barnyard" notes.
Pinotage
Pinotage is the name of both the red wine and the grape grown and made mostly in South Africa. The Pinotage grape was originally bred in 1925 from a cross between the grapes pinot noir and cinsaut. Well-made Pinotages are medium- to full-bodied wines, with rich red fruit aromas and flavors. Poor versions often have a rubbery aroma. This wine pairs well with hearty meat dishes.
Plonk
A common slang term for bulk or jug wines.
Plump
A plump wine has low acidity but tastes full and rich due to lots of
fruit flavors and glycerol. A plump wine is often delicious, though it
may not age well due to its low acidity. When there's too little
acidity, the wine is criticized for being flabby: as equally
unattractive in wine as it is on thighs and underarms.
Port
A sweet red wine that is made by adding neutral grape spirit (brandy) to the unfinished wine. This is the process known as fortification and increases the alcohol level.
Pungent
A pungent wine has strong aromas that are often out of balance with the
others in its bouquet. Often, pungent wines are intensely sour,
astringent and grating on the palate ... much like the dinner guest
whose voice is too loud and whose opinions are tiresome.
Punt
This is the cone-shaped indentation in the bottom of a wine bottle, also known as the “kick up.” There is much speculation about its purpose, including making the bottle more stable when standing, strengthening the bottle to withstand the high internal pressure (especially for bubbly), making the bottle easier to hold when pouring (or at least adding an element of pure pageantry) and giving the mistaken impression you’re getting more wine than you actually are. Today, there’s no real need for the punt, but it’s one of many things in the wine world that hasn’t changed for the sake of tradition.
Q
The series of analyses and tests that verify a wine's palatability, stability, compliance with regulations, and absence of faults.
R
The process of transferring the wine from one container, such as a barrel, to another.
Reserva
Spanish red wines that have received a minimum of three years ageing prior to release. At least one year must be in oak.
Residual Sugar
Residual sugar is the unfermented grape sugar in wine and is measured in grams per liter of wine. The more the residual sugar the sweeter the wine.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a natural compound in the skins of red grapes. Its presence in red wine has been linked to health benefits such as fighting cancer, aging and heart disease. The most famous of these studies is the "French Paradox ," which hypothesized that the inhanbitants of southern France, who enjoyed foods high in saturated fat, experienced a relatively low incidence of heart disease because they consumed moderate amounts of red wine daily.
Retsina
Retsina isn’t a grape but rather a way of making wine in Greece since ancient times. Pine pitch is added to white wine or rosé during fermentation to protect the wine from oxidation, traditionally a high risk during long sea voyages. Retsina pairs well with Greek cuisine and is served well chilled.
Rich
High flavour concentration with balanced astringency, alcohol and fruit.
See Astringent
Riesling
A noble grape that produces some of the world's finest, most long-lived whites. A light, vibrant white wine that often has citrus, floral and mineral notes. It's mostly associated with Germany, but other well-known regions making it include Alsace, Washington, Niagara, Finger Lakes, Okanagan and Clare Valley (Australia). Styles range from bone dry to super sweet. Aromas and flavors include apricot, peach, wet slate, minerals, flowers and petrol (when it's aged).
See Aroma
Ripe
A mature wine that's ready to drink. If used to describe the grapes, this term means they were picked at sweet full maturity and richness.
Robust
Full-bodied, powerful, heady.
Rosé/Champagne
Rosés are generally made from red grapes pressed lightly. Champagnes are made from either red, white or a combination of the two.
Round
Smooth and well-developed flavor, without angularity or rough edges.
S
Sauternes is the name of a region in the Graves district of southern Bordeaux, France as well as the namesake of the dessert wine made there. The wine is made by blending semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle grapes, all affected by “noble rot” (botrytis cinerea) that concentrates their sweetness. Sauternes is a smooth, creamy wine with flavors of apricot, peach, pineapple and vanilla. It can be paired with cheeses, desserts, egg dishes and nuts. The classic pairing is with foie gras.
Sauvignon Blanc
An aromatic variety responsible for distinctive whites such as France's Sancerre, California's Fumé Blancs and many of New Zealand's best whites. In cool climates, their aroma is often grassy, herbal and gooseberry-like, but in warmer regions they tend toward tropical scents like passion fruit and pineapple.
See Aroma
Second Label or Wine
A concept that started in Bordeaux but is now used in many winemaking regions. After the winery has made its first wine using the best grapes, it produces the second wine from grapes that may be less ripe or grown in less prestigious vineyards. This wine is less expensive and can usually be consumed earlier than the first wine.
Sediment
The small particles in wine from the grape skins, seeds, and other grape particles. Sediment often settles at the bottom of the bottle and should be left behind when pouring or decanting as it tastes bitter.
Semillon
Often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. In Bordeaux, this grape makes good dry whites as well as the famous dessert wine, Sauternes. In Australia's Hunter Valley, it produces dry, long-lived whites that develop a honey, nutty character with age.
See Sauvignon Blanc
Soft
The mellowness found in either a mature wine or a young wine with low tannins and acids.
See Acid/acidity and Tannic
Sparkling wine
Wine which bubbles when poured into a glass. The bubbles form because a certain amount of carbon dioxide, dissolved in the wine, is held under pressure until the bottle is unstoppered. This results in its fizziness. It is an important and growing category of wine.
Steely
Steely wines are high in acidity, well-balanced and firmly structured. These wines are often described as taut or lean.
Stemmy
A stemmy wine results from leaving the grapes in contact with the stems too long during fermentation. It will taste harsh, bitter and astringent. These wines are also referred to as “stalky” or “green.”
Structure
Structure refers to the interplay and balance among the following characteristics in wine: flavor, acidity, alcohol and tannin. (Tannin is often less a factor in white wines, especially those that aren’t aged in oak.) If one of these elements dominates, the wine is not well-structured. However, when these elements are balanced with each other, the wine has good structure. It will likely age well for years, as each element develops in proportion and knits together with the others.
Sweet
Generally, this depicts a wine with high sugar content. Desirable for ice wines and other dessert wines. The sweetness should be balanced by acidity and alcohol to be good.
See Acid/acidity
Syrah/shiraz
A popular, intensely flavoured grape that's notable in Rhone, France. It's also famous in Australia and is grown increasingly around the world. Often bold and velvety with black pepper, smoky ripe berry and meaty notes.
T
A wine is called tannic when it has perceptible levels of tannin, a naturally occurring preservative that's essential to a wine's long life. Tannin is found in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes as well as in the wood of barrels often used to age reds and some whites. Young tannins can feel unpleasantly dry and gripping in the mouth.
Tannin
Found in grape skins, seeds and stalks. Tannins are harsh, bitter compounds which if present in large amounts make a wine difficult to drink as they leave a dry, puckered sensation in the mouth.
Tart
A wine with a high degree of acidity that still tastes in balance with other elements, such as fruit flavor or sweetness, is described as tart. Too much acidity and we criticize the wine as harsh or even sour.
Tawny port
A wood-aged style of port. Prolonged periods of ageing in wood result in loss of pigment so this is a much paler, tawny-colored style of port, hence the name.
Tempranillo
Lush in texture, low in tannins, this grape has an affinity for oak. It's renowned in Spain's Rioja region and is very much in vogue today.
Terroir
A French term referring to the unique combination of soil, climate, elevation and topography that gives wine its character.
Texture
The way the wine feels in the mouth. Is it silky, velvety, rounded, or smooth?
Tired
A tired wine is uninteresting, old and dull. It has oxidized and the taste long since peaked, much like a wine writer who has been at his craft too long and is grumpy in all his assessments.
U
The small pocket of air in the bottle between the top of the wine and the cork.
Underripe
A description of the flavor when grapes fail to reach optimum maturity on the vine.
V
Any wine that takes its name from the predominant grape variety. This is common in the New World, but in Europe wines are usually labeled with the place name.
Velvety
A velvety wine has a smooth, silky, lush texture and is often rich in flavor.
Vigneron/Vigneronne
The French words for winegrower.
Vigorous
Firm, lively fruit, strong body; assertive flavor.
Vin
The French word for wine.
Vinegary
Having the smell of vinegar. It is a fault in wine.
Viniculture
Viniculture, also known as enology or oenology, is the study of making wine and of the grapes produced for the purpose of making wine.
Vintage
The year that the grapes were picked to make the wine, usually indicated on the label. The vintage is important in cool climates, such as France, Canada and Germany, where the weather varies significantly from year to year. In warmer climates, such as Australia, Chile and California, it's of less importance since the climate is more consistent and hospitable to grape growing.
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science of grape growing, which includes the cultivation of grapes and their vines.
Volatile, Volatile Acidity (VA)
The smell of acetic acid and/or ethyl acetate. It is quite disagreeable when excessive though a tiny amount may enhance aromas.
W
This actually doesn’t describe wine drinkers who get sentimental when they drink certain bottles. Rather, this refers to a bottle of wine that’s weeping or slowly leaking wine from the cork due to a small space around it. This could be the result of a faulty cork or because the bottle wasn’t stored on its side to keep the cork damp and therefore it dried and shrunk. A weeping wine isn’t necessarily spoiled, just as a weeping drinker isn’t necessarily maudlin.
Weighty
Strong, powerful, full-bodied, and forceful.
Wein
The German word for wine.
Wine
An alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of the juice of fruits and berries, but usually grapes.
Woody
An excessive aroma of wood, common to wines aged too long in cask or barrel.
X
The French name for sherry and the town of Jerez in Spain.
Y
A micro-organism that converts the sugar to alcohol in a process known as alcoholic fermentation.
Yield
The amount of fruit any given vine or vineyard produces.
Young
Simple wines signifies youthful freshness. In finer wines, young refers to immaturity.
Z
A wine that is balanced between fruit and prominent acidity.
Zinfandel
These famous grapes of California produce wines with a vibrant berry character.
