Terms |
Definition |
Acidity |
The tingly, sharp sensation that comes naturally from wine. Helps keep a wine fresh, and gives wine the ability to age better. |
Aggressive |
Sharp flavours that attack the palate. This isn't always bad though, it just means that the wine is either very acidic or tannic. |
Air |
To 'air' a wine is to allow it some time to breathe/come into contact with oxygen. |
Aroma |
The distinct smell of a wine. e.g. Loire Valley Cabernet Franc smells of green peppers. |
Barrique |
A small French oak barrel used to ferment wine in. New barrels give more flavour to the wine. |
Biodynamic |
See this link for more information. |
Blanc de Blancs |
A champagne made of white grapes only such as Chardonnay, but Pinot Blanc & Pinot Gris are sometimes used. |
Blanc de Noirs |
A champagne made of red grapes only, such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or a blend of both of them. |
Body |
The "weight" of a wine's intensity. A full-bodied wine is concentrated. A medium-bodied wine is less concentrated. |
Botrytis |
Means 'noble rot'. It is a "good" fungus that forms on grapes when the weather is humid, then dry. Gives white wines a honey flavour. |
Breathe |
When you let a wine 'breathe', it just means to let the wine sit in a glass or a decanter so it can contact oxygen. |
Cellaring |
When you age a wine in a stable location like a warehouse, a wine refrigerator, or a natural cellar. |
Complex |
If a wine has a lot of flavours and aromas, it is complex. This of course, is subjective. |
Concentration |
No matter if the wine is light or full-bodied, concentration means how much flavour there is. |
Champagne |
Sparkling wine made traditionally in the region of Champagne. Is usually Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier. |
Chapitilization |
When you add sugar during the fermentation to increase the alcohol %. |
Closed |
When a wine doesn't smell or taste like much. This is usually because it is too young and needs air to open up. |
Corked |
Corked wines smell like mushrooms or musty flavours. This is caused by a cork tainted by TCA (trichloroanisol). |
Cru |
A French word meaning a vineyard, or a group of vineyards. Usually for higher-quality vineyards. |
Cuvée |
A 'mix' or 'blend'. Can mean different wines bottled. e.g. Winemakers usually make 5-6 different cuvées. |
Disgorgement |
When a champagne is prepared for commercial bottling it is 'disgorged', and made ready for release. |
Dosage |
Most champagnes have 'dosage' added. This is a sweet wine liqueur that determines how dry the wine is going to be. |
Dry |
This is the term used to describe a completely non-sweet wine. |
Earthy |
A word used to describe wines which have a certain soil-like or rustic character. |
Filtered |
When a wine is clarified before bottling. This can take away small nuances from the wine. |
Fining |
Sometimes products like egg whites are used to clear away solids in the wine before filtration. |
Finish |
This is how the wine tastes in your mouth at the very end of the sip. e.g. 'short', 'long', 'bitter', or 'alcoholic'. |
Fortified |
With some wines like Port or Vins Doux Naturel, a spirit is added to make the wine sweet and strong. |
Minerality |
This is an umbrella term to describe how not all wines taste only of fruit. Sometimes a wine tastes of wet stones, chalk, or slate. |
Négociant |
A wine merchant that buys grapes or wines from grape growers or wineries and then labels them under their own name. |
Organic |
See this link for more information. |
Oxidised |
A wine that has been exposed to too much oxygen isn't fresh anymore. Some wines from Sherry and Jura are meant to be oxidised. |
Residual Sugar |
Leftover sugar after fermentation. Many wines have quite a bit of sugar left in them. Even red wines! |
Tannins |
You know that rough feeling in your mouth after you eat grape skins or drink tea? Those are tannins. Needed for ageing. |
Terroir |
This dreaded word is what wine nerds say when they describe how the characteristics of soil and weather affect a wine. |
Varietal |
A single type of grape used to make a wine. e.g. The varietal of Bourgogne Rouge is Pinot Noir.
|
Vieilles Vignes |
This means 'old vines' in French. These vines are usually 50+ years old and are more concentrated, but with lower yields. |
Vintage |
A specific harvest year. |