Acetic: A negative term used to describe wine that is unpleasant or sharp. This will often lead to a vinegar like taste and smell.
Acid: Natural component found in winThis is responsible for a wines zesty and tart qualities. It is often referred to as refreshing, vibrant, and lively.
Acidification: The process of adding acid, usually tartaric or citric, to grape must before fermentation to boost low acid levels and bring balance to the wine.
Aeration: The process of intentionally exposing a wine to oxygen. This helps to open the wine up and soften it. When a wine is poured into a decanter, carafe, or swirled in a glass it is being aerated).
Aftertaste: The sensation in the mouth that persist after tasting a wine.
Aging: Intentionally holding a wine for a period of time so that the components of the wine can be soften or more evenly integrated. This can often lead the wine to tasting more complex.
AH-SO: a type of wine maker used to remove corks from a bottle that will begin to crumble, that does not penetrate the cork. This device has two flat metal blades that are inserted on both sides of the cork. These wine openers will often be used to open older wines.
Amaro: Italian term used to describe a bitter wine. This is considered to be a positive attribute.
Appearance: A category by which wine can be judges taking into account the overall assessment of a wines clarity and color.
Appellation: A geographical location used to identify where grapes are grown.
Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC): A french term meaning protected designation, this is a certification granted to certain geographical locations where most of the best wines are produced. In France depending on AOC winemakers must follow certain rules and guidelines as to how the wine in made. Most French wines are labeled by their AOC rather than the grape varieties which they are made of.
Aroma: Term used to describe a wines smell. This is the overall bouquet off the wine.
Assemblage: A term used to describe the blending of still wines before their secondary fermentation in which they become champagne or sparkling wine.
Astringent: Term used to describe the drying mouthfeel of a wine or heavy presence of tannins. Excessively astringent wine will cause you to pucker.
Auslese: German term used when referring to wine that has a full level of ripeness, these wines can often be significantly sweet.
AVA: American Viticultural Area, a delimited grape growing region, distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries of which have been recognized and defined. There are AVA’s as broad as Willamette Valley, and sub AVA’s such as Yamhill-Carlton).
Baked: A term used when describing a wine whose fruit has overridden and become caramelized of in some cases burned.
Balance: When a wine has found its perfect equilibrium of acid, sweetness, tannin, alcohol and body.
Barrel Fermented: Wine fermented in small oak barrels rather than in stainless steel. This will add complexity as well as texture to the wine.
Biodynamic: a type of farming based on principles of organic farming where compost and manure will take the place of chemical fertilizers and persticides.
Bitter: A word used to describe a wines taste that will be found on the back of the tongue and throat.
Blanc de Blancs: meaning “white from whites” this term describes a champagne or sparkling wine made entirely from white grapes. In champagne this is sought after due to there only being one white grape that can make up champagne.
Blanc de Noirs: This term refers to a champagne or sparkling wine made entirely of red wine grapes. It is possible to make a white wine from red grapes through the limiting of skin contact, due to the juice from that grape still being white.
Blend: When a winemaker combines two of more lots of wine in an effort to improve the overall flavor of the wine in an effort to find balance. Blends can be made up of the same or different varietals and soil types.
Body: The presence of weight in the overall mouthfeel of a wine. Full bodied wine will be like that of whole milk in comparison to a light bodied wine being like that of skim milk.
Bottle Aging: The process of allowing a wine to rest of a considerable period in its bottle. This is in a hope to make the wine taste more mature and better integrate all of its flavors.
Bouquet: the wines scent that is derived from the bottle.
Brut: A term originated in France this indicated a Champagne or Sparkling wine that is dry to very dry in style.
Buttery: Term used to describe a wine that has both an aroma and mouthfeel reminiscent of butter.
Cava: A spanish wine term referring to spanish sparkling wine made using méthode Champenoise.
Chaptalization: Wine additive process of adding sugar when grapes sweetness isn’t high enough to produce the minimum amount of alcohol. This is illegal in the US but still common practice in many parts of France.
Character: Aspects of a wine that are typical of its varietal or the overall characteristic of the wine.
Charmat Method: An inexpensive way of making sparkling wine, this is when wine is placed in large pressurized tanks for it’s secondary fermentation.
Château: A building where wine is made and around which vines are grown.
Chewy: Term used to describe a wines mouthfeel when a full-bodied wine seems almost chunky or viscous.
Classico: In Italian wine, this is a specific classification in reference to the heart of the DOC zone. This is considered the most classic or best part of this zone.
Climat: Term used, especially in Burgundy, referring to a specific field or plot.
Clone: When using a mother vine with desirable characteristics to create another vine.
Cloudy: A term to describe when a wine is not necessarily clear, but rather looks hazy. This term is no necessarily a negative when describing a wine.
Clos: A term used, especially in Burgundy, referring to a vineyard that is enclosed by a wall.
Cluster: An entire bunch of grapes.
Cluster Thinning: The act of removing grapes from the cluster during it’s growing season. This technique is often used to ensure that all of the grapes on a cluster ripen to the winemakers desired level.
Color: Derived mainly from the grapes skins. This is a term used to describe the visual characteristics of a wine.
Complex: A term used to describe a wine with multiple aromas and flavors that blend well together and reveal themselves in multiple layers over your tongue.
Cool Climate: Regions with less temperature consistency. These regions will often specialize in grapes such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir. In these climates there are certain types of grapes that will not ripen completely. (e.g. Willamette Valley , Marlborough, Mosel).
Corked: the term used to describe the presence of trichloroanisole (“TCA”), a compound that makes your wine smell like wet moldy cardboard. It can be caused by corks, barrels or entire wineries being infected by the TCA compound.
Cross: When a grape is created through fertilizing one genetic variety with another. (e.g. pinotage(pinot noir x cinsaut).
Crémant: A word used for French sparkling wine made outside of the Champagne region of France using the Méthode champenoise.
Crianza: Basic quality wine produced by Spanish wine producers, these wines are considered everyday drinking wines.
Cru: French term meaning “growth” which signifies a recognized area of quality.
Crush: Breaking the grape skins in an effort to make the pulp ooze out and more easily begin fermentation. This process will generally take place prior to fermentation.
Cutting: A segment of a dormant vine that is cut and used to start a new plant.
Cuvée: Wine that is from a select barrel or vat, often times this is used to describe a houses most expensive wine.
Decant: The process of pouring wine from its bottle into a decanter. This process ensures that the sediment stays in the bottle and accelerates aeration.
Demi-Sec: In French meaning “half-dry” this term is used when a sparkling wine is moderately sweet.
Denominazione Di Origine Controllata (DOC): A region in which Italian wine production is more heavily controlled. This is done in an effort to produce more high quality wines.
Denominazione Di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): The Italian governments finest designation for Italian wines.
Depth: When a wine has a intense concentration of flavor.
Dessert Wine: A general term used to describe a wine that is very sweet. These wines naturally pair with desserts. (e.g. Sauternes).
Disgorging: The process used when making Champagne or Sparkling wine when yeast is removed from the bottle after the second fermentation.
Diurnal Shift: Term used to describe the large fluctuation of temperature from morning to night in certain wine regions. This allows sugars in wine to develop during the day and the acid in wine to soften through the nighttime.
Domaine: Wine producing estate. In many wineries around France this word will be incorporated into their name.
Dosage: The determining factor in if a champagne will be brut, extra dry, demi-sec, etc. this is the degree of sweetness of the Liqueur d’expédition used to top off a champagne before its final corking.
Dry: Term used to describe a wine lacking in grape sugars. A dry wine will often cause your mother to salivate more. Just because a wine is dry does not mean it can’t still be fruity.
Earthy: Term used to describe wine that has both aromas and flavors reminiscent of earth. (e.g. dried leaves, forest floor, limestone, mushrooms, and bark).
Eiswein: German term referring to dessert wine made by pressing grapes that have been left hanging on the vine into midwinter. These wines are very sweet with high acid juice.
Elegant: Term used to describe a wine with both finess and balance. These wines taste profiles will often be refined.
Estate Bottled: In the US this refers to a wine comprised of grapes that are grown on land that is both owned and controlled by the winery. This wine must be made, aged, and bottled at the listed winery.
Extra Brut: A very dry champagne or sparkling wine with minimal added sweetness.
Extra Dry: Champagne or sparkling wine that is slightly sweeter than brut. (Don’t confuse this with extra brut which is the driest of champagne’s and sparkling wines).
Feinherb: German term referring to wine that is half-dry to dry. These wines will still taste extremely dry due to there high acid.
Fermentation: the process by which yeast converts natural sugars into alcohol.
Finish: The imression that a wine leaves on your palate after you have swallowed it. (e.g. smooth, lingering, long, or short).
Flat: Term used to describe a wine which aromas and flavors are both dull and uninteresting.
Fortified Wine: Wine that has been preserved through the addition of other spirits. (e.g. Brandy or Port).
Frizzante: Slightly fizzy wine, less so than a sparkling wine. This term is often used to describe Italian wines.
Fruit: Term used when describing the element of a wines aroma and flavors that comes from the grapes. Wines are generally most fruity when they are younger.
Full-Bodied: When a wines mouthfeel has more pronounced weight.
Grape Must: Freshly pressed grape juice that still contains the seeds, stems, and skins of the grape.
Gran Reserva: Spanish wine producers top quality wine, these wines must be aged for at least two years in Oak barrels with laws in certain regions sometimes requiring longer aging periods.
Grand Cru: the highest classification for wines in the Burgundy region of France.
Grand Cru Classé: The highest level of classification in the Bordeaux region of France.
Grassy: Term used to describe wine with flavors reminiscent of hay, fields, and cut grass.
Herbal: Term used to describe wine with elements of good herbs. (This is different than vegetal).
Hot: Term used to describe when a wines level of alcohol is out of balance and excessive.
Hybrid: A grape variety made by breeding two different types of vitis vinifera grapes.
Jammy: Term used to desribe wine with thick and concentrated berry aromas. These wines will often remind the drinker of the texture of jam.
Kabinett: A German term referring to wine that was not completely ripe according to the traditional German system. These wines indicate a minor sweetness and are everyday drinkers.
Late Harvest: Wines that come from grapes picked after the normal growing season. These wines will contain a greater percentage of sugar.
Lees: Sediment that is left in wine after the fermentation from dead yeast particles. Skin that settles to the bottom of a container.
Legs: The remnants of the wine that fall down slowly in the glass after wine has been swirled. In Spain these are referred to as tears, as they resemble tears running down the side of the glass.
Light Bodied: Term used to describe wine that is light weight on the palate.
Maceration: The chemical process by which tannins, color, and flavor are extracted from the grape skins into the wine. A wines temperature and alcohol content will influence the rate at which this occurs.
Magnum: 1.5 Liter bottle that is equivalent to two normal bottles.
Malolactic Fermentation (MLF or Malo): a bacterial conversion of malic acid to lactic acid. This is responsible for the smell and taste of butter in wine and produces a more round mouthfeel.
Méthode Champenoise: Labor intensive method used to make both champange and other sparkling wines. Using this method secondary fermentation, where bubbles are made, takes place inside of the bottle rather than in larger casks or vats.
Metodo Tradizionale: When an italian wine is made using méthode Champenoise, also referred to as metodo classico, most of italy’s top sparkling wines are made using this method.
Meritage: Term used when referring to high quality American wines using some or all of the Bordeaux varietals. (red varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot (and very occasionally, Carménère). White Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and Muscadelle)
Minerality: The presence of sulfur compounds in wine. When tasting you would refer to these element more specifically as; gravel, chalk, limestone, flint, etc.. These elements are common in old world wines.
Monopole: Most frequently a term used in Burgundy, this refers to a vineyard that is owned entirely by one estate.
Mouthfeel: the impression that a wine leaves on your palate. (e.g. soft, full, rough, or velvety).
Musty: Term used to describe a dank or dusty wine. This is usually caused by unclean storage containers or moldy grapes that were processed.
Négociant: An individual or group that buys grapes and/or ready made wine growers and blends, bottles, and labels them.
New World: Countries and/or regions where vines were imported after the age of exploration. (e.g. United States, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile)
Nero: An Italian term used to describe both grapes and wines that are black or very dark red.
Noble Rot: A fungal infection cause by botrytis cinerea common in areas with high humidity. Considered a flaw in red grapes, but appreciated in white grapes. It contributed flavors of honey, chamomile, and ginger and can make wine sweeter. (e.g. madera).
Non-Vintage: A blend of several vintages. Often times winemakers will choose to blend multiple vintages in regions where laws are more restrictive (e.g. Champagne, France) or there are poor growing conditions for a particular vintage. This technique makes it possible to produce a more consistent product vintage to vintage. Non-Vintage: A blend of wine from different vintages. This usually refers to Champagne.
Nose: Term used to describe the aroma of the wine as well as its bouquet.
Oak(American): Oak that is produced in the eastern United States. It lends flavors of coconut, vanilla, dill and cedar to the liquid stored in it. Known for its more robust flavors and aromas.
Oak(European): Oak that is produced primarily in France and Hungary. It is known for contributing flavors of allspice, clove, and vanilla to the liquids store in it. This is generally less pungent that American Oak.
Oaky: Term used to describe wine that has flavors and aromas or toast, wood, vanilla, and other attributes of the wood barrel in which they were stored.
Off-Dry: A wine that has a very low prevalence of sweetness.
Old World: Wines from countries where wine making first originated. (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria).
Organic Viticulture: Grapes grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, engineered plant materials, or synthetic chemicals. These growers do not use pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fumigants. In the US these wines can also not have any added sulfites. If a wine is organically grown but not organic it is an indication that sulfites have been added after the growing process.
Oxidation: The process of exposing wine to air. Light oxidation in wine can be a positive attribute allowing the wine to soften and the flavors to come together. When a wine is over oxidized the flavors will fall flat and are often described as tired.
Press: a device used to exert pressure on the grapes in order to extract their juice.
Premier Cru: A wine from a specific designated vineyard in Burgundy, or a blend of several vineyards. This is a high quality, more highly regulated wine.
Private Reserve: Term used in New World wines generally referring to a higher quality wine. There is no legal definition of this word or way to ensure that the wine is truly of higher quality.
Produced and Bottled By: Term on US wine labels indicating that no less that 75% of the wine was fermented and bottled by the producer and address on the label.
Proprietary Wine: A wine that is given a brand names and marketed using that name.
Qualitätswein: A German term, meaning quality wine.
Rasiny: Term used to describe wine that was over ripe when picked and taste like raisins. This is not always a negative term and is common in many maderas.
Region: The area in which the wine was grown. (e.g. Napa, Sonoma, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Willamette Valley, Paso Robles).
Rémuage: The riddling, rotating or tilting, of champagne/sparkling wine bottles to concentrate yeast to the neck.
Reserva: Spanish term referring to a wine that is produced only in exceptional years. These wines must be aged for at least one year in oak barrels with certain regions requiring producers to age for longer periods of time.
Reserve: This term is an indication of a wine made by a producers higher quality grapes. In the US this wine is made from the best lots and the best grapes grown on those lots. Often times this is an indication of an extended aging duration before the wines release.
Residual Sugar (RS): The sugars from grapes that are left over after a wines fermentation process has stopped. Some wines stop there fermentation process before all of the sugar is converted into alcohol to create a more sweet wine.
Riddling: The process of rotating bottles of Champagne and Sparkling Wine. This helps to concentrate the yeast sediment in the necks of the bottles prior to disgorging. On France this is referred to as Rémuage.
Rosso: An italian wine term used to describe red wine.
Rough: Term used to describe the coarse texture of a wine.
Sec: Labeling for Champagne and sparkling wine referring to a wine that is medium sweet to sweet.
Secco: Italian wine term meaning dry.
Secondary Fermentation: Fermentation, both intentional and unintentional, that takes place after the initial fermentation. In sparkling wine and champagne this takes place in the bottle and creates bubbles.
Sediment: The matter that settles at the bottom of a bottle.
Skin Contact: The process of letting crushed grapes sit on their skins and let the juices blend together, rather than immediately seperating them. Partial skin contact is what gives rosé wines their beautiful pink color.
Smoky: Term used to describe wine that has a taste and aroma reminiscent of smoke. This can come from the soil where the grapes were planted as well as the barrels the grapes were aged in.
Solera: Complex network of barrels used for aging sherry by progressively blending younger wines into older wines. These barrels not being completely filled allows the wines to gently oxidize during this aging process.
Sommelier: A French term meaning wine steward. These individuals can also be referred to as somms.
Sour: Term used to describe a wine that is too sharp or acidic.
Sparkling Wine: A wine with bubbles. (e.g. Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava).
Spicy: A term used to describe a wines with aromatic notes of spices.
Split: a smaller wine bottle, one fourth the average size, containing 6.4 ounces. These are most popularly used for Champagne or other sparkling wines.
Spritzy: Wines containing a small amount of sparkle or effervescence. This is generally undesirable in still wine, but there are always exceptions such as vinho verde.
Spumante: Italian term meaning foaming used to describe sparkling wine.
Still Wines: All wines that are not sparkling.
Sulfites: a preservative that is both added to wine or present of grapes before the fermentation process. This will usually prevent oxidation and bacterial spoilage. Adding sulfur to a wine inhibits the growth of yeast.
Superiore: Italian wine term that generally indicates when a wine is of higher quality. Often this is in reference to the wine having a higher alcohol content that the minimum required as well as it being aged longer than regulations state.
Sur Lie: This is an aging technique meaning, “on the lees” (spent yeast). When wine is left to age on the lees after fermentation it will generally have a creamier, and rounder mouthfeel with more complex flavors.
Sustainable Viticulture: When winemakers decide upon using practices that will create an integrated farming system capable of sustaining itself.
Table Wine: Term used to describe wines of moderate alcohol strength (9 to 15% ABV). Generally, this term is used to describe dry still wine, rather than sweet or sparkling wine.
Tannin: A compound derrived from the grapes skins, seeds, and stems as well as from barrels. This compound gives red wine its firm structure helping with aging as well as lending it overall mouthfeel, texture, and structure.
Terroir: Pronounced “Tear-Woh” originating in France, this is a term used to describe a particular region’s climate, soil, terrain, and tradition for growing wine. This is a wines “sense of place”.
Thin: A term used to describe a wine that is lacking in body due to its low alcohol content. An extremely thin wine can often times be describes as watery.
Toasting: The decision to char the inside of new barrels. This will lend the wine stored in these barrels toasty elements.
Trocken: German term referring to wine that has low residual sugar. This term is also used in Austria, and signifies a dry wine.
Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA): German term referring to a wine that is very sweet. TBA is the ripest and sweetest level of wine in both Germany and Austria.
Unfiltered: When a wine has not been filtered in an effort to remove unwanted yeast or bacteria. Some winemakers will choose to do this in an effort not to strip the wine of wanted flavors and textures.
Unoaked: A wine that has been fermented and aged in stainless steel or concrete vessels. This process will produce a wine with more clarity and lively fruit flavors.
Varietal: The type of Vitis Vinifera grape used to make the wine. (e.g. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc).
Vegetal: A term used to describe wine with aromas and flavors reminiscent of stewed or canned peppers, artichokes, asparagus, etc.
Vin de Garde: French term used to refer to a wine to save. This is a wine that can and should receive aging.
Vin de Pays: French term used to refer to a country wine. These are everyday wines from a specific region that are less rigorously controlled than AOC wines.
Vin de Table: French term used to refer to a table wine. This term is usually in reference to a more simple wine that does not have the AOC status.
Vintage: The year when the grapes were harvested. Vintage wines are made from grapes that are all grown in the same year (depending on region specific guidelines).
Vintage Champagne: Champagne made from a single years harvest and aged for a minimum of three years.
Vinted and Bottled By: A term, commonly used in the US, states that a wine has been bottled at the address on the label and some but not all cellar treatment (e.g. aging) was also done at the stated address. This is different than a wine being produced and bottled by.
Viscosity: A term used to describe a wine that is somewhat syrupy and slow to move around in the mouth. Sweet wines as well as wines with a higher alcohol content will often have more viscosity.
Viticulture: The art and science of vine growing. Viticultural practices will often have an effect on the character and quality of the wine that is produced.
Yeasts: Single celled micro organism that is used to convert sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide during the fermentation process.
Yield: The measure of how much a vineyard produces. This can be more accurately looked at when considering pounds per grapevine rather than an overall yield of the vineyard. Generally higher yield are thought to lead to lower quality wines, while lower yields to higher quality wines.
Warm Climate: Regions that tend to have more consistent temperatures. The grapes in these climates are given more of an opportunity to ripen. (e.g. California, Argentina, South Africa, and Australia).