Glossary

AC
Abbreviation for "Agricultural Cooperative" on Greek wine labels (though not so common anymore) and for Adega Cooperativa on Portuguese labels.

ABBOCATO
Abboccato is an Italian wine term describing a slightly sweet to sweet wine. Its meaning is also related to off dry or medium sweet, medium body, “mouth full” wine. It is particularly used in Orvieto.   

ACETIC ACID
Acedic acid is  two factor acid produced during and after fermentation. The sour taste in vinegar is attributable to acetic acid. It is the most volatile acid amongst all primary acids associated with wine. During the fermentation process, activity by yeast cells naturally produces small amounts of acetic acid. If wine is exposed to oxygen, acetobacter bacteria will gradually convert ethanol to acidic acid a process known as “acedification”. If acidification prolongs with no intervention then the wine will eventually degrade into vinegar. Wines with excessive acetic acid are considered faulty. However, traces of acetic acid in wines might contribute to complexity and intricacy.    

ABV
ABV is an abbreviation the words Alcohol by Volume and it are listed universally by law on every wine bottle. It denotes the percentage of alcohol in the total volume of wine (e.g. 12% ABV).   

ACESCENCE
Wine with a sharp, sweet-and-sour tang. The acescence characteristics frequently recalls a vinegary smell.

ACID/ACIDITY
Acid is a crucial chemical component. Tartaric acid exists at a typically high degree in grapes and is the major acid in wine. Malic acid is additionally found in grapes along with percentages of citric acid. Other acids take place as a result of fermentation, such as carbonic, succinic and lactic. Acidity, in the right proportion, supplies a refreshing, dry taste and is central to overall equilibrium; it also safeguards wine from microbial perishing. The strength of an acid taste is revealed by pH. Acidity is also essential in the longevity and evolution of a wine.

ACETALDEHYTE
A toxic organic chemical compound that is produced in our bodies and triggers the metabolism of ethyl alcohol. It is commonly known as alcohol poisoning.

ACIDIFICATION
Acidification is a process that is commonly used in warm to hot climate such as Argentina, Australia, California, Washington State, Italy (some parts) , and South Africa to increase the level of acidity by means of adding tartaric or citric acid. Low acidity occurs, and often inevitably due to climatic conditions, when grapes are harvested too ripe with high sugar content thus low acidity and high Ph. 

ADAMANDO
A Portuguese wine term to describe a medium-sweet wine.

ALMACENISTA
Spanish term for a Sherry producer who ferments and matures the wine before selling it to a merchant

ALCOHOL
A basic building block of wine also known as Ethanol and a by-product of fermentation, is the most crucial alcohol in wine. It has a wonderful taste and plays a significant role in balancing acidity. Alcohol levels in table wine commonly range from 11% to 14%, with variants listed below as well as above. A small change in alcoholic strength might have a considerable influence on preference.

AMABILE
The Italian term Amabile literally translated means "friendly" or "amicable". It is term to describe a semi sweet wine.

AMONTILLADO
Best described as a matured Fino. An amontillado begins as a fino sherry with a flor yeast cap protecting it from oxidization.  Once the flor is left to die, intentionally, the yeast sinks to the bottom of the wine and is no longer able to protect the Sherry from oxidation which necessitates the addition of alcohol (fortification). The fortification in the tune of approximately 17.5% will prevent the sherry to oxidize too quickly. As the Sherry begins to oxidize slowly it also takes on oxygen through the porous American or Canadian casks to take on a rich and deep nutty flavor whilst attaining a darker colour. 

AMPELOGRAPHY
The branch of genetics concentrated on grapevines; specifically, recognition and description of their qualities.

ANNATA
An Italian term to describe the year of harvest or vintage.

ANTHOCYANINS
Phenols located in the skins of dark-skinned grapes and in charge of the shade of merlots. With container aging, pigmented tannins polymerize and befall of wine as debris.

APPELLATION D'ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE/ PROTEGÉE (AOC/AOP).
The main policies governing the upper top quality tier of French wine and supervised by a government company (INAO). The first AOCs took effect in 1936 and were transformed to AOPs in the late 2000s in conjunction with European Union regulations. Policies stipulate, among other parameters, the geographic area of production, grape varieties, minimum/maximum alcoholic material, yields, vine training and pruning. The specs for every AOP are laid out in a file called a cahier des fees.

APERITIF
A wine that is either consumed by itself, without food, or before a meal. It is wine drinking practice which stimulates the appetite for an upcoming meal.

AROMA.
The smell of a young wine, frequently evocative of blossoms and fruits. Most of the flavour impact of  wine is fragrant, whether from glass to nose or in the mouth. Regardless of their resemblance to fruits, nearly all unstable aromatics are derived from fermentation.

ASSEMBLAGE.
Assemblage is the method of blending different grape ranges and/or great deals of wine to yield a desired blended outcome. A procedure and term frequently used in Bordeaux, where it is performed several months after vintage.  The term is essentially synonymous with blending.

ASTRINGENT.
A common descriptor indicating a harsh, sandpapery sensation completely dry structure in the mouth originated from tannin. Normally dissipates with aging in bottle.

AUSLESE.
Auslese is a higher tier of German wine falling within the Qualitätswien mit Prädikat category, above Spätlese and below Beerenauslese. Literally, it represents a special selection of riper grapes which yield a sweet wine although typically balanced by high acidity. May include some grapes affected by noble rot.

AUTOCTONO.
Though an Italian wine term its origins are Greek from the word Autochthonous (Αυτόχθονος) which in turn denotes a cultivar or variety that is native to the place where it grows; indigenous to a specific land.  

AUTOLYSIS.
The chemical decomposition of yeast cells, a favourable sensation responsible for the taste in many champagnes produced by the traditional or traditional (Champagne) technique. The results of autolysis, a gain in polysaccharides and mannoproteins, just start to appear after 12-18 months and are most obvious after 6-7 years. This explains why eminence cuvées are aged for a longer periods. Autolysis also occurs with still white wines as a result of contact, after fermentation, with the lees or deposits of dead yeasts in a tank or barrel, termed sur liein France and elsewhere. As opposed to belief, autolytic fragrances are flowery as opposed to "yeasty" in a newly disgorged sparkling wine; i.e., one separated from its deposit of yeast cells. In time, a sparkling wine with lengthy lees call may establish scents of biscuit or mushroom post-disgorgement.

AVA
An American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is a specific vineyard zone and it practically denotes a specific grape growing region in the United States. Though the AVA classification system is based on geography and climate, which is why it is often compared to the French wine appellation system, the pharming approach and viniculture practices are less strict and more hands off.

AZIENDA AGRICOLA.
An agricultural business or building in Italy. The term generally comes before the name of the winery or brand name. In Italy an Azienda Agricola usually is a wine estate that grows grapes and produces its own wine.

AZIENDA VINICOLA
Though similar to Azienda Agricola an Azienda Vinicola is a wine estate that buys grapes most or all its grapes from vine growers.

B
BALANCE.
A wine is balanced when all its elements coexist in a harmonious and unified manner with not a single element dominating over the rest. The "hard" component of both acidity and tannin balance the "soft" component of sweetness, fruit and alcohol. There is also balance in a vine and is specified in technical terms as the suitable leaf-to-fruit ratio.

BALTHAZAR.
A large format bottle having 12 litres or the matching of 16 typical bottles.

BARRIQUE.
A popular wood barrel with a volume capacity of 225 litres. French in origin and associated with Bordeaux, this barrel style is manufactured by many coopers and is employed widely around the world for wine of many types. See pièce, a Burgundy barrel.

BÂTONNAGE.
The French word for stirring of the lees or yeast deposits in a cask. Commonly employed for barrel-fermented white wine in Burgundy, Bordeaux and many other regions. Commonly, mixing was made with a baton or stick, now often of stainless steel. Barrels themselves might be rotated in shelves developed for this purpose. The aim of bâtonnage is to enrich the wine and enhance oak integration; excessive stirring though can lead to imbalanced, heavy wines prone to oxidation.

BAUMÉ.
A system of dimension of the specific gravity of grape juice which estimates the sugar concentration. The technique preferred by wine makers in Europe and Australia; its counterpart is the Brix scale. Quickly understood because the degree Baumé equates very closely to the percentage of potential alcohol; e.g., 13 ° Baumé = 13% alcohol offered the sugars are fully fermented. Baumé can be converted around to Brix by increasing the level Baumé by 1.8.

BEERENAUSLESE.
One of the highest tiers of German and Austrian Prädikat (QmP) wine classification, below Trockenbeerenauslese and above Auslese (the term literally translates to: "selected harvest of berries"). According to German law, grapes qualifying for a BA must have exceptionally high sugar concentration or must weight. Often called “BA” for short this category is made from grapes affected by coble rot – “botrytized” grapes. Grapes selected for this category are usually harvested late, individually picked and they are quite sweet, rich and most with excellent ageing potential.

   
BIANCO, BLANC, BLANCO, BRANCO
Italian/French/Spanish/Portuguese terms, respectively, to describe a white wine or grape.

BIODYNAMIC (AGRICULTURE).
A holistic method and often homeopathic approach to farming developed by Austrian Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s and based on natural techniques. Experts subscribe to a quasi-religious doctrine involving the application of countless holistic, plant-based prep work in addition to manure and silica. These are "healed" by hiding them in a cow's horn before being contributed to water which is upset or "dynamized" prior to being splashed on the vineyard. Tasks such as trimming, harvesting or bottling are carried out according to astronomical rhythms, specifically lunar motions. Biodynamic farmers may be licensed by exclusive entities such as Demeter or Biodyvin whose logos often appear on wine tags. Whether biodynamic techniques result in superior wine may be debated, but there is no doubt they require an intellectual, emotional and physical commitment, placing high demands, risks and costs on the wine grower.

B.O.B.
An acronym for "Buyer's Own Brand" or a private label wine owned and used exclusively by the restaurant or retailer that sells the wine.

BODEGA
A wine cellar in Spain.  Also refers to a seller of alcoholic beverages .

BOTRYTIS.
A fungi, botrytis cinerea, that thrives in moist settings and has a dual personality. In its harmful type for grape growers, botrytis bunch rot or grey rot (often called "off-colour" rot), the fungus strikes ripe grapes and can spread quickly via numbers and other parts of the creeping plant. Under specific conditions of alternating moisture and completely dry, sunny periods, it takes a benign or noble type, specifically on green or pale-skinned grapes, allowing the production of intensely pleasant, focused and also long-lived wines. See noble rot.

BOTTE 
The Italian term for a wooden barrel, (plural botti). The term refers to a botte grande, a large floor-standing wooden vat with a capacity in the tune of 1,000–3,000 litres (220–660 imp gal; 260–790 US gal).

 

BOUQUET.
If aroma describes the smell of young wines, bouquet commonly refers to the more developed, complex and altered aromatic expression of a wine which has matured in bottle.

BRETTANOMYCES.
Brett, as it is typically understood, is deemed a spoilage yeast decried by tasters for causing offensive odours described as wet dog, barnyard, equine, burned plastic or steamed cabbage. Many wine professionals are unaware of the research published by the University of California-Davis in 2013 following extensive analysis of Brettanomyces yeast strains and their by-products. The findings are presented in the form of an aroma impact wheel. The results of this research are presented in the form of a scent influence wheel. Many tasters believe that Brett flavours and scents are just unfavourable yet, others may see some of those attributes, if they exist in moderation, as favourable; among these are scents categorized as fruity (exotic fruit, citrus), full-flavored (nutty, smoked meat), floral (violet, increased) and woody (cedar, tobacco, graphite).

BRIX.
An approach, widely utilized in the U.S., of computing the dissolved solids in grape juice to establish the sugar concentration, even if sugars do not completely represent all the solids. See Baumé, an alternative measurement for the very same purpose favoured in Europe.

BRUT
A French term denoting dry champagnes or sparkling wines

BUTT.
A Sherry cask. Those used for a solera system are called bodega butts and usually hold 36 arrobas( 1 arroba = 16.67 liters) or 600 litres. There are as well casks of smaller and larger capacities used in Jerez. The casks are made of American oak. See bodega, solera.

C
CADASTRE.
The French term for the precise, official map of vineyards which sets out their exact dimensions and borders together with ownership. A critical and invaluable reference when parcels are subdivided into small, irregular shapes and slivers, each owned by different proprietors, as is the case in Burgundy. See climat, lieu-dit.

CALCAREOUS.
A term referring to soils including calcium carbonate and differing degrees of energetic lime. Calcareous soils can use far better drainage and nutrient supply to the vine, however their worth to  wine cultivators may have been glamorized by the frequency of limestones in a few of the legendary wineries of Wine. Frequently located in association with clays, calcareous soils are additionally present in Champagne, St.-Emilion, Barolo, Chianti Classico, Coonawarra and Jerez. The French term for calcareous clay is argilo-calcaire. See sedimentary rock, marl.

 

CANE PRUNING
Cane pruning is the process by which one or two canes from a vine's previous year's vegetation growth are cut back to reduce the buds to six to fifteen (depending on whether one or two canes are used). These buds will host the coming growing season's grape producers.

CANTINA
An Italian term to describe a winery.

CANTINA SOCIALE 
A Cantina Sociale is a sphere-based cooperative wine production facility or a winery with special tax benefits. The cooperative is obliged to accept the grapes of the members.  It can be abbreviated with CS.

CAP CLASSIQUE
South African wine term for a sparkling wine made according to the traditional method where the second fermentation occurs in the bottle.

CAPSULE
Capsule is the plastic or foil that covers and tightly secures in place the cork. It also covers and part of the neck of a wine bottle.

CARBONIC MACERATION (Macération Carbonique)
Carbonic maceration is a wine making method by which whole, uncrushed grapes are fermented in a sealed vat that is partially pressurized by a layer of carbon dioxide. This results in fruity, soft and distinct red wines with very little tannin that are immediately drinkable and are meant to be consumed within a few months after bottling.  This is the method used throughout France's Beaujolais region.

CASCINA
Italian term for a farmhouse or wine estate

CASK
A wood barrel or storage vessel, most traditionally made from oak. It is used in winemaking for fermentation and/or aging.

CASTELLO
Italian term to describe a castle very much like the term Chȃteau in France.

CAVA.
A sparkling produced mostly in Catalonia, Spain by the traditional (Champagne) approach using Macabeo, Xarel.lo and/or Parellada grapes. A leading tier devoted to single-vineyard instances, Cava de Paraje Calificado (CPC), has actually recently been integrated in the regulation. These wines should meet stricter regulations regarding vine age, yield and ageing on the lees (min. 36 months).

CÉPAGE.
Le cépage is French for grape selection. It refers to the variety or varieties of grapes used to make a wine. For example the cépage of most wines from the left bank of Bordeaux have as constituent varieties mainly those of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and possibly to a lesser degree Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. 

CHALK.
Chalk is a form of limestone and is considered desirable for viticulture because of its high porosity and ability to limit fast draining while also facilitating drainage if saturated. Although many insist chalk is present in wineries in many parts of the globe, actually only one region of note, Champagne, can legitimately declare pure chalk. Here, a small, dart-shaped mollusk or Belemnite has given its name to the chalky soils along the rises and slopes; another form, Micraster, is more prevalent on the plains. Vineyards planted on chalk or other limestone land need to utilize rootstocks that tolerate high levels of active lime. See limestone.

CHAPTALIZATION.
The procedure of sugar coating to grape must to raise a wine's alcoholic stamina. Its name comes from its foremost promulgator, Jean-Antoine Chaptal, who promoted its use in the very early 1800s. In the European Union, chaptalization is purely regulated as well as may only be employed in particular areas. Usually decried as overly manipulative, boosting alcohol by little increments may generate much more balanced wines; in hot climates, alcohol may be removed from red wine to the very same end. Sugar coating is also the mirror image of acidification. This type of enrichment or amelioration is ending up being less usual with climbing worldwide temperature levels which cause riper grapes with greater sugars.

CHARMAT
The Charmat method is a sparkling winemaking process that traps bubbles in wine via carbonation in large steel tanks as opposed to the traditional method where bubbles are trapped by a second fermentation in the bottle. This technique is also called metodo Italiano, the Marinotti method, the tank method, or cuvee close (“sealed tank,” from the French cuvée, or vat).

CHȂTEAU
A term to describe in general terms a winery in Bordeaux, although it is sometimes used for wineries in other parts of the world, such as the Barossa Valley.

CHIARETTO
Italian term for a very pale or light colored rosé. Very common in Bardolino Lake Garda as a pale assertive rosé.

CLAIRET
A French term for a wine that falls between the range of a light red wine and a dark rosé.

 

CLARIFICATION 
Clarification, fining and stabilization are steps in the winemaking process that precedes bottling. Winemakers use clarification to remove suspended material in wines that are created via chemical reactions during the winemaking process. These include dead yeast cells, proteins, bacteria, tartrates, grape skins, pulp, stems and gums, and other undesirable compounds.  They are insoluble and float around in the wine, creating a cloudy, dull appearance. Different clarification agents may be used such egg whites, casein, bentonite or kaolin clay. These fining agents, once added to the final product tend to bind (sort of glue with) on all undesirable particles that form upon completion of the wine making process and cause them to settle and finally be removed. 

CLASSIC
German classification category for dry wine

CLASSICO
An Italian term for the historical or "classic" center of a wine region — sometimes located in the heart of a DOC and quite often in the escarpment of hill sides (i.e. Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico)

CONSORZIO
Consorzio is an Italian term for a trade organization / Association of wine producers and quite often grape growers, which oversees the zone's wines. Often members of an individual consorzio will have their wines packaged with a specific neck label that identifies their membership in the consorzio (i.e. Concorzio Chianti Classico).

CLARET.
The English word for red Bordeaux. A corruption of the French clairet, which explained the clear, pale red glass of wines generated in Bordeaux in the late medieval period when England came to be a primary client for the area. Clairet continues to this particular day as a main regional appellation for a light red as well as is distinct from Bordeaux Rosé, which has its own AOC.

CLIMAT.
A certain winery site or collection of sites given a name, particularly in Burgundy, where there are 1,247 such identified wineries. The significance of this term is shown by a lately approved World Heritage status by UNESCO, who stated that climats are "a distinct as well as a living sunroom of centuries-old traditions." It is a more nuanced term used traditionally rather than understood at present, and also often utilized interchangeably with lieu-dit or "named area." Climats in earlier background had a tendency to be vineyards with particular all-natural benefits, those that in modern times have actually been designated premier or grand cru. Under appellation legislations, they might be the ensemble of many lieux-dits or incorporate just a specific part of a lieu-dit, or parts of several lieux-dits. To put it simply, the meaning of climat is the very essence of Burgundian complexity. See lieu-dit.

 

CLONE.
A creeping plant, a duplicate, originated from solitary mom and dad vine that equals in genetic terms. Duplicates have been developed in France, Germany as well as various other nations. They have a tendency to be recognized by a one-of-a-kind genetic code or number. In practical terms, clonal choice enables a little varied quality within a single grape variety, providing cultivators with the security to choose the clones of a variety that better suit their viticulture and viniculture peculiarities. Clones are the mainstay of contemporary viticulture.

CLOS.
In France, the term denotes a winery and vineyard side enclosed by stone walls at this time, or at some earlier period. The word is connected with Burgundy specifically; e.g., Clos de Vougeot or Clos de la Roche. It is also used in other regions: Clos de l'Echo in Chinon (Loire), Clos Fourtet in St.-Emilion (Bordeaux), Clos Ste.-Hune (Alsace), or Clos des Papes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône).

COULURE.
In French, pollination failure: flowers fall short to turn into fruit. This problem might result from wet, inadequate weather conditions throughout the normal flowering duration. See millerandage.

COLHEITA.
Portuguese term for vintage or harvest. It also describes a design of Port, successfully a Tawny with a vintage day aged for a minimum of seven years in barrel. It is a design generated in small quantities by a limited variety of carriers as well as can be of outstanding high quality.

COLLI
Colli is an Italian term to describe hills.  The term is widely used in Friuli Venezia Giulia region (e.g. Colli Orientali.

CORKED.
Corked is the sampling term for a musty odour which is brought on by various chloroanisoles, of which TCA is the primary offender. According to several recent research studies, the occurrence of corked wine has been significantly minimized. This tendency has been brought about by even more strenuous decontaminating therapies, as well as the enhanced usage of alternate closures from artificial corks to conglomerates such as Diam. Taints from various other resources might be misinterpreted for "corkiness." See TCA.

COOPERATIVE
A Cooperative is a winemaking organization that is jointly owned by a number of growers who pool their resources and vineyards to produce a wine under one label. 

CORDON TRAINING
Cordon training is one of the many vine training methods. Unlike cane pruning where the trunk itself is the only permanent, inflexible piece of the vine, cordon trained vines have one or two woody arms extending from the top of the trunk. These are then spur pruned. 

CORKSCREW
A tool, comprising of a pointed metallic helix attached to a handle, for drawing Corks from bottles.

COSECHA.
Harvest or vintage in Spanish.  Vendimia has the very same definition.

CÔTES
A French term denoting wines from vineyards from a slope or contiguous hillside and often along a river (e.g Côtes du Rhône). 

CÔTEAUX
Wines from slopes or not contiguous hillside vineyards (Côteaux du Languedoc).

CREMANT
French sparkling wine made the traditional method but not in the Champagne region.

CRIANZA
Crianza is a wine term in Spain for a mainly red wine that has been aged in oak for one year and one year in the bottle before its market release.

CRU.
A French word that appeared in the 19th century of vineyards of a higher stature; its English equivalent is "development" though that does not completely or clearly explain its use. Today, cru is a regulated in regards to AOC regulations and also appears in numerous French areas to mark certain top-tier vineyards (Alsace, Wine Red, Loire) or entire towns (Sparkling wine) and appellations (Rhône) in addition to a part of a solitary appellation (St.-Emilion). Hence, the definition and application of cru vary substantially. Crus appear in classifications, especially the popular 1855 Classement of the Médoc and also Sauternes along with 4 others referring to Bordeaux. Therefore cru as a term additionally exists separately of AOC regulations and also may or might not be identified with the foremost quality.

CUVÉE.
A term that has numerous definitions in France as well as in other nations too. It could refer to a single barrel or whole lot, however much more generally to a blend. In Sparkling wine, the cuvée is the product of the assemblage of the base wines, perhaps of multiple grape harvests, blended or not which is moved to bottle for the second fermentation.

D
DECANTING
Decanting refers to the process of removing sediment from a wine before its consumption. Once the sediment is allowed to settle by leaving the bottle to stand upright for the day, the wine is poured slowly and carefully into a container, usually a decanter, leaving the undesirable sediment in the bottle. 

DEGREE DAYS
“Degree days” is a method of categorizing the climate based on the number of days in which the temperature range allows vines to grow. It is one of the many important tools winemakers and vine growers alike use to determine where to plant which variety.     

DELICATE
A term used to describe relatively light to medium body wines with pleasant flavours.

DÉLESTAGE
The term refers to returning, same as racking, wine back to the tank. Wine is usually pumped of a fermenting tank and back over its cap to facilitate extraction of colour, flavour and aromas.   

  
DEMETER
Demeter is a non-profit organization that encourages and provides certification of biodynamic farming practices.

DEMIJOHN
Demijohn is a large sizeable narrow necked bottle which can hold 3 to 10 gallons of wine and is typically closed with a wicker.

DENSE 
A descriptor for a wine that has a high degree of concentrated aromas on both the nose and palate.

DEPTH
A descriptor of both concentration and complexity of flavors in a wine.  

DEMI - MUID  
Demi Muid refers to a 600 litter capacity oak barrel. Its use is very typical in the Rhône Valley.

DEMI SEC
The term denotes a medium-sweet wine. It literally translates half dry thus the designation Demi Sec may be, to some extent, misleading. The term is widely used for Champagne and other sparkling wines. It is also used on semi sweet wines in the Loire Valley and other French regions as well. 

DESTEMMING
Destemming refers to the process of isolating the grape berries from their stems after the grapes have been harvested. Removal of the stems will eliminate the possibility of having astringent and undesirable tannins in the wine.    

 

DISGORGEMENT – (Dégorgement in French)
Disgorgment is the process to eliminate the previously collected and frozen, pellet like, sediment, at the neck of an inverted bottle (dead yeast) arising from the secondary fermentation in champagne and other bottle fermented sparkling wines. The disgorgement process is carried out at the conclusion of the bottle fermented wines’ ageing process and after their second fermentation.    

DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) - ITALY 
D.O.C. is an Italian term introduced back in 1963.  Though it is based on the French model which dictates production areas, viticulture and viniculture practices the Italian approach will also guarantee that quality of certain wines abide with certain standards and pass government taste tests.

DOCa  (denominación de origen calificada  - denomination of qualified origin) - SPAIN
Though similar to the term used in Italy, DOCa represents the highest category in Spanish wine regulations. It is reserved for regions with above-average grape prices and particularly stringent quality controls. An Example is Rioja which was the first Spanish region to be granted the DOCa status back in 1991. Priorat followed in 2003. Priorat uses the Catalan language version of DOCa, DOQ, for denominació d'origen qualificada. These are the only two regions considered "above" DO status.

DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (D.O.C.G.) 
DOCG is the highest quality level designation in the Italian wine classification hierarchy system. It was in effect since 1980 as a result of the existence of too many DOC with variable degrees of quality. All wines labelled as DOCG must pass a vigorous evaluation, analysis, and tasting through a government licensed body – committee before bottling. Wines labelled as DOCG must adhere to the strictest rules and regulations. 74 wines have now earned this much sought after accolade-classification status.      

DOP (denominación de origen Protegida) - SPAIN 
DOP represent the mainstay of Spain's wine quality control system. Spanish wine regions are governed by a consejo regulador (consortium regulator), which decides on the region’s boundaries permitted cultivars, maximum yields, limits of alcoholic strength and other quality standards or production limitations related to the zone. A total of 96 DOPs (as of 2019) are further subdivided into DOCa, DO, VP and VC. 

DOQ, for denominació d'origen qualificada.
DOQ is the Catalan term for DOCa which is used for the Priorat wine region in Catalunia / Catalonia. 

DOC / DOP (Denominação de Origem Controlada  - Denominação de Origem Protegida) – PORTUGAL
Both terms are currently in use in Portugal’s wine region classification hierarchy. The Controlled Designation of Origin DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) is the traditional Portuguese approach whereas the new pan-European ‘DOP’ (Denominação de Origem Protegida), also in use, means Protected Designation of Origin.  At the top level of this hierarchy there are currently a total of 31 designations. Similarly to the Italian and Spanish wine region hierarchy approach, DOC/DOP guidelines dictate strict rules on geographical boundaries, maximum grape yields, permitted and/or recommended grape varieties, other viticulture and viniculture practices, and all the wines to be tested (tasted) and approved by a specific regulatory body.

DOSAGE
Dosage is the step in sparkling wine production that follows disgorging and right before final corking. In bottle-fermented sparkling wines, a small mixture of base wine, sugar, 0.02 to 0.03 grams of sulphur dioxide (as a preservative) and sometimes alcohol is added back to the bottle once the yeast sediment that collects in the neck of the bottle in the form of an ice pellet is disgorged (removed). This process will balance the acidity of the wine and also determine its perception of actual sweetness. The dosage is also known as liqueur d’expédition. Wines might be launched without a dosage. Within the European Union, champagne of this type is labeled Brut Nature, Dose Zéro, or Pas Dosé provided the sugar material is 3 g/l or less as well as no sugar has been included after the secondary fermentation. Those with 0 to 6 g/l might be marketed as Bonus Brut. A basic Brut is required to have less than 12 g/l of sugar.

E ^ back to top.
EINZELLAGE (PL. EINZELLAGEN).
Specific winery website in Germany. There are around 2,600 registered Einzellagen.

EISWEIN/ICEWINE.
A details classification of German Prädikat (QmP) white wine for those made with grapes frozen on the creeping plant in November or December. Generally, grapes for Eiswein are not touched by noble rot and must attain the sugar concentration (have to weight) of a Beerenauslese. The resulting wine likewise possesses extremely high acidity and taste concentration. Eiswein is likewise generated in Austria. Icewine is the Canadian term for white wines satisfying even greater criteria for sugar ripeness; Canada is the biggest producer of this style. Various other expressions of ice white wines are being made in Luxembourg, the USA (Oregon, Michigan, New York) and also China (Jilin, Ningxia, Xinjiang).

ELEVAGE.
The term in French for the "training" or growth of a white wine in the storage before bottling. The élevage may be in tank or cask, however frequently words indicates a duration in barrel, throughout which there are choices such as the frequency of racking and approach of fining. In a nutshell élevage  is simply  the “bringing up” or the “raising” of a wine from its raw state immediately post-alcoholic fermentation, and in many cases malolactic fermentation, to the point where it can be bottled.

ENCÉPAGEMENT.
The French word for the mix of grape selections planted in a particular vineyard or area. It is a crucial term due to the fact that it serves as the foundation of all AOC policies. The percentages of accredited varieties specified in the guidelines are established on the basis of growings, not the composition of a completed glass of wine, even if both are typically rather close.

F 
FADING
Fading is a term to describe a wine that is losing colour, fruit and/or flavour, and sometimes vitality due to excessive ageing.

FATTORIA
Fattoria is a Latin word denoting a farm. The word is a derivative of the Latin word factore literally maker, from facere (to do). It is a term that is widely used in Tuscany where a fattoria includes a farm, a winery and in most wine producing estates in Tuscany where  olive trees and other crops are grown.         

FERMENTATION
Fermentation is the process by which yeast converts grape must sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. During fermentation heat, a secondary by product, is also produced which is let to escape in the environment. In a nutshell, the fermentation is the process by which grape juice is converted into wine.  

FIFTH GROWTH
Fifth growth is a classification of the Classified Growth system in Bordeaux established in 1855. It is the lowest class yet with increasing popularity in quality advancement. There are currently 18 Chateaux classed as fifth growth. 

FIGHTING VARIETAL
A fighting varietal is a relatively recent term that describes a varietal wine, usually made of a main stream international variety, which can be priced at an everyday affordable price. Once they were introduced wines in that category could sell for as little as €5 to €7. As the category got larger prices have risen to the tune of €11.

FILTERING
Filtering is the process by which wine is pumped through a porous screen or pad to enclave and remove undesirable leftover grape and fermentation particles.

FINING.
The procedure of making a wine clear in a barrel or container with an agent that will eliminate soluble particles. Generally utilized coagulants consist of powdered minerals as well as proteins consisting of gelatine, egg whites, isinglass (fish bladder) or casein (milk protein). The objective of fining is to improve quality and also security; fining serves to polish the red wine too.

FINISH
Finish is one of main quality indicators. It is a measure of the taste and flavours that remain lingering in the mouth after the wine is tasted. Long, complex, rich finishes are one of the insignias of great wines.   

FINO
Fino is the driest classification of the Sherry classification. A thick layer of flor yeast protects the fino sherries from further oxygenation whilst ageing in the barrel. Finos are the freshest and pallest.   

FIRST GROWTH
First growth is a classification of the Classified Growth system in Bordeaux established in 1855. It is , the highest, most prestigious, and least populated class with only five Chateaux. These are,  Château Haut-Brion, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux and Château Mouton-Rothschild.

FLABBY / FLAT
Both terms are used to describe wines that are unbalanced and dull due to poor acidity. The term flat may also be used to describe a sparkling wine that had lost its perlage quality attributes and bubbles.

FLESHY
Fleshy is another wine descriptor which denotes a wine with a substantial extract, smooth texture reminiscent of biting a ripe, fleshy fruit.

FLIGHT
Flight is a set wines, at least two, who are compared and contrasted with each other.   

FLINT/FLINTY.
Flint is a descriptor for extremely dry white wines, in certain areas, such as Sauvignon Blanc, whose bouquet can be reminiscent of flint struck against steel.

FLOR
The film of yeast that builds up externally of certain wines, significantly Fino Sherry as well as Vin Jaune from Jura, France. Barrels are only partially filled up to urge development of flor yeasts, which vary from those associated with alcoholic fermentation. Sherry under flor undertakes organic aging causing chemical modifications such as a decrease in alcohol, glycerol and also both overall and also unpredictable level of acidity, along with a rise in acetaldehyde.

FLORAL / FLOWER
A term mostly used for white wines to describe the characteristic of aromas of flowers.

FLOWERING
Flowering is an important stage of the annual growth cycle of a grapevine. It occurs anywhere between 40 to 80 days after bud break when small flower button like clusters appear on the tips of young shoots.

FORTIFIED 
A fortified wine is one the alcohol level has been increased by the addition of brandy or a neutral spirit.

 

FOURTH GROWTH
First growth is a classification of the Classified Growth system in Bordeaux established in 1855. There are currently 10 chateaux classed as fourth growth.

FREE RUN JUICE
The juice released by a pile of grapes as a result of their skin being split under their own weight before any mechanical means of pressure are employed. In white wines this juice is considered the crème de la crème in terms of quality as it has the least amount of contact with undesirable bitter elements in the seeds , skins and leftover stems.

FRENCH OAK
The most traditional and widely used wood used in barrels which may be used in ageing and/or fermentation. This wood is key contributor to the flavours of vanilla, cedar and butterscotch flavours that pass on to the wines.

FRENCH PARADOX
The French are known for their high fat diet especially with dairy and cold cut products yet they have low rates of coronary heart diseases which be largely related to moderate wine consumption.          

FOUDRE
A large oak cask used to grow red wine in specific parts of France.

FRIZZANTE
A lightly sparkling wine is called frizzante. The Italian term is used to describe a wine with less effervescence and fewer bubbles than those found in other traditional sparkling wines. It is a producer’s style by choice.

FRUITSET
Fruit set describes the time when flowers transform into grapes. It is that time when fertilized flowers, under ideal weather conditions swell into fruit and very small bunches os grapes.

 
FRUITY
Having the aroma and taste insignia of a particular fruit or a cluster of fruits. 

FULL BODIED
The term describes a mouth filling, highly rich and extracted wine, with a perception of weight and mass. Wines over 13.5% are considered full bodied wines.

FUTURES      
Also known as en primeur, futures refer to a specific vintage of a wine that is sold prior to its official release in the market. This practice can be employed from several months up to some years before a wine hits the market at a quoted price that is lower than the anticipated market release price.     

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GARAGISTE
Garagistes refers to a team of winemakers in Bordeaux emerged in the 1990s. Initially their approach was to produce wines out of the traditional Bordeaux viniculture spectrum that commanded wines that were highly tannic that require long cellaring before they could become drinkable. 

Nowadays a garagiste is also a micro producer that may use its own garage or other producer’s premises to produce his own limited production wines. The term evolved even further, so many garagistes are now micro négociants or small merchants and can be found all over their world.

GARRIGUE
The term garrigue actually refers to low bush like wild aromatic shrubbery that thrive on limestone on the Mediterranean coast. They can be found in abundance in southern France. Such shrubbery can be juniper, thyme, rosemary, and lavender. Thus as a wine descriptor garrigue refers to wines that naturally carry the aromas of the above shrubbery.

GELATIN
Gelatin is an animal based product very much the same as Jell-O that used in the fining process to bind together excessive amounts of tannins which can later be removed via filtration.

GLYCERIN
Glycerin is a sweet colourless and neutral odourless with high viscosity produced during fermentation which contributes to a wine’s body whilst adding a rich and oily mouthfeel texture to it.

GRAFTING
Two plants in unison that will eventually grow as one. A method widely used to join phylloxera resistant rootstock with the desired vitis vinifera buds that will bear grapes. 

GRAN RESERVA  
Gran Reserva stand atop the Spanish quality hierarchy and are made in the best vintages. Reds that are classed as Grand Reserva further require that are aged in oak at least two years in oak and further three years in the bottles before they are released in the market.

GAND CRU 

The word grand stands for “great” and “cru” for growth thus the term “Grand Cru” refers to a “Great Growth”. It is not an accolade as it represents to top tier class in the French wine hierarchy in the regions where the term is used. It a term used widely  in Burgundy and they a class above the Premier Cru.

 

GRAND CRU CLASSÉ
Grand Cru Classé is a French term which denotes a quality hierarchy system. One example of these is the five tier Grand Cru Classé hierarchy in Bordeaux’s Médoc region established back in 1855.      

GRAPEY
Grapey are primary aromas related mainly to freshly harvested grapes which distinct from secondary and tertiary aromas which develop in finer wines due to both ageing in wood and more extensive cellaring after botling.         
         

GRAND VIN
A French term utilized in Bordeaux to explain the finest top quality wine of an estate as well as vintage bottled as the château. May additionally be made use of in an extra general feeling to imply a top-class wine, but this is at the discretion of the maker and is exempt to official controls; e.g., Grand Vin de Bordeaux.

GRASSY
Another signature descriptor mainly used for Sauvignon Blanc.

GRAY ROT
A situation where gray rot sets in when the grape fungus Botrytis Cinerea related to persistent, humid conditions ideal to the development of gray rot, overruns the vine and eventually destroys the fruit.  

GRAVES
The French word for gravel along with the eponymous Bordeaux district which, in places, has a gravelly soil.

GREEN HARVEST
A method to decrease crop yields by discarding unripe grapes thereby improving the concentration in the remaining bunches.   

GROSSES GEWÄCHS
The name offered to the highest quality tier of both red and white wines (though GG whites account for more than 50% for the white variety of Riesling) in Germany by a private organization, Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter. Known as GG, such wines are produced in Grosse Lage wineries; yields are minimal as well as the red wines are completely dry. There are roughly 200 wine estates that belong to the VDP, which holds the copyright to "VDP Grosses Gewächs".
 
H
HALBTROCKEN
A term used in Germany and Austria to describe a wine that is half dry with a residual sugar not exceeding 18 g/l.

HALF BOTTLE
A bottle that holds 375 millilitres (37.5  centilitres) or 3/8 of a litter.

HARMONIOUS
A term to define a well-balanced wine with one component or attribute obtrusive, overwhelming or lacking.   

HARSH
A harsh wine is one of high levels of astringency, tannins and alcohol.

HARVEST
Harvest denotes the picking of the grapes. It is a process that can be done manually or mechanically; usually September through October in the northern hemisphere and March through April in the southern hemisphere.

  
HAZY
A term to describe wines with some visible matter; a characteristic of unfiltered wines.

HEAD TRAINED 
A method of vine training where vines are free standing with several branches that grow vertically to form a small tree like plant.

HECTARE
A land equivalent to 10,000 square metres or 2.47 acres; a widely used method to measure vineyard size in Europe.

HECTOLITER
Liquid volume equivalent to 100 litres or 26.4 gallons. Volume in Europe is measured in hectolitres per hectare whereas in the US is measured in tons per acre.

HERBACEOUS
A term to describe aromas and flavours of herbs in a wine. For wines such as Sauvignon Blanc is quality attribute and to, a lesser degree in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

HONEYED
A term to describe the character of sweet wines.

HORIZONTAL TASTING
Horizontal tasting involves wines that are served and tasted in peer group flights of the same vintage.    

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ICE WINE
Sweet low alcohol wine that from grapes that have been left to freeze on the vines. The term Ice Wine is used in Canada whereas the term Eiswein is used in Germany.

IGP
Indication Géographique Protégée.
A new term assigned by the European Union in 2016 which will eventually replace all Vin de Pays for all member states. 

IGT
Indicazione Geografica Tipica.
Similar to the I.G.P. but used exclusively in Italy. It literally means “wine typical of a region”. It stands one level above Vino da Tavola and is used for Super Tuscans.
 

IMPERIAL
The term in Bordeaux for a large-format container holding 6 litres or 8 conventional bottles. It has the very same volume as the Methuselah in Sparkling wine, however it maintains the common straight-sided form used for Bordeaux red wines.

INOCULATION
Inoculation is the process the winemaker uses to add yeast to must to kick off the fermentation.

INTENSITY 
Intensity is one of the terms / descriptors to evaluate a wine in relation to its appearance and aroma. A wine with a more concentrated opaque colour has higher intensity. In terms of aroma and flavour the more concentrated, profound they are as attributes the more intense a wine is.   

IMBOTTIGLIATO ALL’ORIGINE
An Italian term for estate-bottled wines

IRRIGATION
Irrigation is watering any plant. Irrigation is banned in some viticulture areas yet it is essential in arid regions where the soils maintain little or no moisture. There are four different methods to irrigate a vineyard: 1. Overhead sprinkler irrigation, 2. Micro sprinkler irrigation, 3. Drip irrigation and 
4. Furrow irrigation.

ISINGLASS
Isinglass, a protein derived from the bladders of a sturgeon, is one of the different fining methods. The protein binds excess tannins whilst pulling them away from particularly harsh tannic wines.     

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JEROBOAM
A large format bottle consisting of 3 litres or 4 basic bottles of Sparkling wine. This exact same size is called a dual magnum in Bordeaux. For various other still red wines, a jeroboam might consist of either 4 or 6 bottles (4.5 litres) depending upon regional usage.

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KABINETT
A German wine classification which denotes that a wine has been made exclusively from fully ripe grapes at harvest. The lassification was introduced in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in the early 1970’s as an indicator to consumers that a wine had not been chaptalized thus no sugar was added to it during the winemaking process. 

KOSHER WINE
Kosher wine is made according Jewish traditional traditions and laws (the kashrut) dictated by the rabbinical authorities. Only observant orthodox Jews can be involved in the winemaking process and strict guidelines are followed such as in the case of racking and barrel sampling. Common animal based fining agents such as casein and isinglass are forbidden though egg white may be permitted.     

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LACTIC ACID
A malolactic fementation derivative acid also present in milk which is smooth and not harsh.

LAGARE
Portuguese for the conventional open, made of stone, superficial fermentation barrel made use of in the Douro, in which grapes are squashed by foot. These were made from granite or marble. Today, this procedure can be done mechanically. Storage and fermentation tanks have actually replaced the lagar maceration.

LATE HARVEST
Late harvest or “Ventange tardives” is an indicator on wine labels of wines made of grapes that have been left on the vines later normal to develop higher sugar levels than normal. The term is also widely associated with botrytized and dessert wines (i.e. Sauternes).

LEES
Lees refer to the sediments of dead yeast cells, remnants of grape seeds, stems, and tartrates (tartaric acid crystals) which remain in the barrel or other vessel the fermentation process is complete. Fine lees may be kept after racking, a method known as “sur-lie”, to age alongside with wine. These fine lees will add complexity, richness and can also enclave excess tannins. 
See also bâtonnage.

 

 

LIEU-DIT (PL. LIEUX-DITS).
A lieu-dit is a geographical toponymic term of a place, vineyard, normally the smallest parcel of an appellation that can be named. An entire AOC may also be called lieu-dit which is commonly seen in Alcase and Burgundy.

LIMOUSIN
A forest in close proximity to Limoges, France, that produces wood for barrel. It is often preferred for use as its grainy wood properties that impart flavours to a wine.

LINGERING
A term to describe the mouth length of a flavour after tasting. A long and persistent aftertaste is described as linering.  

LIQUEUR D’EXPEDITION
See Dosage

LIQUEUR DE TIRAGE
A term used for the solution of wine, sugar, and yeast to a bottle of a still base wine to kick start a second fermentation in the bottle for Champagne (also known as méthode traditionnelle). 

LOAM.
A soil characterized by a mix of sand, silt and clay in varying ratios resulting in lighter, extra porous or heavier, water-holding dirt. In a perfect mix, loam has adequate water holding ability yet it drains freely. In turn, a loamy wine is one with a sense of pleasant earthiness. 

LOESS.
Wind-blown fine silt and also sand offering leaks in the structure as well as helping with the root development. Loess soils can be highly fertile. Found in some parts of Germany, Austria and also Washington State.

LUSCIOUS (lush)
A luscious wine is soft, viscous, fleshy, concentrated and round. The term is more frequently related with sweet whites rather than rich red wines. 

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