GLOSSARY
Acidity
A key element of wine that gives wine crispness. Too much acidity will make the wine seem bitter. Too little make wine seem flabby.
Aftertaste
The flavors that remain in the mouth after the wine is swallowed.
Aging
Store the wines in tanks, barrels or bottles to allow them to mature.
Appellation
Is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown.
Aroma
Simply the smell of a wine normally used before to taste it ( especially for young wines).
Astringent
Describe the sensation that a high level of tannins leaves in the mouth.
Balance
Term for when all the wine’s components ( acids, sugars,tannins and alcohol) are in correct percentage.
Barrel
Oak container for fermenting and/or aging wines.
Barrique
A 225 litres oak barrel originatig in Bordeaux.
Bitter
Taste sensation on the back of the tongue due to tannins.
Blend
Wine made with more grape varietal.
Body
Term to describe the weight and fullness of wine in the mouth. A wine can be light, medium or full bodied.
Bordeaux
Wine-producing area in Southwest of France.
Botrytis Cinerea
Fungus responsible for the “ noble rot” causing the dehydration of the grape. A useful factor in the production of great dessert wines.
Bouquet
Refers to the complex aroma in aged wines.
Brettanomyces
yeast that spoil wines , producing mousy , metallic or band-aid aromas.
Brilliant
Tasting note for the wines that appear sparkling clearly.
Brut
French term for dry Champagnes and sparkling wines.
Buttery
Describes wines with flavors that remind a taste of butter. Specific characteristic of white wines especially of Chardonnay.
Carbonic maceration
A red wine-making process in which the entire cluster is placed in a vat completely devoid of oxygen and fulled of carbon dioxide. Fermentation take place only by means of indigenous yeast. This method originate wines very fruity and low in tannins( Beaujolais Nouveau for example).
Cava
Term used for bottle-fermented sparkling wines from Spain.
Champagne
Term for bottled-fermented sparkling wine produced only in Champagne region in France.
Chaptalization
Refers to the add of sugar before or during fermentation to increase alcohol level. Is illegal in many countries and strictly controlled in others.
Charmat or Martinotti method
Technique for the production of many sparkling wines. The second fermentation take place in tank instead of in the bottle( Champagne).
Château
French word for a castle or mansion. On wine label it preceds the name of vineyard that produced the wine.
Citric acid
One of the most important acids in wine.
Claret
Name of English use referring to the red wines of Bordeaux.
Closed
Referred to an undeveloped and young wine whose flavours are not completely exhibited.
Complexity
The whole range of nuances, flavours and aromas that creat the harmony in the wine.
Corked
Word to describe a wine spoiled taste by a bad cork and due to trichloroanisole.
Crémant
Term indicating sparkling wines fermented in bottles from various regions of France, with the exception of the Champagne region.
Cru
French term indicating a wine produced with grapes of a single vineyard or a zone/village.
Crú classé
Top ranking vineyard designated in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855.
Cuvée
term to indicates the quantity of wine that is produced each time in a vat.
Demi-sec
French term used to indicate sweet sparkling wines ( contains 33<>50 gr/lt of sugars).
Dry
Term for wines that contains 17< >32 gr/lt of sugars.
Earthy
Word to describe a flavour reminiscent of damp soil.
Enology
Science of wine and winemaking.
Fermentation
Process of converting grape sugars into alcohol by yeasts.
Filtration
Technique to remove particulate material from wine by passing through a filtering substrate.
Fining
Removal technique of micro particulate matter by adding specific substances( egg withes or gelatine).
Flabby
Wine with a very low level of acidity.
Flowery
Particular aromas reminiscent of flowers (usually referred to white wines).
Fortified
Wines that have had an addition of grape spirit. Sherry, Port , Marsala and Madeira for example.
Foxy
Term refers to a very particular note found in some wines, a sort of wild, musky, animal smell that reminds of the odor of a fur coat.
Frizzante
Italian term referring to semi-sparkling wines.
Fruity
Wines that flavour of fresh fruits.
Full-bodied
Term to describe wines high in alcohol and flavours.
Harsh
Referred to wines too high in tannin and/or acid.
Herbaceous
Scent of fresh herbs referring to white and red wines. Too herbaceous is a negative trait and is called "vegetable".
Icewine
Sweet dessert wine made with grapes that have undergone a late harvest (in winter when are frozen).
Leathery
Another type of aroma which can be found in well-aged wines from various parts of the world.
Lees
Consisting in dead yeast cells , seeds, grape pulp. It settle to the bottom of the vat/ barrel during and after fermentation. Many times it has positive effects on the must/wine.
Long
Referred to a wine when its flavours persisting in the mouth even after the wine is swallowed.
Malic acid
Another very important acid. Occurs naturally in apples, cherries, plums and tomatoes.
Malolactic fermentation
Secondary fermentation in which the malic acid is transformed into lactic acid giving the wine a “ buttery flavour”.
Méthode Champenoise
French term for the traditional bottle-fermentation technique.
Must
Grape juice ( including seeds, skins and stems ) that become wine through the fermentation.
Noble rot
The form of Botrytis that creates dessert wines of unparalleled renown. The mold shrivels the grapes , thereby concentrating sugars and flavours.
Nose
Synonym of bouquet or aroma.
Oaky
Scent gived by in oak barrel-aging( vanilla, spices).
Oxidized
Wine in which the color or the flavour is changed by direct contact with air.
Pétilant
French term synonym of lightly sparkling.
Phenolic compounds
Natural compounds present in grape skins and seeds.
Phylloxera
Very dangerous insect that attack grape vine roots. In 2nd half of 19th century caused a lot of damages. The problem is been solved by grafting European grape vines onto resistant rootstock.
Plonk
British slang for cheap and very low-quality wine.
Racking
Term for separating process of must from lees.
Riddling
Part of traditional method of sparkling wine production in which the bottle is slowly rotated to settle the lees in the neck of the bottle facilitating its removal.
Sec
French term synonym of “dry”.
Sediment
Solid material that can settle in wine container( including bottles).
Smoky
Aroma reminiscent smoke or charred wood due to heavily toasted barrel.
Sparkling
Term referring to a wine that has undergone a second fermentation that produces carbon dioxide dissolved into the wine. Carbon dioxide produce the worldwide famous bubble at the opening of bottle.
Spicy
Wine with scent of various spices( black pepper, paprika, saffron etc).
Spumante
Italian name for sparkling.
Structure
Technical term that includes flavours harmony,alcohol, acidity and tannins.
Sur lie aging
Technique in which the wine is allowed to sit upon its lees for a while adding flavour and texture.
Tannin
Phenolic compound derivate from skins, seeds and stems.It make your mouth pucker when you drink some red wines.
Tartaric acid
The most important acid ( especially for the flavours and the aging).
Terroir
French term for the concept of the link between production area ( soil, topography and climate) and wine.
Typicity
Term to describe how a wine express the characteristics of the variety of grape.
Toast
Effect caused by a heating of oak barrels. It act as a barrier between wine and wood. A lightly toasted give the wine more wood influence.
Toasty
Term that describe a smell of freshly made buttered toast typical of Great French Champagnes.
Vanilla
Aroma that can be found in red wines or in whites aged in new oak barrels.
Varietal
Wine made entirely from grapes whose name appears on the label.
Vegetal
When wine has scent of fresh or cooked vegetables ( e.g. bell peppers , grass, asparagus). If it is in large amounts it’s often due to underripe grapes and be considering negative trait.
Velvety
It is a sensation rather than a taste. It makes the wine appear smooth or ultra-smooth. Can be found it in wines as Amarone or Pinot Noir.
Vintage
The bottling year and, also, the yield of wine from a vineyard in a single season. Millésime in French.
Violets
Fascinating bouquet often found in young red wines( e.g. from Rhône, Bordeaux and northern Italy).
Volatile
Referred to a high level of acetic acid in wine( due to bad grapes or/and bad mistakes during wine making process).
Yeast
Microorganism of the fungus kingdom that carries out the conversion of sugars into alcohol
Yield
Productivity of a vineyard.