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Wine Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Acidity

Refers to the level of acid found in wine. Too little acid tends to make a wine bland, while too much can make it vinegary. Acidity is not to be confused with sourness.

Aftertaste

The taste left on the tongue after drinking wine. It is also refened to as the finish. Some wines tend to have more aftertaste than others. Some have hardly any.

Age

The period of time that a wine spends maturing to achieve its best flavor and aroma. Wines are aged in a variety of ways from large casks (such as oak or stainless steel) to bottles. Complex wines tend to benefit from aging, whereas simple wines should be drunk when they are young.

Alcohol

A product of the fermentation of grapes that contributes to the taste of wine and acts as a preservative.

Aperitif

Any alcoholic beverage such as Champagne, Vermouth, or white wine that is taken before a meal as an ‘appetizer”.

Appellation Controlée (AC)

Apellation Controlee is a guarantee that a wine was produced in a specific location by a particular method with approved grape varieties and in controlled quantities. Quality is not guaranteed, but wines designated with the AC are usually of higher quality than those that are not.

Aroma

The smell of a young wine which may later develop into a mature bouquet in fine wines.

Asti Spumante

A sparkling white wine made from the Moscato grape produced in and around Asti in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. It is sometimes referred to as the “Champagne of Italy”.

Auslese

German term referring to a wine with high natural sugar content.

B

Balance

The relationship among alcohol, sweetness, fruitiness, acidity and tannin found in a wine. Well-balanced wines have a pleasant proportion of all these elements.

Bardolino

A light, red, slightly-sweet wine produced in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Bardolino is best drunk when young.

Beerenauslese

Sweet German white wine made from late harvested grapes. These wines are usually expensive and hard to find.

Big

Describes a wine with powerful flavor.

Blanc de Blancs

A white wine made from white grapes.

Blanc de Noirs

A white wine produced from red grapes.

Blush Wine

A pink wine produced from grape juice or must from which the grape skins have been removed before fermentation is complete. Same as a pale rosé.

Bodega

(1) Spanish for a winemaking establishment.
(2) A wine store
(3) A wine cellar.

Body

The weight and texture of a wine in the mouth, from light to robust.

Botrytis cinerea (Noble rot)

A mold that concentrates the sugar and flavor of grapes.

Bouquet

The complex aroma of a matured wine. Not to be confused with the aroma of a young wine.

Breathing

Exposing a wine to the air by uncorking the bottle before serving. Generally, red wines require more breathing time than whites, which sometimes require none. Sparkling wines, for instance, do not need to breathe.

Brut

This refers to the driest type of champagne or other sparkling wines.

Buttery

A term used frequently to describe some Chardonnays and White Burgundies referring to the smooth texture and rich, butter-like flavor.

C

Carafe

A glass container frequently used to serve house wine in restaurants.

Cave

Some French wines are labeled “Mis en bouteilles dans nos caves “. This means ‘bottled in our cellars’, but is no guarantee of quality.

Character

The distinctive attributes which give a wine its individuality.

Chateau

Quality French Bordeaux wines are labeled”Mis en bouteille au chateôu”. This means that the wines were estate bottled by the proprietor and are considered to be of high quality.

Claret

The British term for red Bordeaux wines.

Clean

A wine with no offensive odors or tastes.

Cloudy

A dull, hazy color in a wine.

Coarse

Rough, inelegant texture.

Complex

A word used to describe the rich variety of bouquet and flavors in a fine wine.

Color

Color refers to the “look” of a wine. That is, the actual color (red, yellow, brown etc.), it’s opacity (clear, cloudy), and other characteristics. If the color of a wine is wrong for that wine, it may be bad or not yet aged enough.

Concord

A native American blue-black grape used to make jelly, grape juice and Kosher wines.

Corky

The odor and taste of cork that indicates deterioration of the wine.

Crackling

Used to indicate a wine that is mildly sparkling.

Crisp

A wine with a good acid balance that is fresh and lively.

Cru

French word for “growth”. Superior growths are classified by several names including Grand Cru and Premier Cru.

Cuvée

French for a lot of a wine or a blend.

D

Decant

To gently pour a wine from one bottle to another so as not to disturb the sediment remaining in the bottom of the original bottle.

Delicate

A wine that is light of flavor, fragrance and body.

Demi-Sec

Champagne or other sparkling wines in their semi-sweet form.

Depth

The characteristic of a fine wine with several layers of flavor.

Dessert Wines

Sweet wines such as Sauternes and fortified wines such as Port are generally served “ after meals or with desserts.

Dry

Wines that have had most or all of their sugar fermented into alcohol and as a result have little or no sweetness about them.

E

Earthy

The taste that soil imparts to wine grapes and consequently to the wine.

Edelfäule

German term for the ‘Noble rot’ mold which attacks the skins of some grapes thereby withering them and removing some of the juice. This results in a higher concentration of sugar so that the grapes produce rich, sweet wines.

Eiswein

A sweet, German wine made from grapes harvested and crushed after they have frozen on the vine.

F

Fermentation

The process that occurs when yeast changes the sugar in grapes into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Finesse

A French term used to refer to the ‘fineness’ of exceptionally elegant wines.

Firm

A well-balanced, tight combination of the different ingredients of a wine.

Flinty

A hard, stony taste in wine.

Flowery

The subtle taste and aroma of blossoms found in a wine. Not to be confused with sweetness.

Fortified

Wines that are made stronger by adding brandy.

Foxy

The wild taste found in some North American grape varieties.

Frizzante

An Italian word meaning semi-sparkling wines.

Fruity

The fresh taste and aroma found in some younger wines. Not to be confused with sweetness.

Full-bodied

Wines, high in alcohol and soluble solids from the grape, that have a weighty and substantial taste.

G

Generic Wines

Wines made from a variety of grapes and that do not use the varietal grape names. ‘ The most common generic wines are the red and white “jug” wines.

H

Hard

A wine that has not aged enough to achieve a proper balance.

Herbaceous

Wine that has the flavor and aroma of herbs.

House

A term used for producers of Champagne.

Hybrid

Grapes that are bred from more than one grape variety. This breeding may improve the flavor or hardiness of the vine.

I

J

Jug Wines

Simple, everyday wines that were originally bottled in jugs. In America, jug wines are usually inexpensive and come in larger sized bottles.

K

Kabinett

Light, German white wines made without additional sugar that are relatively low in alcohol content.

Kellerabfullung

German term for “estate bottled”.

Kosher Wine

A wine traditionally made from Concord grapes and, by Jewish law, under the supervision of a rabbi.

L

Labrusca

A species of grape found growing naturally in the United States.

Lacrima Christi

A lovely white wine (although some red is also produced) derived from grapes grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vesuvius, an active volcano in Southwest Italy near Naples.
The name means “Tears of Christ”.

Legs

Streams that run down the sides of a glass indicating a rich, full-bodied wine.

Light-bodied

A wine that is low in alcohol, texture, and body.

Lively

A wine with high acidity and a crisp, fresh flavor.

M

Madeira

A process in which white wines become flat and dark due to excessive aging or poor storage. The term is derived from Madeira wine which is dark.

Maderization

A rich, white fortified wine resembling Sherry originally produced on the Portuguese island off the coast of west Africa of the same name. The more important varieties of Madeira are Sercial, Rainwater, Boa! (or Bual), and Malmsey. The latter is often touted as an aphrodisiac.

Marrying

The blending of two or more wines in a cask in order to yield a wine with more desirable characteristics.

Marsala

Italys most famous fortified wine is produced on the Island of Sicily and usually contains about 17% to 20% alcohol. The better Marsalas such as Marsala Superiori and Marsala Vergini (or Solera) are comparable to Sherry.

Mature

A wine that has aged sufficiently and is ready to be drunk.

Medium-Bodied

A wine whose weight and texture on the tongue fall between light and full bodied.

Mousseux

French for sparkling.

Muscadines

Species of vines that produce the Scuppemong, Mish, and James grapes that are grown in Southern parts of North America. Low sugar contents and high acidity are characteristic of the Muscadines.

N

Naturwein

German term for wines made without the addition of sugar.

Negociant

A shipper or dealer.

Noble Rot (Botrytis cinerea)

The standard name given to the mold which attacks the skins of some grapes thereby withering them and removing some of the juice. This results in a higher concentration of sugar so that the grapes produce rich, sweet wines

Non-Vintage Champagne

A Champagne containing the juice from grapes of different years.

Nose

A term used to describe the smell of a wine.

O

Oak

The taste of oak that is given to wine by the oak casks in which it is aged.

Oenology (Also Enology)

The science or study of wine.

Oenophile (Also Enophile)

A wine lover or connoisseur of wine.

Organic Wine

Wine processed from grapes grown free of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

Oxidation

A flaw that occurs in young and fruity white wine turning them flat and brownish in color. Sometimes referred to as maderization.

P

Petulant

French term for a very lightly sparkling wine.

Phylloxera (phylloxera vastatrix)

A insect (specifically a plant louse) that attacks the roots of vines. Phylloxera caused widespread damage in the wine producing countries of Europe and also in California during the latter half of the 19th century.

Piquant

The agreeably sharp taste found in a light wine.

Propriétaire

The owner of an estate, chateau or vineyard.

Q

R

Racking

The process of drawing off the clear wine from the sediment by transferring it from one barrel or vat to another. Better wines are racked two, three, and sometimes more times before bottling.

Rich

A full-bodied wine with good flavor and bouquet.

Robust

Refers to a strong and powerful wine, usually red.

Rosé

A pink wine produced from grape juice or must from which the grape skins have been removed before fermentation is complete.

Rough

Not smooth. Immature.

Round

A mature, full-bodied wine that is smooth and graceful.

S

Sake

A colorless Japanese wine made from fermented rice. It is usually served warm in very small cups. Alcohol content ranges from 12% to 16%. The most familiar type of Sake is called seishu. There is also the sweet and spicy Sake called toso and another called mirin that is used in cooking.

Sec

French for dry. Among Champagnes, sweeter that Brut.

Sediment

The fine deposits which may develop in some aged wines. May require that the wine be decanted before drinking. Simple An uncomplicated, ordinary wine.

Smell

Smell is one of the best indicators of a wines quality. It is comprised of varying ‘ factors: the aroma, the bouquet and the nose of the wine. If off it could indicate a bad or underage wine. Experiment to train your nose to appreciate the ‘smell” of a wine.

Soft

A desirable characteristic in a delicate wine denoting a slight fruitiness. Also refers to a deficiency or lack of balance in more robust wines.

Sour

A spoiled wine with a vinegary taste.

Sparkling Wines

Wines containing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas (a byproduct of fermentation).

Spicy

The aroma and taste of spice such as, cinnamon, clove or pepper which comes from certain grape varieties such as gewurtztraminer (literally spicy traminer).

Spumante

Italian term for sparkling wine.

Still Wine

Wines without carbon dioxide bubbles.

Sweet

Wines with a high sugar content and a sugary taste.

T

Table Wine

1) Simple, everyday wines (Vin de Table).
2) A still wine that has not been ‘fortified’ with brandy.

Tannins

Substances naturally found in the skins, stalks, and pips of grapes and in wood casks that impart dryness and act as a preservative to wine. Can make young inferior wines taste harsh, but adds to the balance of aged fine wines.

Tart

An overly acidic wine.

Taste

The taste of a wine is created by the combination of a variety of elements. The acidity of the wine, the alcohol content, the sugar content, tannins and other elements unique to each particular wine. Each combination of these elements yields a taste that is distinct for each wine.

Trockenbeerenauslese

The sweetest German white wines made from late-harvested grapes that have shriveled into raisin-like berries.

U

V

Vanilla

An aroma and flavor of vanilla that is a characteristic of wines that are aged in oak casks.

Varietal Wines

Wines that are named after the grape from which they are made (e.g. Zinfandel). In California, the varietal grape must comprise 75% of the wine.

VDQS

French term “Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure” or Quality Wines from Delimited Areas. These wines are below the category Appellation Controllée in quality, but above vin de table.

Vin Gris

A dry, pale blush wine produced from red grapes.

Vinifera

The family of European wine grapes from which the world’s finest wines are made.

Vin Ordinaire

French term for common table wine.

Vinous

Having a characteristic similar to wine.

Vintage

The annual harvest and the wine produced from it.

Vintage Champagne

A champagne made from grapes from a single harvest versus a blend(Cuvée) from several harvest years. The year of the vintage can be found on the label.

Vintner

A person who makes wine.

W

Weighty

A rich, full-bodied wine that is heavy on the tongue.

Wein gut

1. German term for estate or vineyard.

Woody

1. Smell of a wine aged too long in a cask or aged in a cask made with faulty wood.

X

Y

Yeast

A single-celled microorganism found on the skins of grapes that causes fermentation. Some wine makers add their own yeast to aid fermentation.

Young

A desirable characteristic in simple wines that refers to its freshness and vitality. In complex wines, young refers to a wine that is not sufficiently aged.

Z

Fra Giuseppe Winebar

At Fra Giuseppe we stock a wide range of wines from all over the world for your enjoyment. Served in a distinctively friendly and welcome environment that our staff are so recognized for, you are sure to find the right taste to excite your taste buds.

www.fragiuseppe.com

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