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acidity:
the liveliness and crispness
noted in wine.
aeration:
the deliberate addition of oxygen
to wine to round out and soften a wine.
aging:
holding wine in barrels, tanks,
and bottles to advance them to a more desirable
state.
alcohol:
ethanol (ethyl
alcohol),
the product of fermentation of sugars by yeast.
appellation:
a delineated wine producing
region, particular to France. Numerous criteria
have to be met to qualify.
aroma:
the scent of the grape, as well
as the smell of wine, especially young wines.
(different than "bouquet")
asomnia:
the loss of smell.
astringent:
tasting term noting the harsh,
bitter, drying sensations in the mouth caused by
high levels of tannins.
balance:
when the elements of wine -
acids, sugars, tannins, alcohol - come together
in a harmonious way, it is said to be
"balanced".
barrel:
the container - preferably oak -
used for fermenting and aging wine.
barrique:
a 225-litre oak barrel used in
storing and aging Bordeaux wines.
bitter:
a taste sensation largely caused
by tannins that is sensed on the back of the
tongue.
blend:
a wine made from more than one
grape varietal.
body:
a tactile sensation and term
describing the weight and fullness of wine in
the mouth. A wine can be light, medium, or full
bodied.
Bordeaux:
the area in Southwest France
considered by some as the greatest
wine-producing region in the world.
botrytis:
a good mold that pierces the skin
of grapes and causes dehydration, resulting in
natural grape juice exceptionally high in
sugar. Botrytis is largely responsible for the
world's finest dessert wines. (see "noble
rot").
bouquet:
a term that refers to the complex
aromas in ages wines.
breathing:
allowing wine to come in contact
with air to open and improve the flavors. (see
"aeration")
brettanomyce.:
A wine-spoiling yeast that
produces barnyard, mousey, metallic, and band-aidish
aromas.
brilliant:
a tasting note pertaining to
wines that appear sparkling clear.
brut:
french term denoting dry
champagnes or sparkling wines.
bung:
the plug used to seal a wine
barrel.
bung hole:
the opening in a cask in which
wine can be put in or taken out.
chaptalization:
when sugar is added to wine
before or during fermentation to increase
alcohol levels. Chaptalization is illegal in
some parts of the world, and highly controlled
in others.
citric acid:
one of the three predominate
acids in wine.
claret:
the name the English use when
referring to the red wines of Bordeaux.
class growth:
see
cru classe'.
closed:
term describing underdeveloped
and young wines whose flavors are not exhibiting
well.
complex:
a wine exhibiting numerous odors,
nuances, and flavors.
cork taint:
undesirable aromas and flavors in
wine often associated with wet cardboard and/or
moldy basements.
corked:
a term that denotes a wine that
has suffered cork taint (not wine with cork
particles floating about).
cru classé:
a top-ranking vineyard designated
in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855.
crush:
the English term
for harvest.
cuvee:
in Champagne, a
blended batch of wine.
demi-sec:
french term meaning "half-dry".
Confusing, as it is used to describe a sweet
sparkling wine.
dry:
opposite of sweet. A taste
sensation often attributed to tannins and
causing puckering sensations in the mouth.
earthy:
an odor or flavor reminiscent of
damp soil.
enology:
the science of wine and
winemaking (see "oenology")
fermentation:
the conversion of grapge sugars
to alcohol by yeast.
fining:
the addition of egg whites or
gelatin (to name a few) to clear the wine of
unwanted particles and other components.
finish.:
The impression of textures and
flavors lingering in the mouth after a wine is
swallowed.
flavors.:
Odors perceived in the mouth.
foxy:
a term that notes
the musty odor and flavor of wines made from
vitis labrusca
- a common North American varietal.
fruity:
a tasting term signifying wines
that exhibit strong smells and flavors of fresh
fruit. Can also describe aromas of cooked
fruit, as in "jammy".
full-bodied:
a wine high in alcohol and
flavors, often described as "big". |
herbaceous:
a tasting term denoting odors and
flavors of fresh herbs (e.g., basil, oregano,
rosemary) in a wine.
hot:
wine high in alcohol is often
described as producing a "hot" burning sensation
in the mouth.
lees:
sediment consisting of dead yeast
cells, grape pulp, seed, and other grape matter
that accumulates during fermentation.
leesy:
a tasting term noting the rich
aromas and smells resulting from a wine which
spends time resting on its lees.
length:
how long the flavors of a wine
persist in the mouth after swallowed; a
lingering aftertaste.
long:
denotes the length of time a
wine's presence stays in the mouth after
swallowling.
malic acid:
one of the three predominate
acids intrinsic in grapes. Tart-tasting malic
acid occurs naturally in a number of fruits,
including, apples, cherries, plums, and
tomatoes.
malolactic fermentation:
a secondary fermentation in which
lactic acid bacterias are added to wines so that
tart-tasting malic acids convert into softer
lactic ones. Wines described as "buttery" or
"creamy" have gone through "malo".
mature:
ready to drink.
mouth-feel:
how a wine feels in one's mouth -
(e.g., rough, smooth, velvety, furry).
must:
unfermented grape juice
(including seeds, skins, and stems).
negociant:
French word describing a
wholesale merchant, blender, or shipper of wine.
noble rot:
layman's term for
'botrytis". (See botrytis).
nose:
how a wine smells.
A tasting term describing the aromas and
bouquets of a wine.
oak/oaky:
tasting term
denoting smells and flavors of vanilla and
toast.
oenology:
the science of wine and
winemaking (see "enology").
open:
tasting term signifying a wine
that is ready to drink.
oxidation:
wine exposed to air that has
undergone a chemical change. The deteriorating
wine will exhibit stale smells and colors can
look brown.
phenolic compounds:
natural compounds present in
grape skins and seeds.
phylloxera:
a microscopic insect that kills
grape vines by attacking their roots. A
breakout in the 19th century nearly destroyed
part of Europe's and France's wine industry.
plonk:
British slang for inexpensive
wine. Also used to describe very low-quality
wines.
rough:
the tactile
"coarse" sensation one experiences with very
astringent wines. A tasting term, and not to be
confused with "bitter".
sec:
French word for "dry".
spicy:
a tasting term used to note odors
and flavors reminiscent of various aromatic
spices that are found in certain wines.
structure:
an ambiguous tasting term that implies harmony
of fruit, alcohol, acidity, and tannins.
sweet:
wines with perceptible sugar contens on the nose
and in the mouth. Sweet, as a tasting
sensation, is perceived on the tip of the
tongue.
tannins:
the phenolic compounds in wines
that leave a bitter, dry, puckery feeling in the
mouth.
tartaric acid:
the principal acid in grapes, tartaric acid
promotes flavor and aging in wine.
terroir:
French for "soil". Geographical characteristics
- chalk, gravel, sand, clay - along with other
environmental factors unique to a given
vineyard, are also denoted by
terroir.
texture:
a tasting term describing how the
wine being tasted feels on the palate.
"Texture" is used more often when describing
heavy, dense wines with a big mouthfeel.
typicity:
a tasting term that describes how
well a wine expresses the characteristics
inherent to the variety of grape represented.
ullage:
the empty space left in bottles and barrels as a
wine evaporates. When in barrels, one must keep
ullage at a minimum so the wine does not
oxidize.
vegetal:
tasting term describing
characteristics of fresh or cooked vegetables
detected on the nose and in the flavors of the
wine. Bell peppers, grass, and asparagus are
common "vegetal" descriptors.
vinification:
the process of making wine.
vitis vinifera:
the species of wine that comprises over 99% of
the world's wine.
vinology:
the study of wine in a classroom setting,
typically at a wine school.
vintage:
the year in which a wine is
bottled. Also, the yield of wine from a
vineyard during a single season.
weight:
similar to "body", the thicker or
richer a wine feels in the mouth, the more
weight is described as having.
wine:
fermented juice of grapes.
yeast:
a microorganism - endemic to
vineyards and produced commercially - that
converts grape sugars into alcohol.
yield:
the productivity of a vineyard.
young:
an immature wine that is usually
bottled and sold within a year of its vintage.
Wines meant to be drunk "young" are noted for
their fresh and crisp flavors.
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