Wine Terms Part 2

Front 1

Maceration

Back 1

The soaking of grape skins and other solids in grape juice or newly made wine in order to extract color, tannin, and other phenolics from the skins and into the liquid; may occur before, during, and/or after fermentation

Front 2

Macroclimate

Back 2

The climatic conditions of the overall region, roughly synonymous with climate

Front 3

Maderization

Back 3

The process a wine undergoes when subjected to heat and oxidation; see also maderized

Front 4

Maderized

Back 4

Term used for a wine that has taken on the cooked character of Madeira or that has otherwise been subject to heat and oxidation; see also maderization

Front 5

Magnum

Back 5

A wine bottle with double the capacity of a standard bottle, i.e., 1.5 liters, especially when referring to sparkling wine

Front 6

Malic Acid

Back 6

A moderately strong acid that is found in abundance in unripe grapes but that decreases as the grapes ripen; the primary input to malolactic fermentation

Front 7

Malolactic Fermentation

Back 7

A biochemical process by which lactic bacteria convert malic acid to lactic acid, there by reducing a wine's acidity and altering the flavor profile

Front 8

Marc

Back 8

French. 1. Grape pomace; 2. A spirit distilled from pomace; 3. In Champagne, a traditional measure of grape quantity equivalent to about 4,000 kilograms

Front 9

Marginal Climate

Back 9

A climate type that has such cool temperatures or such a short growing season that grapes are at times just barely about to achieve an acceptable degree of ripeness

Front 10

Maritime Climate

Back 10

A climate typical of coastal sections of large landmasses, characterized by warm summers and cool winters, with considerable precipitation and humidity throughout the year

Front 11

Mediterranean Climate

Back 11

A climate typical of the southwestern quadrants of large landmasses in the temperate zone, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters

Front 12

Mercaptan

Back 12

A sulfurous compound that is very malodorous and generally ruins a wine if it develops, often described as smelling of onions, garlic, or cabbage

Front 13

Mesoclimate

Back 13

The climate of a relatively small area, such as a vineyard

Front 14

Methuselah

Back 14

A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 6 liters, equivalent to 8 standard bottles

Front 15

Mevushal (wine)

Back 15

Kosher wine that has been flash-pasteurized and is therefore permanently kosher

Front 16

Microclimate

Back 16

The climate of a small, very specific area, such as a section of a vineyard row or a single vine

Front 17

Micro-oxygenation

Back 17

A controversial procedure that involves the introduction of miniscule amounts of oxygen into a tank of young wine, intended to simulate the natural conditions in a wooden barrel

Front 18

Millerandage

Back 18

Abnormal fruit set, a vine condition that results in grape bunches that have a high proportion of small seedless berries mixed in with the normal, larger, seed-bearing grapes

Front 19

Millésime

Back 19

French. Vintage-dated

Front 20

Mistelle

Back 20

French. A sweet fortified wine made by adding grape spirits to grape must that may or may not have begun fermentation; a specific type of vin de liqueur

Front 21

Mousse

Back 21

French. 1. Literally foam; 2. The bubbles in sparkling wine; 3. The foam that develops on top of vigorously fermenting wine

Front 22

Muselet

Back 22

A wine cage used to secure the cork in a bottle of sparkling wine

Front 23

Must

Back 23

Unfermented grape juice, may also include skins, seeds, and stems

Front 24

Must Weight

Back 24

The density or specific gravity of unfermented grape juice, which roughly equates to the juice's sugar content and therefore the potential alcohol in the finished wine; measures of must weight include the widely used Brix scale, as well as Baumé, sometimes used in France, Oechsle in Germany, and KMW in Austria

Front 25

Mutage

Back 25

A winemaking process of stopping (or "muting") fermentation, usually by the addition of distilled spirits; may also involve the use of sulfur dioxide

Front 26

Mutation

Back 26

A genetic change; a natural but random alteration to the DNA of a grapevine that results in traits unlike those of the plant's parents or clone source

Front 27

Nebuchadnezzar

Back 27

A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 15 liters, equivalent to 20 standard bottles

Front 28

Negociant/négociant

Back 28

An intermediary who buys grapes or finished wine for resale and who may also ferment, age, blend, and/or bottle the wine

Front 29

New World

Back 29

For wine purposes, all countries outside Europe, or the wine styles typical of those countries

Front 30

Noble Rot

Back 30

A term used in France and elsewhere to refer to the beneficial form of botrytis; see also pourriture noble

Front 31

Oechsle

Back 31

German. A measure of the sugar level in grapes or must used in Germany

Front 32

Oenophile

Back 32

Literally, wine lover

Front 33

Off-dry

Back 33

Having a small amount of perceptible sugar

Front 34

Off-odor

Back 34

An unpleasant or atypical aroma in a wine

Front 35

Off-premise

Back 35

Away from the place of business; specifically, the segment of the wine industry that sells wine for consumption elsewhere, such as wine shops and supermarkets; cf. on-premise

Front 36

Oidium

Back 36

Powdery mildew

Front 37

Old World

Back 37

For wine purposes, the countries of Europe, or the traditional wine styles of those countries

Front 38

Olfactory Epithelium

Back 38

A patch of specialized cells located inside the nasal cavity; a sensory receptor for smell

Front 39

On-premise

Back 39

At the place of business; specifically, the segment of the wine industry that sells wine for consumption on-site, such as restaurants and wine bars; c.f. off-premise

Front 40

Organic Viticulture

Back 40

A practice of grape growing based on the avoidance of non-natural, manufactured chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers

Front 41

Ortswein

Back 41

German. "Classified site wine"; often compared to the village wine classification of Burgundy; a VDP term

Front 42

Oxidation

Back 42

Chemical changes that take place in the presence of oxygen

Front 43

Oxidized

Back 43

A wine that has undergone oxidation; such a wine may show discoloration as well as a stale, flat aroma and flavor

Front 44

Peronospora

Back 44

Downy mildew

Front 45

Pétillant

Back 45

French. Slightly sparkling

Front 46

pH

Back 46

A measure of the strength of an acid or of an acid solution such as wine; c.f. total acidity

Front 47

Phenolics

Back 47

A class of complex carbohydrate molecules often responsible for certain organoleptic properties and other aspects of wine; also known as polyphenolics or polyphenols

Front 48

Photosynthesis

Back 48

A biochemical process by which green plants concert carbon dioxide and water into simple sugar and oxygen

Front 49

Phylloxera (Oaktulosphaira vitifoliae)

Back 49

An insect (root louse) that sucks sap from grapevines, reducing their productivity and eventually killing them; one of the must serious pests in viticulture

Front 50

Physical Maturity

Back 50

The point at which a grape attains it's optimal level of sugar ripeness

Front 51

Physiological Maturity

Back 51

The point at which a grape reaches it's ideal level of phenolic compounds such as tannins, anthocyanins, flavones, and other compounds that enhance the color, flavor, and aromas of the resulting wine

Front 52

Piccolo

Back 52

Italian. 1. Literally, small; 2. A wine bottle holding 187.5 milliliters; see also split

Front 53

Pierce's Disease

Back 53

One of the most serious vine diseases threatening vineyards today, caused by bacteria spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooter and other insects

Front 54

Pipe

Back 54

Portuguese. An oak barrel used in production of Port

Front 55

Polymerize

Back 55

To join together two molecules, e.g., phenolics, to create a larger one

Front 56

Polyphenolics

Back 56

Long-chain phenolic molecules

Front 57

Pomace

Back 57

The residue left after grapes are pressed, consisting of skins, seeds, stems, and other solids

Front 58

Pourriture Noble

Back 58

French. "Noble rot"; botrytis

Front 59

Powdery Mildew

Back 59

A serious fungal disease of grapevines; also known as odium

Front 60

Prädikat

Back 60

German. One of the subdivisions used to categorize Prädikatswein based on sugar level at harvest (plural Prädikate)

Front 61

Pradikatswein

Back 61

German. The highest category of wine in Germany, from a protected designation of origin (PDO); also used in Austria

Front 62

Premier Cru

Back 62

French. "First growth"; the highest classification level in Bordeaux and the second highest classification level in Burgundy and Champagne

Front 63

Press

Back 63

1. To squeeze grapes in order to extract the juice from the solids; 2. The machine used to press grapes, must, or finished wine

Front 64

Primary Aromas

Back 64

Those aromas in a wine considered to be derived from the grape itself; see also secondary aromas, tertiary aromas

Front 65

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

Back 65

The legal category of officially recognized quality won't regions used throughout the European Union

Front 66

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)

Back 66

The legal category of officially recognized wine regions below the quality wine level used throughout the European Union

Front 67

Pruning

Back 67

The removal of unwanted canes, shoots, and leaves from grapevines

Front 68

Pumping Over

Back 68

A method of cap management that involves drawing liquid from the bottom of a tank of fermenting juice and pouring it over the too of the floating solids to wet and break up the cap

Front 69

Punching Down

Back 69

A method of cap management that involves physically pushing the floating solids down into the tank of fermenting juice

Front 70

Pupitre

Back 70

French. A wooden rack traditionally used to hold bottles of sparkling wine during the process of riddling

Front 71

Qualitätswein

Back 71

German. The second highest category of wine in Germany (PDO)

Front 72

Quality Wine

Back 72

Wine with superior characteristics- a legal category of wine with specific requirements used throughout the European Union

Front 73

Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region (QWPSR)

Back 73

Formerly, the general legal category of officially recognized quality wine regions in the European Union, now being replaced by "protected designation of origin (PDO)"

Front 74

Quinta

Back 74

Portuguese. Wine estate

Front 75

Rack & Return

Back 75

A type of cap management that involves draining the fermenting juice into a separate holding tank before it is returned to the original tank by spraying it over the now sunken cap; see also délestage

Front 76

Racking

Back 76

A clarification process that involves moving wine from one vessel (tank, barrel) to another in order to separate the wine from sediment

Front 77

Rebêche

Back 77

French. In Champagne production, juice from the flesh nearest to the pips or skins that is extracted by more powerful pressing after the taille; maybe be used for still wines, vinegars, or distillation

Front 78

Recioto

Back 78

Italian. A style of sweet wine made from dried grapes

Front 79

Recognition Threshold

Back 79

The smallest amount of a stimulus (e.g. sugar on the tongue) necessary to be noticed and identified

Front 80

Reduction

Back 80

The chemical opposite of oxidation in which oxygen is scavenged from various molecules

Front 81

Refractometer

Back 81

A device that measures the refraction of light through a liquid, used to measure the sugar level of grape juice in Brix

Front 82

Rehoboam

Back 82

A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 4.5 liters, equivalent to 6 standard bottles

Front 83

Remontage

Back 83

French. The form of cap management known as "pumping over"

Front 84

Remuage

Back 84

French. Riddling

Front 85

Reserva

Back 85

Spanish. 1. A term used for Spanish DO and DOCa wines that have gone through moderate periods of barrel and/or bottle aging as defined by an area's regulating council; 2. A term used for vinos finos in Argentina that have undergone a specified period of aging; 3. A somewhat undefined term when used in Spanish-speaking wine areas such as Chile; see also crianza and gran reserva

Front 86

Reserve

Back 86

1. Wine with superior characteristics compared to a winery's other wines; may or may not be legally defined; 2. To hold back for future use

Front 87

Residual Sugar

Back 87

Sugar that remains in a wine after fermentation, usually measured in grams per liter (g/L) or percent

Front 88

Respiration

Back 88

The biological process of breaking down chemicals such as sugar in order to release stored energy

Front 89

Resveratrol

Back 89

A phenolic compound found in grapes that is believed to have beneficial health effects for humans

Front 90

Riddling

Back 90

Shaking and repositioning bottles of sparkling wine in order to move forward yeast cells to the neck of the bottle for disgorging; see also remuage

Front 91

Ripasso

Back 91

Italian. A style of wine made from combining the pomace left over from the production of Amarone or recioto with a batch of freshly fermented wine

Front 92

Rootstock

Back 92

The portion of a grafted grapevine that is rooted in the soil; cf. scion

Front 93

Rosado

Back 93

Spanish. Rosé

Front 94

Rosato

Back 94

Italian. Rosé

Front 95

Rosé

Back 95

French. Pink-hued wine made from red grapes that have had limited contact with the grape skins

Front 96

Rosso

Back 96

Italian. Red

Front 97

Rot

Back 97

German. Red

Front 98

Rouge

Back 98

French. Red

Front 99

Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Back 99

The species of yeast most widely used in winemaking

Front 100

Saignée

Back 100

French. Literally bled; a process used for the production of rosé wine in which a portion of the juice is run off from a batch of macerating or fermenting must; may also result in the production of deeply hued red wines

Front 101

Salmanazar

Back 101

A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 9 liters, equivalent to 12 standard bottles

Front 102

Schaumwein

Back 102

German. Sparkling wine; see also sekt

Front 103

Scion

Back 103

The portion of a grafted grapevine that produces shoots, leaves, and fruits; cf. rootstock

Front 104

Sec

Back 104

French. 1. Dry; 2. A sweetness category of sparkling wine that is moderately sweet

Front 105

Secco

Back 105

Italian. Dry

Front 106

Seco

Back 106

Spanish. Dry

Front 107

Secondary Aromas

Back 107

Those aromas in a wine considered to be derived from the winemaking process; see also primary aromas, tertiary aromas

Front 108

Sekt

Back 108

German. Sparkling wine; see also Schaumwein

Front 109

Sélection de grains nobles

Back 109

French. A wine made from selected grapes affected by botrytis

Front 110

Solera

Back 110

Spanish. 1. A system of aging and fractional blending of wines traditionally used for Sherry; 2. The lowest (oldest) set of barrels in a solera system

Front 111

Sparkling Wine

Back 111

Wine that contains dissolved carbon dioxide under pressure so that it produces bubbles spontaneously when it's bottle is opened

Front 112

Spätlese

Back 112

German. A category of the Prädikat that represents wine made from ripe bunches of grapes

Front 113

Species

Back 113

A grouping of grapevines that are genetically similar, have broad characteristics in common, and can produce viable offspring through sexual reproduction; see also labrusca; subspecies; variety; vinifera

Front 114

Split

Back 114

A wine bottle containing 187.5 milliliters; see also piccolo

Front 115

Spumante

Back 115

Italian. Fully sparkling

Front 116

Spur

Back 116

The shortened stub of a grapevine cane created via pruning

Front 117

Still

Back 117

1. Not sparkling; 2. A piece of equipment used for distillation

Front 118

Stomata

Back 118

Openings on the underside of a vine's leaves

Front 119

Stuck Fermentation

Back 119

A situation in which the fermentation of wine stops on it's own before the desired level of alcohol is produced

Front 120

Subspecies

Back 120

A grouping of grapevines within a species that have considerable genetic and qualitative similarity- more or less synonymous with variety

Front 121

Succinic Acid

Back 121

An acid that is a minor component in grapes and a by-product of normal alcoholic fermentation

Front 122

Sulfite

Back 122

A category of sulfur- containing chemical compounds

Front 123

Sulfur Dioxide

Back 123

The most common form of sulfur in wine; a preservative

Front 124

Sur Lie

Back 124

French. "On the lees," referring to wine that has had extended time in contact with dead yeast cells

Front 125

Sur Pointe

Back 125

French. An upside-down vertical positioning of a bottle, sometimes used in the riddling stage of sparkling wine

Front 126

Süss

Back 126

German. Sweet

Front 127

Süssreserve

Back 127

German. Grape juice held in reserve to be added to wine as a sweetening agent after fermentation

Front 128

Sustainability

Back 128

A philosophy of agriculture that focuses on maintaining the viability of the land, the crops, agricultural businesses, and the agricultural workforce

Front 129

Table Wine

Back 129

1. A wine intended for consumption during a meal; 2. Any non-sparkling, unfortified, and relatively dry wine; 3. In the US, any wine with 14% alcohol or less; 4. The former general legal category for wines with minimal restrictions on production in the European Union, now simply referred to as "wine"

Front 130

Taille

Back 130

French. In Champagne production, fractions of juice from specific pressings

Front 131

Tannic

Back 131

Containing high levels of tannin

Front 132

Tannin

Back 132

A phenolic compound found in grapes that gives wine a somewhat bitter taste and a distinctive mouth-drying feel

Front 133

Tartaric Acid

Back 133

The most common acid in grapes and wine

Front 134

Tartrate

Back 134

A crystalline compound that is formed when wine contains more tartaric acid than it can retain in a dissolved state, particularly when the wine is chilled

Front 135

Taste

Back 135

A sensory characteristic of a wine detectable by the taste buds of the tongue and mouth

Front 136

TCA

Back 136

2, 4, 6- trichloroanisole, the primary chemical responsible for cork taint

Front 137

Tears

Back 137

Streaks produced by viscous droplets of liquid that run slowly down the interior of a glass of wine after swirling; see also legs

Front 138

Terroir

Back 138

French. The all-inclusive physical environment of a vineyard

Front 139

Tertiary Aromas

Back 139

The complex range of aromas that evolve in a wine following fermentation and aging, particularly bottle aging; also known as bouquet; see also primary aromas; secondary aromas

Front 140

Tête de Cuvée

Back 140

French. The finest sparkling wine made by a given winery

Front 141

Three-tier System

Back 141

A regulatory system in the US and some other countries that requires separation among businesses involved in (1) making, (2) distributing, and (3) retailing wine

Front 142

Tinto

Back 142

Spanish. Red; red wine

Front 143

Tirage

Back 143

French. Bottling

Front 144

Tonne

Back 144

A metric ton, equal to 1,000 kilograms or about 2,200 pounds (compared to a standard English ton of 2,000 pounds)

Front 145

Total Acidity

Back 145

A measure of the quantity of all the acids in a wine, usually in grams per liter (g/L); cf. pH

Front 146

Training System

Back 146

A method of positioning and shaping grapevines to improve the quality of the fruit and/or the ease of harvesting

Front 147

Transfer Method

Back 147

A method of sparkling wine production that follows the Traditional Method through the 2nd fermentation and lees aging, then begins the clarification stage with the wine emptied into a pressurized tank

Front 148

Translocation

Back 148

The movement of sugar and other compounds from one part of a plant to another, especially from leaves to fruit

Front 149

Transpiration

Back 149

The evaporation of water through openings on the underside of plants' leaves (stomata)

Front 150

Trellis

Back 150

A physical structure to support grapevines as part of a training system

Front 151

Trocken

Back 151

German. Dry

Front 152

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA)

Back 152

German. A category of the Prädikat that represents very sweet dessert wines made from individually harvested, extremely overripe berries that are often affected by botrytis

Front 153

Turbid

Back 153

Cloudy, having sediment or foreign particles

Front 154

Umami

Back 154

One of the generally accepted 5 basic taste components; represents the taste sensation of certain amino acids

Front 155

Vanillin

Back 155

A phenolic compound found in oak that gives barrel-aged wines a vanilla aroma or flavor

Front 156

Varietal

Back 156

Relating to a grape variety

Front 157

Varietal Wine

Back 157

A wine made primarily with a single grape variety and named for a single grape variety

Front 158

Variety

Back 158

A named type of grapevine with recognizable characteristics; more or less synonymous with subspecies

Front 159

Vendange

Back 159

French. The grape harvest

Front 160

Vendange Tardive

Back 160

French. "Late-harvest," wine made from overripe grapes

Front 161

Vendemmia

Back 161

Italian. The grape harvest

Front 162

Vendimia

Back 162

Spanish. Harvest; 2. Vintage; see also cosecha

Front 163

Veraison

Back 163

A biochemical change in grapes when color (other than green) first appears in the grapes, sugar and other flavor components are stored in the grapes, and the berries begin to enlarge and soften

Front 164

Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP)

Back 164

German. The organization of Germany's leading wine estates

Front 165

Vin de France

Back 165

French. Basic wine ("table wine") made from 100% French grapes

Front 166

Vin de Liqueur

Back 166

French. Sweet fortified wine

Front 167

Vin de Pays

Back 167

French. "Country wine"; the higher category of basic wine in France, from a protected geographical indication (PGI)

Front 168

Vin Doux Naturel

Back 168

French. A sweet fortified wine made by adding grape spirits to partially fermented grape must

Front 169

Vinho Regional

Back 169

Portuguese. "Regional wine"; the higher category of basic wine in Portugal, from a protected geographical indication (PGI)

Front 170

Vinifera (Vitis vinifera)

Back 170

The species of wine grape native to the Middle East and Europe that is used to produce most quality wine

Front 171

Vinification

Back 171

The process of winemaking

Front 172

Vino de Calidad (on indicación geográfica [VCIG])

Back 172

Spanish. One of the subcategories of quality wine used in Spain; a protected designation of origin (PDO)

Front 173

Vino de la Tierra (VdIT)

Back 173

Spanish. "Country wine"; the higher category of basic wine in Spain, from a protected geographical indication (PGI)

Front 174

Vino de Pago

Back 174

Spanish. "Estate wine"; a special category of wine equivalent to denominación de origen (or, potentially, DOCa) granted to individual exceptional estates; a protected designation of origin (PDO)

Front 175

Vintage

Back 175

1. The year in which grapes were harvested; 2. A style of wine, generally used in reference to sparkling or fortified wine

Front 176

Viticulture

Back 176

The science and practice of grape growing, sometimes known as wine growing

Front 177

Volatile

Back 177

Prone to evaporation

Front 178

Weiss

Back 178

German. White

Front 179

Weissherbst

Back 179

German. A single-variety rosé of Qualitätswein quality or higher

Front 180

Yeast

Back 180

Single-celled organisms responsible for the primary alcoholic fermentation of wine; see also Saccharomyces Cerevisiae