Acetic
Wines always contain quantities of acetic acidity that have a smell of vinegar. If the amount of acetic acidity is excessive, the wine will have a smell of vinegar and be a flawed, acetic wine.
Acidic
Wines need natural acidity to taste fresh and nice, but an excess of acidity results in an acidic wine which is not good (can be sour).
Acidity
In a wine the acidity level is a key point to its enjoyment and livelihood. There are four kinds of natural acids that appear in wine: citric, tartaric, malic, and lactic. Wines produced in warm and hot years tend to be lower in acidity, whereas wines produced in cool, rainy years tend to be high in acidity. Acidity can preserve the wine's freshness and keep it lively, but an excess of acidity, which masks the wines flavors and compresses its texture, is a flaw.
Aftertaste
As the term suggests, the taste left in the mouth when one swallows is the aftertaste. This word is a synonym for length or finish. The longer the aftertaste lingers in the mouth (assuming it is a pleasant taste), the finer the quality of the wine.
Ageing
Complex process of change which take place in wine over time. Simple wines require little ageing and can generally be enjoyed within a few months of the harvest. More complex wines will typically improve progressively over time, reaching a peak after several years or even decades, and then begin to decline.
Aggressive
Aggressive is usually applied to wines that are either high in acidity or have harsh tannins, or both.
Alcohol (or ethanol)
Compound formed by the fermentation of sugar. Responsible for the intoxicating effect of wine, but also essential for adequate body and mouth feel.
Alcohol content
Amount of alcohol present in wine, normally expressed as percentage by volume (% vol. on the label). A wine at 12 % vol. therefore contains 120ml of alcohol per litre of wine. Most table wines fall between 9% and 15%. Fortified wines such as Porto and Sherry are around 20%. Spirits are usually bottled at 40-43%.
American oak
Species of oak much used to make barrels for ageing wine. It is cheaper than French oak and generally considered inferior.
Angular
Angular wines are wines that lack roundness, generosity, and depth. Wine from poor vintages or wines that are too acidic are often described as being angular.
Aroma
Aroma is the smell of a young wine before it has had sufficient time to develop nuances of smell that are then called its bouquet. The word aroma is commonly used to mean the smell of a relatively young, unevolved wine.
Assemblage
Blending of different vats, and sometimes different grape varieties. Also used to indicate the composition of such a blend.
Astringent
Wines that are astringent are not necessarily bad or good wines. Astringent wines are harsh and coarse to taste, either because they are too young and tannic and just need time to develop, or because they are not well made. The level of tannins (if it is harsh) in a wine contributes to its degree of astringence.
Austere
Wines that are austere are generally not terribly pleasant wines to drink. An austere wine is a hard, rather dry wine that lacks richness and generosity. However, young Rhônes are not as austere as young Bordeaux.
Balance
One of the most desired traits in a wine is good balance, where the concentration of fruit, level of tannins, and acidity are in total harmony. Balanced wines are symmetrical and tend to age gracefully.
Barnyard
An unclean, farmyard, fecal aroma that is imparted to a wine because of unclean barrels or unsanitary winemaking facilities.
Barrel
Vessel used for ageing, and sometimes fermenting. There are many different shapes and sizes, but the most popular are the barrique of 225 litres and the hogshead of around 300 litres. Nearly always made of oak. New barrels impart an oaky flavour to the wine whereas old ones simply allow a controlled oxidation.
Berrylike
As this descriptive term implies, most red wines have an intense berry fruit character that can suggest blackberries, raspberries, black cherries, mulberries, or even strawberries and cranberries.
Big
A big wine is a large-framed, full-bodied wine with an intense and concentrated feel on the palate. Most red Rhône wines are big wines.
Bitter
One of the four basic flavours which can be detected by the tongue. Bitterness is a fault in excess, but is normally balanced by fruit and sweetness.
Blackcurrant
A pronounced smell of blackcurrant fruit is commonly associated with certain Rhône wines. It can vary in intensity from faint to very deep and rich.
Body
Body is the weight and fullness of a wine that can be sensed as it crosses the palate. full-bodied wines tend to have a lot of alcohol, concentration, and glycerin.
Botrytis cinerea
The fungus that attacks the grape skins under specific climatic conditions (usually alternating periods of moisture and sunny weather). It causes the grape to become superconcentrated because it causes a natural dehydration. Botrytis cinerea is essential for the great sweet white wines of Barsac and Sauternes. It rarely occurs in the Rhône Valley because of the dry, constant sunshine and gusty winds.
Bouquet
As a wine's aroma becomes more developed from bottle aging, the aroma is transformed into a bouquet that is hopefully more than just the smell of the grape.
Brawny
A hefty, muscular, full-bodied wine with plenty of weight and flavor, although not always the most elegant or refined sort of wine.
Briery
I think of California Zinfandel when the term briery comes into play, denoting that the wine is aggressive and rather spicy.
Brilliant
Brilliant relates to the color of the wine. A brilliant wine is one that s clear, with no haze or cloudiness to the color.
Browning
As red wines age, their color changes from ruby/purple to dark ruby, to medium ruby, to ruby with an amber edge, to ruby with a brown edge. When a wine is browning it is usually fully mature and not likely to get better.
Carbonic maceration
This vinification method is used to make soft, fruity, very accessible wines. Whole clusters of grapes are put into a vat that is then filled with carbonic gas. This system is used when fruit is to be emphasized in the final wine in contrast to structure and tannin.
Cedar
Rhône reds can have a bouquet that suggests either faintly or overtly the smell of cedarwood. It is a complex aspect of the bouquet.
Cellar
Literally an underground room. Much winemaking was traditionally done underground, though the term cellar is now used to indicate anywhere that grapes are processed and wines stored and aged. Also, a collection of wine, again not necessarily underground.
Cepage
Grape (vine) variety.
Chai
'Overground' cellar, particularly in Bordeaux.
Château
Castle; wine-producing estate (even if it doesn't have a real castle).
Chewy
If a wine has a rather dense, viscous texture from a high glycerin content, it is often referred to as being chewy. High-extract wines from great vintages can often be chewy, largely because they have higher alcohol hence high levels of glycerin, which imparts a fleshy mouthfeel.
Claret
Anglo-Saxon term for any red wine of Bordeaux.
Classed growth
English translation of the French 'cru class', meaning a wine-producing estate that has been ranked in an official classification (particularly in Bordeaux).
Closed
The term closed is used to denote that the wine is not showing its potential, which remains locked in because it is too young. Young wines often close up about 12-18 months after bottling, and depending on the vintage and storage conditions, remain in such a state for several years to more than a decade.
Co-operative (co-op)
Group of vinegrowers who commonly share winemaking equipment and cellar facilities. Large co-ops often employ a team of winemaking and sales professionals. The vinegrowers bring their grapes to the co-op for processing, are paid according to the quantity they deliver, and later share in the profits generated by sales. The system is particularly useful in regions where there are many growers with small vineyard holdings, and it is not economically viable for each to have winemaking facilities.
Complex
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with many different layers of flavours and sensations. Complexity is one of the hallmarks of a great wine, as opposed to the one-dimensional simplicity of an easy-drinking wine.
Concentrated
Fine wines, whether they are light-, medium-, or full-bodied, should have concentrated flavors. Concentrated denotes that the wine has a depth and richness of fruit that gives it appeal and interest. Deep is a synonym for concentrated.
Cork
Bark of the cork oak tree, and the substance traditionally used to stopper wine bottles. Natural cork stoppers have excellent qualities of elasticity, keeping the wine in the bottle while not allowing air to intrude. It is only quite recently that synthetic substitutes have been developed to try to combat the problem of corked wine.
Corked
A corked wine is a flawed wine that has taken on the smell of cork as a result of an unclean or faulty cork. It is perceptible in a bouquet that shows no fruit, only the smell of musty cork, which reminds me of wet cardboard.
Cru
Growth. Used to indicate a particular vineyard site, particularly in Bordeaux.
Cru bourgeois
Bourgeois growth. Level of classification in the Bordeaux region coming immediately below cru class. Often very good quality wine at an affordable price.
Cru classé
Classed growth. Top level of classification in the Bordeaux region. Wines of the Médoc
and Sauternes were classified in 1855, and the top wines were divided into league tables from First Growth (the best, or rather the most expensive) down to Fifth Growth. The classification has scarcely altered since, and so some Second Growths, for example, rival their First Growth neighbours (in quality if not in price).
Cuvée
Many producers in the Rhône Valley produce special, deluxe lots of wine or a lot of wine from a specific grape variety that they bottle separately. These lots are often referred to as cuvées.
Cuve
Vat, tank.
Decadent
If you are an ice cream and chocolate lover, you know the feeling of eating a huge sundae of rich vanilla ice cream lavished with hot fudge and real whipped cream. If you are a wine enthusiast, a wine loaded with opulent, even unctuous layers of fruit, with a huge bouquet, and a plump, luxurious texture can be said to be decadent.
Decanting
Process of separating a wine from any sediment that may have formed. This is essential for Vintage Port and for older reds (which naturally throw a deposit). Aeration is a by-product of decanting, though wine is most efficiently aerated ('allowed to breathe') by swirling in the glass.
Deep
Essentially the same as concentrated, expressing the fact that the wine is rich, full of extract, and mouth filling.
Delicate
As this word implies, delicate wines are light, subtle, understated wines that are prized for their shyness rather than for an extroverted, robust character. White wines are usually more delicate than red wines. Few Rhône red wines can correctly be called delicate.
Diffuse
Wines that smell and taste unstructured and unfocused are said to be diffuse. When red wines are served at too warm a temperature they often become diffuse.
Domaine
Wine estate.
Dry
Tasting term used to indicate an absence of detectable sweetness. Many wines contain a little residual sugar, while still tasting dry.
Dumb
A dumb wine is also a closed wine, but the term dumb is used more pejoratively. Closed wines may need only time to reveal their richness and intensity. Dumb wines may never get any better.
Earthy
May be used in both a negative and a positive sense; however, I prefer to use earthy to denote a positive aroma of fresh, rich, clean soil. Earthy is a more intense smell than woody or truffle scents.
Elegant
Although more white wines than red are described as being elegant, lighter-styled, graceful, balance red wines can be elegant.
Encepagement
Grape-variety mix; used to describe the components of a multi-varietal blend.
Extract
This is everything in a wine besides water, sugar, alcohol, and acidity.
Exuberant
Like extroverted, somewhat hyper people, wines too can be gushing with fruit and seem nervous and intensely vigorous.
fat
When the Rhône has an exceptionally hot year for its crop and the wines attain a super sort of maturity, they are often quite rich and concentrated, with low to average acidity. Often such wines are said to be fat, which is a prized commodity. If they become too fat, that is a flaw and they are then called flabby.
Fermentation
Complex process in which sugars, naturally present in grape juice, are transformed into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action of yeasts. Heat is the other main by-product.
Fining
Winemaking procedure in which a product is added to wine in order to remove unwanted material. Typical fining agents include bentonite clay (to remove proteins) and egg white (to remove bitter tannins). Ox blood was once commonly used as a fining agent but is now generally forbidden.
Finish
Tasting term used to indicate the final sensation left in the mouth once a wine is swallowed. A long, persistent finish is considered a sign of a fine wine.
First growth
English translation of the French premier cru, indicating a wine at the top of some official quality classification.
flabby
A wine that is too fat or obese is a flabby wine. Flabby wines lack structure and are heavy to taste.
fleshy
Fleshy is a synonym for chewy, meaty, or beefy. It denotes that the wine has a lot of body, alcohol, and extract, and usually a high glycerin content. Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage are particularly fleshy wines.
floral
Wines made from the Muscat or Viognier grape have a flowery component, and occasionally a red wine will have a floral scent.
focused
Both a fine wine's bouquet and flavor should be focused. Focused simply means that the scents, aromas, and flavors are precise and clearly delineated. If they are not, the wine is like an out-of-focus picture-diffuse, hazy, and possibly problematic.
Fortified wine
Usually sweet wine, in which the alcoholic fermentation is stopped before all the sugar has been consumed, by the addition of brandy. The alcohol kills the yeast, leaving a sweet wine with high alcohol. Examples include Port and Vin Doux Naturel. Sherry, by contrast, is fortified after fermentation, and so it is naturally dry.
forward
A wine is said to be forward when its charm and character are fully revealed. While it may not be fully mature yet, a forward wine is generally quite enjoyable and drinkable. Forward is the opposite of backward. Accessible is a synonym for forward.
foudre
Large oak barrels that vary enormously in size but are significantly larger than the normal oak barrel used in Bordeaux or the piece used in Burgundy. They are widely used in the Rhône Valley.
Foxy
Tasting term used to indicate the wild, earthy flavour of wines made from hybrid grapes or native North American varieties.
fresh
Freshness in both young and old wines is a welcome and pleasing component. A wine is said to be fresh when it is lively and cleanly made. The opposite of fresh is stale. fruity: A very good wine should have enough concentration of fruit so that it can be said to be fruity. Fortunately, the best wines will have more than just a fruity personality.
Fruity
Tasting term used to describe the attractive flavour of wine made from ripe grapes, which may be reminiscent of a wide range of fruits including citrus fruits, red and black berries, and stone fruits.
full-bodied
Wines rich in extract, alcohol, and glycerin are full-bodied wines. Most Rhône wines are full-bodied.
garrigue
In the southern Rhône Valley and Provence, this is the landscape of small slopes and plateaus. This Provençal word applies to these windswept hilltops/slopes inhabited by scrub-brush and Provençal herb outcroppings. The smell of garrigue is often attributed to southern Rhône Valley wines. Suggesting more than the smell of herbes de Provence, it encompasses an earthy/herbal concoction of varying degrees of intensity.
Grape
Fruit of the vine, and the raw material for wine production. There are many species of vine, but most wine grapes are from Vitis vinifera. Within this species there are many varieties (see grape variety).
green
Green wines are wines made from underripe grapes; they lack richness and generosity as well as having a vegetal character. Green wines are infrequently made in the Rhône, although vintages such as 1977 were characterized by a lack of ripening.
Hard
Wines with abrasive, astringent tannins or high acidity are said to be hard. Young vintages of Rhône wines can be hard, but they should never be harsh.
harsh
If a wine is too hard it is said to be harsh. Harshness in a wine, young or old, is a flaw.
Hectare (ha)
Unit of area, equal to 10 000 m2 (2.47 acres). Vineyards in Europe are normally measured in hectares and yields expressed in terms of hectolitres of wine produced per hectare of vineyard.
Hectolitre (hl)
Unit of volume, equal to 100 litres.
hedonistic
Certain styles of wine are meant to be inspected; they are introspective and intellectual wines. Others are designed to provide sheer delight, joy, and euphoria. Hedonistic wines can be criticized because in one sense they provide so much ecstasy that they can be called obvious, but in essence, they are totally gratifying wines meant to fascinate and enthrall-pleasure at its best.
herbaceous
Many wines have a distinctive herbal smell that is generally said to be herbaceous. Specific herbal smells can be of thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano, fennel, or basil and are common in Rhône wines.
herbes de Provence
Provence is known for the wild herbs that grow prolifically through- out the region. These include lavender, thyme, sage, rosemary, and oregano. It is not just an olfactory fancy to smell many of these herbs in Rhône Valley wines, particularly those made in the south.
hollow
Also known as shallow, hollow wines are diluted and lack depth and concentration. honeyed: A common personality trait of specific white Rhône wines, a honeyed wine is one that has the smell and taste of bee's honey.
hot
Rather than meaning that the temperature of the wine is too warm to drink, hot denotes that the wine is too high in alcohol and therefore leaves a burning sensation in the back of the throat when swallowed. Wines with alcohol levels in excess of 14.5% often taste hot if the requisite depth of fruit is not present.
inox vats
This is the French term for stainless steel vats that are used for both fermentation and storage of wine.
intensity
Intensity is one of the most desirable traits of a high-quality wine. Wines of great intensity must also have balance. They should never be heavy or cloying. Intensely concentrated great wines are alive, vibrant, aromatic, layered, and texturally compelling. Their intensity adds to their character, rather than detracting from it.
jammy
When wines have a great intensity of fruit from excellent ripeness they can be jammy, which is a very concentrated, flavorful wine with superb extract. In great vintages such as 1961, 1978, 1985, 1989, 1990, and 1995, some of the wines are so concentrated that they are said to be jammy.
Kisselguhr filtration system
This is a filtration system using diatomaceous earth as the filtering material, rather than cellulose, or in the past, before it was banned, asbestos.
Late harvest
Label term used to indicate a wine made from grapes harvested later than usual, normally therefore at a high degree of maturity and possibly affected by botrytis. Normally sweet.
leafy
A leafy character in a wine is similar to a herbaceous character only in that it refers to the smell of leaves rather than herbs. A wine that is too leafy is a vegetal or green wine.
lean
Lean wines are slim, rather streamlined wines that lack generosity and fatness but can still be enjoyable and pleasant.
Lees
Dead yeast cells, which form a deposit at the bottom of a tank after the alcoholic fermentation. Winemakers may age the wine in the presence of the lees, to protect from oxidation and provide a more complex flavour. Some wines, notably Muscadet sur lie, are bottled directly off the lees.
Legs
Tasting term used to describe the pattern formed when drops of wine trickle down the inside of the glass after the wine has been swirled. 'Good' or persistent legs indicates a high viscosity and is sometimes associated with high alcohol.
Light
Tasting term used to indicate a wine pale in colour or lacking in body or mouthfeel.
lively
A synonym for fresh or exuberant, a lively wine is usually young wine with good acidity and a thirst-quenching personality.
Long
A very desirable trait in any fine wine is that it be long in the mouth. Long (or length) relates to a wine's finish, meaning that after you swallow the wine, you sense its presence for a long time. (Thirty seconds to several minutes is great length.) In a young wine, the difference between something good and something great is the length of the wine.
lush
Lush wines are velvety, soft, richly fruity wines that are both concentrated and fat. A lush wine can never be an astringent or hard wine.
Maceration
Process of steeping grape skins in their juice, to extract flavour and, in the case of reds, colour and tannin. Essential for red wines, the maceration may last between a few days and a few weeks. Optional for whites, and usually limited to a few hours.
Maderized
Tasting term used to indicate a wine that has become over-mature, oxidised, and with a cooked taste.
massive
In great vintages where there is a high degree of ripeness and superb concentration, some wines can turn out to be so big, full-bodied, and rich that they are called massive. A great wine such as the 1961 or 1990 Hermitage La Chapelle is a textbook example of a massive wine.
Mature
Tasting term indicating a wine that has aged sufficiently to be ready to drink at its best.
meaty
A chewy, fleshy wine is also said to be meaty.
monocepage
This term describes a wine made totally of one specific varietal.
monopole
Used to denote a vineyard owned exclusively by one proprietor, the word monopole appears on the label of a wine made from such a vineyard.
morsellated
Many vineyards are fragmented, with multiple growers owning a portion of the same vineyard. Such a vineyard is often referred to as a morsellated vineyard.
mouth-filling
Big, rich, concentrated wines that are filled with fruit extract and are high in alcohol and glycerin are wines that tend to texturally fill the mouth. A mouth-filling wine is also a chewy, fleshy, fat wine.
musty
Wines aged in dirty barrels or unkept cellars or exposed to a bad cork take on a damp, musty character that is a flaw.
Negociant
Wine merchant.
Noble rot
Anglo-saxon term for pourriture noble, or botrytis, which is responsible for the greatest sweet white wines.
Non-vintage
Wine with no specified vintage on the label.
nose
The general smell and aroma of a wine as sensed through one's nose and olfactory senses is often called the wine's nose.
Nouveau
New. Wine sold very soon after the vintage, typically in November. Beaujolais Nouveau is the best known example, but there are many others.
Oak
Family of trees much associated with wine. Oak is considered the best material for construction of barrels for fermenting or ageing wine. It has the necessary mechanical properties for cooperage and, when new, imparts a pleasant flavour to the wine. A by-product of barrel-making is oak chips, and recently some winemakers have started to use these to impart oak flavour to wines without incurring the high cost of buying barrels. Finally, the bark of the cork oak is the source of the traditional closure for wine bottles.
oaky
Many red Rhône wines are aged from 6 months to 30 months in various sizes of oak barrels. At some properties, a percentage of the oak barrels may be new, and these barrels impart a toasty, vanillin flavor and smell to the wine. If the wine is not rich and concentrated, the barrels can overwhelm the wine, making it taste overly oaky. Where the wine is rich and concentrated and the winemaker has made a judicious use of barrels, however, the results are a wonderful marriage of fruit and oak.
Oenologist
Qualified winemaker.
Oenology
Scientific study of wine.
off
If a wine is not showing its true character, or is flawed or spoiled in some way, it is said to be "off."
Organic wine
Made from grapes grown without use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and with a minimum of additives in the cellar.
overripe
An undesirable characteristic; grapes left too long on the vine become too ripe, lose their acidity, and produce wines that are heavy and unbalanced. This can happen frequently in the hot viticultural areas of the Rhône Valley if the growers harvest too late.
oxidized
If a wine has been excessively exposed to air during either its making or aging, the wine loses freshness and takes on a stale, old smell and taste. Such a wine is said to be oxidized.
Palate
Tasting term used to indicate the range of sensations detected in the mouth (rather than on the nose). Also, a competent taster may be said to have a good palate.
peppery
A peppery quality to a wine is usually noticeable in many Rhône wines that have an aroma of black or white pepper and a pungent flavor.
perfumed
This term usually is more applicable to fragrant, aromatic white wines than to red wines. However, some of the dry white wines (particularly Condrieu) and sweet white wines can have a strong perfumed smell.
Phylloxera
Vine disease caused by an aphid which attacks the root system. Phylloxera devastated Europes vineyards in the nineteenth century. The solution was eventually found: to graft European vines onto resistant American rootstocks. More recently, California has suffered from phylloxera, owing to the use of non-resistant rootstocks. A few privileged areas are free from phylloxera, notably much of Chile.
Pigeage
A winemaking technique of punching down the cap of grape skins that forms during the beginning of the wine's fermentation. This is done several times a day, occasionally more frequently, to extract color, flavor, and tannin from the fermenting juice.
plummy
Rich, concentrated wines can often have the smell and taste of ripe plums. When they do, the term plummy is applicable.
ponderous
Ponderous is often used as a synonym for massive, but in my usage a massive wine is simply a big, rich, very concentrated wine with balance, whereas a ponderous wine is a wine that has become heavy and tiring to drink.
precocious
Wines that mature quickly are precocious. However the term also applies to wines that may last and evolve gracefully over a long period of time, but taste as if they are aging quickly because of their tastiness and soft, early charms.
pruney
Wines produced from grapes that are overripe take on the character of prunes. Pruney wines are flawed wines.
raisiny
Late-harvest wines that are meant to be drunk at the end of a meal can often be slightly raisiny, which in some ports and sherries is desirable. However, a raisiny quality is a major flaw in a dinner wine.
reduced
Tasting and winemaking term used to indicate a wine that has developed a dirty smell reminiscent of rotten eggs. Before bottling this can usually be remedied by aeration of addition of copper. When it develops in bottle, vigorous aeration sometimes removes the reduced smell.
Residual sugar
Sugar remaining in a wine after fermentation and once it is ready for bottling. The level of residual sugar determines whether the wine will be dry, medium dry, sweet, etc, though even the driest wines contain a little residual sugar.
rich
Wines that are high in extract, flavor, and intensity of fruit.
ripe
A wine is ripe when its grapes have reached the optimum level of maturity. Less than fully mature grapes produce wines that are underripe, and overly mature grapes produce wines that are overripe.
round
A very desirable character of wines, roundness occurs in fully mature wines that have lost their youthful, astringent tannins, and also in young wines that have soft tannins and low acidity.
Savory
A general descriptive term that denotes that the wine is round, flavorful, and interesting to drink. shallow: A weak, feeble, watery or diluted wine lacking concentration is said to be shallow.
Second wine
Second-quality wine from a property (particularly in Bordeaux), often blended from wines not considered appropriate for the first wine (or grand vin). Can represent good value for money.
Sharp
An undesirable trait, sharp wines are bitter and unpleasant with hard, pointed edges.
Short
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with little aftertaste
Silky
A synonym for velvety or lush, silky wines are soft, sometimes fat, but never hard or angular.
Smoky
Some wines, either because of the soil or because of the barrels used to age the wine, have a distinctive smoky character. Côte Rôtie and Hermitage often have a roasted or smoky quality.
Soft
A soft wine is one that is round and fruity, low in acidity, and has an absence of aggressive, hard tannins.
Spicy
Wines often smell quite spicy with aromas of pepper, cinnamon, and other well-known spices. These pungent aromas are usually lumped together and called spicy.
Stale
Dull, heavy wines that are oxidized or lack balancing acidity for freshness are called stale.
Stalky
A synonym for vegetal, but used more frequently to denote that the wine has probably had too much contact with the stems, resulting in a green, vegetal, or stalky character to the wine.
Sugar
Essential component of grape juice, sugar is converted into alcohol by fermentation. In areas where there is insufficient natural sugar, more may be added (see 'chaptalization'). Sugar, often in the form of concentrated must, is sometimes added to wines before bottling to improve mouth feel in dry wines or to make a 'medium' style. See also 'residual sugar'.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Preservative which is added to nearly all wines to protect them from oxidation and microbial infection. Good winemakers keep the level of SO2 at the minimum necessary to protect the wine, and its distinctive smell (similar to the smell of striking a match) should not be detected in finished wine. In some countries (notably US and Australia) the use of SO2 must be declared on the label ('Contains sulfites'). A few individuals are allergic to sulphites, but they will discover this long before they are old enough to drink wine: a bag of prepared salad contains more sulphites than a bottle of wine.
Supple
A supple wine is one that is soft, lush, velvety, and very attractively round and tasty. It is a highly desirable characteristic because it suggests that the wine is harmonious.
Sweet
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with a significant level of residual sugar, or possibly a dry wine with rich, ripe fruit giving an impression of sweetness.
Tannic
The tannins of a wine, which are extracted from the grape skins and stems, are, along with a wine's acidity and alcohol, its lifeline. Tannins give a wine firmness and some roughness when young, but gradually fall away and dissipate. A tannic wine is one that is young and unready to drink.
Tart
Sharp, acidic, lean, unripe wines are called tart. In general, a wine that is tart is not pleasurable.
Terroir
French term for the notion that the complex combination of soil, climate, exposition and local tradition define the style of wine.
Thick
Rich, ripe, concentrated wines that are low in acidity are often said to be thick.
Thin
A synonym for shallow; it is an undesirable characteristic for a wine to be thin, meaning that it is watery, lacking in body, and just diluted.
Tightly knit
Young wines that have good acidity levels, good tannin levels, and are well made are called tightly knit, meaning they have yet to open up and develop.
Toasty
A smell of grilled toast can often be found in wines because the barrels the wines are aged in are charred or toasted on the inside.
tobacco
Some red wines have the scent of fresh tobacco. It is a distinctive and wonderful smell in wine.
Tough
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with a harsh taste, usually as a result of high tannin content.
troncais oak
This type of oak comes from the forest of Troncais in central France.
unctuous
Rich, lush, intense wines with layers of concentrated, soft, velvety fruit are said to be unctuous.
Vanilla
Tasting term used to describe a vanilla-like aroma, often a result of ageing in new American oak barrels.
Vat
Vessel used for fermentation and storage of wine. Vats come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, and can be made from wood, concrete, or metal (nowadays usually stainless steel).
vegetal
An undesirable characteristic, wines that smell and taste vegetal are usually made from unripe grapes. In some wines, a subtle vegetable garden smell is pleasant and adds complexity, but if it is the predominant character, it is a major flaw.
velvety
A textural description and synonym for lush or silky, a velvety wine is a rich, soft, smooth wine to taste. It is a very desirable characteristic.
Vendange
Harvest.
Vigneron
Vine grower.
Vignoble
Vineyard
Vin
Wine
Vin de garde
Wine suitable for ageing.
viscous
Viscous wines tend to be relatively concentrated, fat, almost thick wines with a great density of fruit extract, plenty of glycerin, and high alcohol content. If they have balancing acidity, they can be tremendously flavorful and exciting wines. If they lack acidity, they are often flabby and heavy.
Viticulture
Vine growing.
volatile
A volatile wine is one that smells of vinegar as a result of an excessive amount of acetic bacteria present. It is a seriously flawed wine.
Wine
Fermented juice of the grape.
Winery
Place where wine is made.
woody
When a wine is overly oaky it is often said to be woody. Oakiness in a wine's bouquet and taste is good up to a point. Once past that point, the wine is woody and its fruity qualities are masked by excessive oak aging.
Yeast
Living substance responsible for the production of the enzymes that permit fermentation, the conversion of sugar into alcohol, with heat and carbon dioxide as by products. Yeast occurs naturally on grape skins, but many winemakers today use specially selected cultured yeasts to allow better control of the fermentation.
Yield
Quantity of grapes harvested from a given area of vineyard. Received wisdom is that low yield equals high quality, though in practice there are many factors at work, including density of plantation, local climate, etc. Yields are normally expressed in weight per unit area (tons per acre) or volume per unit area (hectolitres per hectare).
Zestful
Tasting term used to describe a fresh, crisp wine, usually white, with a good balance of fruit and acidity.
