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Wine Glossary
Abbreviations, definitions and wine related words. With information
on grapes.
A
| Albariño - a white grape with tastes o f lemon, minerals. |
| AOC - Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC),
which translates as "term of controlled origin" is the
French certification granted to certain French geographical indications
for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products.
This sets the rules for what wines can be made from what grapes. |
| Acidity - the sharpness in wine |
| Aerating - introducing air into the wine during production |
| Aroma - the smell of wine |
B
| Brandy is a distilled wine. |
| Blanc de Noirs where the juice of red grapes are allowed contact
with the skins for a very short time (usually only a couple of
hours). Blanc de noirs is a form of rosé |
| Blush - A white wine made from a very dark grape may appear
pink or 'blush'. |
| Breidecker - a white grape with tastes of apple, pear. |
| Balance - the balance of wine is dependent on acid, tannin,
alcohol, fruit and flavour |
| Blend - mixture of grape varieties |
| Bouquet - another word for smell of wine |
| Breath - leaving a wine in contact with air for a time before
drinking it |
| Botrytis cinerea - "noble rot" - super concentrates
juice and gives distinctive flavour |
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C
Cooper: Someone who makes wooden barrels, casks, and other similar
wooden objects.
A cooperage is a company that produces wooden casks. |
| champagne is legally defined as sparkling wine originating from
a region in France ( In most countries except the United States,
) |
| Cabernet Franc - a red grape - with tastes of tobacco, green
bell pepper, raspberry, new-mown grass. |
| Cabernet Sauvignon - a red wine - with tastes of blackcurrants,
chocolate, tobacco. |
| Chenin Blanc - a white grape with tastes of wet wool, beeswax,
honey, apple, almond. |
Chardonnay - a white grape with tastes of butter, melon, apple,
pineapple, vanilla (if oaked, eg aged in new oak aging barrels)
Green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. |
Corked - wine fault - musty odour NOT bits
of cork floating in it.
Smells of mouldy wet dog.
Caused by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole which can be removed by soaking
polyethylene in the wine as the compound attaches to the polyethylene.
In theory you could use PE milk bottles at home. Worth a try if
the wine is ruined anyway! |
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D
| Decanting - pouring wine from the bottle into a jug or decanter
prior to drinking |
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E
Enology - The science and study of wine and winemaking. Also
spelled oenology.
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F
| Fortified wines are often sweeter, and generally more alcoholic
wines that have had their fermentation process stopped by the
addition of a spirit, such as brandy, or have had additional spirit
added after fermentation. |
| Fermentation - the process of sugar turning into alcohol |
| Full bodied wine - wine which has high level of fruit concentration
and alcohol. A deep tasting wine. |
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G
| Grappa is a dry colorless brandy, distilled from fermented grape
pomace, the pulpy residue of grapes, stems and seeds that were
pressed for the winemaking process. |
| Gamay - a red wine with tastes of pomegranate, strawberry, red
fruits. |
| Grenache a red wine with tastes of smoky, pepper, raspberry |
Grüner Veltliner - a white grape with tastes of green apple,
citrus.
Grüner Veltliner is grown in Austria and in the Czech Republic.
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Gewürztraminer - a white grape with tastes of rose petals,
lychee, spice.
Gewürztraminer grows well in colder areas
Goes well with asian food. |
| Garagiste - a home wine maker, or a derogatory term if applied
to a professional winemaker. Garagista is another version of this
word. |
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H
| History of Wine - first grown in Georgia and Iran, from as early
as 6000 BC |
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I
| Italy was the number one wine producer in 2006 producing 1,793
1000 tonnes |
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L
| Leach - tannins in oak soak into the wine |
| liebfraumilch - semi-sweet white German wine |
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M
| Malbec - a red wine - with tastes of violet, fruit |
| Merlot - a red grape with tastes of black cherry, plums, tomato. |
| Mourvèdre - a red grape with tastes of thyme, clove,
cinnamon, black pepper, violet, blackberry. |
| Marsanne - a white grape with tastes of almond, honeysuckle,
marzipan. |
| Melon de Bourgogne - a white grape with tastes of lime, salt,
green apple. |
Muscat - a white grape with tastes of honey, grapes, lime
Muscat (grape and wine) grape can be from white to almost black
in colour
huge number of types means it's possible the oldest domesticated
grape variety |
| Mouthfeel - how the wine feels in the mouth, its weight, body
and texture |
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N
| Négociant: A wine merchant who assembles the produce
of smaller growers and winemakers, and sells them under his own
name. |
| Nebbiolo - a red grape with tastes of leather, tar, stewed prunes,
chocolate, liquorice, roses. |
| Norton - a red grape with tastes of red fruit, elderberries. |
| New World - countries new to producing wine Australia, South
Africa, South America, USA, new Zealand |
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O
| Oenologist: A wine scientist or chemist. Often referred to as
a winemaker. |
| Oaked - wine aged in oak barrels |
| Old world - older wine producing countries - Europe |
| Oxidised wine which has lost its freshness because of too much
exposure to air. A red wine will oxidise turning slightly brown
as the process continues. It's seen as a sign of age. |
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P
| Petite Sirah (Durif) - a red grape with tastes of earthy, black
pepper, dark fruits. |
| Petit Verdot - a red grape with tastes of violets (later) |
| Pinot Noir - a red grape with tastes of raspberry, cherry, violets,
"farmyard" (with age), truffles. |
| Pinotage - a red grape with tastes of bramble fruits. |
| Palomino - a white grape with tastes of honeydew, citrus, raw
nuts. |
| Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) - a white grape with tastes of white
peach, pear, apricot. |
| Prosecco - a white grape with tastes of apple, honey, musk,
citrus. |
| Palate - tatse of wine in the mouth |
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R
| Red wine is made from red (or black) grapes, but its red colour
is bestowed by a process called maceration, whereby the skin is
left in contact with the juice during fermentation |
Riesling - a white grape with tastes of citrus fruits, peach,
honey.
Riesling is grown often in Rhine region of Germany but also around
the world.
There is now a red skinned version too. |
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S
| Sommelier: A person in a restaurant who specializes in wine.
They are usually in charge of assembling the wine list, staff
education and making wine suggestions to customers. |
| Sparkling wines, such as champagne, are those with carbon dioxide,
either from fermentation or added later |
| Syrah (Shiraz) - a red grape with tastes of tobacco, black pepper,
blackberry, smoke. |
| Sangiovese - a red grape with tastes of herbs, black cherry,
leathery, earthy. |
Sauvignon Blanc - a white grape with tastes of gooseberry, lime,
asparagus, cut grass, bell pepper.
Bordeaux region of France is home to this grape. |
Sémillon - a white grape with tastes of honey, orange,
lime.
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape which makes a dry sweet
white wine, usually France and Australia. |
| Soft - rounded, fruit wine with low tannin levels |
| Silvaner is a variety of white wine grape grown primarily in
Alsace and Germany, used to make Liebfraumilch |
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T
Tempranillo - a red grape with tastes of vanilla, strawberry,
tobacco.
Native to Spain. |
Teroldego - a red grape with tastes of spices, chocolate, red
Fruits
Grown in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy. |
| Tannin - a dry bitterness in wine |
| Tartrates - harmess crystals found in both red and white wine |
| Terroir specialist - someone who knows about the soils, subsoils
and way this relates to wine growing. |
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U
Ugni Blanc, also known as Trebbiano - a white grape with tastes
of lime, herbs.
Second most grown grape in the world.
vine is vigorous and high-yielding with an acidic yellow juice.
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V
| Viticulturist: A person who specializes in
the science of the grapevines themselves. Can also be someone
who manages a vineyard (decides how to prune, how much to irrigate,
how to deal with pests |
| Vintner: A wine merchant or producer. |
| Viognier - a white grape with tastes of peach, pear, nutmeg,
apricot. |
| Vermentino - a white grape with tastes of pear, cream, green
fruits. |
| Verdicchio - a white grape with tastes of apple, minerals,
citrus. |
| Vintage wines are made from grapes of a single year's harvest,
and are dated to show the year. Different countries have different
rules on the % of wine that is not from the labeled vintage. |
| Viticulture - The study of grape growing. |
| Varietal - wine made from a single grape variety. A pure wine
of one grape. |
| Vendage Tardive - late harvesting which produces sweetness |
| Victoria in Australia has over 600 wineries |
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W
| Winemaker: A person who makes wine. |
| White wine can be made from any colour of grape as the skin
is separated from the juice during fermentation |
| Wildbacher dark-skinned grape variety grown in Styria region
of Austria and the Veneto region of northeast Italy |
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X
Xynomavro or Xinomavro (Greek to English translation: "sour
black)
Grown in Greece. |
| Xynisteri grapes grow on Cyprus. |
| Xarel·lo is a spanish white grape used in sparkling wine
Cava. |
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Z
Zinfandel - a red grape with tastes of black cherry, pepper,
mixed spices, mint.
Zinfandel is planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards |
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