Glossary of Wine Terms
You can browse our topics using the letters below, or search for a term.
Word |
Description |
|---|---|
| Acidity | A naturally occurring component of every wine; the level of perceived sharpness; a key element to a wine's longevity; a leading determinant of balance. |
| Alcohol | The end product of fermentation; technically ethyl alcohol resulting from the interaction of natural grape sugars and yeast; generally above 12.5 percent in dry table wines. |
| Alsace | A highly regarded wine region in eastern France renowned for dry and sweet wines made from Riesling, Gewuerztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and others. |
| Amarone | A succulent higher-alcohol red wine hailing from the Veneto region in northern Italy; made primarily from Corvina grapes dried on racks before pressing. |
| AOC | Appellation diOrigine Controlee, a French term for a denominated, governed wine region such as Margaux or Nuits-St.-Georges. |
| Aroma | A scent thatis a component of the bouquet or nose; i.e. cherry is an aromatic component of a fruity bouquet. |
| AVA | American Viticultural Area; a denominated American wine region approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. |
| Bacchus | The Roman god of wine, known as Dionysus in ancient Greece; a hybrid white grape from Germany. |
| Balance | The level of harmony between acidity, tannins, fruit, oak, and other elements in a wine; a perceived quality that is more individual than scientific. |
| Barrel Fermented | A process by which wine (usually white) is fermented in oak barrels rather than in stainless steel tanks; a richer, creamier, oakier style of wine. |
| Barrique | French for 'barrel,' generally a barrel of 225 liters. |
| Beaujolais | A juicy, flavorful red wine made from Gamay grapes grown in the region of the same name. |
| Beaujolais Nouveau | The first Beaujolais wine of the harvest; its annual release date is the third Thursday in November. |
| Blanc de Blancs | The name for Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay grapes. |
| Blanc de Noirs | The name for Champagne made entirely from red grapes, either Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier, or both. |
| Blend | The process whereby two or more grape varieties are combined after separate fermentation; common blends include Cotes de Rhone and red and white Bordeaux. |
| Blush | A wine made from red grapes but which appears pink or salmon in color because the grape skins were removed from the fermenting juice before more color could be imparted; more commonly referred to as rose. |
| Bodega | Spanish for winery; literally the 'room where barrels are stored.' |
| Body | The impression of weight on one's palate; light, medium, and full are common body qualifiers. |
| Bordeaux | A city on the Garonne River in southwest France; a large wine-producing region with more than a dozen subregions; a red wine made mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc; a white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. |
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