CSW Glossary and Pronounciations Flashcards

Question

Bodega (boh-day'-gah)

Answer 1

The Spanish term for a winery or above the ground wine storage

Answer 2

The overall mouth feel or weight of a wine. Some tasters incorrectly attribute it to glycerin or glycol in wine (there is not enough in wine to make wine thick). The term may be related to the amount of dry extract in a wine (what is left when you remove the water).

Answer 3

A Grand Cru red wine vineyard in the Cote d'Or in Burgundy, France. Located in the commune of Chambolle-Musigny.

Answer 4

One of the largest cities in France, and a generic term for the sea of wine that is made around the region. This is the home of the Haut-Medoc and such famous wineries as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Ch. Haut-Brion and Ch. Petrus. Sub regions include the Medoc, Sauternes (the great dessert wine of France), St. Emilion and Pomerol. With over 215,000 acres planted to vineyards, and an average 35 million cases produced annually, Bordeaux is one of the leading wine regions in the world in quality and quantity. The Principal grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlo for reds and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for whites.

Answer 5

A fungicide made from copper sulfate and slaked lime. Used widely in Europe to prevent mildew. It is recognizable by its distinctive blue-green color.

Answer 6

The special mold that is responsible for many of the world's greatest dessert wines. It creates micro lesions in the skin of the grape, and then removes the water from the inside the grape. The result is fruit with a much higher ratio of sugar, suitable for creating sweet wines. The mold can also be harmful when it attacks dry wine vineyards (it is usually called Gray Rot when it is a pest). The French call Botrytis "Pourriture Noble" - the noble rot.

Answer 7

Used generically to indicate how a wine smells, or more specifically to indicate aromas associated with bottle aging. A more technical term for this later definition is "tertiary aromas."

Answer 8

The French word for Burgundy. Used on a label to indicate that the origin of the grapes can be from anywhere in Burgundy. If red, the grape is Pinot Noir, if white, Chardonnay.

Answer 9

A blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir (at least 33%) from southern Burgundy. Not often seen, but worth trying.

Answer 10

A town and wine from the Loire region of France. Light and easy to enjoy, it is made from the Cabernet Franc grape.

Answer 11

A slightly sweet and fizzy red wine from Italy. This is my vote for the best pizza wine.

Answer 12

Allowing the wine to come in contact with air, either forcibly or by resting. Since most of the practices surrounding wine are one way or another designed to keep air from wine, breathing is a questionable practice. My own blind tastings have not shown a correlation between a recently opened bottle, and one that has been allowed to remain open (or decanted) for an hour. The phenomena of wine improving after time may be more accurately attributed to changes in your mouth and "getting used to" the taste of tannins and acids.

Answer 13

The scale used to measure the ripeness of a grape. The predicted alcohol level of the wine can be expressed as brix x .55 = alc%. A grape picked at 22 brix will yield a wine with approximately 12% alcohol and no residual sugar. A dessert wine grape may be picked at 30 degrees brix and the resulting wine would have about 12% alcohol and 8% residual sugar.

Answer 14

A grape variety used in Madeira. Increasingly it is used to indicate a medium sweet style of Madeira.

Answer 15

One of the most important wine regions in France. The red grape is Pinot Noir and the white grape is chiefly Chardonnay.

Answer 16

A light, simple, Italian red wine (the name means "spatters like fire").

Answer 17

Often blended with Merlot and or Cabernet Sauvignon, this is the "other" Cabernet grape. It stands on its own in the Loire region of France where it makes light red wines.

Answer 18

One of the most important red wine grapes. It is the base for many of the New World's finest wines, as well as the wines of Bordeaux, France. A rich grape, with sufficient tannins for making wines that age.

Answer 19

For the technically minded out there, and lovers of Champagne. This is a technique of encapsulating the yeast used for making sparkling wines sparkle. Normally the yeast must be removed by a process that can take months or years to complete. Encapsulating the yeast just rolls out of the bottle instantly. Developed by Moet & Chandon, this may be the wave of the future.

Answer 20

One of the primary wine growing regions in the United States. Sub regions include Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Santa Maria Valley, and many more.

Answer 21

In wine calories come from the alcohol. Since it is asked so regularly, the answer is about 100 - 110 per glass.

Answer 22

Most famous for the delicious ice wines and other dessert wines of the Niagra region, Canada is producing an increasing number of dry tables wine of note.

Answer 23

Italian for "cellar."

Answer 24

The solid parts of the grape - skins, seeds, and stems, which rise to the top of the must (partially fermented juice and solids) during red wine making. The cap needs to be broken up regularly so that these elements may impart characteristics to the wines.

Answer 25

The fermentation method used in Beaujolais and other regions to produce a very light and fruity red wine. By fermenting in an enclosed tank that is filled with carbon dioxide the process takes place inside the berry. As the weight of the grapes on top crushes the grapes on the bottom, the juice is removed and fermentation of the juice proceeds normally. Most or all CM wines are a blend of techniques.

Answer 26

The Spanish term for "cellar" it is also refers to Spanish sparking wine.

Answer 27

The French term for "cellar."

Answer 28

A storage place for wine, and by extension, a winery.

Answer 29

The French term that refers to the variety of grapevine. Cabernet Sauvignon is a popular cepage in the US. The term is also used to indicate the blend of grapes in a wine.

Answer 30

A small town in France that produces crisp dry Chardonnay. It is considered part of the Burgundy region due to similar soils and grape affinities, even though it is miles to the north west from the rest of Burgundy. The term has been unfairly bastardized in the US and Australia to mean any white wine of little note.

Answer 31

The French term for above the ground wine storage.

Answer 32

One of the top Grand Cru red wine vineyards of Burgundy, and one of my personal favorites. It is in the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, which in the tradition of Burgundy, appended the name of this famous vineyard to its own.

Answer 33

A wine village, or commune, in the Burgundy region of France. Situated to the north of the Cote d'Or it is the home of two red Grand Crus, and the only white Grand Cru of the north, Musigny Blanc.

Answer 34

Literally it means a "white chalky plane." This region in France is famous for its sparkling wines, and the method to make them, methode champenoise. "Fine Champagne" and "Grand Fine Champagne" on a bottle of Cognac refers to the white chalky plain found in the Cognac area, and not in any way to the sparkling wine region.

Answer 35

A Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the northern section of Burgundy, France. Adjacent to the Chambertin vineyard, Chapelle is allowed to append the name of the more famous vineyard to its own.

Answer 36

The practice of adding sugar to the juice prior to fermentation to increase the potential alcohol and quality of the wine. Illegal in many regions, and tightly controlled in others. In some cooler wine regions it would not be possible to make wine in some years with out chapitalizing.

Answer 37

One of the most popular and important white grapes in the world. It is at home in the Burgundy region of France, and found throughout the New World. When first aged in oak, Chardonnay is one of the few white wines that improve with bottle aging.

Answer 38

One of the Grand Cru red wine vineyards of Gevry-Chambertin in Burgundy, France.

Answer 39

A white wine making village in the Cote de Beaune in Burgundy, France. The famed vineyard Montrachet straddles this town, and Puligny-Montrachet, both of which have appended the famous vineyard names to their own.

Answer 40

In Bordeaux, France, this is the name of the winery and vineyards that produce the wine. While it specifically means a castle or mansion, few Chateaux (the plural form) still exist in Bordeaux in the literal sense. More often than not a modest winery or farm house is the only building on the property.

Answer 41

The term in Bordeaux, France for "Estate Bottled" meaning that the wine was bottled by the producer or owner of the vineyards.

Answer 42

Literally the "new castle of the Popes," this was the summer home of the Popes while the papacy resided in nearby Avignon, France in the 1300s. It is now one of the best known wine producing regions of the southern Rhone. With 13 grapes to choose from, and a higher minimum alcohol content than most wines, Chateauneuf-du-Pape is worth exploring.

Answer 43

One of the great white grapes, and all too often over looked in the US. Many of the finest wines of the Loire region in France are Chenin Blanc, including the incredible, and long lived dessert wine, Coteaux du Layon.

Answer 44

A Grand Cru vineyard for white wine (Chardonnay) in Burgundy, France. The vineyard of Montrachet was broken up long ago and this section was said to have been given to the daughter. As is often the case, the myth reflects the nature of the wines; a softer, more subtle style of wine is produced from this vineyard, than from the other adjacent Montrachet vineyards.

Answer 45

One of the most famous of the Italian red wines. Made from the Sangiovese grape, although a small amount of the white grapes, Trebbiano or Malvasia, may be added for finesse. The Chianti region encompasses much of the hills of Tuscany with the higher quality Chianti Classico region being a smaller and more defined "classic" region for producing the wine. In times gone past, Chianti was often sold in a straw covered bottle called a "fiasco." This has mostly given way to modern bottles.

Answer 46

The Chinese have been making wine as long as Europeans, perhaps longer. While wine was considered medicinal in Europe, it was also enjoyed as a beverage. In China, the medicinal qualities continue to dominate wine production. As China enters the world market more traditional western style wines are being produced; thanks largely to cooperative efforts of the French. The quality varies greatly and grape growing has not been perfected, but there remains potential.

Answer 47

A picturesque village in the Loire Valley of France where light red wines are made from Cabernet Franc

Answer 48

A red wine grape used primarily for blending. One of the 13 grape varieties allowed in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Answer 49

A term without legal meaning. In some parts of the world in refers to a light red wine. In England, where the term is most widely used, it means a red wine of the Bordeaux, France region.

Answer 50

In wine tasting this term refers to wines that do not have any noticeable unpleasant or out of the ordinary odors or flavors. Modern wine making has ensured that most wines today are clean. Some may complain that New World wines can be clean to a fault. The lack of faults as a fault in itself is an interesting argument, and one that infers that a few faults in wine give it "character."

Answer 51

The French term for climate, although it is often used to refer to a region or vineyard that has a unifying characteristic. The English term would be "microclimate."

Answer 52

A plant produced by grafting or cutting, so that it retains the identical genetic characteristics of the host. Each grape variety has many different sub varieties, or clones (much in the way that roses do). For example there are dozens of clones of Pinot Noir or Cabernet, each excelling in a specific characteristic or resistance to disease.

Answer 53

A French term that originally meant "walled vineyard." It is used more widely today, especially to give a New World wine an Old World name.

Answer 54

Along with Chambertin, the main red Grand Cru vineyard of Gevry-Chambertin in Burgundy, France. Often has the name of Chambertin preceding it, an honor that places Clos de Beze on a par with the top rated Chambertin.

Answer 55

Literally French for "walled vineyard of the flies." This Premier Cru vineyard outside Beaune in Burgundy, France, produces red and white wines; especially the white, that often rival the more costly and famous Grand Crus of the region. The wine company Drouhin is the largest owner and producer of Clos des Mouches.

Answer 56

Grand Cru red wine vineyard of Burgundy, France from the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis.

Answer 57

Grand Cru red wine vineyard of Burgundy, France from the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis and the namesake vineyard of the town.

Answer 58

Grand Cru red wine vineyard of Burgundy from the commune of Morey-Saint-Denis.

Answer 59

The largest Grand Cru red wine vineyard of Burgundy. Located near the town of Vosne-Romanee, this vineyard boasts over 60 different owners, each making wine of varying quality.

Answer 60

A wine with particles floating in it from the wine making process. Modern wine making has made this very rare; however, some wine makers skip the filtering process and their wines may exhibit this fault. Wine that has "thrown sediment" with age is not said to be cloudy

Answer 61

Overly sweet, to the point of being faulty.. Wine should be balanced. The sweet flavors should be balanced with the sour flavors of the acids (much as lemonade is).

Answer 62

No less than 7 wine regions through out Italy begin with the word Colli. They include: • Colli Albani (ahl-bah'-nee) • Colli Berici (beh-ree-t'chee) • Colli Bolognesi (boh-loh-n'yay'-zee) • Colli Euganei (eh-yoo-gah'-neh) • Colli Lanuvini (lah-noo-vee'-nee) • Colli Orientali del Fruili (oh-ree-en-tah'lee del free-oo'-lee) • Colli Paicentini (p'yah-t'chen-tee-nee)

Answer 63

A passably decent grape with high yields. It is the most widely planted grape in California. The wine is usually produced for the bulk market.

Answer 64

The color of wine tells us much about its origin and wine making. Deeper colors usually relate to longer wine making practices and higher quality wines. Red wines range from Blue-Red, through Red and as they age towards Orange (or brick) Red. White wines range in color from clear to deep golden, with hints of greens common in lighter wines. As whites age they tend to turn towards brown.

Answer 65

The French term for a town. Often used interchangeably with village (vee-lahj). Commune is more accurate as it includes the surrounding area as well as the town itself

Answer 66

Just like orange juice, grape juice is sometimes sold as a concentrate. Not only to make juice, but to make wines. In California and Italy, where adding sugar is forbidden, the addition of grape juice concentrate is often allowed as a way of bolstering a weak vintage.

Answer 67

A native American grape that is still widely planted for wine and table consumption. Very dark, this is the grape of Welch's grape juice and its use as a winemaking grape is limited to low quality wines.

Answer 68

A tiny wine making commune in the northern Rhone Valley of France. The wine is made exclusively from the Viognier grape. The best can be exceptional; however, Viognier is making a home for itself in the New World where the wines are much less pricey. Chateau Grillet is in Condrieu and in a stroke of masterful lobbying, has been given its own Appellation.

Answer 69

A fault found in wine that has been exposed to heat, especially in the presence of air. Grapes that are vinefied too warm may exhibit this characteristic, as well as wines that have been shipped badly.

Answer 70

One of the most notable red wine regions of Australia. Situated in the state of South Australia, it is primarily planted to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Answer 71

Any and everything to do with wooden casks and barrels. A barrel maker is a cooper, hence the term.

Answer 72

A central processing facility where vineyard owners can take their grapes to be made into wine and or bottled. Usually owned by the members, it is a way to reduce the cost of wine making for the smaller producer. Many fine wines are made in cooperatives, as it is the only way that the vineyard owners could afford the most up to date equipment.

Answer 73

The stopper for most wine bottles. Whether made from the bark of the cork tree or from plastic, cork must be flexible, durable and able to create an air tight seal in the neck of the bottle. Corks can be a natural product of the cork oak, or increasingly a conglomerate of cork and or synthetic materials. This is due to the diminishing number of cork oaks, and the ever increasing need for more cork.

Answer 74

The most common fault in wine and the reason for the tasting ritual at a restaurant. The characteristic smell is a moldy, wet cardboard aroma. The cause is bacteria from the cork that has reacted with the bleaching process. Synthetic corks are free of this defect and this is a leading reason for their increasing adoption.

Answer 75

One of any number of devices that are used to extract corks from bottles.

Answer 76

A tiny wine producing commune in the northern Rhone in France. The red wines from this town are made from the grape Syrah.

Answer 77

A high quality white wine grape of northern Italy. The best known examples are the Gavi wines.

Answer 78

The only Grand Cru red wine of the Cote de Beaune in Burgundy, France. The name sake of the commune Aloxe-Corton. The name Corton may appear with or without additional vineyard names such as "Le Clos du Roi" or "Les Renardes."

Answer 79

The Grand Cru white wine from the same or adjoining vineyards as the Grand Cru red wine Corton. Among the longest lived of any dry whites.

Answer 80

The local name of the grape malbec in Bordeaux, France.

Answer 81

The southern half of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy, France. While the northern vineyards are almost exclusively red, the vineyards of the Cote de Beaune produce both red and white. With the exception of Corton which borders on the Cote d'Or to the north, all of the Grand Cru wines of the Cote de Beaune are white. This is the home of the famous Montrachet vineyards and the communes of Meursault, Chassagne and Puligny.

Answer 82

Pinot Noir from the smaller growing areas in the Cote de Beaune region of Burgundy, Fracne. It refers to the smaller regions in the northern section that rarely bottle under their own names.

Answer 83

A district of the Champagne region where only the white wine grape Chardonnay is planted, hence the name. Pinot Noir, a red wine grape is also used to make most Champagne.

Answer 84

Just south of Cote de Beaune in Burgundy, France, and named after the industrial city of Chalon-sur-Saone east of the grape growing region. The most famous commune is Mercurey, which produces primarily red wines. The Chalonnaise produces light, but well priced reds and rather simple whites.

Answer 85

The northern half of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy, France. Home of great red wines made from the Pinot Noir. In a few scant miles a visitor passes through many of the best known vineyards in the world. There is no better way to learn about this complicated region than to visit. The scale is so small it is hard to believe without seeing it that so many of the famous Burgundy reds come from such a tiny region.

Answer 86

The lesser communes of the Cote de Nuits are bottled under this name. While some may also bottle under their own name, using this appellation allows them to blend the tiny output of these towns together.

Answer 87

The heart of Burgundy, France. Comprised of the Cote de Nuits in the north and the Cote de Beaune in the south. This may well be the highest quality growing region in the world. It is also one of the most likely to be disappointing. A complicated (but exact) classification system, combined with wide swings in vintage quality, make this one of the most difficult regions to find a well priced quality wine. When it is good, it is so good that it keeps us coming back to recapture that fleeting experience. Learning the vineyards, the producers and the vintages will go a long way to making Burgundy less of a hit or miss proposition.

Answer 88

The northern most growing region of the Northern Rhone in France. The wines are made from Syrah and a touch of the white grape Viognier is sometimes added. The growing area is divided into 2 slopes, the Cote Brune and Cote Blonde. Legends has it there were two daughters, one blond, one brunette. They each inherited one of the slopes, which then magically took on the characteristics of the daughters. The Brune was rich and intense, the Blonde lighter and more elegant. The truth has more to do with the color of the soils than any legend.

Answer 89

The still (not sparkling) wine from the Champagne region of France. Rare, and worth trying.

Answer 90

One the most important parts of the Provence region in southern France. Light reds and dry roses are made from Grenache and other Rhone varietals. Very little white wine is made.

Answer 91

A region in the Loire Valley in France, specifically in the Anjou. The best wines are made from late harvested Chenin Blanc grapes and are unbelievably long lived. These sweet wines are best enjoyed before the meal rather than after. One of the best kept secrets of France

Answer 92

The Jura Mountains are in the extreme eastern border of France. Light, fresh reds, whites, and roses and even some sparkling wines are made in the region. Like its neighbor Switzerland's wines, those of the Jura are best enjoyed locally and are rarely found outside of the region.

Answer 93

The general name for the wine growing region of the Rhone Valley of France. A wine that uses this name on the label may originate from anywhere in the Rhone Valley. Occasionally a bargain can be found in this appellation, as a Rhone producer declassifies its lesser vineyards or lots.

Answer 94

A rather poetic French wine tasting term that literally means "flowing." It is used for wines that are easy to drink. In the US we may say "quaffable."

Answer 95

A condition in the vineyard that results from rainy or cold weather that keeps the flowers from being pollinated and therefore from turning into grapes. If the effect is not too widespread the result can be an intense, but small harvest. Widespread, coulure can spell disaster for grape growing, resulting in a very small harvest.

Answer 96

A wine producing village in the Champagne region of France that is so highly regarded, it is one of the few village names that sometimes appears on the label.

Answer 97

The French term for sparkling wines that are "creamy," in that they have about half of the bubbles of traditional Champagne (3-4 atmospheres instead of 6). Rare outside of France, this is not the same as the town of Cramant in France. It is also a term for sparkling wines of high quality made outside of Champagne. The 3 notable types are: Cremant d'Alsace - Sparkling wine of the Alsace region made in the methode champeniose. Usually made from Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. Must be aged in the bottle a minimum of 9 months. Cremant de Bourgogne - Sparkling wine of the Burgundy region made in the methode champeniose. The best are made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, just like Champagne, but Pinot Blanc and or Pinot Gris may also be used. My favorite is the red variety, made from Pinot Noir. Unlike rose style Champagne, which only has a slight Pinot character, the Cremant de Bourgogne Rouge is a true sparkling red wine. Must be aged in the bottle a minimum of 9 months. Cremant de Loire - One of the best known sparkling wines of France, outside of Champagne. Chenin Blanc is the most common grape variety. Must be aged in the bottle a minimum of 12 months. This wine can be a relative bargain compared to some Champagne, and is often found at wedding or other events where a great quantity may be consumed.

Answer 98

The Spanish term for oak aging. The terms "con crianza" or "vino de crianza" on the label require that the wine has been aged for at least one year in oak. Similarly "sin crianza" means that the wine was never aged in oak before bottling.

Answer 99

One of the Grand Cru vineyards that surround the famed white wine vineyard of Montrachet in Burgundy.

Answer 100

A wine tasting term used to imply that a white wine has a refreshing acid balance. It is used much the same way one may say the taste (not texture) of a fresh green apple is "crisp."

Answer 101

A Northern Rhone appellation. The wine may be red or white, and is produced from any of the 11 villages that surround the better Hermitage appellation. Reds are 100% Syrah and whites are Marsanne with some Roussane.

Answer 102

The French term for growth, in wine it has many more connotations. It refers to a specific vineyard, but is also used to indicate quality (e.g. grand cru in Burgundy, or cru classes in Bordeaux). In Beaujolais it means one of the top 10 communes, and in Champagne individual villages are considered grand cru or premier cru (as opposed to individual vineyards in other parts of France).

Answer 103

The so called lesser wines of Bordeaux, France. Those that do not rank in the five classified growths (1st growth - 5th growth). Wines of this class were once considered a bargain. Increasingly, Bourgeois wines of note are fetching prices that rival the classified growths.

Answer 104

French for "classified growth." Those wines of Bordeaux that have been ranked, from 1st to 5th growth. The first classification took place in 1855 and a few modifications have been made over the years. Saint-Emilion does not use the 1st - 5th rating system, instead it uses a more confusing premier grand cru classe, and grands cru classe.

Answer 105

The English language term (especially in California) for the harvest.

Answer 106

A cultivated grape variety. Some use this as a more precise term than "grape variety."

Answer 107

The French term for maceration. The practice of leaving the skins to remain in contact with the juice during fermentation to extract color, tannin, and aroma. The period of time the wine is left macerating is referred to as the "Cuvage."

Answer 108

From the French term "cuve" meaning a vat or tank. It now usually refers to a specific lot or batch of wine. The term is sometimes used on a wine label to signify that the wine comes from a special batch of wine. It also refers to a blend of wines.

Answer 109

One of the principal wine regions of Portugal. It is known for its well aged red wines.

Answer 110

To transfer wine from a bottle into a crystal or glass container (a Decanter). This is primarily done with older red wines and Port which have developed sediment. The careful transfer of the wine into a fresh container allows the sediment to be left in the original bottle resulting in clearer wine.

Answer 111

The glass or crystal container that one Decants into. In practice it could be a clean bottle; however, tradition dictates that it be an impressive vessel for the wine.

Answer 112

Also known as the "heat summation method." A scale created by the University of California at Davis in the 1930s to determine the suitability for vineyards in any given climate. Modern instrumentation has largely supplanted this scale. The total accumulative number of degrees above 50F during the growing season. If the temperature for any given day rises to 70F that day would add 20 points to the summation. Over the 200 days of the California growing season the total would range from less than 2,500 degrees days for the coolest areas, classified as Region I, to region V with more than 4,000 degree days.

Answer 113

Literally this French term means "half-dry." In practice it refers to the sweetest style of Champagne a house will make.

Answer 114

The Spanish term for their appellation laws. Established first for the wine growing region of Rioja in 1926. Often abbreviated DO.

Answer 115

The Italian term for their appellation laws, established in 1963. Abbreviated DOC.

Answer 116

The highest level of the Italian DOC laws. The wines must not only be typical of their region, but must pass a blind tasting. The first wines that began using this designation went on sale in the mid 1980s. Abbreviated DOCG.

Answer 117

Legally, in the US, this refers to fortified wines such as Port or Sherry, but also to the very inexpensive "more bang for your buck" sweet wines that are the favorite of college students and the stereotypical "bowery bum." In fine wine terms it refers to those wines that are destined to be enjoyed after a meal. All of the wines of this class are sweet but well balanced. They include the sauternes of France, the Beerenauslese and Trokenneerenauslese of Germany as well as similar wines from most growing regions of the world. Port and a few other fortified wines are often considered Dessert Wines, while Sherry and other drier fortified wines are more properly Aperitifs.

Answer 118

One of the most celebrated white wines of Switzerland. Created on the shores of Lake Geneva from the Chesselas grape

Answer 119

The process of removing the sediment from sparkling wine as the final step of the method champenoise. All of the sediment that has been building up in the bottle over the years has ended up in the neck of the bottle. The bottle is plunged into a freezing brine solution, and ice forms in the bottle. The top is removed and the "plug" of ice is forced out by the pressure in the bottle. A small amount of wine is lost, and is replaced by other wine that has been mixed with sugar. This "dose" of sugar (or in French "dosage") determines how sweet the final sparkling wine will be. The French term is "degorgement."

Answer 120

One of the most famous vineyards in Germany. Located in the village of Berkastel on the Mosel river. Bernkastler Doctor, as it is usually referred to, is planted entirely with Riesling.

Answer 121

One of the principal grapes of Northwestern Italy. The best known wines made from this variety bear its name.

Answer 122

The most highly regarded red wine of Switzerland. Made from the Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes, it is a light refreshing wine.

Answer 123

The French term for "estate." A term that can cause a great deal of confusion, especially in Burgundy, France. There are several similar sounding phrases that each seem to suggest the wine is estate bottled.

Answer 124

The addition of sugar and wine to sparkling wine after disgorging. The amount of sugar added determines the style of the sparkling wine.

Answer 125

The opposite of sweet in wine parlance. This term is used to denote a wine that has no residual sugar. Often this word is misused to refer to a wine with a minimal amount of "fruit." Most wines are dry with sweeter varieties being primarily white.

Answer 126

A northern Sonoma wine producing region; well respected for the Zinfandel that is grown there.

Answer 127

Literally "sweet" in Spanish, the term usually refers to the sweeting agent added to some Sherry.

Answer 128

A wine tasting term to mean a wine that is not showing up to its potential. Dumb in this context refers not to intelligence but inability to speak. While trying to avoid words that are anthropomorphic (definition is: attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, natural and supernatural phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts.)

Answer 129

A wine tasting term. It means just what it sounds like, a slight taste of soil. The French use a term "gout de terroir" that is often used to mean the same thing; although it can also mean that the wine has typical tastes for the region.

Answer 130

One of the best known Burgundy Grand Cru vineyards. Situated in the town of Flagey-Echezeaux, but it is grouped by convention with the other Grand Crus of the bordering commune of Vosne-Romanee. Do not confuse with the more expensive and intense vineyard, Grands Echezeaux, which is next door.

Answer 131

Literally "noble rot" in German. This term refers to the mold Botrytis Cinera. The French also call it noble rot (pourriture noble). This mold is responsible for reducing the water ratio in grapes, making them very sweet and useful as dessert wines.

Answer 132

An American Viticultural Area south of San Luis Obispo in California (an area broadly referred to as the Central Coast). One of the few transverse valleys in the US (meaning it points to the sea). This makes the region much cooler than surrounding growing regions and is ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Answer 133

The famous "Bull's Blood of Egri", a red wine from Hungary. Once famous the world over, the versions that you find in most stores now is a thin and uninspiring red wine. Often it is primarily made from Merlot (the local name is Kekfrankos) with the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon. I look forward to trying a better representative of this wine than that which is found on most US wine store shelves.

Answer 134

The German term for a single vineyard worthy of being mentioned on a label. Any German wine that carries a vineyard name may be considered a wine of quality. The name of the town usually comes first on the label as in the case of Piesporter Goldtropfchen.

Answer 135

The German word for "ice wine." This is an intense desert wine that has been made from very ripe grapes (without Botrytis) that were frozen on the vine. The frozen water is removed during pressing, leaving a very sweet must.

Answer 136

A dubious wine tasting term. It refers to a well balanced wine that has subtle complexity. It is a dubious term because it is anthropomorphic (giving human traits to inanimate objects) and should be avoided.

Answer 137

The Italian region north of Tuscany that is situated around the city of Bologna. Many visitors to Italy ignore this region because of the great deal of industry that is evident. What they do not realize is that this is the center of gastronomy for Italy. Parmesan cheese and Proscuitto Crudo both hale from nearby Parma, and Bologna is the cross roads for food from all over Italy. The most famous wine of the region is Lambrusco, a light, sometimes sparkling wine, that is often overlooked as well, because the overly commercial Riunite is technically a Lambrusco.

Answer 138

The science of wine production.

Answer 139

A wine lover.

Answer 140

An Italian wine bar, often run by the regional wine authority, where you may sample many local wines.

Answer 141

French for "between two seas" and a reference to the Bordeaux wine district situated between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. A huge amount of rather indifferent white wine is made here.

Answer 142

This rather imposing German word is found on labels of wines that have been Estate Bottled.

Answer 143

Wine that was bottled by the vineyard owner. Many wines are still bottled and produced from grapes that are purchased on the open market, often for the lowest price. This designation assures that the winery had control over the grapes from beginning to end so that they could produce a high quality wine. In the US the vineyard need not belong to the winery, if there is a long term exclusive contract for the grapes of the vineyard (which also must be in the same geographic location as the winery). See also Domaine for the French equivalent of this designation.

Answer 144

A scientific term. It relates to components in wine formed by the combination of acids and alcohol. They contribute the fruity, perfume like smell to wine. In wine the most import esther is ethyl acetate.

Answer 145

A sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. This term often leads to confusion since Dry means without sweetness, but Extra Dry for some reason means slightly sweet.

Answer 146

A scientific term often used in wine tasting. It literally refers to what would be left in a centrifuge once you have removed the liquid. In wine, the term is used to indicate that a wine has a lot of flavor, especially when the wine would indeed be shown in a laboratory to have a greater amount of dry extract. The terms "heavy", "intense", and "big" are related to the amount of extract in the wine.

Answer 147

A wine tasting term for a wine that has lost all or much of its flavor and aromas over time.

Answer 148

In the US this term often infers that the wine is lacking in acidity. In other parts of the world the term fat is used to indicate a full, well balanced wine, and is a compliment.

Answer 149

When a wine is subjected to shaking and jostling, either through the winemaking process, or shipping, it becomes fatigued. The further the wine has traveled, or the more severe the trip, the longer it will take to recover. Also called Bottle Shock or Bottle Fatigue. Usually a temporary condition which a month or more of rest will cure.

Answer 150

A popular white wine and grape in Switzerland. As is the case for so many wines that are light and fresh, it is often best enjoyed locally. Elsewhere in Switzerland the grape is known as Dorin, and in France it is called Chasselas.

Answer 151

The process that turns grapes into wine. Specifically the metabolization of the sugars by the yeast, into alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat.

Answer 152

A small oak barrel. At 36 gallons (136L) it is slightly bigger than half the size of a regular barrel, which averages about 60 gallons (225L).

Answer 153

The straw covered bottle of Chianti fame. Like most regional bottles, this one has become rarer as bottles have become increasingly standardized.

Answer 154

One of the better known estates in St. Emilion (a region in Bordeaux, France

Answer 155

A wine making technique used to ensure clarity and sterility in wine. Careful use of precise filtering pads and agents allow the winemaker to target specific foreign substances to remove, based on their size. Some winemakers feel that filtering reduces the quality of wine.

Answer 156

The method for clarifying wine. Depending on the cause of the cloudiness, different agents can be used. Most, like gelatin, and egg whites, are proteins, while another is Bentonite a form of clay. The general concept is to add a substance to the wine that the cloudy particles will stick to, and fall to the bottom. The winemaker then draws the clear wine off the top.

Answer 157

The final flavors you taste in the wine, often confused with "aftertaste." To distinguish the finish as being the taste you notice just as you swallow or spit a wine, as opposed to the aftertaste which are those flavors you notice after you swallow the wine, and which linger in your mouth for some time. Tannin is one of the common components that are noticeable in the finish of a wine.

Answer 158

A dry type of Sherry (a fortified wine from Spain). It is one of the styles of Sherry which is created by the presence of flor (A type of yeast found on some wine).

Answer 159

A special type of yeast found on wine. In the Sherry district of Spain, the flor yeast help to make the finest Sherries. On other wines it is a pest and must be controlled. It is also the Spanish word for flower.

Answer 160

A class of wines that have been made sweet by interrupting the fermentation process with the addition of a neutral distilled spirit. The spirit kills the yeast before they have finished converting all of the sugar. Port and Sherry are both fortified wines.

Answer 161

A wine making term for the smell of native American grape varieties. The best example is the Concord grape- Vitus Lambrusca- that most Welch's grape juice is made from. The term originated with the early settlers who called the native grapes, Fox grapes.

Answer 162

A large German wine region that specializes in dry white wines made from the grape Silvaner. While many German wine regions produce flowery and somewhat sweet wines, the wines of Franken tend to be clean and crisp. This has earned them a following, especially among those who are looking for dry German wines to drink with food. The region is sometimes known as Franconia, in English language texts.

Answer 163

In wine making, it is the juice that appears after crushing, but before pressing. It is the highest quality juice for wine making.

Answer 164

Most wine is intended to be enjoyed young. When this young wine has ample acidity in the balance, it is often referred to as fresh.

Answer 165

The Italian term for a wine that is slightly sparkling. Some wines may exhibit this sprits or sparkle by accident, but more often it is intentional. The French use the term "petillant" although I prefer the Italian term.

Answer 166

Wine basically has three components. Fruit, acidity and tannin. All three must be in balance to make a decent wine. The fruit encompasses all the tastes and smells that that are not sour (acid) or bitter (tannin). Every grape variety and style of wine exhibits different fruit. In some wines such as Zinfandel the fruit can be very noticeable (Zin has so much fruit it is often described as jammy). Other wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon have less obvious fruit.

Answer 167

Some young wines have an aroma that can only be described as fruity. Beaujolais is one of the best known examples.

Answer 168

The grape of the Beaujolais region of France. It produces a light styled red wine. While this grape variety is found on the labels of some California wines, it is probable that the grape is not actually Gamay, but a light Pinot Noir clone or even the easily forgotten Valdiguie of southern France.

Answer 169

The Spanish name for the grape referred to in France as Grenache. Very popular in Spain, it is the grape responsible for Spain's best known red wine, Rioja.

Answer 170

One of Italy's best known white wines. Made from the Cortese grape around the town of Gavi, in the northwestern part of the country, the Piedmont.

Answer 171

One of the great white wine grapes of the world, often overlooked in the US. The name means "spicy" traminer (traminer being a related type of grape). The pungent aroma of the grape can be delightful, and because of the name of the grape, the nose is referred to as "spice." The use of the word "spice" without qualification, there are many types of spice, is reserved for discussions of Gewurztraminer. Often made in a sweet style, except in Alsace, France, where they make wines rich and full, rather than sweet.

Answer 172

The French Department (similar to a State in the US) which contains the wine making region of Bordeaux. Named for the river formed by the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. The two river meet just north of the city of Bordeaux, and many of the best known Bordeaux properties overlook the Gironde river.

Answer 173

One of the alcohols found in wine as a result of fermentation. Sometimes referred to as glycerin, this can be misleading. Glycerin is marketed as a sweet, and syrupy liquid, used for soap making and adding viscosity to some liquors. The amount of glycerol found in wine is too small to make the wine thick (in fact, dry wines are slightly less viscous than water). It can contribute to the sweetening effect of the alcohol, since glycerol is much sweeter than most sugars, but again, it is only found in very small amounts (less than 1/10 of the alcohol found in wine). It has nothing to do with the formation or quantity of tears or legs found on a glass of swirled wine.

Answer 174

A much used, little defined French term. Literally it means "taste of the soil." Often used to describe the earthy flavors found in some wines. Just as often used to describe or attribute the conditions of soil, climate, and perhaps even vineyard management, to the particular taste of a wine or region.

Answer 175

A Spanish term for a red wine that has been aged for a minimum of five years (with at least two in wood) before being released. For whites and rose, it is 4 years, and 6 months in wood.

Answer 176

The French term for "Great Growth." In the Burgundy and Alsace region this signifies the highest designation for a vineyard. In the Champagne region the term refers to the villages which may sell their wines for 100% of the asking price.

Answer 177

French for "great classed growth." Found on the wines of St.-Emilion, Graves, Medoc and Sauternes regions of Bordeaux.

Answer 178

French for "great wine" this term has no legal meaning and is often used on wines that are not particularly great.

Answer 179

One of the wine producing regions of Bordeaux, France. The city of Bordeaux itself has largely encroached on the area, making for an almost urban vineyard setting. The word literally means "gravel" and so important is gravel for drainage in vineyards, that the region is named for this notable feature. Red and white wines are produced here, with the best known producer being Ch. Haut Brion. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are the chief red grapes, and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for white wines.

Answer 180

A wine tasting term for wines made from under ripe grapes. The wine will have the smell of vegetation and be highly acidic.

Answer 181

A red wine grape of the Rhone Valley of France, and elsewhere (especially Spain). In the southern Rhone Grenache replaces Syrah as the most important grape (Syrah being more important in the north). It is also the grape of Lirac and Tavel, two of the arguably best rose wines (also from the Rhone). Grenache is also responsible for the exceptional, and rare, fortified wine, Banyuls.

Answer 182

German for "large vineyard." In German wine law it is a collection of individual vineyards (Einzellagen) that share common traits. This allows the wines to be marketed under either their vineyard name, or the often better known Grosslage name.

Answer 183

A wine grape grown almost exclusively in Austria where it produces a light and simple wine. Recent marketing and production advances have lead to a worldwide surge in popularity of these wines.

Answer 184

German for "half-dry." Wines with this designation may contain no more than 1.8% residual sugar.

Answer 185

A possibly self proclaimed Hungarian Count, and an unquestionably flamboyant figure, who made his mark on the American state of Wisconsin (where he founded what is now known as Sauk City) before moving west to California. There he founded the Buena Vista winery in Sonoma, which is still in operation today. In 1861 he contrived to be sent to Europe by the Spanish governor of California in order to obtain cuttings of various wine grapes. For this he is often heralded as the "Father of California viticulture."

Answer 186

In wine tasting terms this relates to a wine that is tannic, particularly one that is so tannic that it is out of balance. This is a function of youth for some wines, and these wines will "soften" with age.

Answer 187

A hard wine with excessive acidity will be "harsh". The acid accentuates the tannins and increases the drying sensation known as astringency.

Answer 188

The highest rated, and best known vineyard in the Graves district, in Bordeaux, France. So highly prized is this vineyard, that it was included with the famous vineyards of Margaux, Latour and Lafite in the 1855 classification of the Haut-Medoc, even though it is many miles away from the other vineyards. Like the wines of the Haut-Medoc, Haut-Brion is primarily made from the grape Cabernet Sauvignon/Cab Franc vs. Merlot. They also produce one of the finest white wines of the region. Haut-Brion Blanc is a blend of the white wine grapes Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Haut Brion was purchased by the American financier and politician Clarence Dougless Dillion in 1935. His granddaughter still owns and operates Haut-Brion to this day.

Answer 189

The Medoc is a wide peninsula of land formed by the Gironde River and the Atlantic Ocean, just northwest of the city of Bordeaux, France. It is subdivided into the lower (Bas-Medoc) and upper (Haut-Medoc) regions. To be confusing, the Haut-Medoc is further south, and closer to the city; but, it is also the more important region from a wine point of view. The Haut-Medoc is home to the renown vineyards of Margaux, Latour, Mouton and Lafite. It is the land of many Chateaux, and when most people speak of Bordeaux, this is the wine they have in mind. From north to south, the wine producing communes are St. Estephe, Pauilliac, St.-Julien, and Margaux. The order is important as the wines tend to become lighter, the further south you travel.

Answer 190

Used in wine tasting to imply that the wine is out of balance towards the tannins. This type of wine is more than just "hard" it is tannic to a fault, and may not soften enough with age to be enjoyable.

Answer 191

The metric unit for measuring land area. It is 10,000 square meters. One hectare = 2.471 acres.

Answer 192

The metric unit for measuring volume. It is 100 liters. One hectoliter = 26.42 gallons (US) = 133 bottles of wine (11 cases).

Answer 193

A green, vegetable smell in wine. For example, Sauvignon Blanc is grassy when subtle, herbaceous when overpowering. It is not considered a positive attribute when it is more than subtle.

Answer 194

One of the most important wine making regions of the Rhone Valley, France. Heralded for its rich, earthy wines, both red and white. The red wines are made from the Syrah grape. The whites are more rare, and are made from Marsanne and Roussanne. The name is derived from a thirteenth century knight, Gaspard de Sterimberg, who laid down his weapons here, in favor of the religious life. He built a chapel on the hill, and became a hermit

Answer 195

An important German wine making town. It overlooks the Main river, but it is considered part of the Rheingau.

Answer 196

A British term for the German wines of the Rhine. Derived from the wine town Hochheim.

Answer 197

A charitable institution in the Burgundy region of France. It is the beneficiary of a famous wine auction, held every year on the third Sunday in November. A 15th and 17th century hospital have long been the recipients of the charity. Over the centuries a great deal of vineyard land has been bequeathed to the charity. It is the sale of these wines that draws the crowds to the picturesque city of Beaune, every year. Approximately 15,000 wines from various Burgundy vineyards, are produced and sold at the auction. The wine is sold in a barrel (the Burgundian "piece") and it is up to the buyer to bottle and age the wine before reselling. The words Hospice de Beaune are often printed on the label, but the final quality of the wine is dependent on the bottler.

Answer 198

The burning sensation of excessive or out of balance alcohol in wine. Usually found in the nose, rather than the taste.

Answer 199

The oldest vineyard region in Australia. About 100 miles northwest of Sydney. Traditionally Shiraz (the Syrah grape of the Rhone Valley, in France) is king here, with Semillon being the white grape of choice. Bowing to international tastes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are now almost 50% of the total vines planted.

Answer 200

German for "half-dry." Wines with this designation may contain no more than 1.8% residual sugar.

Answer 201

This is an intense desert wine that has been made from very ripe grapes (without Botrytis) that were frozen on the vine. The frozen water is removed during pressing, leaving a very sweet must. In German it is known as "eiswein." A modern technique called cryroextraction utilizes a freezer in place of mother nature.

Answer 202

Italian for "bottled." "Imbottigliato all'origine" is the term for estate bottled.

Answer 203

A large bottle, equivalent to eight regular sized bottles.

Answer 204

The city in southern Spain that is the home of Sherry. The word Sherry comes from a rather poor attempt to pronounce the name of the town. The full name harkens back to the days when this was a frontier town on the border between the Christians and the Moors.

Answer 205

A large bottle, equivalent to to six regular sized bottles (four in Champagne).

Answer 206

One of the most famous German wine towns. It is situated in the middle of the Rheingau region. Because of the fame of this village, the word "Johannisberg" is sometimes (in the US only) added to the Riesling grape, Riesling being the principal grape of this region in Germany. "Johannisberg Riesling" was adopted in the US to distinguish it from the now rare Franken Riesling (which is actually the grape Sylvaner).

Answer 207

A term used for low quality wines that are sold in large bottles, or jugs. While this type of wine rarely has much written about it, it is important to remember that most of the wine made in the world is in fact, of jug wine quality.

Answer 208

The name used for the department (like a state), mountain range, and wine growing region in eastern France, near the Swiss border. Not well known, for the wines do not travel well, it is a pleasant area, with pleasant, much varied, but ultimately simple wines.

Answer 209

A white wine region in the Pyrenees, in the southwest of France. Most of the wines are made dry today, but the area was once famous for its dessert wines. Visitors may still be able to find examples of this increasingly rare sweet wine. The wines are made from local grape varieties, and are rarely found outside of the area.

Answer 210

The entry level designation for quality German wines (QmP). Drier than other wines of the class, a Kabinett must be made from grapes with at least 16 percent sugar at harvest. The result is a drier (although not not necessarily dry), lighter styled wine that is low in alcohol. The term comes from the practice of the wine producers reserving some wine for their own use, by locking it away in a cabinet.

Answer 211

The German word for "cellar."

Answer 212

A cocktail made by adding creme de cassis (a black-currant liquor) to white wine. A "Kir Royale" is made with Champagne instead of white wine. Named after a former mayor of Dijon, France, Canon Felix Kir.

Answer 213

In the Alsace region of France this name is sometimes used for the white wine grape Pinot Blanc. It can also be used for a wine that is a blend of Pinot Blanc and Auxerrois. Near Zurich, Switzerland, the name is used for a red wine made from the grape Pinot Noir.

Answer 214

One of the Grand Cru vineyards of Burgundy, France. The red wine made from this vineyard is one of the most sought after Pinot Noirs in the world. Situated in the commune of Vosne-Romanee, the entire vineyard (just less than 15 acres) is owned by the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (D.R.C.). Less than 2,000 cases of this wine are made a year.

Answer 215

One of the Bordeaux, France properties designated a First Growth in 1855. Situated in the commune of Pauillac, this is one of the most famous, and expensive wines in the world. The wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount many Cabernet producers. Aproximately 25,000 cases produced annually. of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Designed for long term aging, this wine is the benchmark for

Answer 216

A tiny, but exceptional property located in the Pomerol commune in Bordeaux, France. Since Pomerol was overlooked in the 1855 Classification, Lafleur has no official ranking. Only about 1,000 cases are made each year.

Answer 217

The German term for vineyard. Hence "einzellage" and "grosslage."

Answer 218

A lightly sparkling wine, made from the grape of the same name. It is from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Produced both in a dry or slightly sweet style, it is best know in the US as the brand Riunite (which is one of the sweetest examples made). In Italy, it is easier to find the drier styles, and they are a great match for the rich foods of the region. Lambrusco is made just west of Bologna, which is considered to be the capital of Italian gastronomy.

Answer 219

A style of Port created originally for restaurants. Since Vintage Port throws a great deal of sediment, it can be difficult for a restaurant to deal with. The solution was to age the Vintage Port first in barrels, between four to six years. This allows the wine to be ready to drink when released. Vintage Port may require decades of aging before it is at its best. As well there is little to no sediment for the restaurant or consumer to deal with. This style of wine is delightful, but is no substitute for actual Vintage Port. Often abbreviated as LBV.

Answer 220

By harvesting later, the grapes are riper, and sweeter. This is appropriate for making sweet, dessert style wines. Some Late Harvest wines are almost dry, opting for increased alcohol and intensity rather than sweetness, as in the Alsatian "vendange tardive" (French for late harvest). In the US the term usually refers to a lightly sweet wine. Select Late Harvest refers to a sweeter wine, and Special Select Late Harvest to a very sweet wine. This is consistent with the German terms Aulese, Beerenauslese, and Trokenbeerenauslese.

Answer 221

A First Growth Bordeaux (France). This property, situated in Pauillac is one of the best known and respected in the world. Like its neighbor Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, this wine is primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon. Also like Lafite, Latour is made to age. It has been said that Latour is the longest lived of all Bordeaux wines. Around 23,000 cases are made each year

Answer 222

A Grand Cru red wine vineyard in Burgundy, France. Situated adjacent to the Chambertin vineyard (also a Grand Cru) it is allowed to append the name of its more famous neighbor to its own.

Answer 223

The sediment from young wines while still in the barrel, tank or vat. Racking is the process of removing the wine and leaving the lees behind. Some white wines, such as Chardonnay, are often aged in contact with the lees in order to give the wine more flavor (see "sur lie").

Answer 224

A much over used and meaningless wine tasting term. It refers to the streams that are seen on the side of the glass after swirling (also called tears). While too many so called experts explain this as being related to the body, or the amount of glycerin in the wine, it is actually a function of the alcohol, and has no relation to the quality of the wine at all.

Answer 225

Three Second Growth Bordeaux, France vineyards from the commune of Saint-Julien. Often considered to be better than other wines of their class (especially the first two). Cabernet Sauvignon based, these wines are made for aging. As one may suspect, the three were one until 1826.

Answer 226

One of the best known German wines. The name means "Blessed Mother's Milk." Prior to the enactment of the German wine laws in 1971 the term was used to mean almost any German wine from the Rhine region. Since the laws have gone into force, along with an update in 1983, the term now is used to designate wine made from a strictly delimited area of one of four regions. The region's name must also appear on the label. While the great grape of Germany, Riesling, can be used, it is rarely found in Liebfraumilch. In order to keep the costs down, and production up, most Liebfraumilch is made from Muller-Thurga, Sylvaner and Kerner. Liebfraumilch tends to be lightly sweet, simple, and very inexpensive.

Answer 227

The opposite of heavy. A wine without much tannin in the balance. The wine may still be complex, and full of flavor. Such wines are often enjoyable young, but rarely age. Uncharacteristically there is a legal meaning for Light Wines in the US. They must be less than 14% alcohol. This is the same alcohol limit for all table wines in the US, making the legal definition of Light Wine somewhat redundant.

Answer 228

A forest in central France that is a major source of oak for wooden barrels. The barrels made from Limousin oak imparts a stronger oak taste than other French sources, and so has somewhat fallen out of favor around the world.

Answer 229

Literally this word means transparent, as in pure water. Used in wine tasting to imply a wine that is clear and bright. Occasionally misused by those who associate the homonym "limp" with the word, and assume it must mean something negative. It may be best to avoid this term, using "clear" instead.

Answer 230

A sweet, flavored, alcohol based drink. Used in the world of wine to mean something completely different. In the champagne method of making sparking wines "liqueur de tirage" is the mix of sugar solution and yeast added to the wine, to create the secondary fermentation, which will in turn produce bubbles. Again in sparkling wine production, the term is also used as "liqueur d'expedition" which is the sweeting agent added to the finished sparkling wine, which will determine the final style (from Extra-Dry, which is sweet to Brut, which is dry). Liqueur is also used in Sauternes, the dessert wine making region of Bordeaux, France, to refer to the sweetness of the wine. Finally, also from France, there is the occasionally used term "vin de liqueur," which refers to a wine made sweet by adding spirits to stop the fermentation process. This type of wine is more often called "Vin Doux Naturel."

Answer 231

A French term for a sweet white wine, such as Sauternes or Coteaux du Layon, that has retained residual sugar without the addition of spirits (as opposed to "Vin Doux Naturel").

Answer 232

An Italian term for a dessert wine that is made sweet by adding spirits to stop the fermentation process while there is still sugar left unfermented. The english term is "Fortified Wine."

Answer 233

A wine producing village in the Rhone valley of France. Some of the world's finest rose wines come from this town, and its neighbor to the south, Tavel.

Answer 234

A warehouse in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, used for storing and aging Port. In Bordeaux, France the equivalent word would be "chai" and in the Sherry producing town of Jerez, Spain, the term is "bodega."

Answer 235

The Loire Valley is one of the major wine producing regions of France. Most of the wines tend to be light and enjoyed young. A notable exception is my favorite sweet wine, Coteaux du Layon which ages for decades. The principal white grape is Chenin Blanc, and further to the east, Sauvignon Blanc. Less red is produced, and it is often made from Cabernet Franc (also used for rose wines in the region). Because of the beauty of the country side, many castles (Chateaux) have been built along the Loire river and its tributaries, making this a popular, and delightful, tourist destination. This is a huge area with many different types of wine.

Answer 236

A principal wine producing region of Northern Italy.

Answer 237

The principal white wine grape of the Spanish Rioja region where it is known locally as Viura. Simple and crisp with a floral quality, this grape helped revolutionize the white wines of the Rijoa region by replacing the easily oxidized Malvasia grape.

Answer 238

A major town in southern Burgundy, France, that has lent its name to a wide region, the Maconnais. Most of the wine produced is white, fresh, simple and made from Chardonnay.

Answer 239

France, that has lent its name to a wide region, the Maconnais. Most of the wine produced is white, fresh, simple and made from Chardonnay.

Answer 240

A Portugese island in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Morocco. The fortified wines from this region are unique in that they are purposefully baked and oxidized, prior to bottling. In times gone by this was accomplished by shipping the wines on a sailing vessel, the longer the journey the better, although today modern techniques favor specially designed heating tanks. Since the wine is in contact with oxygen from inception, it turns a dark brown color, the process of which is known for all wines as "maderization" or one would say the wine has "maderized." The wines are made in several styles, and are usually labeled with the name of the grape variety used. Sercial is the driest style, and is usually served before a meal. Verdelho is a bit sweeter, and a great accompaniment with cream soups. Boal, or Bual is noticeably sweet, and Malmsey is the sweetest and is usually served after a meal. Madeira was once a very popular wine. In the 19th century it was the most popular wine in the US. Towards the end of the 19th century, the twin plagues that devastated Europe, oidium and phylloxera, did not skip the island of Madeira. In the process of replanting, and re-inventing themselves, Madeira producers started to use a single grape variety, Tinta Negra Mole, for all the wines, while still labeling them with the original grape names to indicate style. This not only led to confusion, but a noticeable decline in quality. Since entering the European Common Market in 1986, Madeira has had to conform to the European labeling laws, which require at least 85% of the grape mentioned on the label. This has led to a resurgence in planting of the original grape varieties. Madeira is almost certainly the longest lived of all wines. The cost of these ancient wines are surprisingly reasonable, and you should never pass up the opportunity to try one. Beware of the word "Solera" on the label, as this means that only a drop or two of wine from the date listed are actually in the blended wine itself.

Answer 241

A wine tasting term for a wine that has been affected by oxidation. In extreme examples the wine (usually white wine) has begun to turn brown. This process is identical to the browning that occurs in an apple that has had a bite taken out of it. The term comes form the wines of Madeira, which are very brown, due to a great deal of oxidation, and being baked.

Answer 242

A large wine bottle, which holds the same as two normal bottles. The larger the bottle, the slower the wine ages. A magnum is the perfect size for aging great red wines, as it ages the wine slowly, but not too slowly.

Answer 243

One of the red wine grapes of Bordeaux, France (where it is called cot or pressac). While it is rarely used for more than adding a bit of color, it is one of the five grapes allowed, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petite Verdot. South of Bordeaux is the region of Cahors where Malbec is the chief grape used in what historically has been called their "black wine." Argentina is the new champion of Malbec, where it is one of the most important grapes planted.

Answer 244

A secondary fermentation that changes the tart malic acid (found in green apples) into the softer lactic acid, found in milk. Common in red wine, but used almost exclusively in Chardonnay for white. One of the byproducts of this process is a chemical called "diacetyl" which is responsible for the buttery taste of some wines. Often abbreviated ML.

Answer 245

Since ancient times this has been an important grape throughout the Mediterranean. In recent years it has become less popular and is increasingly being replaced by fruitier, lighter white wine grapes. The distinct amber color of wines made from this grape are a reminder of how easily it becomes maderized. In fact this is the grape known in Madeira, Portugal as Malmsey. Italy is the final bastion for this grape, where it is used to make sweet wines, or when blended with Trebbiano, to make dry whites such as Orvieto and Frascati.

Answer 246

One of the styles of Sherry. Very dry, and some say, almost salty.

Answer 247

The French word for pomace (the solids left after making wine). Also a brandy distilled from pomace (eau-de-vie de marc). In Italy the brandy is known as Grappa.

Answer 248

An up and coming wine region in Western Australia.

Answer 249

The southern most of the quality wine producing regions of the Haut-Medoc, in Bordeaux, France.

Answer 250

A First Growth Bordeaux, France, producer, from the town of the same name. Sometimes used as an example of the why not to rely on the 1855 classification to rate wines. While the wines form this property are now as good as a First Growth should be, this could not be said during the 60s and early 70s. The winery had run into disrepair, but since it was listed as a First Growth in 1855, there was no way for consumers to know that it was a poor example of what should have been a great wine. Turned around in the late 70s and early 80s by its current owners, Margaux is once again a First Growth in more than name. Cabernet based, like the other First Growth wines of the region, Margaux tends to be softer than some of its northern counterparts.

Answer 251

Often relegated to the kitchen, this is the best known fortified wine of Sicily, Italy. While still popular as a cooking ingredient, it has not kept up with current taste for fortified wines. The wine itself is usually vinified dry, and a sweeting agent "mosto cotto (cooked must) is added to give it the distinctive brown color and flavor.

Answer 252

A white wine grape of the Rhone Valley, France. It is noticeably earthy and richer than most other white wine grapes.

Answer 253

Another name for the grape Mourvedre (see below).

Answer 254

A relatively rare German white wine that has had the herb woodruff added to it, and then sweetened.

Answer 255

A Grand Cru red wine vineyard in Burgundy, France. Allowed to add the name of its famous neighbor, Chambertin, to its own because of its proximity and high quality.

Answer 256

Another of the Gevery-Chambertin Grand Cru Burgundies that is allowed to append the Chambertin name to its own. Usually sold as Charmes-Chambertin.

Answer 257

A quality wine growing region in Southern Australia.

Answer 258

A wine growing region in Bordeaux, France. The Medoc is split in two, with the Haut-Medoc (upper Medoc) being the southern portion, and the higher quality of the two (in fact most of the highest quality Bordeaux red wines come from the Haut-Medoc). The remaining portion, the Bas-Medoc (lower Medoc) is rarely seen on wine labels, the term Medoc itself being more common.

Answer 259

A wine producing commune in the southern Burgundy region of France. Specifically located in the Cote Chalonnaise, it is the best known red producer in the region. The red wines are made from Pinot Noir, and the tiny amount of white made, is from the Chardonnay grape.

Answer 260

One of the best known red wine grapes. Often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. In the Haut-Medoc region of Bordeaux, France, it is second to Cabernet Sauvignon; but, across the river in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol it is the primary grape. It ages somewhat more quickly than Cabernet Sauvignon, because it is lighter in tannins.

Answer 261

The Champagne method for making sparkiling wines. First a dry, still wine is made. It is then bottled. A small amount of sugar and yeast is added to the bottle, which is then sealed. The yeast turns the sugar into carbon dioxide, heat and alcohol. The carbon dioxide dissolves in the wine, making the wine bubbly. Once the process has finished, the bottle of wine still has the sediment from the yeast in it. Through a process known as riddling, the bottles are slowly turned upside down (over a period of weeks or months) until the sediment is in the neck of the bottle. The neck is then plunged into a very cold salt water solution, which freezes a bit of the wine around the sediment. The bottle is opened and the chunk of ice, complete with all of the sediment, is removed. The bottle then needs to be refilled to replace the lost wine. At this point some Champagne is added, along with a solution of sugar, which will determine the final sweetness and style of the wine.

Answer 262

An oversized bottle used for Champagne. It holds eight normal bottles.

Answer 263

A popular wine producing village of Burgundy, France. Located in the Cote de Beaune, it produces primarily white wine from the Chardonnay grape. A small amount of red wine is produced from Pinot Noir.

Answer 264

In meteorological terms this is the effect of geography on weather on a very small scale. In wine tasting, this term, like the French term Terroir (see gout de terroir) has been expanded to include the geology as well as geography of any given area. In total it refers to the different conditions any individual vineyard may face.

Answer 265

The same fungus that plagues home owners can be found in the vineyard, with the same undesirable results. There are two types in the vineyard, "downy" and "powdery." It is the powdery type that is known as oidium which devastated the vineyards of Europe in the late 19th century. It is now controlled by the careful use of powdered sulfur or copper sulfate in the vineyard.

Answer 266

The French term for "vintage," the year of harvest that appears on a bottle.

Answer 267

One of the best known red wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France.

Answer 268

The grape carried by the Franciscan monks to the New World. It is probably the same as the Pais grape of Chile and the Criolla grape of Argentina. Never a quality grape, it has largely been forgotten about and removed from vineyards throughout the New World. A small amount can still be found in California, and the best wines made from it are sweet and fortified.

Answer 269

A tiny and very picturesque wine region in Germany along the Rhine River. Most of the wine is white and made from the Riesling grape. It is rarely exported.

Answer 270

A French term for a wine that is ever so slightly sweet. There is no real English equivalent. The term "threshold" is applied in the US to wines that have measurable residual sugar, but do not taste sweet to most people.

Answer 271

Just what it sounds like. Wines (usually red) that were affected by mold and used to make wine anyway will have this off taste and odor.

Answer 272

The French term for a vineyard that has a single owner, hence a monopoly on that wine. Primarily used in Burgundy, where it is rare for a vineyard to have only one owner.

Answer 273

A Grand Cru white wine vineyard of Burgundy, France, planted entirely to Chardonnay. The vineyard was much larger in times gone by, but has been broken up into smaller portions over time.

Answer 274

A Second Growth Bordeaux, France property. It is (along with Ch. Cos-d'Estournel) the highest rated vineyard in the village of Saint-Estephe. Keeping with the generalization that the harder wines are in the north of the Haut-Medoc, Ch. Montrose is indeed a harder styled wine. Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, as are all Haut-Medoc wines, this wine will age well.

Answer 275

A village in the northern end of the Cote de Nuits in Burgundy, France. A producer of very high quality red wines, it is unusual to see the village name on a label. Much of the vineyard land is Grand Cru, and would be sold with the name of the vineyard only. Besides the namesake Grand Cru vineyard, Clos Daint-Denis, Clos de la Roche, Clos de Tart, Clos des Lambray and a part of Bonnes Mares are all found in this tiny village, situated directly south of Gevery-Chambertin.

Answer 276

A wine producing village in the Beaujolais region of France. The wines here are less fruity and more complex than its neighbors. Those who would support the claim that Beaujolais can improve with age, usually point to the wines of Morgon as an example. As with all Beaujolais, the grape for this red wine is Gamay.

Answer 277

The Italian name for the Muscat grape. This is the grape of Asti Spumante, Italian's famous sparkling wine (the drier versions in Italy are far superior to the exported versions). The Italians make a wide range of Moscato wines, some fortified, some sparkling.

Answer 278

Lightly sparkling, lightly sweet, and light in alcohol, this wine is light in everything, except flavor. Made from the Muscat (Moscato) grape in the town of Asti, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Only the finest grapes go into the production of Moscato d'Asti, with the bulk of them being utilized to make the better known, and fully sparkling, Asti Spumante.

Answer 279

One of the highest quality wine regions in Germany (Mosel is the German spelling). The official name of the wine region is Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, which includes two of the tributaries to the Moselle River. The finest vineyards are found on steeply terraced hills, overlooking the river. The best wines are made from Riesling, but increasing amounts of Muller-Thurgau, Elbling and Kerner are being planted. Some of the best known wine growing regions in Germany can be found here: Zeller Schwarze Katz, Piesporter and the Bernkastler vineyards. The Bernkastler Doctor vineyard in particular is heralded by many as the source of their favorite German wine.

Answer 280

One of the highest quality wine regions in Germany (Mosel is the German spelling). The official name of the wine region is Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, which includes two of the tributaries to the Moselle River. The finest vineyards are found on steeply terraced hills, overlooking the river. The best wines are made from Riesling, but increasing amounts of Muller-Thurgau, Elbling and Kerner are being planted. Some of the best known wine growing regions in Germany can be found here: Zeller Schwarze Katz, Piesporter and the Bernkastler vineyards. The Bernkastler Doctor vineyard in particular is heralded by many as the source of their favorite German wine.

Answer 281

One of the smaller wine growing villages in the Medoc district of Bordeaux, France. It is notable as the home of Chasse-Spleen, one of the best known "Cru Bourgeois" (lesser Bordeaux wines).

Answer 282

One of the red wine grapes of southern France and the Rhone Valley. It is the grape of the very tannic, and darkly colored Bandol (from the south of France). It is these very characteristics that makes the grape important for blending. It is one of the 13 grapes found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The grape has a following in California where it is used for blending with Syrah or Zinfandel, or even bottled on its own. Sometimes called Mataro.

Answer 283

The French term for the foam found on sparkling wines or beer. Often called "head" in English.

Answer 284

The French generic term for sparkling wine. Champagne, from the Champagne region is always referred to by name

Answer 285

A wine tasting term for the smell and taste of a particular bacterial spoilage in some faulty wines.

Answer 286

A First Growth Bordeaux, France property. Rated as a second growth in the 1855 classification, it was elevated by decree in 1973. For many wine enthusiasts, Mouton is best known as the wine with the incredible art labels. The wine is rightfully as famous as the labels, and like all of the wines of the region, it is based on Cabernet Sauvignon.

Answer 287

The most planted grape in Germany. A cross of Riesling and Sylvaner. The wines it makes tend to be low in acid, and somewhat dull, compared to Riesling.

Answer 288

A Cabernet Sauvignon based wine from Lebanon. This wine has received much press and critical acclaim over the years. It may be that this is the best wine made in the Middle East, and so allowances have been made by the critics because it is not up to par with wines from better growing regions.

Answer 289

A light, dry white wine made around the town of Nantes, France, where the Loire river flows into the Atlantic ocean. Because of the style of the wine, and the geography of the area it is produced in, it is often acclaimed as the perfect accompaniment to seafood. The Sevre-et-Maine appellation is added to the name of the wine made from this smaller delimited area. Once this was a small percentage of the wine made, now most Muscadet exported comes from Sevre-et-Maine. In addition the wine is sometimes aged on the lees (sediment) to add flavor, and this too is noted on the bottle, giving the wine the resulting tongue twister name: Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie. Muscadet is the local name for the grape used, which is known elsewhere as Melon de Bourgogne.

Answer 290

Considered the original wine making grape, and the progenitor of all wine making grapes (of the species vinifera). The grape comes in many sub-varieties and even colors. Nearly every wine making region of the world has some sort of Muscat based wine. The aroma of the grape is distinct, and has lent its name to the word "musk." A list of the Muscat based wines would take pages, the good news is that the word Muscat or Moscatto appears on many of the labels. Almost without exception, Muscat based wines are somewhat, to very sweet. Muscat raisins and table grapes can also be found on occasion.

Answer 291

A Grand Cru Burgundy, France vineyard. While the red wine is made from Pinot Noir and constitutes by far the largest proportion of the 3,000 cases a year of wine produced from this vineyard, a tiny amount of white wine from Chardonnay is made and labeled Musigny Blanc. This is the only Grand Cru white wine made in the Cote de Nuits. Like all of the Grand Cru reds of Burgundy, this wine is unforgettable in a decent vintage.

Answer 292

The crushed grapes and juice that will be fermented into wine.

Answer 293

The off smell of a wine that has been in contact with old or poorly cleaned wooden casks. It is similar to a moldy smell, or even the "corked" smell of an off wine. If you experience this smell, and think it may be a corked bottle, try opening another bottle of the same wine, if it still exists, it is likely musty, and not corked.

Answer 294

One of the 11 major wine growing areas of Germany and for many, as high a quality as the Mosel, and the Rheingau. A visit to Bad Kreuznach, the wine capital of the region, will not only yield exceptional Rieslings, but you may soak in the therapeutic baths and gamble your nights away in the casino.

Answer 295

A wine making region in northern Spain, famous for its rose wines.

Answer 296

The principal grape of the Piedmont region of northern Italy. The wines Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gattinara are all made from Nebbiolo. Barolo in particular tends to be hard in youth, and to reward extended aging.

Answer 297

The largest of the Champagne bottles. It holds 20 ordinary bottles. They are very impressive, until you try to pour from one.

Answer 298

The French word for a trader or merchant. In wine terms it is the merchant who buys the wine in cask, and then bottles, labels and sells it. There is also a growing trend among negociants to buy the grapes and make the wine themselves.

Answer 299

A popular Swiss white wine, made from the Chasselas grape along the shores of Lake Neuchatel.

Answer 300

The leading wine village in the Rheinhessen region of Germany.

Answer 301

A term for Botrytis Cinerea. The special mold that is responsible for many of the world's greatest dessert wines. It creates micro lesions in the skin of the grape, and then removes the water from inside the grape. The result is fruit with a much higher ratio of sugar, suitable for creating sweet wines. The mold can also be harmful when it attacks dry wine vineyards (it is usually called Gray Rot when it is a pest). The French call Botrytis "Pourriture Noble" - the noble rot.

Answer 302

The French word for "new." It has taken on a new meaning and a life of its own when paired with Beaujolais. Beaujolais Nouveau is shipped in mid-November, just a few days after the harvest. Using the Carbonic Maceration method, the wine is made much more quickly than by traditional methods, but looses complexity in the process. The new wine becomes a center piece of marketing as cases of it are flown around the world to celebrate its release.

Answer 303

The wine town in Burgundy, France, that lent its name to the Cote de Nuits which starts here and runs north. The town is home to some very good reds wines, and many First Growths (1er Cru), but no Grands Crus.

Answer 304

A wine tasting term for a wine that exhibits flavors reminiscent of nuts, especially hazelnut. In some cases this can be a sign that the wine is oxidized. Sherry and Tawny Ports are both very nutty, and very oxidized (hence the brown color).

Answer 305

Oak is used to make containers for storing and aging wine. Specific oak is used for small barrels to impart flavor and tannins to the wine. The newer the barrel, the more flavor it imparts. Oak is critical for making long lived red wines, and some whites. It can sometimes be over used to hide flavors or to make up for lackluster crops. Oak in wine should always be subtle, and in balance. Beware of any wine where the oak is the defining character. In larger containers, and older barrels, the oak does not impart much if any flavor, and so less expensive oak is used. There is a certain amount of air exchanged through the pores of a small oak barrel that can help to develop the aromas of the young wine (secondary aromas). Again, larger oak barrels do not let enough air in to greatly affect the volume of wine they hold.

Answer 306

The German scale of measuring the sugar content of must (in the US we use the Brix Scale). The aim of such scales is to determine the potential alcohol content of the finished wine. This is a critical measure of when to harvest.

Answer 307

Literally "eye of the partridge" in French. The term is used to connote a color of wine. It is a browning pink color. The term is old, and rarely used much anymore, but seems to have referred to rose wines that were slightly oxidized. You may run across the term in reading old notes, or from overly poetic wine writers.

Answer 308

A very general word for any wine that is not quite as it should be. Usually used by a taster familiar with the wine, who is pronouncing that this bottle or sample is somehow damaged. Especially used to describe an odor that may be due to a problem with the wine.

Answer 309

The powdery mildew fungus that devastated the vineyards of Europe in the mid-nineteenth century. Like the phylloxera plague that would follow, Oidium was brought from America. It is now controlled in the vineyard by spraying.

Answer 310

A Sherry that has not been aged in the presence of "flor." Dry, like all Sherry when aging in a barrel, this is the Sherry that is often sweetened and sold as Cream Sherry.

Answer 311

The city on the Douro river in Portugal that gave Port its name. The Port trade is actually conducted across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia because of the fire danger the aging Port presents.

Answer 312

Examination with the senses as opposed to a chemical or physical exam. This is the highest form of wine tasting. An expert must be able to taste the wine and have a good idea of what it is, and more importantly, what it should be. A laboratory analysis can aid the winemaker in determining if the wine has finished a particularly stage, or needs to be adjusted, but only a taster can determine quality and marketability.

Answer 313

A well known Italian white wine made from the Trebbiano grape in the Umbria region.

Answer 314

A wine tasting term for a wine that has absorbed oxygen. In extreme examples the wine (usually white wine) has begun to turn brown. This process is identical to the browning that occurs in an apple that has had a bite taken out of it. Also known as "maderized."

Answer 315

The number one choice of wood for wine barrels. It imparts toasty, vanilla, and smoky aromas to the wine.

Answer 316

Not quite dry, with a touch of sweetness.

Answer 317

Wine from European nations, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and others with a long history of viticulture.

Answer 318

This describes a wine that's ready to drink, often because it’s been decanted (a process of opening up the wine by exposing it to oxygen).

Answer 319

The approach some winemakers take when they rely less or not at all on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals. Those that meet certain criteria may be labeled as organic.

Answer 320

The process of sterilizing liquids by heating.

Answer 321

A light sparkle in bubbly.

Answer 322

Petit Verdot is one of the five grapes in Bordeaux blends, usually added in much smaller proportions than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (rarely more than 6%) for its spicy, dark fruit notes, deep red-purple color and mouth-gripping tannins.

Answer 323

Produces crisp and refreshing white wines that appeal to many people as the aromas and flavors are not pronounced.

Answer 324

Pinot Gris, called Pinot Grigio in Italy, is a white variant-clone of the red grape Pinot Noir. The Italian region of Friuli produces the best Pinot Grigio in a crisp, refreshing style. Other Italian regions produce it too but it can be over-cropped and taste insipid. Benchmark Pinot Gris is best known from Alsace, France, where it’s known as Tokay d'Alsace (unrelated to Hungarian Tokay), and produces a full-bodied wine. In Oregon, vintners are shifting away from Chardonnay to produce a lively style of Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio have delicate floral and citrus aromas such as lemon, lime, pear, melon and green apple. When oaked, they have notes of vanilla, almond, toast and smoke. They’re usually made in a bone-dry style, unoaked and unblended. The wine generally has a light straw color that may have a pink or salmon tinge.

Answer 325

A wine of great sensuality, a silky texture and seductive aromas such as strawberries, cherries, black cherries, raspberries, violets, cinnamon, sassafras, mushrooms, truffles, rose petal, fresh earth and something called "barnyard," which is actually meant to be a positive descriptor though not everyone agrees with that. This is also due to its purported health benefits because the grapes must work hard to protect themselves from disease and rot in cool climates and therefore produce more anti-oxidants, up to four times more resveratrol than other wines. The famous California winemaker André Tchelistcheff said: "God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir." This thin-skinned berry is known as the "heartbreak grape" because it's difficult to grow and is unstable even bottled. That's why you often pay more for Pinot Noir than most other red wines. Among the oldest of grapes grown to make wine by the ancient Romans, Pinot Noir now thrives in many regions such as Austria and Germany (in both regions known as Spätburgunder), Niagara, Okanagan Valley, Italy (Pinot Nero), New Zealand, Switzerland (Dole), Oregon and California's cooler regions such as Carneros, Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley in the Sonoma Valley, Santa Maria Valley (Santa Barbara County) and Monterey County. The most famous region is Burgundy, France, and especially the Burgundian sub-region Côte d'Or (Slope of Gold), where famous names such as Domaine Romanee-Conti and Laflaive grace labels. Pinot Noir loves a cool climate where is can ripen slowly but maintain vivacious acidity. Soils of chalk and limestone that drain well make the vines work hard to survive and thus produce great wine.

Answer 326

Pinotage is the name of both the red wine and the grape grown and made mostly in South Africa. The Pinotage grape was originally bred in 1925 from a cross between the grapes pinot noir and cinsaut. Well-made Pinotages are medium- to full-bodied wines, with rich red fruit aromas and flavors. Poor versions often have a rubbery aroma.

Answer 327

A plump wine has low acidity but tastes full and rich due to lots of fruit flavors and glycerol. A plump wine is often delicious, though it may not age well due to its low acidity. When there's too little acidity, the wine is criticized for being flabby.

Answer 328

Port is a magnificent rich and long-lived dessert wine made from vines planted in along the craggy slopes and steep terraces of the Douro River Valley of Portugal. Port is a lovely way to end a meal: It has about 20% alcohol compared to about 8-14% for dry table wines. It’s also low in acidity and tannin and therefore tastes smooth despite its high alcohol. In the seventeenth century, when Britain was at war with France and could no longer buy its beloved Bordeaux wines, they turned to Portugal to fill their decanters. The Brits took the rustic Portuguese wine, added brandy to stop fermentation and to fortify it for the journey by ship. Thus, Port was born. Today, Port is still made this way. Before all the natural grape sugars have been completely fermented into alcohol, high-proof brandy is added to the tanks to stop fermentation. This results in a fortified wine that has incredible depth and intense fruit flavors. The wine is made from a variety of hardy grapes that produce intense aromas. Among the best are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão. There are nine types of Port that vary in quality, complexity and oak aging. Ruby Ports are the youngest style, with the light ruby-red color and vibrant red fruit aromas. They’re aged for two to three years in stainless steel or barrels before bottling. Ruby Ports are the simplest and cheapest style, and can be harsh if not well made. White Ports are made in both dry and sweet styles from white grapes. They have a lovely floral character and only 16.5%, so they appeal to those who want a lighter style of Port as well as those who’d like to drink them as an aperitif. White Ports weren’t introduced until 1934 when Taylor’s made the first one. Tawny Ports age from three to forty years in large oak casks called pipes that are stored in temperature-controlled lodges. They lose their fresh fruit aromas and take on a nutty, toffee character with notes of figs, caramel, hazelnuts and almonds. They also turn a lovely pale amber from the extended wood contact. Tawny Ports may be labeled as 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and 40 years, depending on how long they were aged in wood. The best deals are the 20-year-olds (that’s Port, not people). They have a velvety-smooth texture and layers of flavors with a long finish. Colheita Port is a tawny Port with grapes harvested from just one year rather than several years, and therefore it has that vintage date on its label. The wine is then aged seven years or more in oak before bottling. Colheitas account for less than 0.5% of all Ports, making them a rare treat. It, too, has gorgeously nutty, toffee aromas. The wine should be consumed within a year of the date on the label. Vintage Ports, considered the king of Ports, are only made in exceptionally good years when a vintage is declared by the Port wine council (often only three to four years per decade) and account for just 5% of production. They’re bottled after two to three years of aging in barrels and as a result are deep red-purple color. They have grapey, dark, dried fruit aromas. They also have toasted aromas of chocolate, mocha, cocoa, coffee, tobacco and cigar box as well as spice notes such as cinnamon and pepper. They require at least ten years of bottle aging to smooth out and mature into complexity, but the great vintage Ports age for decades. Vintage Ports have a white mark on the side of the bottle that should be kept facing up during cellar storage. Ports sealed with plastic corks should be stored upright so that the high alcohol of the wine doesn’t erode the plastic. Since they’re not filtered before bottling, decanting is recommended. Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports are also made from grapes grown in one year and from one vineyard. They’re bottled after four to six years of oak aging and filtering. A single-quinta Port comes from a single vineyard and may be either a tawny or vintage style. They’re usually made in years that are not declared for vintage Ports. They can be consumed young or aged. Decant before serving. Wood Ports are aged in barrels for their entire lives and not bottled until they’re ready to be consumed. They’re extremely rare and expensive. Crusted Ports, named for the sediment at the bottom of their bottles, aren’t filtered before bottling. They’re blended from several years, mature in the bottle and are ready to drink after three years. Decant them before serving. Australia, South Africa, U.S. and Canada all make Port-style wines, although only those from Portugal may be called Port. This is like the fact that only Champagne from that region in France may be called as such; bubbly from other regions and countries is sparkling wine. Except for White Port, drink all other styles with dessert or on its own after dinner. Serve at room temperature to release the aromas. For Ports needing decanting, stand them upright for a day, first, to settle their sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The lovely tradition of passing the decanter of Port around the dinner table clockwise, with each person pouring a glass of a few ounces, symbolizes the passing of time. In doing so, you also apparently avoid angering the devil who lurks over your left shoulder.

Answer 329

A pungent wine has strong aromas that are often out of balance with the others in its bouquet. Often, pungent wines are intensely sour, astringent and grating on the palate .

Answer 330

This is the cone-shaped indentation in the bottom of a wine bottle, also known as the “kick up.” There is much speculation about its purpose, including making the bottle more stable when standing, strengthening the bottle to withstand the high internal pressure (especially for bubbly), making the bottle easier to hold when pouring (or at least adding an element of pure pageantry) and giving the mistaken impression you’re getting more wine than you actually are. Today, there’s no real need for the punt, but it’s one of many things in the wine world that hasn’t changed for the sake of tradition.

Answer 331

Entry-level German wines are labeled QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete), meaning a quality wine that has enough character to taste like its growing area. The best Rieslings are labeled QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat), meaning a quality wine of special distinction.

Answer 332

Entry-level German wines are labeled QbA (Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete), meaning a quality wine that has enough character to taste like its growing area. The best Rieslings are labeled QmP (Qualitätswein mit Prädikat), meaning a quality wine of special distinction.

Answer 333

The series of analyses and tests that verify a wine's palatability, stability, compliance with regulations, and absence of faults.

Answer 334

The process of transferring the wine from one container, such as a barrel, to another.

Answer 335

Reserva is the term for reserve in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Latin American countries, such as Chile and Argentina. Spanish red wines labeled that have received a minimum of three years ageing prior to release. At least one year must be in oak. Those from Portugal must be from good vintage and need an extra half a degree alcohol but the term is increasingly used for premium bottlings. In Italy, reserve wine means that the wine has been given more ageing before release and has a higher alcoholic strength by a half or full degree than the non-Riserva wine. The word Riserva can only be used for DOC or DOCG wines and it indicates the wine is of superior quality and has been aged at least 3 years before being released. In Chile and Argentina, the term isn't legally-defined so it can mean what the winemaker wants it to mean, from the producer's highest quality wine to simply a marketing term to help sell the wine.

Answer 336

The word reserve on a wine label should apply to a producer's highest quality wine from its best vineyards that has been set aside for special care in aging and storing. In some regions, this is the case, either voluntarily or by law. However, in other regions, the term reserve is not regulated and some wine producers label low-quality, mass-produced wines as such to sell them more easily.

Answer 337

Residual sugar is the unfermented grape sugar in wine and is measured in grams per liter of wine. The more the residual sugar the sweeter the wine.

Answer 338

Resveratrol is a natural compound in the skins of red grapes. Its presence in red wine has been linked to health benefits such as fighting cancer, aging and heart disease. The most famous of these studies is the "French Paradox ," which hypothesized that the inhanbitants of southern France, who enjoyed foods high in saturated fat, experienced a relatively low incidence of heart disease because they consumed moderate amounts of red wine daily.

Answer 339

Retsina isn’t a grape but rather a way of making wine in Greece since ancient times. Pine pitch is added to white wine or rosé during fermentation to protect the wine from oxidation, traditionally a high risk during long sea voyages.

Answer 340

High flavor concentration with balanced astringency, alcohol and fruit.

Answer 341

Riesling is a noble grape that produces some of the world's finest, most long-lived whites. A light, vibrant white wine that often has citrus, floral and mineral notes. It's mostly associated with Germany, but other well-known regions making it include Alsace, Washington, Niagara, Finger Lakes, Okanagan and Australia’s Clare Valley and Eden Valley. Styles range from bone dry to intensely sweet. Aromas and flavors include apricot, peach, wet slate, minerals, flowers and petrol (when it's aged). They are the second level of six in the German prädikat system of classifying Rieslings based on ripeness of the grapes: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. Kabinett refers to high quality German Riesling that is usually light and dry to slightly off-dry and made from fully ripened grapes. The sweetness in kabinett Rieslings comes from natural fruit ripeness, not sugar. Spätlese is the German word for "late harvest," used to describe Rieslings made from grapes with sugar levels at harvest that are higher than Kabinett and lower than Auslese. They are therefore more full-bodied than kabinetts and less so than ausleses. These grapes are picked at least seven days after the main harvest. Because spätlese contains more sugar than the grapes from the main harvest, they are typically medium sweet. Auslese is the German word for "selection," used to describe a specially selected, perfectly ripened bunches of grapes for this style of Riesling. Often, the grapes have started to over-ripen, becoming affected by the desirable mould botrytis cinerea or noble rot (edelfaule in German). They are hand-picked and then pressed separately from other grapes. The wine made from these grapes is sweet. Beerenauslese is made from overripe grapes that are hand-picked and are pressed separately from the other grapes. These grapes are fully infected with botrytis cinerea or noble rot which shrivels them. This concentrates the sugar. Beerenauslese is very sweet but has enough acid to balance the wine. In Canada, it's called ice wine whereas in Germany it's eiswein. Canadian vintners use both the vidal and riesling grapes while Germany uses mostly riesling, which has more balancing acidity for this sweet wine. This wine has a medium to full body, with a long finish and surprisingly low alcohol of, on average, just 10%. Trockenbeerenauslese is the German word which means “dry berry selection” and describes wines made from specially selected, overripe grapes. They are left on the vine until nearly dry, having been shrivelled to raisins with noble rot. These grapes are picked individually at the height of their maturity, so they’re very concentrated in flavor and sugar and produce extremely rich, sweet wines. These wines are very rare, very expensive and considered to be among the world's finest dessert wines. They have excellent aging potential. When the Riesling grapes are left on the vine several weeks to several months after the normal harvest time, they dehydrate and become more concentrated in their flavors and sugars. Sometimes a benevolent mold called botrytis cinerea (a.k.a. noble rot) causes this dehydration which also increases sweetness. This Riesling has higher residual sugar levels producing a thick, sweet, rich dessert wine.

Answer 342

A mature wine that's ready to drink. If used to describe the grapes, this term means they were picked at sweet full maturity and richness.

Answer 343

Full-bodied, powerful, heady.

Answer 344

Two methods of making a Rose; 1. A small amount of still Pinot Noir added to the cuvee before second fermentation 2. Grapes are left on their skin and pressed slightly to obtain the desired color

Answer 345

Smooth and well-developed flavor, without angularity or rough edges.

Answer 346

Sangiovese is indigenous to Tuscany, where is makes Chianti, the flagship wine of the region. Sangiovese is also the primary grape in the wines Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano. The quality ranges from ordinary table wine (vino di tavola) to the impressive classico superiore. Sangiovese represents 10% of Italy’s entire vineyard acreage, the most-planted grape in the country, with 247,000 acres. This grape matures and ripens slowly, and has a thin skin therefore it thrives in warm, dry climates. Limestone soil tends to produce more robust aromas in the finished wine. Chianti was traditionally a blend of about 70% Sangiovese, 15% of the red grape Canaiolo, 15% of the white grape Trebbiano and sometimes a dash of the red grape Colorino. Today, producers must have a minimum of 90% Sangiovese in their Chianti with no more than 5% white grapes. The white grape Malvasia Toscana, better quality than the traditional Trebbiano, is now also permitted in the blend. The Latin name for Sangiovese, Sanguis Jovis (San Gioveto), translates to “blood of Jove or Jupiter." The first written reference to the grape was in 1722. Until the 1980s, Chianti was bottled in squat oval straw-covered fiasci. It was viewed a modest bistro wine rather than one for collectors. Then winemakers started experimenting with premium blends of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, creating what is now known as Super Tuscans. These wines were not permitted the D.O.C. quality designation because they used grapes not permitted by law. However, the wines started commanding prices much higher than the traditional wines and eventually one of the most famous, Sassacia, was granted its own D.O.C. status. Sangiovese’s signature aromas include black cherries, raspberries, blueberries, violets, black plums, prunes clove, thyme, anise and if oaked, smoke, tar and vanilla. The wine has a medium- to full-body, a supple texture and a pleasant bitter-tinged finish. It also has pronounced acidity, which makes it especially companionable to many Italian dishes with tomato sauce.

Answer 347

Sauternes is the name of a region in the Graves district of southern Bordeaux, France as well as the namesake of the dessert wine made there. The wine is made by blending semillon, sauvignon blanc and muscadelle grapes, all affected by “noble rot” (botrytis cinerea) that concentrates their sweetness.

Answer 348

One of the most refreshing and vibrant white wines, Sauvignon Blanc's signature aromas include freshly mown grass, lemon-grass, gooseberry, green bell pepper, green melon, grapefruit, canned peas, asparagus, lime, nettle, acacia, hawthorn and herbal notes. Sauvignon Blanc vines are vigorous and growers must trim back leaf canopy so that the grapes get sufficient nutrients to ripen and develop their flavors. In the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc makes wines known as Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre, named after their respective towns and usually made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc and unoaked. Fumé refers to the smoky or flinty character Loire wines achieve from their marvelous minerality. In California, this wine is often labeled as Fumé Blanc, a play on the Loire name and a re-branding of the wine that hadn't been successful when introduced as Sauvignon Blanc. Although barrel fermentation and oak aging aren't as common for Sauvignon Blanc as it is for Chardonnay, some producers do this to add some complexity, and others, unfortunately, to hide aggressive vegetal odors. Many people prefer the crisp, fresh fruit style and zesty attack of the unoaked style and its mouth-watering acidity. Sauvignon Blanc is the leading white wine of New Zealand that Cloudy Bay winery made famous in the Marlborough region. South Africa also makes excellent, under priced Sauvignon Blanc as does Rueda, Spain; Syria, Austria; Collio, Italy; and Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys in Chile. Australia is generally too warm to maintain the wine's vibrant acidity. Blending with Semillon adds richness and complexity, and creates the legendary dessert wine Château d'Yquem in the Sauternes region of Bordeaux, France. There and in neighboring Barsac, the grapes are left to hang past the normal harvest period so that they are infected with the benevolent mold known as botrytis cinerea (noble rot) that concentrates their flavors. Semillon brings notes of figs and ripe tree fruit to the final wine. In the Graves district of Bordeaux, the two grapes are blended to create world famous dry white wines.

Answer 349

A concept that started in Bordeaux but is now used in many winemaking regions. After the winery has made its first wine using the best grapes, it produces the second wine from grapes that may be less ripe or grown in less prestigious vineyards. This wine is less expensive and can usually be consumed earlier than the first wine.

Answer 350

The small particles in wine from the grape skins, seeds, and other grape particles. Sediment often settles at the bottom of the bottle and should be left behind when pouring or decanting as it tastes bitter.

Answer 351

Semillon has a rich, voluptuous, waxy almost fat texture but low acidity, which is why it's often blended with zesty Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon is a vigorous vine but a thin-skinned grape so it's susceptible to sunburn and raisining. It resists most diseases, except rot, both the bad kind (Gray Rot) that destroys the grapes and the good kind (Noble Rot or botrytis) that shrivels the grapes to raisins, concentrating their flavors to create some of the world's most famous and expensive dessert wines. For Château d'Yquem, generally a blend of 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, pickers pass through the vineyards ten times or more during the harvest to select only the bunches affected by botrytis. Other exquisite sweet wines in the Bordeaux regions of Sauternes and Barsac are made from this blend as are the dry styles of Graves, such as the renowned Domaine de Chevalier. Other regions notable for Semillon include Chile, where more vines are planted than anywhere else on earth, and Australia, especially in the Hunter Valley. Signature aromas include fig, lemon, pear, lime, nectarine, saffron, bell pepper, asparagus and grass. Oak aging and malolactic fermentation add notes of lanolin, vanilla, buttered toast, cream, smoke and oak. Dessert styles also have notes of honey, apricot, lemon curd and pineapple.

Answer 352

Shiraz and Syrah are both originally from the same clone, but various regions have chosen one name or the other. They both create rich, robust wines with a smooth texture and signature aromas of spice, pepper, clove and licorice leading, followed by dark fruit such as blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and black cherry, as well as truffle, earth, violets, vanilla, smoke, sandalwood, cedar, cigar box, earth and leather. The greatest of these wines can age for 25 years or more. The grape was originally believed to be from Persia, now Iran, from the city of Shiraz, but has since been proven to be indigenous to France, where more than half the world's Syrah vines are planted. The legendary wines of the Rhone Valley's Côte Rotie and Hermitage are made from 100% Syrah. Syrah is also part of the blend in other Rhône wines, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape that often includes Grenache, Mouvèdre and up to nine other grapes. This wine is also the flagship red wine of Australia, where it's called Shiraz (easier to pronounce than Syrah), and is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Australia's Barossa Valley is particularly famous for its complex, multi-layered Shiraz. It is also becoming South Africa's leading red. California grows it successfully in Paso Robles where it's usually called Syrah.

Answer 353

The mellowness found in either a mature wine or a young wine with low tannins and acids.

Answer 354

The sparkling wine Champagne is named after the northern region of France where it’s produced. Other regions of France, as well as other countries, make sparkling wine, but only those from Champagne may be called Champagne. Supposedly the eighteenth-century blind Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, accidentally discovered how to put the bubbles in Champagne when his wines started fermenting again in the spring after the cold winter had stopped them. Other records attribute this discovery to the British scientist Christopher Merret thirty years before Pérignon. Pérignon is credited widely with improving the techniques of blending wines from different years as well as the three principle grapes used: the white grape Chardonnay and two red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The process today still involves a first fermentation to make the still, acidic wine. Then, before bottling, a small amount of wine, sugar and yeast is added (“liqueur de triage”) to trigger a second fermentation in the bottle, where the carbon dioxide bubbles are trapped. The bottle is gradually tilted upside down (riddling), by hand or machine, and eventually the dead yeast cells gather in the neck and are disgorged so that the wine is clear. Before the final cork seal is affixed, the wine is topped up with a small amount of wine and sugar (liqueur d'expédition). The amount of sugar determines whether the bubbly will be Brut (very dry), Sec (off-dry) or Demi-Sec (medium-sweet). Rosé bubbly is made either by blending red and white wine or by limiting the skin contact of the red grapes during maceration, when the grapes soak in their own juice before fermentation. Blanc de blancs Champagne is made only from Chardonnay while blanc de noirs is only from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The grapes for vintage Champagne that show a year on the label were harvested from one year only, while non-vintage Champagne are grapes and wines blended from many years. While Vintage Champagnes age well, non-vintage bubblies are meant to be consumed within a year or two of purchase while they still have their fruit freshness. Many producers outside of the Champagne region use this process and grapes to make their bubbly and often put méthode traditionnelle on their label. The words Champagne and méthode champenoise may not legally be used by producers except those from Champagne itself. Bubblies made in Burgundy, France, are called Crémants de Bourgogne while those from Alsace are Crémant d'Alsace. Spain makes Cavas (“cave”), Italy makes either Prosecco (lightly sparkling) or Spumante (fully sparkling and sweet), Germany makes Sekt or Deutscher and those from New World regions, such as Canada, California, Australia and elsewhere, are simply called sparkling wine. Some bubblies outside of Champagne are made from a cheaper and quicker carbonation process, during which bubbles are injected into the tanks of fermenting wines. This method doesn’t create wines with the same refinement and nuance as the Champagne method. The bubbles tend to go flat quickly. Drink bubbly from a flute glass that preserves its bubbles and concentrates its aromas. (Forget those old coupe glasses molded to the shape of Marie Antoinette’s breasts.) Signature bubbly aromas include toast, yeast, fresh-baked bread, green apple, lemon, lime and orange zest.

Answer 355

Steely wines are high in acidity, well-balanced and firmly structured. These wines are often described as taut or lean.

Answer 356

A stemmy wine results from leaving the grapes in contact with the stems too long during fermentation. It will taste harsh, bitter and astringent. These wines are also referred to as “stalky” or “green.”

Answer 357

Structure refers to the interplay and balance among the following characteristics in wine: flavor, acidity, alcohol and tannin. (Tannin is often less a factor in white wines, especially those that aren’t aged in oak.) If one of these elements dominates, the wine is not well-structured. However, when these elements are balanced with each other, the wine has good structure. It will likely age well for years, as each element develops in proportion and knits together with the others.

Answer 358

Generally, this depicts a wine with high sugar content. Desirable for ice wines and other dessert wines. The sweetness should be balanced by acidity and alcohol to be good.

Answer 359

Shiraz and Syrah are both originally from the same clone, but various regions have chosen one name or the other. They both create rich, robust wines with a smooth texture and signature aromas of spice, pepper, clove and licorice leading, followed by dark fruit such as blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and black cherry, as well as truffle, earth, violets, vanilla, smoke, sandalwood, cedar, cigar box, earth and leather. The greatest of these wines can age for 25 years or more. The grape was originally believed to be from Persia, now Iran, from the city of Shiraz, but has since been proven to be indigenous to France, where more than half the world's Syrah vines are planted. The legendary wines of the Rhone Valley's Côte Rotie and Hermitage are made from 100% Syrah. Syrah is also part of the blend in other Rhône wines, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape that often includes Grenache, Mouvèdre and up to nine other grapes. This wine is also the flagship red wine of Australia, where it's called Shiraz (easier to pronounce than Syrah), and is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Australia's Barossa Valley is particularly famous for its complex, multi-layered Shiraz. It is also becoming South Africa's leading red. California grows it successfully in Paso Robles where it's usually called Syrah.

Answer 360

A wine is called tannic when it has perceptible levels of tannin, a naturally occurring preservative that's essential to a wine's long life. Tannin is found in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes as well as in the wood of barrels often used to age reds and some whites. Young tannins can feel unpleasantly dry and gripping in the mouth.

Answer 361

Found in grape skins, seeds and stalks. Tannins are harsh, bitter compounds which if present in large amounts make a wine difficult to drink as they leave a dry, puckered sensation in the mouth.

Answer 362

A wine with a high degree of acidity that still tastes in balance with other elements, such as fruit flavor or sweetness, is described as tart. Too much acidity and we criticize the wine as harsh or even sour.

Answer 363

A wood-aged style of port. Prolonged periods of ageing in wood result in loss of pigment so this is a much paler, tawny-colored style of port, hence the name.

Answer 364

Lush in texture, low in tannins, this grape has an affinity for oak. It's renowned in Spain's Rioja region and is very much in vogue today.

Answer 365

A French term referring to the unique combination of soil, climate, elevation and topography that gives wine its character.

Answer 366

The way the wine feels in the mouth. Is it silky, velvety, rounded, or smooth?

Answer 367

A tired wine is uninteresting, old and dull. It has oxidized and the taste long since peaked, much like a wine writer who has been at his craft too long and is grumpy in all his assessments.

Answer 368

Toasty describes a wine that smells or tastes like toast. This characteristic comes from the wine’s contact with the inside of a charred oak barrel.

Answer 369

The small pocket of air in the bottle between the top of the wine and the cork.

Answer 370

A description of the flavor when grapes fail to reach optimum maturity on the vine.

Answer 371

Any wine that takes its name from the predominant grape variety. This is common in the New World, but in Europe wines are usually labeled with the place name.

Answer 372

A velvety wine has a smooth, silky, lush texture and is often rich in flavor.

Answer 373

The French words for winegrower.

Answer 374

Firm, lively fruit, strong body; assertive flavor.

Answer 375

The French word for wine.

Answer 376

Having the smell of vinegar. It is a fault in wine.

Answer 377

Viniculture, also known as enology or oenology, is the study of making wine and of the grapes produced for the purpose of making wine.

Answer 378

The year that the grapes were picked to make the wine, usually indicated on the label. The vintage is important in cool climates, such as France, Canada and Germany, where the weather varies significantly from year to year. In warmer climates, such as Australia, Chile and California, it's of less importance since the climate is more consistent and hospitable to grape growing.

Answer 379

Viognier's home is France, especially in the northern Rhône Valley regions of Condrieu and Château-Grillet (the latter has just ten acres and one owner), where it's the only white grape used and produces magnificently fragrant, voluptuous and expensive wines. It's also grown in Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence, Australia, Brazil, California, Oregon and Washington. The grape is difficult to grow because its prone to mildew and produces small yields. If left to over-ripen, it will have a bland, winery taste and high alcohol. Signature aromas include ripe apricots, orange blossoms, peaches and honeysuckle. Viognier often has a viscous, opulent, creamy texture, even without oak aging.

Answer 380

Viticulture is the science of grape growing, which includes the cultivation of grapes and their vines.

Answer 381

The smell of acetic acid and/or ethyl acetate. It is quite disagreeable when excessive though a tiny amount may enhance aromas.

Answer 382

This refers to a bottle of wine that’s weeping or slowly leaking wine from the cork due to a small space around it. This could be the result of a faulty cork or because the bottle wasn’t stored on its side to keep the cork damp and therefore it dried and shrunk. A weeping wine isn’t necessarily spoiled.

Answer 383

Strong, powerful, full-bodied, and forceful.

Answer 384

The German word for wine.

Answer 385

An alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of the juice of fruits and berries, but usually grapes.

Answer 386

An excessive aroma of wood, common to wines aged too long in cask or barrel.

Answer 387

A micro-organism that converts the sugar to alcohol in a process known as alcoholic fermentation.

Answer 388

The amount of fruit any given vine or vineyard produces.

Answer 389

Simple wines signify youthful freshness. In finer wines, young refers to immaturity.

Answer 390

A wine that is balanced between fruit and prominent acidity.

Answer 391

These famous grapes of California produce wines with a vibrant berry character.