French Wine Terms

Question 1

Anneé

Answer 1

year

Question 2

Barrique

Answer 2

approx 225 litre barrel

Question 3

Cave coopérative

Answer 3

cooperative cellars who blend and market under one label, some can be from specific locations, can be greta value wines.

Question 4

Cépage

Answer 4

grape variety “cépage Mauzac”

Question 5

Clairet

Answer 5

somewhere between light right and dark rosé

Question 6

Climat

Answer 6

a single named plot of land, often within a vineyard

Question 7

Clos

Answer 7

same as climat, though is or once was surrounded by walls

Question 8

Côte(s)

Answer 8

Slope(s)/hillside(s), typically one contiguous one

Question 9

Coteau(x)

Answer 9

Slope(s)/hillside(s), typically not contiguous

Question 10

Encépagement

Answer 10

proportion of grape varieties in blend/cuveé

Question 11

Grand vin

Answer 11

no legal definition, often refers to a a château’s first label wine

Question 12

Millésime

Answer 12

vintage year

Question 13

Mistelle

Answer 13

grape juice with added alcohol before fermentation

Question 14

Monopole

Answer 14

single vineyard with single owner/producer

Question 15

Négociant

Answer 15

one who guys grapes/wine to age/sell under their own label

Question 16

Négociant-éleveur

Answer 16

firms buying wines ready for élevage

Question 17

Négociant-propriétaire

Answer 17

négociant who owns vineyards and offers their own wines probably

Question 18

Propriétaire-récoltant

Answer 18

grower-producer

Question 19

Supérieur

Answer 19

at least .5% alcohol higher than a wine from the same appellation minus “supérieur”