Glossary Flashcards
Aeolian
Wind-blown sediments.
Alcoholic Fermentaion
the process by which yeasts convert natural grape sugars into alcohol; carbon dioxide and heat are given off in the process.
Alluvial
soils formed from river sediments.
Alpine Influences
Influences from a climate characterized by cold winters, late springs and brief growing seasons.
Ambre
Label nomenclature for white vin doux naturel (VDN); refers to the amber color indicative of controlled oxidation.
Anaerobic
without oxygen.
Appellation d’Origine Controlee AOC
a delineated zone of production (region, subregion, village or specific terrori) with unique qualities and characteristics stemming from its geography, climate, topography and viticultural and winemaking practices. AOC represents the highest rung on the French wine quality pyramid. Both the region itself and the product that comes from the region are referred to as AOC. (e.g. The Bordeaux AOC refers to a geographical entity and to the wine that is produced within this zone of production.)
Arene
sandy soils composed of weathered feldspars, micas quartz and other minerals found in northern Beaujolais. AKA gorrhe.
Argiles a silex
see Perruches
Clay with flint
Assemblage
assembly or blend
Atmospheres
abbrevition ATM(s); refers to the amount o pressure per square inch at sea level; a bottle of champagne contains approximately 6 atms of pressure.
Aubuis
in Touraine, clay/limestone soils.
Autolysis
yeast decomposition.
Barrique
wine barrel with a capacity of 225liters, traditional in Bordeaux.
Basal Buds
buds closest to the vine trunk.
Batonnage
the process of lees stirring in wine to better integrate flavors often created by malolactic conversion.
Beton
concrete aging vessels in the Rhone Valley.
Biodynamic Viticulture
an elaborate, organic practice whereby growers link all viticultural and viniicultural work with the movements of the sun, moon and stars.
Bioherm
reef-life mound of earth composed of dead sea creatures such as corals, starfish and mollusks.
Blanc de Blancs
a sparkling white wine made from white grapes.
Blanc de Noirs
a sparkling white wine made from black grapes.
Bonbonnes
glass demi-johns used to age oxidative VDNs.
Botrytis Cinerea
a fungus that attacks tight-clustered grape varieties whose grapes are high in sugar content. The mold penetrates the grape skin, desiccates the berry and concentrates sugars and other flavor compounds. When the conditions are right (i.e. when cool, moist mornings are followed by warm, dry afternoons), this noble rot yielfs unctuous, honeyed dessert wines. However, if the weather stays cool and damp all day, botrytis can swiftly turn from noble rot to gray rot and destroy the crop.
Boubenes
sandy clay conglomerates in South-West France.
Brut
a style of champagne or cremant that contains up to 1.2% 12g/l residual sugar and confers no perception of sweetness.
Brut Nature
a champagne or cremant style in which no sugar or dosage in added.
Cadastral Unit
surveyed parcels of land recorded by a land registry.
Cahier des Charges
a set of regulations that delineates production zone, viticulture practices and production standards.
Caillottes
in Centre-Loire, small limestone pebbles.
Camargue
a salt marsh, located west of Provence and east of Languedoc, where the Rhone RIver finishes its run to the Mediterranean Sea.
Canes
old vine shoots that have lignified or become woody.
Carbonic Maceration
a vinification technique involving an anaerobic, enzymatic fermentation crried out inside the berry, resulting in a wine with intense aromas of bananas and candied fruit; the process is also known as whole-berry fermentation.
Causses
a group of limestone plateaus in the Massif Central.
Chalk
a type of porous limestone.
Chaptalization
the technique of adding sugar to grape must in order to increase the alcohol level in the finished wine. None of the added sugar remains in the finished wine as a sweetening agent. It is all fermented into alcohol.
Cheville
adjectives for old, peg-shaped sparkling wine cork.
Clairet
a semi-red wine; darker than rose; but less pigmented than a true red wine.
Clavelin
a 620ml bottle used exclusively for Vin Jaune.
Climat
a named parcel of land associated with territory classed as Premier Cru or Grand Cru. The word find its origins in the Greek “klima” meaning “incline,” which conveys the notion of exposure to the sun. Whereas lieux-dits are cadastral units, climats are more of a vigneron’s notion of a site.
Cold Soak
pre-fermentaion maceration of juice and skins to extract fruit aromas without tannin.
Colluvial
soils developed from rain-driven slope wash.
Continental Climate
a climate characterized by significant diurnal and seasonal temperatue chamges; wine regions with continental climates experience all 4 seasons.
Conventional Farming
practices employing the use of agrochemicals to control weeds, insects and disease.
Coomb
a short or shallow valley, usually dry, within a limestone escarpment.
Cote
translated from the French, “slope”.
Coulure
poor fruit set caused by cloudy, cold and/or wet weather at flowering.
Crayeres
in Champagne, underground chalk quarries now used as wine cellars.
Cremant
a family of French sparkling wines produced outside the Champagne region made in the methode traditionelle.
Cuvee
blended base wine (in Champagne); blend and/or special lot of wine.
Debourbage
juice settling before fermentaion.
Delestage
a method of extraction in red winemaking where the tank is drained and mixed back into grape skins. AKA rack and return.
Demi-Sec
a style of champagne or cremant containing between 2.3-5% 32-50g/l residual sugar and possessing definite sweetness.
Demi-muid
a 600-litre cask.
Denomination Geographique Complementaire (DGC)
a sub-regional category of an AOC which refers to a specific area within the AOC.
Disease Pressure
in viticulture, environmental conditions that engender disease.
Disgorgment
in French “degorgement”; the process of removing the dead yeast cells from the bottle of sparkling wine in order to deliver a clear and non-gritty sparkling product.
Diurnal
Daily
Dosage
process of adding a mixture of sugar and still reserve wine, called Liqueur de Dosage or Liqueur d’Expedition, after disgorging a sparkling wine; determines a sparkling wine’s final sweetness level.
Downy Mildew
a fungus disease that germinates in warm, humid weather. It attacks the leaves and stems, first with what appear to be “oil spots”, then with white cotton filaments. An outbreak causes the vines to lose their leaves which can delay ripening or prevent ripening altogether. AKA Peronospera.
Doux
meaning “sweet”, a style of champagne or cremant with over 5% 50g/l residual sugar.
Drosophila Suzukii
Asian fruit fly whose females lay eggs inside soft fruits like grapes; their larvae hatch and feed on the pulp.
Eau de Vie
in France, a brandy or distilled spirit; literally translates as “water of life”.
Echalas
stakes or poles used to support vines.
Echelle Des Crus
a vineyard ranking in Champagne based on a scale of 80-100%. It is the wine village that is ranked; all surrounding vineyards are awarded the points that the village receives. Villages rated 90-99% are considered Premiers Crus; villages rated at 100% are Grands Crus.
Edelzwicker
in Alsace, a wine that is a blend of several grape varieties; these varieties can be fermented separately or fermented together. Vintage dating is optional.
En Primeur
wine made available for sale prior to its normal time.
Escarpment
a cliff-like ridge of land formed by faulting.
Ethanol
the primary alcohol produced during alcoholic fermentation.
Extra Brut
a style of Champagne or cremant with less than 0.6% 6g/l residual sugar.
Extract
a representative measure of all flavor compounds in wine.
Extra Sec
a style og champange or cremant containing 1.2-1.7% 12-17g/l residual sugar, although the French translates as “extra dry”, the wine possesses noticeable sweetness.
Fines Bulles
French for “fine or small bubbles”; colloquial reference to the sparkling wines of the Loire.
Flute Bottle
long, tapered bottles, traditionally used for the wines of Alsace and Germany.
Foudre
large, inert oak casks.
Galets
large, round stones found in the South-West, Languedoc and Rhone regions.
Garrique
an arid, stony earth that can only support lavender, herbs, dwarf oak trees and the vine. It can refer to the limestone soil itself, the resinous herbs and scrub vegetation that grow upon it and the aroma of those herbs when crushed underfoot or echoed in the aromatic profile of the wines themselves.
Gentil
in Alsace, a blended wine that is at least 50% Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and/or Gewurtzraminer; the other 50% can be comprised of other grapes. All varieties must be fermented separately. Vintage dataing is mandatory.
Gorrhe
see Arene
Graben
see Rift Valley.
Grand Vin
the top wine of a chateau or wine producer.
Granite
a type of ignerous rock.
Graves
French for “gravel”