Glossary Flashcards
Aeolian
Wind blown sediments
Alcoholic Fermentation
The process by which yeasts convert grape sugars into alcohol releasing CO2 and heat
Alluvial
soils formed from river sediments
Ambré
label name for white vin doux naturel (VDN) referring to amber colour with oxidisation
Anaerobic
without oxygen
Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC)
delineated zone of production with unique qualities and characteristics (geography, climate, topography, viticulture etc). AOC is highest rung on French wine quality pyramid. Both region and product are AOC.
Arène
sandy soils - weathered feldspars, micas, quartz and minerals found in northern Beaujolais.
Also known as gorrhe.
Argiles à silex
Flinty clays in Touraine and Central Loire
Assemblage
Assembly or blend
Atmospheres (ATM)
Measure of pressure. (sq in at sea level) Champagne normally around 6
Aubuis
In Touraine clay/limestone soils
Barrique
Wine barrel of 225 l
Autolysis
yeast decomposition
Basal buds
Buds closest to vine trunk
Batonnage
Stirring lees in wine to better integrate flavours created by malolactic fermentation
Bèton
concrete aging vessels in Rhone Valley
Biodynamic Viticulture
elaborate, organic practice.
Growers link viti and vini work with movement of sun, stars and moon
Bioherm
Reef-like mound of earth comprising of dead sea creatures such as corals, starfish and molluscs
Blanc de Blancs
Sparkling white wine from white grapes only
Blanc de Noirs
Sparkling white wine made from black grapes only
Bonbonnes
Glass demi-johns used to age oxidative wines
Botrytis Cinerea
Fungus that attacks tight clustered grape varieties whose grapes are high in sugar.
Mould penetrates skin and desicates the berry, concentrates sugars.
Conditions=cool moist mornings followed by warm afternoons
Noble Rot
Unctuous, honeyed dessert wines
Can cause grey rot if the weather remains cool and damp
Boulbenes
Sandy clay conglomerates in SW France
Brut
Style of champagne or cremant that contains up to
1.2% residual sugar
Not perceptively sweet
Brut Nature
champagne or cremant to which no sugar or dosage is added
Cadastrel Unit
surveyed parcesl of land recorded by the Land Registry
Cahier des Charges
Set of regulations that delineates production zone, viti and production standards
Caillottes
In Central Loire, small limestone pebbles
Camargue
Salt Marsh, located west of Provence and east of Languedoc where Rhone runs into the Med
Canes
Old vine shoots that have lignified (become woody)
Carbonic Maceration
Vini technique
Anaerobic enzymatic fermentation inside each berry
Intense banana flavour/candied fruit
Also known as whole berry fermentation
Causses
Group of limestone plateaus in Massif Central
Chalk
Type of porous limestone
Chaptalization
Technique of adding sugar to grape must
Increases alcohol of finished wine
No sugars remain
Cheville
Old peg shaped sparkling wine cork
Clairet
Semi-red wine, darker than rosé, lighter than red
Clavelin
620ml bottle used for Vin Jaune
Climat
Parcel of land associated with Cru or Grand Cru vineyard.
From Greek word for incline (exposure to sun?)
Whereas Lieux-dits are cadestral units, climats are vigneron’s notion of site
Cold Soak
Pre-fermentation maceration of juice and skins to extract fruit aromas without tannin
Colluvial
Soils from rain-driven slope wash
Continental Climate
Significant diurnal and seasonal temperature changes.
Experience all 4 seasons
Conventional Farming
Practices employing use of agrochemicals to control weeds, insects and disease
Coomb
Short or shallow valley, usually dry within a limestone escarpment
Cote
From the french for slope
Coulure
Poor fruit set caused by cloudy,cold or wet weather at flowering
Crayeres
In Champagne, underground chalk quarries now used as cellars
Cremant
French sparkling wines produced outside Cahmpagne with traditional methods
Cuvee
Blended base wine (in Champagne)
Blend and/or special lot of wine
Debourbage
Juice settling before fermentation
Delestage
Method of extraction in red wine where tank is drained and mixed back into grape skins
=Rack and Return
Demi-Sec
Style of champagne or cremant that contains up to
3.2-5% residual sugar
Perceptively sweet
Demi-muid
600l cask
Denomination Geographique Complementaire (DGC)
Sub-regional category of AOC which refers to specific area in AOC
Disease Pressure
Environmental conditions that engender disease
Disgorgement
In French=degorgement
Process of removing dead yeasts from bottle of sparkling wine => clear product
Diurnal
Daily
Dosage
Process of adding mixture of sugar and still reserve wines called Liqueur de Dosage or Liqueur d’Expedition after disgorgement of a sparkling wine.
Determines final sweetness level
Downy mildew
Fungus disease
Germinates in warm. humid conditions
Attacks leaves and stems
Oil spots and white cotton filaments
Vines lose leaves - delays/prevents riening
=Peronospera
Doux
Means sweet
Style of champagne of cremant with over 5% sugar
Drosophila Suzukii
Asian fruit fly
Females lay eggs in fruit
Larvae hatch and eat fruit
Eau de Vie
Brandy or distilled spirit
‘Water of Life’
Echalas
Stakes or poles used to support vines
Echelle des Crus
Vineyard ranking in Champagne
Scale of 80-100%
Wine village is ranked and used for all surrounding vineyards
Villages with ranking>90-99%=Premier Crus
100%=Grand Crus
Edelzwicker
In Alsace
Wine that is blend of several varieties
Can be fermented together or separately
Vintage dating is optional
En Primeur
Wine made for sale before its normal time
Escarpment
Cliff-like ridge of land formed by faulting
Ethanol
Primary alcohol from alcoholic fermentation
Extra Brut
Style of champagne or cremant that contains up to
1.2-1.7% residual sugar
Noticeably sweet
Fines Bulles
Fine or small bubbles
Sparkling wines of the Loire
Flute
long taped bottle
Traditional in Alsace and Germany
Foudre
Large, inert oak cask
Galets
Large round stones found in South West. Languedoc and Rhone
Garrigue
Arid, stony earth
Supports only lavender, herbs, dwarf oak and vine
Can refer to:
limestone soil itself;
herbs and scrub that grow
aroma of herbs echoed in wine profile
Gentil
Alsace
Blended wine that is at least 50% Reisling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and/or Gewurztraminer
Other 50% can be other grapes
All varieties seperately fermented
Vintage dating mandatory
Gorrhe
sandy soils - weathered feldspars, micas, quartz and minerals found in northern Beaujolais.
Also known as Arene
Graben
Rift valley is Bedrock that has dropped down between parallel geological faults
Graben is localised Rift valley
Grand Vin
Top wine of a chateau or wine producer
Granite
Type of igneous rock
Graves
Gravel
Grey Rot
Form of Botrytis cinerea
Cool moist mornings followed by cool moist afternoons
Damages crops
Grenat
Label name for Vins Doux Naturel in
Rivesaltes and Maury
Red wines aged reductively (without oxygen)
Gyropalettes
Mechanised racks for riddling
Hors d’Age
Label name for VDNs
Wines that have aged for a long time under controlled oxidisation before bottling
eg >5 years for Rivesaltes