Glossary Flashcards
% abv
Alcohol by volume
Accolage (f)
The viticultural procedure of tying the vine branches to the horizontal wires
Acectic acid
The acid component of vinegar. The product of oxidation of ethanol by the action of acetobacter in the precede of oxygen. A volatile acid present in small quantities in all wines excessive amounts result in a vinegary nose and taste.
Adamado (p)
Medium-sweet
Adega (p)
Winery
Aerobic
Requiring oxygen to operate
Alcohol
Ethanol - ethyl alcohol
Potential alcohol
Is the amount of alcohol that would be created if all the sugars in the must is converted to alcohol
Actual alcohol
Is the amount of ethanol present in a wine, measured as a percentage of the total volume at 20C as shown in the label
Total alcohol
Is the sum of the actual and potential alcohol from residual sugars
Abbocato (i)
Medium-sweet and full bodied
Acoholic fermentation
The conversion of sugar to alcohol by yeast operating in anaerobic conditions
Almacenista (s)
A producer of sherry who matures it and then sells is on to a merchant
Alte Reben (g)
Old vines
Amabile (i)
Mediumsweet
Anaerobic
Able to operate without oxygen
Analyser
That part of a patent still, continuous still or coffey still, in which the alcohol present in the pre-heated wash is vaporised by steam
Anbaugebiet (g)
Designated quality wine region
Annata (i)
Vintage
Anreicherung (g)
Must enrichment
Ascorbic acid
Vitamin C, used in winemaking, along with sulfur dioxide to prevent oxidation.
Aspersion
Method of protection against spring frosts whereby the vines are sprayed with water, which freezes, coating the buds with ice. The buds are not damaged because of the latent heat of freezing
Assemblage (f)
Blending a number of different parcels of wine, particulary in bordeaux or champagne
Ausbruch (g)
An austrian quality category for sweet wines, the minimum must weight required is higher that that for beerenauslese but lowe that that for trockenbeerenauslese
Auslese (G)
A prädikat wine category, indicating wine made without chaptalisation fron grapes thaat fall within a specific range of musweightts. The grapes are often affected with noble rot although the wines are not always sweet.
Azienda vinicola (I)
An estate that makes wine from both its own and bought in grapes
Azienda agricola (I)
An estate that uses only its iwn grapes in production of its wine
Barrique (F)
Cask with a capacity of 225 L. Traditional to nordeaux, but now used everywhere
Bâttonage (F)
Lees stirring
Baumé (F)
French scale used in measurement of must weight
Beerenauslese (G)
A prädikat wine category, indicating wine made without chaptalisation from grapes that fall within a specific range of mustweights. The grapes rill usually be affected by botrytis and the wines will have exceptionally high residual sugar levels
Bentonite
Clay of volcanic origin used for fining
Bereich (G)
A group of communes
Bianco (I)
White
Bin
Literally a location, for example in a cellar where a particular wine is stored. Often used as a part of a brand name.
Biodynamic
A form of organic viticulture that follows the teaching of Rudolf Steiner. Vine treatments are timed to match astronomical cycles
Biologique (F)
Organic
Black rot
Fungal disease of the vine prevalent in warm, wet weather, which causes black stains on the leaves
Blanc (F)
White
Blanco (S)
White
Blended whisky vs blended whiskey
Whisky - scottland
Whiskey - USA, Ireland (osv)
Blended Whisky
Scotland, a blend of grain whisky and maltwhisky
Blended whiskey
USA, a blend of straight whisky and neutral spirit.
Blue fining
Removal of iron or copper casse from a wine by the addition of potassium ferrocyanide
Bodega (S)
Winery
Nonne chauffe (F)
The second distillation used in cognac to convert the bouillis (the first distillation in cognac) to eau-de-vie
Bordeaux mixture
Solution of copper sulfate and lime in water, used to spray vines as protection against fungal diseases
Botanicals
Flavourings used in gin production
Botrytis cinerea
Fungus that attacks the grape berry and other green parts of the vine. In certain cicumstances it will form unwanted grey rot, in others desirable noble rot.
Botte (I)
Traditional large barrels used in italy in various sizes up to 10 hL
Botti (I)
Botte in plural
Bottiglia (I)
Bottle
Branco (P)
White
Brettanomyces (Brett)
A genus of yeast whose presence in a ferment results in very distinctive savoury flavours that many consider to be fault
Brix/balling
A system of measuring must wight and thereby potential alcohol
Broullis /F)
The product of the first distillation in cognac
Brut (F) (S)
Dry, used in relation to sparkling wine
Bush training
Training of vines as freestanding plants, not needing the support of a trellis
Butt
Traditional barrel used in sherry production, holding about 600 L
Buttage (F)
The process of earthing up the bases of the vines to protect the graft union between the scion ans rootstock against frost.
Cane
One year old wood on a vine that has been pruned to between 8-15 buds. Cf. Spur.
Cane pruning
system of a vine pruningin which one or more canes are left on the cine after winter pruning to produce new shoots.
Cantina Sociale (I)
Co-operative cellar
Cap
Floating mass of grape skinks, stalks etc on the surface of red must during fermentation
Cap classique
A south african sparkling wine made using the traditional method
Carbonic maceration
Fermentation of whole bunches of black grapes with the berries initially intact. The inracellular fermentation results in well-coloured, fruity red wines with low tanning.
Cascina (I)
Farmhouse (estate)
Cask
Wooden barrel usually made of oak used for fermentation, maturation and storage of wines. Names and sizes vary
Cask strenght
Particulary of malt whiskies, a spirit that has not been reduced or watered down to a bottling strenght of around 40% abv. These generally will not be filtered and will be very high in acohol. Cf. Overproof
Casse (F)
Unwanted haze in wine caused by instability
Casta (P)
literally Grape variety
Cava (S)
Traditional method sparkling fron spain
Cave (F)
Cellar (often underground) or establishment
Cave co-operative (F)
Co-operative cellar
Cépage (F)
Literally Grape variety
Cerasuolo (I)
Cherry pink
Chai (F)
Above ground warehouse for storing wine, usually in barrel
Chalk
A kind of limestone that is almost pure calcium carbonate
Chaptalisation
Must enrichment, specifically using beet or cane sugar. Named after Comte Chaptal. The napoleonic minister who advocated its use
Charmant method
Tank method
Château (F)
Estate in bordeaux, generally, but not always, with accompanying hoouse
Chauffe-vin (F)
Wine heater, an optional part of cognac still. Used to heat the wine before it enters the pot still.
Chiaretto (I)
Light or pale rosé.
Classic (G)
A german category for dry quality wines
Classico (I)
The original centre of a DOC region, making the most typical wines.
Clay
An extremely fine-grained soil type that often retain large amounts of water, which keep the soil cool and in extreme cases may drown the vine roots.
Climat (F)
A vineyard site
Clonal selection
Selection and prpagation of plants from a particular variety with specific desirable features that may include early ripening, good fruit, high or low yields and resistance to diseases.
Clone
One of a population of plants that are the descendants of a single individual and have features identical to the parent plant.
Clos (F)
Historically a Walled vineyard, though the walls may no longer exist.
Col de cygne (F)
Swans neck, the part of a cognac still that transports the vapours from the pot to the condenser
Colheita (P)
Harvest
Commune
A small wine-growing region, usually surrounding one village
Compte (F)
Age classification system used in cognac and armagnac, starting with compte 00 for freshly distilled spirit
Congeners
Organic compounds giving flavouring and aromas in alcoholic beverages. Products of the fermentation, distillation and maturing processes, they include such compounds as ketones, esters and aldehydes.
Consorzio (I)
Producers trade association, whose members wine are identifiec by an individually designed neck-label
Continentality
The difference between summer and winter temperatures
Co-operative cellar
Winemaking (and sometimes bottling and marketing) facilities that are jointly owned by a numer of growers
Cordon
Horizontal extenstion of a vine trunk
Côte (F)
Hillside
Côteau(x) (F)
Slope(s)
Courbe de fermentation
Record of temperatur and density of a particular vat of must or wine during fermentation, plotted as a graph, used by the winemaker to monitor the wine’s progress.
Crianza (S)
A labelling term for a spanish wine that has satisfied certain minimum requirements for ageing in cask and bottle (min 24 months of which 6 months in small oak barrels, for white and rosé must be aged for min 18 months with no min oak)
Crossing
Breeding of new vine varieties by cross-pollination of 2 different varieties of the same species. For wine production, this is usually 2 varieties of Vitis vinifera.
Cru (F)
A single “growth”, generally of quality, it might be a village or a vineyard
Cru Artisan (F)
A rank of bodeaux châteaux, below cru Bourgeois
Cru bourgeois (F)
A rank of bordeaux châteaux below cru classé
Cru classé (F)
A classified growth, normally in bordeaux.
Cryp-extraction
A means of concentrating the sugar in a must. The must is chilled until ice crystals form, which can be easily removed. This replicates the conditions needed to make eiswein.
Cuve (F)
Vat or tank
Cuve close (F)
Tank method (closed tank?)
Cuvée (F)
- The juice resulting from the first pressing in champagne
2. A blend.
D.E. (Diatomaceous earth)
Aka. Kieselghur, a sedimentary rock that can be reduced to a very fine powder and used for filtering wine.
Débuttage (F)
Removing protective earth that has been placed around the base of the vine during buttage
Dégorgement (F)
Removal of sediment from a bottle in traditional method sparkling wine production
Dégorgement tardive (F)
A champagne that has been disgorged after an exceptionally long period of yeast autolysis or ageing sur pointe
Degree-day
A method calssifying climate zones based on the sum of the average daily temperatures above 10C (the temperature at which the vine starts to grow) during the growing season
Demi-sec (F)
Medium dry
Density of planting
The number of vine plants per area of land, usually expressed as vines per hectare, and will varry fron 3000 to 10 000 or more per hectare. Factors affecting the density include soilfertility, availaility of water, start up costs and whether harvesting will be mechanised or not. The density does not directly equate to the quality potential of the vineyard.
Département (F)
One of the adminisstrative subdivisions of france, there are 100 in total
Diurnal range
The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. A wide diurnal range encourages the retention of fruit aromas and acid, warm nights encourage sugar build up.
Doce (P)
Sweet
Dolce (S)
Sweet
Domaine (F)
Estate
Dosage (F)
Adjustments of the sugarlevel in sparkjling wines by the addition of liqueur d’expedition after degorgement
Doux (F)
Sweet
Downy mildew
A fungus appearing as downy patches on the vine leaves, reducing photosyntesis, also called peronospara
Dulce (S)
Sweet
Eau-de-vie (F)
Spirit distilled to a maximum of 96% abv. Aka : water of life
Edelfäule (G)
Noble rot
Edes (H)
Sweet
Einzellage (G)
Individual vineyard
Eiswein (G)
A prädikat sweet wine made from grapes that have frozen on the vine. The froxen grapes are pressed and the ice removed, concentrationg the must.
Elaborado (por) (S)
Produced by
Elevé en fúts de Chêne (F)
Aged in oak barrels
Embotellado (por) (S)
Bottled by
En primeur (F)
Wines, especially from bordeaux, that are sold before they are bottled
Erste lage (G)
The top vineyardsas classified by the premier german growers association Verband deutscher prädikatsweingüter (VDP
Erstes gewächs (G)
Dry wines from erste lage that would otherwise be labelled grosses gewächs. The term has persisted for complex legal reasons
Erzeugerabfülliung (G)
Estate-bottled
Estate
A producer who makes wine from grapes grown on their property only
Estufagem (P)
Heating process used in the production of madeira, to accelerate the wines development and maturation.
Ethanol
A type of alcohol boils at 78.4 C
Extra-sec (F)
Off-dry used in relation to sparkling wine
Fattoria (I)
Estate
Federspiel (G)
In Wachau, a category lying in between stenfeder and smaragd
Feinherb (G)
A legally undefined labelling term that has been recently revieved and used as an alternative to halbtrocken
Feints
The tails. A term pricipally used in the production of malt whisnky
Fermentation
A chemical reaction broought about by the action of yeast or bacteria. In wine production the most important are the alcoholic fermentation and the malolactic fermentation
Fermentazione naturale (I)
A naturally produced sparkle in wine
Filtration
The process of physically removing particles from a wine. There are different grades of filters that can remove particles ranging in size from large grape fragments to individual yeast cells.
Fining
Removal of matter in suspension in a wine by the addition of a fining agent such as bentonite which acts as a coagulant. Occasionally animal products are used, making wines unsuitable for vegetarians, although none of the fining agent reamins in the wine
Fixed acidity
The acidity in wine detectable only on the palare, cf. Volatile acidity, principally composed of tartaric, malic and lactic acids
Flor (S)
Yeast growth that forms particularly on the surface of Fino and Manzanilla sherries during maturation, giving them a distinctive taste and protecting them from oxidation
Foreshots
The heads, a term principally used in the production of malt whisky
Fractions
During distillation a wash can be separated into any number of different part or fractions as the constituent parts boil at different temperatures. A pot still can be used to separate liquid into 3 fractions (Heads, hearts, tails) a rectifier can separate a liquid into a larger number of precisley-separated fractions
Frizzante (I)
Slightly sparkling
Fusel oils
Unpleasant tastint and potentially toxic by-products of distillation, containing long-chain hydrocarbons, removed as a part of the tails
Garrafeira (P)
A superior wine with additional ageing
Gemeind (G)
A commune
GI or geographical indication
Has a quality, reputation or other characteristics that can be determined by where it comes from. Appear on labels as place names or words associated with a a place (chianti f.e.x.) eu adopted this system in 2009 when it abolished qwpsr and tablewine
Gönc (H)
Traditional cask, used in hungary for ageing tokaji
Governo (I)
Vinification teqnique, occasionally used in the production of chianti, in which a small quantity of semi-dried grapes or concentrated must is added to the wine after fermentation to induce a slight secondary fermentation, increasing the glycerine content of the wine
Graft
The union of a small piece of one plans, including bud (the scion) on to a supporting rootstock in viticulture the most important use is the Vitis vinifera scion on to a rootstock from american vine species, which is thus tollerant from phylloxera
Grain whisky
A scottish whisky that is made from both malt and other grains
Grainss nobles (F)
Botrytisaffected grapes, a term seen on winesfrom alsace, but the phrase may occasionally be seen on wines fron other regions such as condrieu, mâcon and coteaux du Layon
Gran reserva (S)
A labelling term for a spanish wine that has been min. 0 months, including at least 18 months in small oak barrels. Whites and roses must be aged for 48 months to include 6 months in small oak barrells, these wines are only produced in exceptional vintages.
Granvas (S)
Tank fermented sparkling wine
Green malt
Grains of barley that have been soaked and have then started to germinate, modifying the starch into a soluble form that enzymes can break down into a fermentable sugars. When dried in a kiln, green malt becomes malt
Grey rot
Malevolent form of botrytis cinerea affecting unripe berries och black grapes, causing off-flavours and lack of colour.
Grist
Ground grains, such as barley
Grosses gewächs (G)
A proprietary labelling term of the premier german growers association Verband Deutscher prädikatsgeingüter (VDP. A dry wine made from a members vineyard that has been classified Erste Lage
Grosslage (G)
A group of adjoining vineyards. Not to be confused with einzellage
Grub up
Digging and removing a vine
Gyropalette (F)
Hydraulically operated, computer controlled racks for mechanical remuage
Habillage (F)
The dressing (foil etc) that a bottle of sparkling wine receives before it is dispatched fron the winery
Halbtrocken (G)
Medium-dry
Head grafting
A process that allows an established vineyard of one variety to be grafted over another, more profitable variety, without having to grup up and replant.
Heads
The first fraction to be collected during pot still distillation containing, in addition to ethanol, volatile and potentially toxic levels of compounds such as methanol. This fraction is not suitable for human consumption.
Hearts
The second fractionto be collected during pot still distillation. This fraction is suitable for human consumption
Hybrid
A vine variety resutling from the cross pollination of two vines of different species. In moders viticulture hybrids are used as rootstock. Sometimes referred to as interspecific crossing
Icewine
Eiswein
Imbottigliato all’origine (I)
Estate-bottled
Invecchiato (I)
Aged
Irrigation
The supply of water to the vine by means of artificial canals, flooding, overhead sprays or drip systems on individual vines.
Kabinett (G)
A prädikat category, indicating wine made without chaptalisation from grapes that fall within a specific range of must weightsq
Kieselguht
Diatomaceous earth
Lagar (P) (S)
Throught, generally made of stone or concrete, use for treading grapes. Superseded in most regions by more modern methods, but still occasionally used in Douro. Medrn automated versions have been developed called robotic lagars
Lees
The sediment of dead yeastcells that gathers at the bottom of the tank/cask once fermentation is compleated
Lees stirring
A process of mixing lees with the wine, usually in cask to help extract components that will give the wine extra flavour and body.
Lieu dit (F)
A named vineyar site that is not premier or grand cru
Limestone
A sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate. Its drainage and water-retention properties make it particularly suited for viticultur. The calcium content inhibits the uptake of acid-neutralising potassium, thereby helping grapes retain their acid.
Liqueur d’expédition (F)
Mix of wine and sugar used to make the final adjustment to the sweetness of sparkling wine prior to corking (dosage).
Liqueur de tirage (F)
Mixture of wine, sugar and yeast added to still wine to promote a secondary fermentation in sparkling wine production.
Liquoreux (F)
Very sweet, especially botrytis-affected wines.
Liquoroso (I)
Strong, often fortified wine.
Loess
Literally “loose”. A very fine, wind-blown deposit ofsilt, or sand and silt. Like clay soils, they have a high capacity of retaining water.
Low wines
The water-white liquid with an alcoholic content of around 30% abv. Which is the output from the first distillation in the production of maltwhisky, see brouillis.
Lutte raisonée (F)
A form of viticulture that, although not organic, attempts to avoid unnecessary systematic use of synthetic chemicals.
Maceration
Period of time when the skins are in contact with the fermenting must during red wine vinification.
Malolactic fermentation (MLF)
Conversion of harsh malic acid into softer lactic acid by the action of lactic acid bacteria.
Malt
Barley that has undergone the mallting process of soaking, germination and kilning to modify the insoluble starch present in the original grain into soluble starch.
Malt whisky
A double distilled scottish whisky that is made using only malt
Manipulant (F)
A grape-grower who also makes wine, especially in champage
Marc (F)
- Pomace, the residue of skins, pips and stalks left in a press after the extraxtion of juice or wine
- The distillate that is made from pomace
- The name given to one charge of a traditional vertical press, especially in champagne
Mas (f)
Vineyard
Mash bill
The mix of grains used to make a whisky
Maso, masseria (i)
Estate
Merchant
- A company that buys grapes, must or finished wine for either vinification, maturation and blending before sale.
- A wine dealer
Mesoclimate
Site climate
Metodo charmant (I)
Tank metod (sparkling wine)
Metodo classico (I)
Traditional method (sparkling wine)
Metodo tradizionale (I)
Traditional method (sparkling wine)
Micro-climate
- The climate within the canopy of the vine
2. Used informally to refer to the site climate or mesoclimate
Millésime (F)
Vintage date
Mise en bouteille (par) (F)
Bottled by
Mise en bouteille au château/domaine..
Château/domaine bottled
Mistelle, mistela (F) (S)
A mixture of unfermented grapejuice and alcohol.
Moelleux (F)
Medium sweet
Monopole (F)
A vineyard, especially in Burgundy, with a single owner
Mosto cotto (I)
Reduced, concentrated grape must, used as a sweetening agent
Mousseux (F)
Sparkling
Muffa nobile (I)
Noble rot
Must
Unfermented grape juice destined to becoma a wine
Must enrichment
The addition of sugar or rectified concentrated grape must (RCGM) to grape juice PRIOR fermentation to increase the final alcoholic content of the wine. Strict controls
Must weight
Density, or specific gravity, of grapejuice prior to fermentation. Measurment of the must weight enables the winemaker to estimate the alcoholic content of the wine.
Négociant (F)
Merchant
Noble rot
Benevolent form of botrytis cinerea that concentrates the sugars of ripe grapes, facilitating the production of the finest sweet wines.
Non-filtré (F)
Unfiltered
Oechsle
German scale for measuring must weight
Oidium
Powdery mildew
Organic
A wine made from organically farmed grapes; that is one where synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilisers have not been used.
Overproof
Most commonly used of rum. Any spirit that is higher in alcohol than proof spirit
Passérillée (F)
Grapes that have begun to shrivel on the vine, resulting in a concentration of sugars
Passito (I)
A swwet wine made from partially dried grapes, usually high in alcohol
PDO or Protected Designition of Origin
A labelling term introduced in 2009 with the abolition of (QWPSR) which indicates that an eu wine has the higher grade of GI (see PGI)
Peronospora
Downy mildew
Pétillant (F)
Lightly sparkling
Petit château (F)
In bordeaux one of many château brans that fall outside the classifications
PGI or Protected geographical indication
A labelling term introduced in 2009 with the abolition of Table Wine with a GI which indicates that an EU wine has the lower grade of GI (se pdo)
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants convert carbon dioxide and water to sugar by using light energy absorbed by the green chlorophyll in the leaves
Phylloxera
The most serious insect pest of the vine. It feeds on its roots which in case of V. Vinifera results in death. There is no known way of eradicting the pest, but its effect can be stopped by grafting the V. Vinifera scion on to rootstock bred from american cine species
Pipe
Traditional cask used in the douro for port production
Podere (I)
A small estate
Pot still
A vessel usually made from copper, that can be used for destillation. A wash needs to be distilled twice in a pot still to crate a useable spirit. Ultimately a pot still can only be used to separate a liquid into 3 fractions; heads, hearts and tails.
Pourriture noble (F)
Noble rot
Powdery mildew
Fungus that attacks the vine, initially apperaing as floury white dust on the leaves and grapes, eventually causing the grapes to split. Also know as oidium
Prädikat (G)
The various subcategories of german and austrian PDO wines. Kabinett, auslese, beerenauslese, trockenbeerenauslese, eiswein (austria excludes kabinett but adds ausbruch)
Primary aromas
Aromas ina wine that arise directly from the fruit (not indicating maturity)
Produttore (I)
Producer
Proof
Of spirits, 57,1 % abv (UK), 50% abv (usa) also in USA as a measure of alcoholic strength. US degrees proof is double %abv
Propriétaire (F)
Owner
Pruning
Removal of unwanted parts on the vine, mostly wood that is 1 year old or less. In order to regulate the yields and control the vines shape. The main pruning, hand/machine takes place during the vines dormant period in the winter.
Pupitre (F)
Rack consisting of 2 hinged boards through which holes have been bored to hold the necks of sparkling wine bottles during remuage
Puttonyos (H)
Measure of sweetnes in tokaji wine
Quinta (P)
Farm or estate
QWPSR
Quality wine produced in a specified region. An EU wine category that reformed in 2009
Racking
Drawing off clear wine from a cask or a vat and movingit to another, leaving the sediment behind.
Raisin (F)
Grape
Recioto (I)
Similar to passito made with part-dried grapes
Récoltant (F)
Someone who haversts their own grapes
Récolte (F)
The harvest
Rectifier
The second column of a coffey or patent still, in which the alcohol rich vapour from the analyser is seperated into fractions. This is achieved through a number of mini distillations that occur between the perforated plates that segment the rectifier. Some can produce alcohol very high in ethanol
Refractometer
Hand-held instrument consisting of a prism and a series of lenses used for gauging the must weight of grape juice to asses the sugar ripeness to the fruit.
Remuage (F)
Riddling, moving the sediment o the neck of the bottle prior degorgement in traditional method, sparkling wine production
Reserva (S)
A labelling term for spanish wines, generally from selected vats of the better vintages. Min 36 moths - including min 12 months in small oak barrels. White and rosé must be aged for min 8 months, including 6 months in small oak barrels
Reserve
May indicate superior quality wine or wines that have seen a period of ageing. No legal meaning
Residual sugar
Unfurmented sugar remaining in the wine after bottling (even in dry)
Reverse osmosis (R.O)
E technique used to remove water from grape must or remove alcohol from wine. If 2 liquids of different concentration are separated by a semi-permeable membrane they will try and reach equilibrium.
Rich (F)
Sweet, used in relation to sparkling wine.
Riserva (I)
A labelling term usually denoting a wine with a higher abv that has undergone an extended period of aging
Rosado (S)
Rosé
Rosato (I)
Rosé
Rosso (I)
Red
Rouge (F)
Red
Scion
Section of plant material grafted on to a rootstock
Sec (F)
Dry
Secco (I)
Dry
Seco (P) (S)
Dry
Secondary aromas
Aromas that arise from the winemaking
Selection (G)
A german category for qualtiy dry wines frim single vineyard sites
Sélection de grains nobles (F)
A labelling term that can only be used in alsace, it refers to sweet wines that are made from heavily botrytised grapes
Semisecco (I)
Medium dry
Semi-seco (S)
Medium dry
Single
A whisky from a single distillery. In scotland it can be used in association with either malt or grainwhisky
Site climate
The climate of a plot of vines, perhaps a vineyard or part of one
Smaragd (G)
Wachau, rich fullbodied dry wines from late havested grapes
Solera
System of fractional blending used in sherry making. Wherein older wine is refreshed by the addition of younger wine
Spätlese (G)
A prädikat wine category, indicating wine made without chaptalisation
Spumante (I)
Sparkling wine made by any method
Spur
One year old wood pruned short to retain only 2 or 3 buds
Steinfeder (G)
Wachau, the lightest bodied of dry wines
Straight whiskey
USA, a whiskey made from at least 51% of one grain. Distilled to no more than 80% abv and aged for min. 2 years in new oak casks
Stravecchio (I)
Very old, particulary marsala and spirits
Strohwein or schillwein
sweet wine made from grapes that have ben dried on straw or reed mats
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Highly reactive and pungent gas used as anti-oxidant and antiseptic.
Super second
Bordeaux chhâteaux that were second (or third) growths in 1855 class. Sometimes produce wines that rival the 1st growth for quality.
Supérieur (F)
Indicates higher degree of alcohol
Superiore (I)
Superior, for PDO wines this usually means that it came from the bet vineyards within the region, had been aged longer or had higher degree of alcohol
Sur lie (F)
A wine that is ages on it lees
Sur pointe (F)
Ageing of a bottle of sparkling wine, neck down, after yeast autolysis is complete, but before dégorgement
Süss (G)
Sweet
Süssreserve (G)
Unfermented, sterile grape must added to a dry wine prior botttling to increase sweetness and balance excess acidity.
Systemic fungicides
Chemicals uwsed to combat fungal diseases of the vine by being absorbed into its tissues, rather tan remaining on the surface
Szamorodni (H)
“As it comes”. Wie made fron grapes that have not been sorted according to ttheir degree of botrytis.
Száraz (H)
Dry
Table wine
- Old wine category in eu today reffering to just “wine”
- In USA, a wine with less than 14% abv. (Wine higher in abv is legally classified as dessertwine)
- A non-legal term for wine that is not fortified or sparkling.
Table wine with GI
A category of eu wine that was abolished in 2009, most wines became PGI
Tafelwein (G)
German for tabel wine
Taille (F)
- Pruning
2. The juice resulting from second pressing of grapes in champagne
Tails
The 3d fraction collected during pot still distillation, containing ethanol and a number of less volatile compounds, many of which are toxic. (Not suitable for selling)
Tank method
Sparkling wine production process in which the secondary fermentation takes place under pressure in a sealed tank, aka charmant method or cuve close
Tannin
Chemical compound present in the skins, stalks and pips of grapes that is extracted during red wine vinification. Tannin is detected as a drying sensation on the gums and gives structure to a wine as well as acting as a preservative
Tartaric acid
The acid responsible for most of a wines acidity. Detectable only on the palate. May be added to wines lacking acidity in warm vineyard regions
Tenuta (I)
Estate
Terroir (F)
A sense of place expressed in a wine, which may include the effects of a climate, site climate, soils, aspect, slope, and even local grape varieties, yeast cultures and winemaking practices
Tertiary aromas
Aromas in a wine that are due to the effects of ageing
Tinto (R) (S)
Red
Tonneau (F)
900 L, used in bordeaux trade = 100 cases of 12 75cl bottles of wine
Traditional method
The method of making bottle fermented sparkling wine that was developed in champagne. The wine is sold in the same bottle in which the secondary fermentation took place
Transfer method
Anadaption of the traditional method, after a second fermentation the wine is disgorged to a pressurised tank where the yeast is removed prior the wine being rebottled in a different bottle
Trellis
Any man made system of support to the vine. Usually consisting posts and wires
Tri (pltries) (F)
A process of hand harvesting where the pickers pass through the vineyard several times to pick specific individual grapes. Most commonly used in sweet wine production with botrytis
Triage (F)
Process of sorting grapes according to quality before winemaking
Trocken (G)
Dry
Trockenbeerenauslese (G)
A prädikat wine made from individually selected grapes infectes with noble rot and are lusciosly seet
Uva (I)
Grape
Uvaggio (I)
Blend of grapes
Vacuum distillation
A means of removing water from a must without destroying flavours. Liquids boil at lower temperatures when the pressure is reduced. A must boild in a vacuum at about 25-30 C this means water can be removed with less damage to aromas and flavours.
Vara y pulgar (S)
A system of vine cane pruning used in Jerez
Vecchio (I)
Old. For DOC wines there are controls as to how this word may be used.
Vendange (F)
The harvest
Vendangé á la main (F)
Hand-harvested
Vendaage tardive VT
Late harvest, (according to WSET can only be used in alsace?)
Vendemmia (I)
Vintage
Vendimia (S)
Vintage
Véraison (F)
The moment when the grape begins to change colour
Vieilles Vignes (F)
Old vines, not legally defined
Viejo (S)
Old
Vigna, vigneto (I)
Vineyard
Vignoble (F)
Vineyard
vin (F)
Wine
Vin de paille (F)
Wine made from dried grapes
Vin de Rébeche (F)
Any juice remaining in the grapes after extraction of the taille in champagne, it mus be distilled an cannot be made into wine
Vin de Table (F)
French for table wine
Viña (S)
Vineyard
Vine7grape variety
One of a number of recognisable members of a particular vine species. They may result from a natural mutation or deliberate crossing
Vine species
Any of the members of the genus vitis most wine is made from v. Vinifera grafted onto rootstocks from v. Rupestis or v. Riparia
Vinha (P)
A plot of vines
Vinho (P)
Wine
Vinification
Winemaking
Vino (S) (I)
Wine
Vino de mesa (S)
Spanish for table wine
Vino de tavola (I)
Italian for table wine
Vino generoso (S)
Fortified wine
Vino novello (I)
New wine, bottled shortly after harvest
Viticoltore (I)
Grower
Vigniaiolo (I)
Grower
Viticulture
Grape growing
Vitigno (I)
Grape variety in italian
Vivace (I)
“Lively” slightly sparkling
Volatile acidity (V.A.)
Acid that is detectable on the nose ant the palate. The most important one in wine is acetic acid. High levels of VA is normally seen as faulty
Wash
Any alcoholic liquid resulting from the fermentation of a wort which is destined to be distilled
Winzergenossenschaft (G)
Co operative cellar
Wort
The sweet sugar solution that is created by the enzymatic conversion of a soluble starch that is extracted from malt into sugar
Yeast
Generic term for a number of single-celled micro-organism which, under anaerobic conditions are able to convert sugar into alcohol. The most important is saxxharomyces cerevisiae
Yeast autolysis
Breakdoen of dead yeast cells after the secondary fermentation in sparkling wine production. Among other things, it gives wine a yeasty, bicuity nose.
