R

Question 1

Reductive

Answer 1

Refers to winemaking practices that reduce a wine’s exposure to oxygen, such as the use of stainless steel tanks and inert gases to minimize contact with air. This is done to maximize a wine’s fresh fruit flavors. However, in some cases it can result in “reduced” aromas, considered a flaw.

Question 2

Refractometer

Answer 2

A handheld instrument that gauges grapes’ ripeness by measuring the ratio of sugar and other solids in the grape juice. Used extensively during harvest by grapegrowers.

Question 3

Rehoboam

Answer 3

Oversized bottle equivalent to 4.5 liters or six regular bottles.

Question 4

Remontage

Answer 4

French term for pump-over.

Question 5

Reserva

Answer 5

A quality classification in Spain. Red reservas must be aged at least three years, with a minimum of one year in oak.

Question 6

Reserve

Answer 6

An unregulated term on U.S. wine labels; sometimes indicates the best wine of the lot, sometimes over-zealous marketing.

Question 7

Residual Sugar

Answer 7

Unfermented grape sugar in a finished wine.

Question 8

Resveratrol Passages

Answer 8

The retronasal passages are the airways that connect the nose and the mouth. Also home to a dime-sized patch of nerve endings called the olfactory epithelium. As we inhale through our nose or mouth, this little patch captures airborne aromas and flavors as they pass by, helping us identify thousands of unique aromas.

Question 9

Rich

Answer 9

Describes wines with generous, full, pleasant flavors, usually sweet and round in nature. In dry wines, richness may be supplied by high alcohol and glycerin, by complex flavors and by an oaky vanilla character. Decidedly sweet wines are also described as rich when the sweetness is backed up by fruity, ripe flavors.

Question 10

Riddling

Answer 10

In making sparkling wine, the process of moving the sediment remaining in the bottle from the second fermentation to rest on the cap for easy removal. The process of riddling is unique to méthode traditionelle and was developed by Madame Clicquot (Veuve Clicquot) in the early 1800s to remove the cloudy lees from the bottles. The bottles are loaded in a horizontal position onto wooden racks called pupitres. At this point, the sediment rests on the side of the bottle. As the bottles are riddled, or given a sharp quarter-turn daily and gradually tilted upside-down, the sediment works its way to the bottle neck. Today, most producers use efficient mechanical riddlers.

Question 11

Rim

Answer 11

Where the wine meets the edge of the glass, useful in describing color variation in a wine.

Question 12

Ripasso

Answer 12

Italian term for a process in which dried grapes or leftover grapeskins (pomace) are added to a fermented wine for a period of maceration to increase its intensity, flavor, alcohol and color. This method is used to make some wines from Valpolicella, using the leftovers from the area’s Recioto or Amarone wines, made from raisinated grapes dried on mats in the appassimento process.

Question 13

Ripe

Answer 13

The stage at which the grapes’ many components have reached maturity. As a grape ripens, sugar content increases and acidity decreases. Flavor compounds develop and the stems turn from green to brown, indicating that the tannins in the stems, seeds and skins are softening.

Question 14

Riserva

Answer 14

Italian term indicating that the wine has been aged for an extra period of time prior to release.

Question 15

Robust

Answer 15

Describes a wine that is full-bodied, intense and vigorous; can be a bit overblown.

Question 16

Rootstock

Answer 16

Disease-resistant native American grapevine grown specifically to provide a root system on which to graft Vitis vinifera varieties. Most of the world takes these measures to prevent attacks of phylloxera.

Question 17

Rosé

Answer 17

Rosés, also known as blush wines, range in color from muted salmon-orange to bright pink. These wines are made from red grapes, colored through limited skin contact or, in rare cases, the addition of small quantities of red wine.

Question 18

Rough

Answer 18

Describes the drying, gritty or furry mouthfeel associated with higher levels of tannins and coarse tannins.

Question 19

Round

Answer 19

Describes a texture that is smooth, not coarse or tannic.

Question 20

Rustic

Answer 20

Describes wines made by old-fashioned methods or tasting like wines made in an earlier era. Can be a positive quality in distinctive wines that require aging. Can also be a negative quality when used to describe a young, earthy wine that should be fresh and fruity.