Acetic - A not-so-good description for wine with vinegar smells and flavors. This is usually the result of a bacteria called acetobacter, which converts wine to vinegar via acetic acid.
Acid - Acidity helps wine age and provides some good qualities to a well-balanced wine. Lack of acidity can make a wine flat tasting; too much acid taste sharp or bitter.
Aeration - Intentionally exposing wine to oxygen to soften it. This takes place during winemaking and in the pouring of wine into a decanter or swirling it in a glass. Usually good for young wines that may be high in tannins.
Appearance - A category by which wine can be judged during an evaluation. This includes checking for color and clarity.
Appellation - Basically a very specific growing area. These are usually defined by regulations enforced by a local or national group. See AVA below for an example of how this works.
Aroma - Broad term for the smell of the wine. This includes bouquet.
AVA - American Viticultural Area. A grape-growing region distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries of which have beenrecognized and defined.
Aromatic - A descriptive indicating wine has good aroma.
Astringent - a negative desciption of mouthfeel of a wine with lots of tannins. A dry feeling on the tongue especially.
Aytolysis - the decomposition of used yeast cells by enzymes the contain. Wine left on the Lees is in ocntact with these spent cells and as the cells break down they add an extra dimension of flavor and complexit to the wine.
Acid - Acidity helps wine age and provides some good qualities to a well-balanced wine. Lack of acidity can make a wine flat tasting; too much acid taste sharp or bitter.
Aeration - Intentionally exposing wine to oxygen to soften it. This takes place during winemaking and in the pouring of wine into a decanter or swirling it in a glass. Usually good for young wines that may be high in tannins.
Appearance - A category by which wine can be judged during an evaluation. This includes checking for color and clarity.
Appellation - Basically a very specific growing area. These are usually defined by regulations enforced by a local or national group. See AVA below for an example of how this works.
Aroma - Broad term for the smell of the wine. This includes bouquet.
AVA - American Viticultural Area. A grape-growing region distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries of which have beenrecognized and defined.
Aromatic - A descriptive indicating wine has good aroma.
Astringent - a negative desciption of mouthfeel of a wine with lots of tannins. A dry feeling on the tongue especially.
Aytolysis - the decomposition of used yeast cells by enzymes the contain. Wine left on the Lees is in ocntact with these spent cells and as the cells break down they add an extra dimension of flavor and complexit to the wine.
A list of terms, jargon and scientific words and their meanings as they relate to wine.
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Baked - A negative term describing overripeness with a caramel-like flavor or even burnt taste.
Balance - Balanced wine has the right amounts of acid, alcohol, fruit, tannin and aroma. No one aspect should stand out far beyond the others.
Barrel-Fermented - Wine that is fermented in small oak barrels instead of large vats.
Big - Descriptive that sometimes means a wine is very full-flavored but sometimes can mean a wine high in tannins and alcohol.
Black fruits - term used in describing aroma and flavors of black cherry, currants, blackberries, blueberries, raisins, etc...
Bodega - Spanish Winery
Body - The impression of the weight and feel of the wine in your mouth. This is usually described as light, medium or full.
Botrytis Cinerea - A fungus known as Noble Rot. Mold that uses up the moisture in the grape concentrating the sugars and changing the flavors.
Bouquet - Aromas that come about after some maturation of the wine, more complex than simple aromas.
Briary - Description of a briar patch - peppery taste in a wine.
Bright - Term usually used to indicate a wine that has good acidity and vivid, clean flavors.
Brix - Measure of sugar content of grapes before harvest.
Brut - French term for dry to very dry Champagne.
Balance - Balanced wine has the right amounts of acid, alcohol, fruit, tannin and aroma. No one aspect should stand out far beyond the others.
Barrel-Fermented - Wine that is fermented in small oak barrels instead of large vats.
Big - Descriptive that sometimes means a wine is very full-flavored but sometimes can mean a wine high in tannins and alcohol.
Black fruits - term used in describing aroma and flavors of black cherry, currants, blackberries, blueberries, raisins, etc...
Bodega - Spanish Winery
Body - The impression of the weight and feel of the wine in your mouth. This is usually described as light, medium or full.
Botrytis Cinerea - A fungus known as Noble Rot. Mold that uses up the moisture in the grape concentrating the sugars and changing the flavors.
Bouquet - Aromas that come about after some maturation of the wine, more complex than simple aromas.
Briary - Description of a briar patch - peppery taste in a wine.
Bright - Term usually used to indicate a wine that has good acidity and vivid, clean flavors.
Brix - Measure of sugar content of grapes before harvest.
Brut - French term for dry to very dry Champagne.
Cap - Layer of grape skins, pulp, stems and seeds that floats on top of the juice during red wine fermentation.
Capsule - the foil over the cork on a new bottle of wine.
Carbonic Maceration - Fermentation method in which uncrushed grapes are packed into a closed tank. The weight of the grape bunches on top crush the bottom and the juice begins to ferment in a natural way. Fermentation begins inside the whole grapes at the top of the pile. This leads to softer, juicier wines and is used with Beaujolais.
Chaptalization - Addition of sugars to wine must before or during fermentation to increase sugar content and potential alcohol levels.
Chewy - Term for a full-bodied wine (mouthfeel).
Closed or Closed-in - term for a wine that seems to not have reached its full potential yet. These wines usually need more time in the bottle.
Cloying - Describes a wine that is overly sweet.
Coarse - a wine that seems unrefined and harsh.
Cold Fermentation - Preserves the wines more fruity notes and usually used for lighter bodied wines and white wine. Takes place in a tank with temperature control.
Cold Stabilization - Tartrate crystals and protein are precipitated out of wine by quickly chilling it. Mostly keeps wine from becoming cloudy later on.
Complex - All the best wine is complex and contain multiple nuances and characteristics that work together to create a whole that is well-balanced.
Corked - A term that describes a wine with wet-dog smell or wet-cardboard odors. This is due to a bacteria that sometimes comes in contact with the cork before it is inserted or may be present in the bottle before it is filled.
Capsule - the foil over the cork on a new bottle of wine.
Carbonic Maceration - Fermentation method in which uncrushed grapes are packed into a closed tank. The weight of the grape bunches on top crush the bottom and the juice begins to ferment in a natural way. Fermentation begins inside the whole grapes at the top of the pile. This leads to softer, juicier wines and is used with Beaujolais.
Chaptalization - Addition of sugars to wine must before or during fermentation to increase sugar content and potential alcohol levels.
Chewy - Term for a full-bodied wine (mouthfeel).
Closed or Closed-in - term for a wine that seems to not have reached its full potential yet. These wines usually need more time in the bottle.
Cloying - Describes a wine that is overly sweet.
Coarse - a wine that seems unrefined and harsh.
Cold Fermentation - Preserves the wines more fruity notes and usually used for lighter bodied wines and white wine. Takes place in a tank with temperature control.
Cold Stabilization - Tartrate crystals and protein are precipitated out of wine by quickly chilling it. Mostly keeps wine from becoming cloudy later on.
Complex - All the best wine is complex and contain multiple nuances and characteristics that work together to create a whole that is well-balanced.
Corked - A term that describes a wine with wet-dog smell or wet-cardboard odors. This is due to a bacteria that sometimes comes in contact with the cork before it is inserted or may be present in the bottle before it is filled.
Decant - Pouring of an older wine into another vessel to remove sediments, or rather to leave sediments in the bottle. For a younger wine the purpose is aeration.
Demi-Sec - Half dry Champagne that is moderately sweet.
Depth - Wine description for one that tastes deep and intense.
Dirty - a wine with flavors and odors that seem like they don't belong.
Disgorging (dégorgement) - Process of removing yeast sediments from the bottle after the second fermentation in Champagne.
Dry - Describes any wine that does not contain more than about .2 percent of residual sugars.
Dumb - A term for wines that have temporarily lost their flavor. Usually a white wine served too cold or a red wine that is at an awkward stage of development refered to as adolescence.
Demi-Sec - Half dry Champagne that is moderately sweet.
Depth - Wine description for one that tastes deep and intense.
Dirty - a wine with flavors and odors that seem like they don't belong.
Disgorging (dégorgement) - Process of removing yeast sediments from the bottle after the second fermentation in Champagne.
Dry - Describes any wine that does not contain more than about .2 percent of residual sugars.
Dumb - A term for wines that have temporarily lost their flavor. Usually a white wine served too cold or a red wine that is at an awkward stage of development refered to as adolescence.
Earthy - Wine with scents and flavors that remind one of the earth. Flavors that remind you of soil or mushrooms and moss.
Enology - The study of winemaking. Viticulture is the study of grape growing.
Extra Dry - Champagne or sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. See the wine pages for a list of these terms.
Enology - The study of winemaking. Viticulture is the study of grape growing.
Extra Dry - Champagne or sparkling wine that is slightly sweet. See the wine pages for a list of these terms.
Fat - Describes a wine that is full-bodied and well balanced. Wine without balance that may be full-bodied would be Flabby.
Finesse - Yet another descriptive for wine tasting, this means that the wine is elegant and sophisticated.
Fining - Process of clarifying wine. See the Wine page for details on winemaking.
Finish - Impression the wine leaves in your mouth after you've swallowed. You may have no finish at all or a very long finish.
Fortified - Wine like Sherry or Port that has had alcohol content increased by addition of grape spirits.
Finesse - Yet another descriptive for wine tasting, this means that the wine is elegant and sophisticated.
Fining - Process of clarifying wine. See the Wine page for details on winemaking.
Finish - Impression the wine leaves in your mouth after you've swallowed. You may have no finish at all or a very long finish.
Fortified - Wine like Sherry or Port that has had alcohol content increased by addition of grape spirits.
Grassy - A description of wine that has aroma or flavor of fresh-cut lawn, fields and hay. There is usually a vegetal or green tone to the wine. This can be positive or negative depending on the wine and degree of grassiness.
Green - Used to describe the flavors associated with Grassy wines or a taste of underripeness. Some Green can be good as with Sauvignon Blanc.
Gunflint - Another wine description for the metallic or slate-like taste in wines like Sauvignon Blanc.
Herbal - Slightly herbal wine, with suggestive notes of herbs is a good thing. Extremely herbaceous wines can be overwhelming and disliked by many.
Hot - Refers to high alcohol content in a wine.
Jammy - Wines having thick berry aroma or flavor. Thick mouth texture of jam with full-bodied, rip red wines like Zinfandel.
Legs - Streaks of wine that run down the sides of the inside of your wine glass after swirling or sipping.
Light-bodied - Wine that has little weight in the mouth. Typically a white wine.
Malolactic Fermentation - Conversion of acid introduced by beneficial bacteria. Malic acid becomes a softer lactic acid.
Must - Juice and pulp from crushing and pressing grapes before fermentation.
Musty - Dank smell in a wine. Sometimes caused by dirty storage containers or grapes processed while moldy.
Green - Used to describe the flavors associated with Grassy wines or a taste of underripeness. Some Green can be good as with Sauvignon Blanc.
Gunflint - Another wine description for the metallic or slate-like taste in wines like Sauvignon Blanc.
Herbal - Slightly herbal wine, with suggestive notes of herbs is a good thing. Extremely herbaceous wines can be overwhelming and disliked by many.
Hot - Refers to high alcohol content in a wine.
Jammy - Wines having thick berry aroma or flavor. Thick mouth texture of jam with full-bodied, rip red wines like Zinfandel.
Legs - Streaks of wine that run down the sides of the inside of your wine glass after swirling or sipping.
Light-bodied - Wine that has little weight in the mouth. Typically a white wine.
Malolactic Fermentation - Conversion of acid introduced by beneficial bacteria. Malic acid becomes a softer lactic acid.
Must - Juice and pulp from crushing and pressing grapes before fermentation.
Musty - Dank smell in a wine. Sometimes caused by dirty storage containers or grapes processed while moldy.
Nose - the scent and aroma of the wine.
Oaky - Description of a wine with toasty, woody hints and flavors. If the oak dominates then the wine has been over-oaked.
Oenology - Enology
Off-dry - slightly sweet
Phenols - Chemical compounds found in all plants. Present in grape skins, stems and seeds and well as oak barrels. Tannins are a phenol.
Phylloxera - Destructive aphid that attacks vine roots and destroys the vine. The only remedy is to plant vines with native American grape rootstocks grafted to the vinifera vines.
Pomace - Left over grape bits and residue from winemaking. This is distilled in some places to create spirits. Grappa (Italy), Marc (France) and Eau-de-Vie.
Pucker or Puckery - Term for a wine that is very high in tannins and causes your mouth to pucker.
Punt - The indentation on the bottom of the wine bottle. This adds weight and stability the bottle and strengthens the bottom.
Racking - Method of clarifying wine by pumping wine from one tank to another and leaving the sediments at the bottom.
Raisin - Term for wine that tastes like raisins because grapes were most likely overripe when harvested. A little raisin can be good but too much is not desirable.
Residual Sugar - Grape sugars that remain in the wine because it was not converted to alcohol during fermentation.
Riddling (rémuage) - Champagne process where bottles are rotated one by one and tilted a little each day to concentrate the yeast sediment in the neck before disgorging.
Rotten Egg - the description for the odors of a wine with too much sulfide or hydrogen sulfide.
Rough - a wine that seems coarse like a young tannic red wine.
Oaky - Description of a wine with toasty, woody hints and flavors. If the oak dominates then the wine has been over-oaked.
Oenology - Enology
Off-dry - slightly sweet
Phenols - Chemical compounds found in all plants. Present in grape skins, stems and seeds and well as oak barrels. Tannins are a phenol.
Phylloxera - Destructive aphid that attacks vine roots and destroys the vine. The only remedy is to plant vines with native American grape rootstocks grafted to the vinifera vines.
Pomace - Left over grape bits and residue from winemaking. This is distilled in some places to create spirits. Grappa (Italy), Marc (France) and Eau-de-Vie.
Pucker or Puckery - Term for a wine that is very high in tannins and causes your mouth to pucker.
Punt - The indentation on the bottom of the wine bottle. This adds weight and stability the bottle and strengthens the bottom.
Racking - Method of clarifying wine by pumping wine from one tank to another and leaving the sediments at the bottom.
Raisin - Term for wine that tastes like raisins because grapes were most likely overripe when harvested. A little raisin can be good but too much is not desirable.
Residual Sugar - Grape sugars that remain in the wine because it was not converted to alcohol during fermentation.
Riddling (rémuage) - Champagne process where bottles are rotated one by one and tilted a little each day to concentrate the yeast sediment in the neck before disgorging.
Rotten Egg - the description for the odors of a wine with too much sulfide or hydrogen sulfide.
Rough - a wine that seems coarse like a young tannic red wine.
Sec - Dry in French, but means that the wine is medium sweet. See the Wine pages for a list of these terms by sweetness.
Smoky - Some wines get smokiness from the barrel and some are just naturally smoky.
Sommelier - French term for a wine steward or cellar master
Split - small wine bottle of about 6 ounces.
Stemmy - See Green
Tannin - Phenol that gives wine a mouth-puckering quality that usually mellows with age.
Terroir - See the Wine page.
Thin - a wine that lacks body usually because it lacks alcohol or fruitiness.
Varietal - Wine made from a particular variety of grape.
Vegetal - See Green and Grassy. Also describes a stewed vegetable aroma of bell peppers or asparagus.
Vinegary - You guessed it.
Viniculture - Enology
Vitis - The genus that contains the species of grapes. Vinifera is the species we use for winemaking.
Smoky - Some wines get smokiness from the barrel and some are just naturally smoky.
Sommelier - French term for a wine steward or cellar master
Split - small wine bottle of about 6 ounces.
Stemmy - See Green
Tannin - Phenol that gives wine a mouth-puckering quality that usually mellows with age.
Terroir - See the Wine page.
Thin - a wine that lacks body usually because it lacks alcohol or fruitiness.
Varietal - Wine made from a particular variety of grape.
Vegetal - See Green and Grassy. Also describes a stewed vegetable aroma of bell peppers or asparagus.
Vinegary - You guessed it.
Viniculture - Enology
Vitis - The genus that contains the species of grapes. Vinifera is the species we use for winemaking.