Glossary of Wine Terms

Descriptor of wine that is losing color/flavor, typically as a result of age.

Positive Descriptor of wine that fills the mouth. Although “fat” wines typically lack elegance, “fat” wine is highly valued by connoisseurs of sweet dessert wines.

A chemical reaction in which carbohydrates are broken down into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol.

Refers to the vessel (oak barrels, tanks, stainless steel vats, etc.) wine is fermented in.

The process of grafting a new grape varietal on an established rootstock (rootstock: a stock consisting of a root or a piece of root in a vineyard).

Wine that has had floating, solid particles caused by the process of fermentation, removed for clarity and aging stability.

The process of removing floating, solid particles from wine by pumping the wine through various sorts of filters.

A method of clarifying wine by introducing various materials to the wine vessel during fermentation that carry any floating particles to the bottom of the vessel.

Descriptor of a wine with balance, elegance, and a distinctive flair.

Term describing the taste that remains in your mouth after wine has been consumed, spit, or swallowed.

Descriptor of wine that is aggressive on the palate with acid or tannic astringency.

Descriptor of wine that lacks acidity and/or structure.

The lip of a wine bottle.

A descriptor of wine that is unseasoned, lacking in acidity, weak, and uninteresting.

Often a descriptor of wine with great smoothness and richness. A “Fleshy” wine is fatter than a meaty wine.

A descriptor of a harsh, stoney, “flint striking steel”, dry wine. Flinty can refer to both flavor and aroma.

A descriptor of a harsh, stoney, “flint striking steel”, dry wine. Flinty can refer to both flavor and aroma.

A type of yeast that is formed after the fermentation of grapes when making wine.

A descriptor of wines with the aroma or taste of flowers. Most often a white wine characteristic, few reds have a floral aroma/taste.

A strictly visual description of the density of wine.

Grape varietal native to the Languedoc area of France with a history dating back to the 17th century.

A wine that has been blended with brandy or other spirits. Fortified wines contain 15% to 24% alcohol when compared to most other wines containing up to 15% alcohol.

A descriptor of wine that has an immediate fruity presence. Wine that is forward is generally in peak condition and at a plateau of maturity.

A descriptor of wine that has a distinctive musky and grapey character from American Varietals (a specific genus of grapes).

Pronounced Frahn shah KOR tah. Italy's premier bottle-fermented sparkling wine. Franciacorta is also the region of the production of this sparkling wine, a D.O.C.

A grape varietal, most notably known as Sylvaner, used in the production of white wine.

Juice that flows from crushed grapes before the process of pressing. Free-run juice is thought to be of a higher quality than pressed juice as it is lower in tannins.

A vine varietal created by breeding an American and European vine.

The opposite of flat/stale. A descriptor of wine with a lively, fruity acidity.

Italian term for a slightly sparkling wine. The small bubbles give the wine a lift, masking sweetness and providing a refreshing tingle.

The stage between the flowering of the grape vine and the forming of berries, the stage where the vine flowers are fertilized.

A descriptor of wine with a bit of extra sweetness (high sugar content), and appley, berrylike, or herblike body and richness.

A 2000 year old grape varietal, most notably known as Malvasia, believed to have originated in the southwest area of Turkey and the islands between Turkey and Greece (around the Aegean Sea), it is used in the production of white wine.

A descriptor of wine that is weighty, robust, has a distinct presence of alcohol and fills the mouth.

Pronounced foo-mae-blahngk. The term used in the United States when referring to the Savignon Blanc grape varietal.