Wine Lingo
from Wine Taster Jill Stacey
Acidity – A natural component of wine, acid helps fermentation. Acid is responsible for the zesty, crisp refreshing qualities of some wines. Wines with the proper amount of acid are vibrant and lively. Too little acid creates “flat” wine, and too much a “sharp” or “biting” wine.
Appellation – The general definition of “appellation” refers to where the grapes for a given wine were grown and then made into wine. However, the term can become very complex when you dive into the history of the appellation concept. If you look at the French use of appellation, it becomes heavily regulated with laws called AOC or Appellation d’Origine Controlee. Some of the controls that the AOC Laws stipulate are: the precise area where the grapes that make the wine can be grown, the grape varieties that the wine can be made from, the permissible Yield (or amount of grapes produced), pruning, irrigation, the minimum alcohol content of the wine. It can also determine that multiple appellations can exist within a larger appellation. This is just one example of the fairly stringent systems that define and govern the wines produced. From Germany to the South Africa, Australia, Chile and many others countries have adapted these type of laws to maintain the quality of wine for the customer.
Blend – This is a wine that uses several different varietals blended together to create a unique wine all its own. This type of wine has become more and more popular as people like to see what different varietals taste like as they are blended. A blend could also be done with the same varietals but from different regions. The only down fall is that each year’s release could taste completely different from the year before.
“Body” of Wine – This is a very relative term. It refers to the “weight” of the wine in your mouth. So it is according to each person’s perception. The perception can be dependent on alcohol - the higher the alcohol content, the more full-bodied the wine. An example would be the feel of skim milk compared to whole milk. “Light bodied” wines feel like skim milk while medium bodied wines feel like whole milk and "full bodied" are like a heavy cream.
Bordeaux – Bordeaux wine refers to all wine, red or white, produced in the Bordeaux region of France.
Botrytis Cinerea – Also known as the “Noble Rot”, is an important fungus to some wine growers. It is necessary for the grape growers to wait for the noble rot to appear before they harvest the grapes. This insures that the grapes have the ultimate amount of sugar, thus creating some of the world’s sweetest wines. The Botrytis can actually create a harmonization with some of the flavors of the grapes to create very unique wines!
Burgundy – is the region of France approximately 111,000 acres of vineyards in just 225 miles of land. And over the thousands of years that France has made wine it was discovered that Pinot Noir and Gamay were the predominant grapes to grow in the area. The cool weather, just the right amount of rain and the rich soil has created tremendous Burgundy Wines. Of course only French Pinot Noirs can be called Burgundy’s from this region. So in any other parts of the world the wine is named after the grape: Pinot Noir. And they can be made in varying different styles. So a fun thing to do is grab some Pinot Noirs from 4 different regions of the world and side by side taste test them. You will taste the terrior difference as well as the “style” difference of the wine maker. Styles can range between spicy, earthy and light fruit to full rich fruit and light spice and small amounts of earth. So if you think you don’t like Pinot Noir, think again, you just might need a different style!
Complexity – This is not a thing, but a phenomenon. Unlike jamminess or acidity, you can’t pinpoint complexity. It’s more like a force that pulls you back to the wine repeatedly to return for another smell and sip because each time you find something new. Complexity is sometimes referred to as “layers”.
Corked – Corked wine has an unpleasant mildewed, rotten egg, dirty sock taste/smell. Many times it’s caused by bacteria that was not properly cleaned out of the cork. When the wine is placed on its side so the wine touches the cork, it causes a chemical change in the wine.
Earthy — No, this does not mean it tastes like dirt, its aromas and flavors of minerals, mushroom, wet soil and dry earth.
Fermentation — The process during grape fermentation whereby yeasts convert the natural sugar in the grapes into Alcohol and Carbon Dioxide. The alcohol will remain a constituent of the wine, that result, but in most cases, the carbon dioxide will be allowed to escape as a by-product. There are many types of fermentation.
Flabby — This would describe wine that is too soft not a lot of flavor or character. Think of it as: “Would I remember this wine tomorrow”. If it doesn’t reach out and grab you than move on… no need to be “flabby”!
Fleshy — Another term for a rich textural wine.
Finish – This term describes how the wine feels after you have swallowed. Are there lingering flavors? Do the flavors change from one distinctive flavor to another? Or is the finish non-existent?
Jammy – Having the thick, concentrated berry aroma or flavor of jam. Jammy can be confusing to those who do not care for a sweet wine. It does not necessarily mean sugary. Think of cocoa powder compared to chocolate. You don't get the sweetness of chocolate, only the flavor of the cocoa. In the same way, a jammy wine will give you the essence of the berry.
Layered Flavors — Bold red wines and rich full bodied white wines have layers of flavors. Usually you get tender fruit up front with more flavors coming on as you roll the wine in your mouth and after you swallow you get different flavors once the wine has left your mouth. This is where smoke, chocolate, tobacco, pepper and come forward into the areas of your mouth where the wine still lingers.
Legs – The streams of wine that roll down the inside of the glass after swirling the wine. We call them legs here and in Britain. The Spanish call them “tears”, and the Germans, “church windows”. Some wine drinkers look for great shaped legs, falsely believing that “nicely shaped” legs (whatever that means) portend great flavor. In fact, legs are a complex phenomenon that relates to how fast the liquid evaporates rather than flavor. With wine, as with women, very little meaningful information can be deduced by looking at the legs.
Malolactic Fermentation – This is nothing like regular sugar to alcohol fermentation. Malolactic Fermentation or MF is a chemical conversion of acid instigated by beneficial bateria. The Malic Acid, which is sharp is converted to the softer lactic acid. Thus it softens the wine. Chardonnay wines are the best known for using MF, this process creates the butter soft feel to the rich full bodied Chardonnays. This type of fermentation can be promoted by the wine maker or can occur naturally.
All red wines go through Malolactic Fermentation, some more than others. That is controlled by the wine maker to create a certain “style” of wine. That is why we divide them by their flavors and styles!
Old World – This term indicates a wine coming from those countries first known for producing wine, mainly European countries like Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and Greece. It can also be used to describe specific techniques that have become traditionally used in those European Countries.
Plummy — Aromas and flavors that suggest ripe plums.
Punt – The indentation found on the bottom of many wine bottles. The punt may be shallow or, as in the case of many Champagne bottles, quite pronounced. Contrary to popular belief, the punt is not a way for wine makers to rip you off by leaving less room in the bottle for wine. It adds stability for shipping by weighting the bottom of the bottle, and also strengthens the bottle at its weakest point.
Smoky Flavor — Yes you can get smoky flavor but it’s not like smoking a cigarette, it’s more like smoked meat or smoked gouda and it’s usually very subtle more in the layered flavors
Sulfites – Sulfur is a naturally occurring chemical element found in all fruit, vegetables and even organically grown foods. Eggs, orange juice, carrots all have different degrees of sulfites in them. All forms of sulfur are harmless to people, except for the tiny number of individuals who are severely allergic to it. In wine, sulfur is used as a preservative. The most common form used in wine making is sulfur dioxide, which prevents oxidation and bacterial spoilage. It also inhibits the growth of yeasts.
Winemakers across the world have sought to limit the use of sulfur in response to wine drinkers' health concerns. However, it is virtually impossible to produce a wine that is entirely sulfur free because a small amount of sulfur dioxide is a bi-product of the metabolic action of yeasts during the fermentation process, just like in bread. In the United States, the phrase "contains sulfites" must appear on all labels of wines that contain more than 10 parts per million of sulfur dioxide (and most do) even when the wine has been produced without the addition of any sulfur dioxide.
Rest assured that a glass of orange juice with two eggs has twice as much sulfur dioxide as a glass of wine! If you do have some type of allergic reaction, it is typically because you are allergic to something growing near the vineyard or to the actual grape varietals themselves.
Tannins – These sharp little taste bud twisters are derived from the skin, seeds and stems of grapes as well as from the wine barrels. For instance, when you eat a red grape with seeds, the juice is sweet but the seed and skin can have a very sharp “puckering” sensation to the tongue. The presence of tannin is beneficial because it gives certain red wines a firm structure as well as the potential for long aging. The “puckery” quality will mellow and soften over time. White wines will not have as many tannins because the skins are not soaked in the wine and they are not barrel aged for as long as red wines.
Table Wine – The term Table Wine is used around the world to describe blended wines and wines that are low in alcohol content. Usually 9 to 15% in alcohol by volume. These wines are usually created to be served with dinner thus the terminology of “Table Wine”. Please don’t be confused that table wines are cheap and not of good quality. Many times they can be excellent and also very affordable!
Terroir – A French term that describes the sum of the effects of the environment on the vineyard. Rainfall, wind velocity, frequency of fog, sun, soil, slope etc. There is now single english word to match Terrior but simply put: "the coming together of climate, soil and landscape"
Tight – We all know what tight pants are right. Well it’s sort of the same idea. The wine is locked up in the bottle with little oxygen and it can’t breathe. Once it is opened and you allow the surface of the wine, or you swirl your glass or decanter, then the wine begins to open up and allow the fruit to really be tasted. The sharpness that you might first taste when you open the bottle is the fruit “tight” and unexposed to your taste buds. But if you let the air really get in there the flavors begin to open and soften and it will be much more enjoyable. So here is some homework: Open a bottle of red wine: Cabernet, Shiraz, Merlot – it doesn’t matter. Pour some in a glass and take a few sips. Make notes and then leave a ½-full glass on the counter….swirl it for awhile. Let it sit and let the oxygen do its work. Taste the wine every ½ hour and make notes. You will see an amazing transformation in the flavors that tantalize you palate!
Varietal – Wine made from a particular variety of grape. Some you may be familiar with are: Merlot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Rielsing, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc. And here are some others that are not as familiar: Carmenere, Malbec, Semillion, and many more. In 1983, the United States law established that a wine named after a grape (a varietal) must contain 75% percent or more of that grape variety. Prior to that date, a wine labeled as a varietal wine had to contain 51 percent or more of the named grape.
Vintage – The year the grapes were grown and harvested. The Vintage will always be on the label. However there are some unique wines that do not carry a vintage because they are typically a blend of many different vintages. This can be seen in Champagnes, Ports and Sherry.
Vintner – A person who makes or sells wine. Mainly used to describe the owner of the winery. Sometimes they employ a winemaker.
Young Wine – A term used to describe a wine that is meant to be consumed right after it is produced. Vinho Verde is one of these. Look for vintages that are 2005 and above! Chill and sip!
Reference:
Karen MacNeil’s “The Wine Bible”
Workman Publishing, New York
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