Aeration The process of exposing wine to oxygen to enhance its flavors and aromas, often achieved through decanting, swirling, or using a wine aerator.
Amphora A large, ancient ceramic vessel used for fermenting, storing, and transporting wine, which has experienced a resurgence in popularity for its unique influence on wine flavors and textures.
Appellation A legally defined geographical area used to identify where grapes for a wine were grown and to maintain quality standards.
Balance The harmony between a wine's various components, such as acidity, tannins, fruit, and alcohol, resulting in a pleasant and cohesive taste.
Blending The process of combining different grape varieties or wines to create a final wine with specific characteristics, flavors, and balance.
Body The weight and fullness of a wine in the mouth, influenced by factors like alcohol content, tannins, and sugar levels.
Botrytis A type of fungus, also known as 'noble rot,' which can affect grapes, resulting in highly concentrated and sweet dessert wines.
Bouquet The complex array of aromas in a mature wine, resulting from factors like grape variety, terroir, and winemaking techniques.
Brix A measurement of the sugar content in grape juice or must, used to estimate the potential alcohol content of the finished wine.
Clone A genetically identical plant or group of grapevines, derived from a single parent vine through asexual reproduction, often selected for specific desirable traits.
Cold soak The process of chilling crushed grapes before fermentation, allowing for extended skin contact and extraction of color, flavor, and tannins without the influence of alcohol.
Corked A term used to describe a wine that has been tainted by a cork infected with TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole), resulting in a musty, damp cardboard aroma and flavor.
Cru A French term meaning 'growth,' often used to classify vineyards or wines based on quality, with classifications such as 'Grand Cru' and 'Premier Cru'.
Decanting The process of slowly pouring wine from its bottle into a decanter to separate sediment and aerate the wine, improving its taste and aroma.
Diurnal range The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in a wine-growing region, which can influence grape ripening, acidity, and flavor development.
Dry A term used to describe a wine that has little to no residual sugar, resulting in minimal sweetness on the palate.
Elevage A French term referring to the process of nurturing and maturing a wine after fermentation, including aging, racking, and fining, until it is ready for bottling.
Enology The science and study of winemaking, including grape cultivation, fermentation, aging, and wine production techniques.
Fermentation The chemical process by which yeast converts sugars in grape juice into alcohol and carbon dioxide, transforming it into wine.
Finish The lingering aftertaste or sensation experienced after swallowing a sip of wine, used to evaluate a wine's quality and balance.
Fortified wine A wine that has had additional alcohol, usually in the form of a neutral grape spirit, added during or after fermentation, resulting in a higher alcohol content and unique flavors.
Lees The sediment, consisting of dead yeast cells and other particles, that settles at the bottom of a fermentation vessel, sometimes used for aging to enhance a wine's flavor and texture.
Legs The streaks of liquid that form on the inside of a wine glass after swirling, often used to assess a wine's body and alcohol content.
Malolactic fermentation A secondary fermentation process during which bacteria convert malic acid into softer lactic acid, enhancing a wine's texture and mouthfeel.
Minerality A term used to describe the perceived mineral-like flavors and aromas in a wine, often associated with the terroir and soil composition.
Nose The overall aroma of a wine, encompassing its bouquet, fruit, and other scents derived from grape variety, terroir, and winemaking techniques.
Oenophile A person who appreciates and enjoys wine, often possessing extensive knowledge about wine regions, grape varieties, and winemaking techniques.
Oak aging The process of maturing wine in oak barrels, which imparts flavors, aromas, and tannins to the wine, enhancing its complexity and structure.
Phylloxera A tiny, aphid-like insect that feeds on the roots of grapevines, causing significant damage and destruction to vineyards worldwide.
Racking The process of transferring wine from one container to another, leaving sediment behind, to clarify the wine and promote its development.
Reserve A term often found on wine labels, indicating that the wine is of higher quality, made from selected grapes or aged longer than other wines from the same winery.
Sommelier A wine professional trained in wine service, wine and food pairing, and wine selection, often working in high-end restaurants.
Stemware Wine glasses designed with a stem to be held without affecting the wine's temperature, with specific shapes intended to enhance the enjoyment of different wine styles.
Structure The overall impression of a wine's components, such as acidity, tannins, alcohol, and fruit, and how they interact to create a balanced and harmonious taste.
Sulfites Chemical compounds, naturally occurring or added, that act as preservatives to prevent oxidation and microbial spoilage in wine.
Tannins Naturally occurring compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, which contribute to a wine's structure, texture, and ageability.
Tasting notes Descriptive terms and observations used by wine tasters to evaluate and communicate a wine's appearance, aroma, flavor, and overall quality.
TCA A chemical compound, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole, that can contaminate corks and cause a wine to become 'corked,' resulting in a musty, damp cardboard aroma and flavor.
Teinturier A term to describe grapes whose flesh and juice is red in colour due to anthocyanin pigments accumulating within the pulp of the berry. The term derives from French for dye or to stain.
Terpenes Aromatic compounds found in grape skins, which contribute to a wine's floral and fruity aromas, as well as the aromas of many other fruits, flowers, and herbs.
Terroir The unique combination of environmental factors, including soil, climate, and topography, that give a wine its distinct characteristics.
Tertiary aromas The complex aromas and flavors that develop in a wine as it ages, including earthy, savory, and nutty notes, as well as aromas derived from oak aging.
Typicity The degree to which a wine reflects its grape variety, terroir, and regional characteristics, considered an indicator of quality and authenticity.
Ullage The empty space or air gap between the wine and the top of its container, such as a bottle or barrel, which can affect the wine's oxidation and aging process.
Veraison The stage of grape development when the berries begin to soften, change color, and accumulate sugar, signaling the onset of ripening.
Vinification The process of converting grapes into wine, including harvesting, crushing, fermenting, aging, and bottling.
Vinous A term used to describe a wine that is simple and straightforward, lacking in complexity or distinction.
Vintage The year in which grapes were harvested, often displayed on a wine label, indicating the wine's age and quality.
Viticulture The cultivation, science, and study of grapes, specifically for wine production.
Yield The quantity of grapes or wine produced per unit of land, often measured in tons per acre or hectoliters per hectare.