Aperitif Wine. Red or white wines flavored with herbs and spices, such as Vermouth.
Balance. Refers to the proportion of the various elements of a wine; acid against sweetness, fruit flavors against wood, and tannic alcohol against acid and flavor.
Bordeaux. The largest quality wine region in the world, located in the Southwest corner of France.
Bouquet. The smell of a wine after it has lost its grapy fragrances, usually developing after years of aging.
Brut. Dry.
Burgundy. A grape growing area of France, it is the most complex and confusing wine region in the world. When the word refers to a wine, it usually refers to the reds of the Cote d'Or and Cote Chalonnaise, although Chablis and Beaujolais also come from the Burgundy region of France.
Cabernet Sauvignon. The red counterpoint to Chardonnay and the reigning monarch of the red vinifera. Distinctive spicy, bell pepper aroma and flavor with high astringency.
Champagne. The celebrated sparkling wine which can only come from the Champagne district of France. All others which call themselves "champagne" are properly labeled "sparkling wine."
Chardonnay. A white grape, responsible for Chablis, Champagne, and "Blancs de Blancs."
Chenin Blanc. A white grape which produces a fruity wine that may be bone dry to very sweet and everything in between.
Cuve. A large vat, usually of wood, used for the fermentation of grape juice into wine.
Cuvée. May refer to the contents of a wine vat, or to all the wine made at the same time. Sometimes refers to a specific pressing or batch of wine.
Dekkara. A bacteria which affects wine, giving it the aroma of rancid corn chips.
Doux. Very sweet.
Extract. The non-sugar solids in a wine that are frequently dissolved in alcohol. A wine with a lot of extract will feel fuller on the palate.
Fermentation. The process of converting sugar into alcohol.
Finish. The aftertaste of a wine when it has been swallowed.
Fortified. A wine to which extra alcohol has been added; these usually range from 15 to 21% percent alcohol
Gamay. A red varietal which is used in Beaujolais, producing a fresh, fruity wine with strawberry or raspberry flavors.
Gewurztraminer. A white grape which produces a spicy, floral, fruity and dry wine.
Grand Cru. Great growth; refers to a classification of French wines considered to be superior in quality.
Grenache. An orange-colored grape which produces rosés such as Tavel, and is also used as a blending variety in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Cotes du Rhone.
Herbaceous. Refers to an aroma and flavor evocative of herbs.
Liebfraumilch. Literally, milk of the Virgin, a refreshing white wine with low alcohol and a pleasantly fruity flavor.
Merlot. A French red vinifera which produces wines with a distinct herbaceous quality, soft in tannins and lower in acidity.
Méthode Champenoise. The complex and time-consuming method used to bottle and ferment Champagne and some quality sparkling wines produced in other areas.
Middle-Body. Refers to the part of the taste sensation experienced after the initial taste impact on the palate.
Muscat. A white grape family which includes Muscat Blanc, Moscato, Muscadelle, and Muscat of Alexandria, used to produce Italy's Asti.
Nebbiolo. A red vinifera used in Italian wines such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gattinara.
Oaky. Refers to the flavors a wine receives from being in contact with oak.
Pinot Blanc. The white variant of Pinot Noir.
Pinot Gris. A white vinifera, known as Tokay in Alsace and Rulander in Germany.
Pinot Noir. A red vinifera which can produce complex wines with fragrances resembling violets, roses, and truffles, it is however very temperamental and under poor conditions produces coarse acidic wines unworthy of varietal bottling.
Riesling. A white vinifera, the noblest of which is Johannisberg Riesling.
Sangiovese. A red varietal, principally used to make Chianti and several other red wines from Tuscany.
Sauvignon Blanc. A white vinifera found in Sauternes and Fumé Blanc.
Sec. Slightly sweet.
Sediment. The deposit precipitated by a wine which has aged in the bottle.
Semillion. A white grape which is most often used as a blender, but is bottled in some areas and labeled a "Riesling."
Syrah/Shiraz. A red varietal tracing its origin to the days of the Greek and Roman Empires. It is used to make powerful and full-bodied wines in the Cote Rhone and Chateauneauf-du-Pape regions.
Tannin. Refers to an astringent acid which causes a puckering sensation in the mouth.
Trebbiano. A white vinifera used in many popular Italian whites; in France it is favored for Cognac production.
Varietal. Refers either to a wine named after a grape variety or one that is made up entirely of a single grape variety.
Vinifera. Refers to the species of grape varieties known as the "wine bearers," which are responsible for all the finer wines in the world.
Zinfandel. A red vinifera grown commercially only in California. It produces a wine which is typically berrylike with a hint of spiciness. The popular White Zinfandel is made from these grapes, the wine having only minimal skin contact.
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Wine Q&A
Q: Does a vintage date signify quality?
A: The vintage on a label merely indicates when the grapes were harvested and when the wine was made. It is no indication of the quality of the wine.
Q: I have a cheap, relatively tasteless bottle of wine in the fridge. I hate to throw anything out - is there a way I can make it palatable?
A: If the wine has not turned to vinegar, use it in cooking. If you don't plan to cook with it, make sangria: cut up various fruits such as citrus, berries, apples and put in a pitcher, pour in wine and add some sugar and maybe some flavorful liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier to taste. Chill and serve in tall glasses over ice.
Q: Can you recommend some quality Champagnes?
A: Of course. One of my favorites is Veuve Clicquot, which is full-bodied. Other choice Champagnes to try are: Perrier-Jouet, Taittinger (both light and elegant), Moet & Chandon, Mumm (both medium-bodied), Krug, and Louis Roederer (full-bodied).
Q: What is the difference between Port and Porto, if any?
A: Port is a fortified wine, originally made in Portugal. Now there are many countries producing (mostly inferior) Port. To avoid confusion in the marketplace, the Portugese changed the name of their Port to Porto. Only Port from Portugal can be called Porto.
Q: Is Vermouth a wine or a liqueur?
A: Vermouth is an aperitif wine which begins life as an inexpensive bland wine to which an herb infusion has been added. Flavoring agents in this infusion may be juniper, coriander, wormwood, and other herbs; the formula varies from brand to brand.
Q: Why are most wine bottles green or brown?
A: The color protects the wine from sunlight. Brown glass is believed to offer more protection than green. But with the advances in winemaking and bottling technology, clear glass is becoming more popular.
Q: If wine should be stored on its side, then why do wine and liquor shops store the bottles straight up?
A: Wine should be stored on its side to keep the cork from drying out. A truly fine wine shop will store its bottles on their side. Other shops hope desparately that every bottle offered for sale will sell quickly, thereby eliminating the need for more expensive side-storing methods. If you need to blow the dust off of a bottle that has been standing upright, chances are that the cork will have dried out.
Q: Why sniff the cork?
A: If the cork smells like anything besides wine (vinegar, for example), wouldn't you rather find this out before you actually taste the wine?