Wine 101 - Terminology
Acetic, Angular, Astringent, Austere – Wine terms are a strange language that can sometimes be imposing. Come explore a few of these words and meanings with your GrapeRadio crew.
Also take the time to check our new comprehensive directory of wine terms at: Wine Terms Glossary
Enter our new competition to see who can come up with the best wine terms we are missing. To enter, just comment on this show. The contest expires April 30th, 2006. The winner will be awarded a copy of Karen MacNeils book: “The Wine Bible”
The Winner of our Wine Term Contest is: Elaine Miller, with the best missing term - “GRAPE” (How could we have forgotten that one?).
Sponsor: Quality Price Ratio Wine Buying Guide: www.qprwines.com
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(31:42 min 14 MB)
Click Here: Wine Glossary
Term missing: screwcap, etc.
if you are going to include capsule and cork you should add all closure types like the “bird and cage” for champagne, screwcap, etc.
Cheers!
Also maybe include different wine openers with pics & links for purchase such as that two-proged opener “ah-so.”
MOG: Material Other than Grapes, in reference to the various debris that is often harvested along with the grapes, especially when harvesting by machine
Regards,
Richard Best
* James Beard Journalism Award nominee for 2004
* Member/Webmaster, Wine Writers Circle of Canada - http://www.winewriterscircle.ca
With the list including other decriptive aromas, one of my favorites, “cat-piss”, is not included.
Melange
As in the Waterbrook Melange (blend of different varietals)
You should consider mentioning the area in Portugal responsible for Port, I beleve it is Douro Demarcated Region in and around Porto
Loved the show … one comment: you guys were batting the word “tannin” back and forth a bit. One easy way to understand the effect of tannin is to think of putting a teabag in your mouth. Tea has very high tannin content — and it gives that rough, dry feel on the palate.
There is lots of study about how tannin interacts with saliva. Here’s something I found by Googling:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11106991&dopt=Abstract
Basically the tannin changes the texture of saliva, making it thinner and leaving the mouth feeling dryer. It also interacts with oils and fats in meat, which is one reason why red wines go so well with meaty food.
Lots of neat food chemistry with wine …
Cheers,
Doug
Asti / Moscato d’Asti - sweet sparking wine made in Piedmont, Italy
Walla-Walla as a wine region. I thought back to your show on the Napa Declaration and I think all of those regions should be mentioned (I know you got Champagne, and I pointed out port already)
Sorry about multiple posts, but it gets kind of addictive once you start looking for missing terms.
sabrage - using a sabre to open a bottle of champagne. It is pretty cool, but if not done properly results in a shameful waste of bubbly
Without doubt “cheeky” is the most useful wine snob word. It can be used in expressions such as, “This is a cheeky little wine whose pretensions will amuse your refined palate.” Your companions will almost certainly be unable to trump you on that one.
PALETTE a platform on which wine boxes are stacked for easy transport.
I claim ‘MOUUSEUX’ as a unique Google entry on behalf of Grape Radio:
http://tinyurl.com/hv9nc
EDELFAULE (German) and POURRITURE NOBLE in the BOTRYTIS section, although it is hard to know where to draw the line when offering non English equivalent words.
Asking gently if a wine is somewhat MERETRICIOUS is a great way for checking out the true extent of the vocabularies of your companions after they have done the “buttery, fruity, long finish, lingering after taste” thing.
There is little need to include DEGUSTATION as a French equivalent to SAMPLE, except that asking the sommelier (a person whose rightful place is in a cellar, preferably bound and gagged in many instances) “Prenez pour moi une petite degustation” will strike terror into craven hearts, thus giving you a head start if you are going to refuse the bottle.
Hey, this could go on all day! 700+ you have hardly begun.
You have Alcohol by Volume, but not “Alcohol by weight”: In the United States the alcohol content of beer is usually shown by weight while wine is usually shown by volume. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms uses weight for beer. For example the ever famous 3.2 beer is measued by weight. This is equal to approximately 4 percent by volume. In different States, the tax rates for wine may be specified in either or both ways. Sometimes different types of wines are taxed differently with still wine being taxed by volume and sparkling wines taxed by weight.
Bricking: As a red wine ages the wine at the outer rim of the glass looks more muted and brick red to brown. This is called bricking.
Reserve Wines: A term with no legal meaning, but often used by wineries in the U.S. to differentiate the top tier wine from those at lower price and quality levels.
Second Label: A winery may have a brand name for the top tier wine and a different brand name for the lower quality wine. This may create a more clear differentiation between wines than using a term like Reserve. An example of this is “Bahans du Haut Brion” as the second label of “Chateau Haut Brion” and “Clos du Marquis” as the second label of “Leoville las Cases”. This practice is not limited to Bordeaux or France.
Ravinia Wine — Ravinia is the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They have an ampitheater which is fronted by a large, well manicured lawn and grounds. It is very popular in the summer to load the car with picnic food, tables and chairs, head to Ravinia, and lay out your spread, relax, and listen to the music. It is a great time my wife and I enjoy. Of course, it is also a VERY popular wine drinking event. When my wife and I go tasting, sometimes we’ll look at each and immediately comment, “This is a ‘Ravinia Wine’,” and we know exactly what the other meant. The wine is great for a warm summer evening, sitting on a lawn, with light food, cheeses, etc., and listening to music. Typically light and fruity, with floral aromas, maybe a tinge sweet (even though it is a dry wine), crisp, would serve well-chilled, and would be a fun wine we may not normally drink as an everyday wine. It is a “Ravinia Wine.”
Enjoy your show generally, but have trouble listening to the shows where you do “wine 101.” For example, shows in which you define tannin, etc. or the spend 30 minutes discussing picking a wine off a wine menu. I know you’re trying to target new wine drinkers, but my guess is that most of your listeners (folks who spend the time to regularly download a podcast dedicated to wine) are not beginners.
In addition, no offense, but sometimes when you talk about certain wine concepts without a guest expert present, I get the feeling that you haven’t done much research or that you’re not actually experts on those topics. If you’re going to present a show to the public defining tannins or discussing wines closing down, it would be more worthwhile if you did some research before the show and gave us more precise information — just like one of the commenters does above regarding tannins.
Don’t mean to come off as a hater because I think that most of your shows are great and you have truly excellent guests. I will continue to download and listen each week. As a regular listener, just thought you might be interested in some feedback.
I would be the first to confess not being an expert on wine. Not even close. That is why we have attempted to bring in guests that can share their knowledge will all of us.
Our goal in this show was to speak about wine terms from a lay persons perspective, not a scientific one. That is why we made a point to call the show 101 Vs 600.
Perhaps that was not a good idea. This has been Brian’s pet project, and I think he has done a great job. We will refine it and the way we talk aboit it as time allows.
Perhaps we should do a survey to find out the knowledge level/experience of our GrapeRadio fans?
jay
I’m surprised that no Joe Davis-isms made it to the list. Abomination? =)
How about caveau? A French term meaning a wine-tasting cellar. As opposed to a cave (simply cellar).
I just got back from the winelands in South Africa and learned a few terms not on your list.
Cape Blend
A popular red wine type from South Africa, involving pinotage and one or more Bordeaux varieties (eg cabernet and merlot).
Methode Cape Classique
South Africa’s term for sparkling wine made in the methode champenoise. Also shortened to “MCC.’
Unctuous (adj.):
Dominated by a slick, affected texture, like that of oil, present in soft wines with exaggerated fruit, alcohol, or sugar concentration.
So it seems that you had a real struggle defining and describing the concept of tannin on the pallet. Try soaking a tea bag in a few ounces of water then licking it. It is a great way to acclimate young winos to differentiate between tannic and acidity which I find many people confusing.
CLEAN
This is one of the most important characteristics of good wine. Modern technology has made it possible to avoid the dirt and spoilage that used to plague the winemaking process. Well-made wines should always be clean.
COLOR
A quality that is sometimes overlooked by novice wine drinkers, a wine’s color gives an indication of its BODY, its VARIETAL makeup, and the methods of its production. Ideally, no matter what its hue, a wine should be limpid and clean-looking, with no murkiness.
COMPLETE
A full-bodied wine rich in extracts with a pronounced finish
COMPLETE
A full-bodied wine rich in extracts with a pronounced finish
DULL
Flat, lifeless, lacking crispness, and ultimately boring.
LIFT, LIFTED
A pronounced and invigorating sensation on the palate
PROPRIETARY
A wine that has been given its own distinctive name, such as Flora Springs Trilogy or Caymus Vineyards Conundrum. Proprietary wines are often blends, which do not legally qualify to be labeled as a single-varietal wine (Chardonnay, Merlot, etc.).
Nice list of terms. There are quite a few misspellings, though. You might want to check through the list, or I’ll send some corrections if I get the chance to proof it.
SILKY
Smooth; light in texture and mouth feel.
TEXTURE
The physical structure of a wine’s BODY. Wines can be thin, viscous, grainy, or silky. See the related term MOUTH FEEL.
Willamette Valley AVA
This Oregon VITICULTURAL AREA is in the state’s northern portion, starting north of Portland and stretching to just south of Eugene. The Willamette Valley AVA nestles between the coastal range to the west and the Cascade Mountains to the east in Oregon’s best grape-growing areas. It stretches for about 175 miles and is this state’s main wine-producing area. The Dundee Hills area with its red soil and steep hills is regarded as one of the best sections, as is the Eola Hills area. PINOT NOIR, RIESLING, and CHARDONNAY are the most popular grape varieties, followed by PINOT GRIS.
MOUSSE
The foam in a sparkling wine. A very fine, tight mousse structure is considered desirable
I feel Randy should get a prize just because he has st a record for the number of posts in a single day.
Jay
I agree!!!
** Let’s not forget…
IN VINO VERITAS
(in VEE-noh VER-ee-tahs) A Latin phrase suggesting that people are more likely to say what they really feel under the influence of alcohol. It means, “There is truth in wine.”
JOHANNISBERG
[yoh-HAHN-ihss-berk]
Esteemed name in wine circles that is one of Germany’s best and most famous vineyards, SCHLOSS JOHANNISBERG, as well as the famous town where that vineyard is located and the BEREICH covering the entire RHEINGAU region
You’re asking us to submit terms? Evil evil evil … This is gonna be fun (if only in my strained little mind). Are we limited to terms per post? Here’s a few:
ATTENUATED
When a wine demonstrates a lose of fruit and body and is beyond the “peak” drinking window.
DOLCE
Italian for “Sweet” and often used to describe wines that have such a character.
COPITA
The tranditional glassware from which to sip sherry.
SPRITZIG
Corresponding to a light prickling sensation on the tongue that is often used to describe slightly sparkling wines.
GERANIUM
Describes a wine that has the odor of torn, ripped or otherwise pulped Geranium leaves. It is a natural nauance of wine such Geurztraminer. However, it can also be considered a flaw resulting from the addition of sorbic acid to stabilize the wine occurs before the malolactic fermentation has completed.
PUTTONYO
In Hungarian wine making, a puttonyo is a traditional measurement that contains approximately 25 kilograms of kneaded paste made from botrytis-infected grapes. Puttonyos are added in levels of three, four, five and six to uninfected grape must in order to control the level of sweetness of the resulting wine. The Hungarian wine that is made without any uninfected must is Tokay Essensia or Tokay Aszu Essensia (this wine has a pure puttonyo profile).
And from this, you can understand my term:
PUTT, PUTTED, PUTTS
This wine has been “putted.” My own personal terminology indicating wines that are sweet, intense, and have the taste and aroma of honey-soaked appricots.
So then we have to full define:
TOKAY ESSENSIA or TOKAY ASZU ESSENSIA
Wine made completely from a botrytis-infected grapes that have been kneaded into a paste. Was originally reserved for a dying king or monarch. Now you just have to be as rich as a king or monarch to afford such a sipper.
SIPPER
A wine to be savored, with friends or in quiet reflection.
CHUG
A wine consumed in a single swallow and forgotten in the next moment.
*reading* Were we supposed to submit a term per post? *taps keyboard idly* Hmm …
WEEPER
A bottle showing signs of leekage.
Sometime in the past, someone has described to me that a wine was “tight” and I was unable to ask them what that meant and I’ve been wondering ever sense.
So, I looked “Tight” up in your glossary and it says:
“Describes a wine’s structure, concentration and body, as in a tightly wound wine.”
Hmmm, I’m still lost… ?
Well some would say that you are missing minerality. But that is not a word. However minerality is used so often that we need something. I think the best that applies here is Petrichor (PET-ruh-core)
- The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell. [From petro- (rock), from Greek petros (stone) + ichor (the fluid that is supposed to flow in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology). Coined by researchers I.J. Bear and R.G. Thomas.]
“Petrichor, the name for the smell of rain on dry ground, is from oils given off by vegetation, absorbed onto neighboring surfaces, and released into the air after a first rain.” Matthew Bettelheim; Nature’s Laboratory; Shasta Parent (Mt Shasta, California); Jan 2002.
(Link)
And just a few comments on one term that you have that really chapps my hide, even though I (mistakenly) use it more than I care to admit.
PALATE
The feel and taste of wine in the mouth.
Palate most correctly refers to “The roof of the mouth in vertebrates having a complete or partial separation of the oral and nasal cavities and consisting of the hard palate and the soft palate.”
The definition relating to wine in a minor one and while accepted is mistaken in its use. “Relish; taste; liking; - a sense originating in the mistaken notion that the palate is the organ of taste.”
Prosecco
[praw-SEHK-koh, proh-SEHK-koh]
A white-wine grape that’s grown primarily in the eastern part of Italy’s VENETO region. Prosecco’s made into lightly sparkling (FRIZZANTE), fully sparkling (SPUMANTE), and STILL WINES. Its fine reputation, however, comes from the sparkling versions. The wines are CRISP and appley and, though they can be sweet, are more often found DRY.
Dolcetto
[dohl-CHEHT-oh, dohl-CHEHT-uh]
Red wine grape, whose name translates to “little sweet one,” that is grown mainly in the southwest section of Italy’s PIEDMONT region. There are several theories for Dolcetto’s name. One suggests that it’s because of the sweetness of the grapes and the juice they produce. Another says it’s because there’s a perception of sweetness in Dolcetto wines, even though they’re usually VINIFIED as DRY wines without RESIDUAL SUGAR. Dolcetto wines have high ACIDITY and are usually deep purple in color.
FIRST GROWTH
The English translation of the French “PREMIER CRU.” The precise meaning of the term first growth refers to the original four red-wine CHÂTEAUS ranked in the CLASSIFICATION OF 1855 (LAFITE-ROTHSCHILD, LATOUR, MARGAUX and HAUT-BRION) plus CHÂTEAU MOUTON-ROTHSCHILD, which was added in 1973.
BOTTLE TERMINOLOGY:
although not legally defined in the United States, is still sometimes used in wine circles. These terms, which include French bottle descriptions and approximate bottle sizes, are: split-equivalent to 187 ml or one-quarter of a standard wine bottle;
HALF-BOTTLE-375 ml;
MAGNUM-1.5 liters/2 standard bottles;
DOUBLE MAGNUM-3 liters/4 standard bottles (in BORDEAUX);
JEROBOAM-3 liters/4 standard bottles (in CHAMPAGNE) or 4.5 liters/6 standard bottles (in BORDEAUX);
REHOBOAM-4.5 liters/6 standard bottles (in CHAMPAGNE);
METHUSELAH-6 liters/8 standard bottles (in CHAMPAGNE);
IMPERIAL-6 liters/8 standard bottles (in Bordeaux);
SALMANAZAR-9 liters/12 standard bottles;
BALTHAZAR-12 liters/16 standard bottles; and
NEBUCHADNEZZAR-15 liters/20 standard bottles.
Oh well if you don’t my other suggestions just go here and see what you are missing.
Mike
TXAKOLI is a traditional white Basque wine created by a blend of two AUTOCHTHONOUS varietals: HONDARRIBI ZURI (white) and HONDARRIBI BELTZA (red). Thanks to BIBULOUS.com:
http://tinyurl.com/znr8g
This is a great idea, and a very fine start to help those who are intimidated by wine terms. A great site for among the most comprehensive listing I’ve seen is http://www.epicurious.com/drinking/wine_dictionary/ - this is the online version of The Wine Lover’s Companion by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.
DOBLE PASTA - red wine that is produced by fermenting a second batch of must over the lees of a previous batch.
WAHLUKE SLOPE - Washington ( established in 2006 )
Naturally bounded by the Columbia River to the west and south, by the Saddle Mountains on the north, and on the east by the Hanford Reach National Monument.
The Wahluke Slope AVA lies entirely within the established Columbia Valley appellation and is home to more than 20 vineyards, one winery and two wine production facilities.
The 81,000 acre region features approximately 5,200 acres of vineyards (nearly twenty percent of the total wine grape acreage in the state of Washington).
Top grape varieties: Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.
I have recently had two California wines that smelled so strongly of acetone that they were undrinkable. In both cases I was fortunate enough to have another bottle which showed no such problems.
I see some of the terms used to describle wine flaws in your glossary (acetone, volatile acidity, etc.). I would find it interesting if you did a show on wine flaws at some point to increase my understanding of what they are and how they happen.
Love the show, keep up the great work.
from your list:
“BARNYARD
An unclean, farmyard, fecal aroma that is imparted to a wine because of unclean barrels or unsanitary winemaking facilities-”
is it really from unclean practices? i know a bunch of Pinot producers that would be might upset with this definition.
I also like the left bank/rt bank definitions- the left side of the river if you are standing in it.
You mentioned on the show about online boards in which you can request tasting notes to see how a wine is aging. Can you list any that do not require a subscription?
Thanks.
Paul,
Try either of these two sites. They both have great tasting notes and you do not need to be signed up to view. I think you will need to sign up (free) if you want to submit a request.
http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/
http://www.westcoastwine.net/ubb/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=TNotes
Brian
Here are some additions to your terminology. I would love to wine the book and learn more. GREAT PODCAST!!!!!
troncais oak: This type of oak comes from the forest of Troncais in central France.
viscous: Viscous wines tend to be relatively concentrated, fat, almost thick wines with a great density of fruit extract, plenty of glycerin, and high alcohol content. If they have balancing acidity, they can be tremendously flavorful and exciting wines. If they lack acidity, they are often flabby and heavy.
Kisselguhr filtration system: This is a filtration system using diatomaceous earth as the filtering material, rather than cellulose, or in the past, before it was banned, asbestos.
inox vats: This is the French term for stainless steel vats that are used for both fermentation and storage of wine.
Double decanting: This is done by first decanting the wine into a decanter and then rinsing the original bottle out with non-chlorinated water and then immediately repouring the wine from the decanter back into the bottle. It varies with the wine as to how long you cork it.
Main Entry: 1va·ri·e·tal
Pronunciation: v&-’rI-&-t&l
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or characterizing a variety ; also : being a variety in distinction from an individual or species
2 : of, relating to, or producing a varietal
Lillet - a French wine that makes a great apertif. It is also the wine used in James Bond’s martini. Recipe: One part gin, one part vodka, one part Lillet. Shaken, not stirred. Add olive.
Gnarly - used to describe the knotted, twisted areas of the vine; and also the ground in which it grows.
Great show! I’d love to see this topic in more depth. For example, you mention tannins, but what about all the variations like soft tannins, well integrated tannins, silky tannins, etc. - what do they all mean?
Also, you could mention that a great way for beginners to get familiar with what tannins feel like is to get some red grapes from the grocery store, peel a few, and chew on the skins for a few minutes. Its also interesting to then eat the skinless grapes - it points out the fact that the only real difference between white & red grapes is in the skin. The meat tastes pretty much the same.
GOBELET - A grape vine training system.
Um - duh - GRAPE? The fruit from which wine is made. Grows on a vine.
SCION - The piece of vine that is grafted onto the rootstock.
BULL’S BLOOD, aka EGRI BIKAVER - A red wine made in Hungary.
Cortese
[kohr-TEH-zeh, kohr-TAY-zee]
A white-wine grape grown in northwest Italy, mainly in PIEDMONT and parts of LOMBARDY. Cortese generally produces good-quality, high-ACID wines that have a DELICATE, fruity aroma and flavor. Much of this wine is sold as Cortese del Piemonte. Higher-quality wines come from the DOC of GAVI, with those known as Gavi di Gavi being among the most expensive Italian white wines.
Brouilly AC
[broo-YEE]
This is the largest and southernmost of the ten CRUS in France’s BEAUJOLAIS region.
Gamay
[ga-MAY]
The full name of this French red wine grape is Gamay Noir a’Jus Blanc. Gamay wines have gained prominence in France’s BEAUJOLAIS region where this grape, which represents 98 percent of all vines planted, reigns supreme. They’re so associated with Beaujolais that winemakers outside of the region often try to imitate the style of immediately drinkable, light- to medium-weight wines with high ACID and low TANNINS. These light purple, fruity wines suggest flavors of bananas, berries, and peaches
Congrats, to the winner of our Wine Term Contest: Elaine Miller, with the best missing term - “GRAPE” (How could we have forgotten that one?).
The GrapeRadio Crew
Brett, or Brettanomyces