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Wine Tasting - Wine tasting terms Category: Food and Drink > Wine tasting Date & country: 28/10/2013, UK Words: 193

Young
Not yet mature or at its peak -- still developing.

Zinfandel
Probably one of the most widely known grapes in California, Zinfandel has been a part of California winemaking for more than a century.

Yeast
Enzymes necessary for the fermentation of grape juice into wine.

York Mountain
This is a cool, single-winery appellation that is located between Paso Robles and the ocean in the Central Coast.

Viticulture
The cultivation, science and study of grapes.

Vinted By
Use of this term on a label means that the winery purchased the wine in bulk from another winery and bottled it.

Vintner
Traditionally this term was used to describe a wine merchant; today it is colloquially used to describe wine producers and winery proprietors.

Viognier
Another Rhone grape making a strong foothold in California, this white grape produces floral, spicy and in many cases very complex wines.

Viniculture
The science or study of grape production for making wine.

Vintage Date
Indicates the year wine was made. In order to carry the year, the grapes must be at least 95 percent from the stated year.

Vigorous
Describes a wine that is young and lively.

Velvety
Describes a smooth, silky texture in a wine.

Tartrates
Harmless crystals of potassium bitartrate that can form in wine especially when a wine is chilled for extended periods of time.

Thin
Describes a wine lacking body and depth.

Toasty
Refers to an aroma and flavor that originates from the oak barrels in which wines are aged and also a character that is present in some sparkling wines.

Vegetal
Describes the smell and flavor in some wines that resemble various vegetables and plants.

Tart
Describes the sharp taste of acidity in wine.

Tannins
Chemical compounds in the skin, stems and seeds of wine grapes that affect the taste, color, mouthfeel and aging potential of a wine, as tannins are a natural preservative. Tannins can add bitterness and astringency -- the puckering, drying sensation in the mouth.

Style
A collection of characteristics that describe a wine.

Supple
Often used to describe young red wines that might be expected to be more aggressive.

Sur Lie
(French) The technique of aging wine in contact with the sediment of dead yeast and grape particles (lees) from the fermentation.

Syrah
Traditionally the grape behind the highest-quality red wines from the Northern Rhone Valley in France, Syrah is coming on strong in California. Known for dark, inky, spicy, peppery wines, these are gaining popularity all over California.

St. Helena
This is the wine capitol of Napa Valley, located just about midway between the city of Napa and Calistoga. Several prominent wineries are located here.

Stags Leap District
The Stags Leap District is located along the eastern edge of the Napa Valley and is one of the finest locations for Cabernet Sauvignon in the state.

Steely
Bracing, with intense mineral character. Usually a white-wine characteristic.

Stemmy
Wines fermented too long with the grape stems sometimes pick up an unpleasant astringent aroma and flavor.

Spring Mountain District
Grapes have been grown in this mountain wine region in the hills west of St. Helena for more than 100 years. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay are notable here.

Sonoma Valley
This valley is located at the southern end of Sonoma County and is one of the state's oldest wine regions.

Spicy
A common descriptor for many wines, used to describe such aromas and flavors as anise, cloves, mint and pepper.

Silky
Smooth texture.

Smoky
Describes an aroma and a flavor obtained from aging in oak casks; applies to both white and red wines.

Soft
Describes a wine that is low in acid or tannin.

Sonoma Coast
This is a large appellation stretching from north of Green Valley-Sonoma, through the Russian River area to Carneros.

Sonoma Mountain
This small appellation is home to several prestigious vineyards. Located to the west of Glen Ellen and to the southwest of Kenwood, Sonoma Mountain is producing high quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel.

Sierra Foothills
This is a region that covers several counties in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Many wineries dot this region and Zinfandel is the predominant grape.

Semillon
Semillon, which has traditionally been part of the dry Bordeaux white blends as well as the incredible sweet wines of Sauternes, produces a dry complex white wine in California. As in France, it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc.

Santa Maria Valley
This region in the south Central Coast is increasingly known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Santa Ynez Valley
Stretching east from near the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County, this valley is home to many familiar producers.

Sauvignon Blanc
More and more each year, Sauvignon Blanc (also called Fume Blanc) gains strength as a less-pricey alternative to Chardonnay. The wines made from this grape range from fruity and forward to barrel fermented and oaky. The varietal identity of Sauvignon Blanc is typically similar to grass, bell-pepper, or grapefruit in nature.

Salmanazar
A large bottle holding the equivalent of 12 750ml bottles.

San Benito County
A political boundary rarely used on labels with the exception of Calera. Located east of Monterey County.

Santa Barbara County
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of this region, containing many appellations of note, including the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valleys.

Santa Cruz Mountains
This region, high in the mountains of Santa Cruz County, is home to Ridge Vineyards and Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards.

Robust
Describes a wine that is full bodied, intense and vigorous.

Russian River Valley
Fast becoming one of the finest areas for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California, this cool, damp region straddles the Russian River from just south of Healdsburg past Santa Rosa as it bends west toward the Pacific Ocean.

Rutherford
This central Napa Valley district is one of the most famous Cabernet Sauvignon districts in all of California. Beaulieu Vineyards and the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery are the anchors at the center of the town of Rutherford with other famous producers close by.

Puckery
Describes highly tannic and very dry wines.

Racking
Describes the practice of moving wine from one container to another for aeration or clarification and leaving sediment behind.

Rehoboam
A large bottle holding the equivalent of six 750ml bottles.

Residual Sugar
Describes unfermented grape sugar in a finished wine.

Pinot Noir
This is the grape behind the great red wines of France's Burgundy region, and now increasingly a more serious contender to Cabernet Sauvignon's quality crown in California. Pinot Noir in California is best in cooler climates like the Carneros and the Russian River Valley.

Produced and Bottled By
When used on a label this phrase indicates that the named winery crushed, fermented and bottled at least 75 percent of the wine.

Provenance
In short, the origin and history of a wine. Provenance is an important consideration when purchasing expensive and aged wines, since improper cellaring can damage the bottle's contents.

Off-Dry
Describes a wine that is slightly sweet.

Oxidized
Describes a wine that has been exposed too long to air.

Paso Robles
Highway 101 bisects this Central Coast region, best known for Zinfandel and Syrah and located around the city of Paso Robles.

Phylloxera
Tiny aphids or root lice that attack the roots of Vitis vinifera grapes.

Pinot Blanc
Similar to Chardonnay in flavor and structure, Pinot Blanc has a small but loyal following. Excellent examples come from Chalone, Etude and Steele.

Oaky
Describes a class of aromas or flavors associated with oak barrels or casks.

Nutty
Describes a wine that has been exposed to excess air. A positive characteristic in some wines like Sherry.

Nose
Term used to describe the combined aroma and bouquet of a wine.

Nouveau
A style of light, fruity, red wine bottled and sold as soon as possible after the fermentation process.

Napa Valley
Napa Valley is California's most famous wine region and one of the world's most widely recognized names in fine wines. The valley runs roughly north to south from Napa to Calistoga and contains many sub-appellations of note. These include Spring Mountain, Stags Leap, Mount Veeder, Oakville, Diamond Mountain, Rutherford, and many more.

Nebbiolo
While a newcomer to California, this grape produces the great Barolo and Barbaresco wines of Italy.

Nebuchadnezzar
A large bottle holding as much as 20 750ml bottles.

Musty
A moldy or mildew smell usually associated with bad winery hygiene or a failed cork.

Mount Veeder
This appellation on the western side of the Napa Valley in the Mayacamas Mountains rises up to 2,500 feet and gets nearly double Napa's annual rainfall.

Mourvedre
Also known as Mataro, this is a Rhone grape used as a blending grape as well as in some varietal bottlings.

Muscat
Also called Muscat Blanc and Muscat Canelli, this spicy white grape can make a wide range of wines from dry to dessert.

Must
This term is used to describe the unfermented juice of grapes after crushing.

Methuselah
A large bottle holding the equivalent of eight 750ml bottles.

Monterey County
A region and a political boundary stretching from the Pacific Ocean inland to the eastern side of the Salinas Valley and south to near Paso Robles.

Mount Harlan
A single-winery appellation that is used by Calera for its wines produced from its vineyards 2,000 feet above sea level.

Methode Champenoise
The labor-intensive and costly process where wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles.

Mercaptans
Describes a very unpleasant smell of old sulfur, found mainly in very old white wine.

Meritage
A term recently invented to describe Bordeaux-styled red and white wines produced by California wineries.

Merlot
Probably the most popular red wines in California history, Merlot is known to just about anyone who likes red wine. In California, Merlot is known as a softer, smoother version of Cabernet Sauvignon. In France, it is one of the most important ingredients in Bordeaux.

Malolactic Fermentation
A natural secondary fermentation that occurs in most wine to convert the sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid and carbon dioxide. This process adds complexity and character to most wines.

Marsanne
This grape produces a full-bodied white wine in California, although it is not widely planted. The grape's origins are in Rhone Valley of France where it is usually blended with other varieties such as Viognier.

Mendocino County
A political boundary that takes in the northern most appellations of the North Coast.

Malbec
Probably the least interesting of the Bordeaux blending grapes, a few California wineries are making interesting varietal bottlings from Malbec.

Magnum
A large bottle equivalent to two 750ml bottles.

Made and Bottled By
Requires that the producer fermented a minimum of 10 percent of the wine in the bottle.

Maderized
This term comes from the mature dessert wines called Madeira. In a wine, this term describes a brownish color and slightly sweet, nutty character.

Lively
Describes a wine that smells and tastes fresh and vibrant, usually describes a wine that will last.

Livermore Valley
Once a thriving viticultural area, the suburban sprawl surrounding the nearby San Francisco Bay has all but erased this appellation. Wente Bros. and Concannon continue to make wines here.

Lodi
More wine comes out of the area around Lodi than many whole regions in California. More and more of the wines produced here are carrying the Lodi appellation rather than the California appellation that has traditionally been applied.

Knights Valley
This small valley is tucked between the Alexander Valley and the Napa Valley.

Lake County
This is a political boundary that contains appellations such as Clear Lake and Guenoc, and is very occasionally used on a label.

Late Harvest
When used on a label it describes a wine made from grapes picked later than normal and at a higher sugar level than normal.

Lean
Describes a wine that is firm and muscular in feeling as opposed to soft and fleshy.

Legs
Refers to the viscous rivulets of wine that ease down the sides of the glass when the wine is swirled.

irah
A deep, spicy wine, Petite Sirah has long been used as a blending grape as well as a standalone variety.

Jeroboam
A large bottle equivalent to four to six 750ml bottles; also called a double magnum.

Johannisberg Riesling
Also known as White Riesling, this is the grape responsible for the greatest German wines. In California, it makes a wide variety of styles from dry to sweet.

Hot
Usually refers to a wine that is high in alcohol.

Howell Mountain
High in the eastern mountains overlooking the Napa Valley is the town of Angwin (originally a Seventh-Day Adventist settlement) and the Howell Mountain appellation. Grapes were grown here as early as the late 1800s, but today's efforts are epitomized by the rugged nature of the region. The soils of this area are mostly well-drained tuff and volcani...

Imperial
A large bottle equivalent to eight 750ml bottles.

Hollow
Describes a wine that lacks a satisfying middle (or core) set of flavors.

Half Bottle
Holds 375 milliliters of wine.