WINE LOVERS
GLOSSARY
There are many different terms and words used
relating to wine and wine production, the following is a glossary of some of
these. For ease of access I have created different pages for the
various letters of the
alphabet.
| A.O.C : |
Appellation d'origine
contrôlée - this is the highest French wine classification. It indicates that the wine
meets the strict requirements concerning the vineyard of origin, the type of vine grown,
the method of production, and the volume of alcohol present. |
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| A.O.S : |
Appellation d'origine
simple (abolished in November 1973) |
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| Abstème : |
Know as a teetotaller, a
person who does not drink wine |
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| Acescence : |
Illness caused by acetic
bacteria which have a tendency of making the wine acidic |
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| Acidity : |
Being part of the four
basic savours of the sense of taste, acidity is detected on the sides of the tongue. |
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| Acidulous : |
Very young wine with a
high level of acidity. |
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| Acrid : |
An "acrid"
wine is an unpleasant wine, which is also rough and tart. |
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| Aggressive : |
Wine with an excess of
acidity or tannin. |
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| Alcohol : |
The natural sugar from
the grape is transformed into alcohol, caused by the action of yeast, when the must is
fermented. |
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| Alcoholic
fermentation : |
Chemical reactions which
allow us to obtain, from the sugar of the grape, alcohol and glycerol. |
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| Aleatico
: |
Italian grape variety
which produces a red wine of the same name. |
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| Alentejo : |
Portuguese vineyard
situated south-east of Lisbon. |
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| Aligoté : |
Grape variety producing
a white wine grown mainly in Bourgogne. The Bourgogne Aligoté is a pleasant wine, light
and thirst quenching, to be drunk young. |
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| Aloxe-Corton : |
Bourgogne municipality
(commune) belonging to the Côte de Beaune. |
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| Alsace : |
The best grape varieties
used in the production of Alsacien white wines are "gewurztraminer",
"muscat", "pinot gris" or "tokay" and "riesling". |
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| Amber-yellow : |
Golden colouring of
certain old white wines due to the oxidization of the wine, but which should not be
accompanied by maderization at the time of tasting. |
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| Ampelography : |
The study of grape
varieties. |
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| Ample : |
An "ample"
wine a rich and ample flavour which assures good harmony. |
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| Anjou : |
Wine growing region of
Tourraine producing red, white and rosé wines. |
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| Anthocyanes
: |
Red pigments from the
grape; found in the skin, which give the colour to rosé and red wines. |
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| Aquitaine et
Charente : |
Wine growing region
which produces some very pleasant "vins de Pays" made from grape varieties of
the Bordelais region for the red wines of Sémillon, Ugni banc and Baroque for the white
wines. |
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| Arbois : |
A vineyard in the Jura
region, having an "appellation contrôlée" (label guaranteeing the origin of
wine and cheese) since 1936. To be endowed with an "appellation" (designation)
white wines must come from the Sauvignon, Chardonnay or Pinot blanc grape varieties and
red wines from the Poulsard, Trousseau or Pinot Noir varieties |
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| Arcure : |
Curve imposed upon a
climbing stem by cutting and folding in order to encourage fruit growth. |
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| Aroma : |
Also known as fruit,
flavour or bouquet, the aromas are the smells given off by the wine. |
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| Aromatic : |
An aromatic wine has
pervasive and intense aromas. Certain grape varieties are said them to be
"aromatic". |
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| Ascorbic acid : |
Anti-oxidizing agent
strictly regulated by the EEC who impose a limitation of 150mg per litre of wine. |
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| Asti : |
An Italian wine which
comes from the city of Asti, south of Turin. |
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| Astringent/Tart : |
An
"astringent" wine is "chewy".The tannin, which is very concentrated,
is rough and causes the gums and tongue to tighten. |
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| Aubance : |
Vineyard in Anjou which
stretches from the Loire to Layon. |
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Click the relevant letter below for
other terms and words
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