Acidity - Refers to the amount of acid found in wine.  jostly tartaric, malic, lactic and in some cases citrus acid. Good acid levels can contribute to a wines crisp and refreshing mouth feel, while supporting the aftertaste. Acidity also helps preserve a wine. Wines low in acidity are sometimes often referred to as flabby.

Aeration - Letting a wine "breathe" before drinking it in order to "open up" the wine and let the trapped aromas and flavors release.  This can be accomplished by Decanting the bottle into another container, (preferred) or by swirling the wine in a glass.

After Taste - A tasting term for the taste left on the Palate after wine has been swallowed.

Aging Barrel - A Barrel used to age wine or distilled spirits.

Alcohol - Generally refers to ethanol, a chemical compound found in alcoholic beverages. It is also commonly used to refer to alcoholic beverages in general.

Alternative Wine Closures - Various substitutes used in the wine industry for sealing wine bottles in place of traditional Cork closures.

American Oak - American Oak and French Oak are the jost widely used wood in the world to build barrels for wine aging. American oak barrels are jost often used to age big or robust red wines like Zinfandel, Cabernets and Syrahs

Amphora - A type of ceramic vase, used for transporting and storing wine in ancient times.

Angel's Share - The portion of a wine in an ageing barrel that is lost to evaporation.

Anthocyanin - Phenolic pigments that give red wine its color.

Aroma - The smell of a wine. The term is generally used for younger wines, with the term Bouquet used for aged wines.

American Viticultural Are (AVA) - A defined geographical location, such as Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, that has been officially designated a grape-growing area in the United States by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Appellation - A system originally developed by the French to regulate the authenticity of their finest wines. Appellation applies specifically to the region where the grapes were grown. Within the Napa AVA, examples include Stags Leap District, Rutherford, and Oakville.

Balance - Describes a wine harmonious in character.  These characteristics include acids, tannins and fruit.

Balthazar - A very large bottle that holds 16 standard bottles.

Barrel - A hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of wood staves, used for fermenting and aging wine. Sometimes called a cask.

Barrel Fermented - Wine (usually whites) fermented in, typically, 60-gallon oak (approximately 225 liters) barrels rather than neutral containers such as stainless steel. Barrel Fermentation can contribute to the Complexity and flavor of a wine by adding suggestions of spice, vanilla, and in the fermentation of Chardonnay, butter characteristics.  These flavors are derived from the interaction of the wine and the oak.

Barrique - The French name for a 225 liter Bordeaux style barrel.

Bentonite - A type of clay used in wine Clarification.

Blanc de Blancs - A white wine made from white grapes.

Blanc de Noir - A white wine made from red grapes.

Blending - The mixing of two or more different parcels of wine together by winemakers to produce a consistent finished wine that is ready for bottling. Laws generally dictate what wines can be blended together, and what is subsequently printed on the Wine Label.

Blind Tasting - Tasting and evaluating wine without knowing what it is.

Bodega - A Spanish Wine Cellar. Also refers to a seller of alcoholic beverage.

Body - The feeling of a wine's "girth" or feel in the mouth, i.e. full-bodied, medium-bodied or light-bodied.

Bottle Shock - Also known as bottle-sickness, a temporary condition of wine characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors. It often occurs immediately after bottling or when wines (usually fragile wines) are shaken in travel. After several days the condition usually disappears.

Bottle Variation - The degree to which bottled wine of the same style and Vintage can vary.

Bouquet - A tasting term for the complex aromas of an aged wine. The term is generally not applied to young wines.

Box Wine - Wine packaged in a bag usually made of flexible plastic and protected by a box, usually made of cardboard. The bag is sealed by a simple plastic tap.

Brettanomyces - A wine spoilage Yeast that produces taints in wine commonly described as barnyard or band-aids.

Bright - Describes a wine that has high clarity, very low levels of suspended solids.

Brix - A measurement of the dissolved sucrose (sugar) level in wine, Must or Grape Juice.

Brut - A French term for a very Dry champagne or Sparkling Wine. Drier than Extra Dry.

Bung - A stopper used to seal a bottle or barrel. Commonly used term for corks.

California cult Wines - Certain California wines for which consumers and others pay higher prices than those of Bordeaux's First Growths (Premiers Crus).

Capsule - The plastic or foil that covers the cork and part of the neck of a wine bottle.

Carbonic Maceration - A winemaking practice of fermenting whole grapes that have not been crushed.

Champagne Flute - A piece of stemware having a long stem with a tall, narrow bowl on top.

Chaptalization - A winemaking process where sugar is added to the must to increase the alcohol content in the fermented wine. This is often done when grapes have not ripened adequately.

Chardonnay - A type of wine, one of the "noble" white varietals.

Charmat Process - The Charmat or bulk process is a method where sparkling wines receive their secondary fermentation in large tanks, rather than individual bottles as seen in MéM?thode Champenoise.

Claret - British name for Bordeaux wine. Is also a semi-generic term for a red wine in similar style to that of Bordeaux.

Clarification - A winemaking process involving the Fining and filtration of wine to remove suspended solids and reduce turbidity.

Cold Stabilization - A winemaking process where wine is chilled to near freezing temperatures for several weeks to encourage the precipitation of tartrate crystals.

Complexity - When a wine is exhibits deep characteristics and flavors, yet retains balance and finesse. A wine to be referred to as "complex", is an extreme compliment.

Cork - A wine bottle stopper made from the tissue of the cork oak tree.

Corked - A tasting term for a wine that has Cork Taint.  Usually it smells and tastes musty or moldy.  Cork taint is caused by the cork being defective.

Corkscrew - A tool, comprising a pointed metallic helix attached to a handle, for drawing Corks from bottles.

Cork Taint - A type of wine fault describing undesirable aromas and flavors in wine often attributed to mould growth on chlorine bleached corks.

Crush - The harvest season, usually beginning in September or October in the Northern Hemisphere.  The time when grapes are harvested and crushed.

Cult Wines - Wines for which committed buyers will pay large sums of money because of their desirability and rarity.

Cuvee - The pressing, or a blending of several wines.  Can also refer to a special or Reserve batch of wine.

Decanting - The process of pouring wine slowly from its bottle into a decanter to separate the sediment from the wine, and also to airate or oxygenate the wine.

Demi-sec - Moderately sweet to medium sweet sparkling wines.

Dessert Wine - Very sweet, high alcohol wines.

Dry - Wines with zero or very low levels of Residual Sugar. The opposite of sweet.

Eiswein - German for Ice Wine, a dessert wine made from frozen grapes.

Enology - American English spelling of Oenology, the study of wine.

Estate Bottled - Indicates a wine that has been produced from the Vineyard that the particular Winery owns/or operates.

Extra Dry - A champagne or sparkling wine with a small amount of residual sugar (slightly sweet). Not as dry as Brut.

Fermentation - The conversion of grape sugars to alcohol by yeast.

Field Blend - To  blend complementary grapevines in a vineyard.  Harvested together, the resulting wine is often referred to as a field blend.

Filtering - A process of eliminating solids from wine fermentation.  This includes sediment, grape skins, dead yeast, etc..  Filtering can range from very fine to coarse; however, it is increasingly being minimized (or avoided if possible) because the finer the filtering, the more flavors and character are stripped from the wine.

Fining - A clarification process where flocculants, such as bentonite or egg white, are added to the wine to remove suspended solids.

Finish - The lasting impression, or aftertaste, of a wine on the palate. A long, complex finish is desirable.

Floral - Tasting and/or smelling of flowers

Fortified Wine - Wine to which alcohol has been added, generally to increase the concentration to a high enough level to prevent fermentation.

French Oak - The classic wood for wine barrels, it imparts flavors of vanilla, cedar and/or other spices. The oak from different French forests lends slightly different characteristics to the wine, and is therefore named for the forest region from which it was harvested. Famous French names include Limousin, Nevers, Allier and Troncais. French oak is vital not only in the production of great French wines, but is also used around the world to age everything from California Chardonnay to Oregon Pinot Noir to Australian Cabernets.

Fruit Bomb - An informal wine term often applied to New World (especially California) wines produced from very ripe grapes that emphasize lush fruit flavors combined with soft, low acid structures. Examples of fruit bombs include the soft, tropical-fruit-like Chardonnays of Kendall-Jackson.

Free Run   - Juice obtained from grapes that have not been pressed.

Grape Juice - The free-run or pressed juice from grapes. Unfermented grape juice along with the skins and seeds is known as "must."                                                                                                                                  -

Grassy - Characteristics that resemble the aromas and or flavors of grass or fresh hay; sometimes used to describe the flavor and aroma of Sauvignon Blanc.

Green Harvest - The harvesting of green (unripe) grapes in an attempt to increase the yield of quality grapes.

Herbaceous - Characteristics that resemble the aromas and or flavors of herbs; commonly found in Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs.

Ice Wine - Wine made from frozen grapes. Called eiswein in German.

Imperial - A large bottle that holds six liters, or the equivalent of eight regular bottles.

Jeroboam - A large bottle holding three litres, the equivalent of four regular wine bottles.

Kosher Wine - Wine that is produced under the supervision of a rabbi so as to be ritually pure or clean. Although commonly sweet, it need not be so.

Late Harvest Wine - Also known as late picked, wine made from grapes that have been left on the Vine longer than usual. Usually an indicator for a very sweet or dessert wine.

Lees - Wine sediment that occurs during and after fermentation, and consists of dead yeast cells, grape seeds, and other solids. Wine is separated from the lees by Racking.

Legs - The tracks of liquid that cling to the sides of a glass after the contents have been swirled. Often said to be related to the alcohol or glycerol content of a wine. Also called Tears.

Litre - (US - Liter)  A metric measure of volume equal to 33.8 ounces.

Maceration - The contact of grape skins with the must before, during and after fermentation, extracting phenolic compounds including tannins, anthocyanins, and aroma.

Magnum - A bottle holding 1.5 liters, the equivalent of two regular wine bottles.

Maloactic Fermentation - A secondary fermentation which converts the malic acid, (found in green apples) in a wine to softer lactic acid, (found in milk) and thereby reduces the total acidity of the wine. This softens and adds complexity to jost red wines, and contributes to the creamy richness of white wines jostly found in Chardonnay. Not all wines go through malolactic fermentation; wines that are made to be kept crisp and fresh like jost Blancs, and possibly a "non-oaked" Chardonnay.

Master of Wine - A qualification (not an academic degree) conferred by The Institute of Masters of Wine, which is located in the United Kingdom.

May Wine - A light German wine flavored with sweet woodruff in addition to strawberries or other fruit.

Méthode Champenoise - Process whereby sparkling wines receive a second fermentation in the same bottle that will be sold to a retail buyer. Compare with Charmat or bulk fermented.

Methuselah - A large bottle holding six liters, the equivalent of eight regular wine bottles.

Microoxygenation - The controlled exposure of wine to small amounts of oxygen in the attempt to reduce the length of time required for maturation.

Must - Unfermented grape juice, including skins, seeds and juice.

Nebuchadnezzar - A large bottle holding 15 liters, the equivalent of 20 regular wine bottles.

NéN?gociant - French for "trader". A wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result under its own name.                         -

Nose - A tasting term for the aroma or bouquet of a wine.

Oak Chips - Small pieces of oak wood (usually toasted) used in place of oak barrels in fermenting and/or ageing wine.

Oenology - The science of wine and winemaking.

Oenophile - A wine aficionado or connoisseur.

Off -Dry - A slightly sweet wine; wine with a small amount of  "residual sugar".

Old Vine - Wine produced from vines that are notably old.

Oxidized - A wine that has lost its freshness from exposure to air and/or oxygen.  Oxidation is what changes the flavors of leftover wines. Using products that inject a small amount of inert gas into the bottle to blanket the wine from oxygen will help preserve the wine for several days.

Palate - A tasting term for the feel and taste of a wine in the mouth.

Peak - The time when a wine is at its best, displaying its smoothest, fullest flavors.  This can vary from a few months for fragile white wines, to decades for long-lived red wines and Ports.

pH - An acronym for "potential hydrogen", in wine the term refers to the level of acidity. The lower the pH, the higher the acidity.  Low pH wines are better candidates for aging as they are less sensitive to oxidation and have greater resistance to bacteria.

Pommace - The skins, stalks, and seeds that remain after making wine. Also called marc.

Proof - Refers to the alcohol content of a beverage. In the United States, proof represents twice the alcohol content as a percentage of volume. Thus, a 100 proof beverage is 50% alcohol by volume and a 150 proof beverage is 75% alcohol. In the Imperial system, proof, (or 100% proof), equals 57.06% ethanol by volume, or 48.24% by weight. Absolute or pure ethanol is 75.25 over proof, or 175.25 proof.

Puncheon - A wine barrel that holds approximately 318 liters (160 U.S. gallons).

Punt - The indentation found in the base of a wine bottle. Punt depth is often thought to be related to wine quality, with better quality wines having a deeper punt.

Racking - The process of moving wine from one vessel to another.  Often used to "rack" off the sediment, such as lees, after fermentation and moving it into another vessel.

Rehoboam - A large bottle holding 4.5 liters, the equivalent of six regular wine bottles.

RéR?muage - See "Riddling".

Reserva - Spanish and Portuguese term for a reserve wine.

Reserve - A term given to wine to indicate that it is of higher quality than usual.

Residual Sugar - Also known as RS, the level of sugar that remains unfermented in a wine. See also Sweetness of Wine.

Reverse Osjosis - A process used to remove excess alcohol from wine made from intentionally overripe grapes.

Riddling - Also known as "Rémuage" in French, part of the Méthode Champenoise process whereby bottles of sparkling wine are successively turned and gradually tilted upside down so that sediment settles into the necks of the bottles in preparation for degorgement. Part of the Méthode Champenoise process.

Rosé wines - Pink wines that are produced from the shortened contact of red wine juice with its skins, reducing the red color of the wine. These wines can also be made by blending a small amount of red wine with white wine.

Ruby - A style of Port Wine that is generally sweet.

Salmanazar - A large bottle holding nine liters, the equivalent of 12 regular wine bottles.

Sangria - A Tart punch made from red wine along with orange, lemon and apricot juice with added sugar.

Screw cap - An alternative to cork for sealing wine bottles, comprising a metal cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a bottle. Also called a "Stelvin".

Sherry - A fortified wine that has been subjected to controlled oxidation to produce a distinctive flavor.

Sommelier - A trained wine expert that often works in fine restaurants.

Sparkling Wine - Effervescent wine containing significant levels of carbon dioxide.

Split - A wine bottle that holds 375 mL, half the equivalent of a typical 750 mL bottle.

Spumante - Italian for "sparkling". Generally any sparkling wines from Italy.

Stelvin - A brand of screw cap.

Still Wine - Wine that is not sparkling wine.

Sulfites - Compounds added to wine to prevent oxidation and microbial spoilage.  Under U.S. law, any wine with sulfites higher than 10 ppm must state "contains sulfites" on the label.Sulphur Dioxide

Sweetness of Wine - Defined by the level of residual sugar in the final liquid after the fermentation has ceased. However, how sweet the wine will actually taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of Tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling.

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T budding - A technique that permits grafting of different grape varieties onto existing rootstocks in a vineyard.

Table Wine - Generally any wine that is not sparkling or fortified. In the US these wines must also be between 7% and 14% alcohol by volume.

Tannin - Polyphenolic compounds that give wine a bitter, dry, or puckery feeling in the mouth.  Tannins are found in the grape skins.  The smaller the grape size the potentially more tannic a wine can be.  For instance Cabernet Sauvignon is usually a more tannic wine than Syrah, because the grape berries are much smaller.

Tart - A tasting term describing a wine high in acidity. Often displayed by young, unripe wines.

Tartaric acid - The jost important acid found in grapes.

Tartrates - Harmless crystals that often form in the barrel or bottle of wines. These deposits come from the tartaric acids present in wines.  Sometimes thought to affect the quality of wine when found in a bottle, this is absolutely false.  The crystals have no effect on the quality of the wine, in fact some believe the formation of crystals only come from wines that are not overly processed.

Tasting Flight - Refers to a selection of wines, usually between three and eight glasses, but sometimes as many as fifty, presented for the purpose of sampling and comparison.

Tears - See "legs".

Terroir - French for "soil", the physical and geographical characteristics of a particular vineyard site that give the resultant wine its unique properties.

Texture - A tasting term for the mouth feel of wine on the palate.

Thief - A tubular instrument for removing a sample from a cask or barrel. Also called a pipe.

Toast - The charcoal that is burned into the inside of wine casks. To toast refers to that process. It also refers to the practice of drinking an alcohol beverage along with wishing good health or other good fortune.

Ullage - Also known as headspace, the unfilled space in a wine bottle, barrel, or tank.

Unoaked - Also known as unwooded, refers to wines that have been matured without contact with wood/oak such as in aging barrels.

Varietal - Wines made from a single grape variety.

Vermouth - A fortified wine that has been flavored with as many as 40 herbs and spices.

Vertical and Horizontal Wine Tasting - In a vertical tasting, different vintages of the same wine type from the same winery are tasted. This emphasizes differences between various vintages. In a horizontal tasting, the wines are all from the same vintage but are from different wineries. Keeping wine variety or type and wine region the same helps emphasize differences in winery styles.

Vigneron - French for vine grower.

Vin - French for wine.

Vina - Spanish for vineyard.

Vine - A plant on which grapes grow.

Vinegar - A sour-tasting, highly acidic, liquid made from the oxidation of ethanol in wine, cider, beer, fermented fruit juice, or nearly any other liquid containing alcohol.

Vineyard - A place where grape vines are grown for wine making purposes.

Vinho - Portuguese for wine.

Vinho Verde - An effervescent white wine produced in Portugal.

Viniculture - The art and science of making wine. Also called enology (or oenology). Not to be confused with Viticulture.

Vinification - The process of making grape juice into wine.

Vino - Italian and Spanish, Originally derived from Latin, for wine.

Vintage - The year in which a particular wine's grapes were harvested. When a vintage year is indicated on a label, it signifies that all the grapes used to make the wine in the bottle were harvested in that year.  Although now jost wine producing regions now require that at least 95% of the wine contains grapes harvested from only that year.  Wines that are blended from more than one harvest are called nonvintage wines.

Vintner - A producer of wine or winery owner.

Viticulture - The cultivation of grapes. Not to be confused with viniculture.

Viticultural Area - An American Viticultural Area, AVA is defined as a grape-growing area in the United States, as defined by law. Based on geographical boundaries set forth by the Trade and Tax Bureau, an arm of the Alcohol Firearms and Tobacco, which is an arm of the US government,  It simply regulates that the wines must be 85% from a viticultural area to carry its name. Napa Valley is an example of a viticultural area.

Volatile Acidity - The level of acetic acid present within a wine

Winery - A building, property, or company that is involved in the production of wine.

Wine Maker - A person engaged in the occupation of making wine.

Wine-press - A device, comprising two vats or receptacles, one for trodding and bruising grapes, and the other for collecting the juice.

Wine Cave - A large cave that is excavated to provide a cool location for storing and aging wine. Similar to wine cellar.

Wine Cellar - A cool, dark location in which wine is stored, often for the purpose of ageing.

Wine Label - The descriptive sticker or signage adhered to the side of a wine bottle.

Wine Tasting - The sensory evaluation of wine, encompassing more than taste, but also mouth feel, aroma, and color.

Yeast - A microscopic unicellular fungi responsible for the conversion of sugars in must to alcohol. This process is known as alcoholic fermentation. Young Wine that is not matured and usually bottled and sold within a year of its vintage.

Zymology - The science of fermentation.