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180 Cards in this Set
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Maceration |
The soaking of grape skins and other solids in grape juice or newly made wine in order to extract color, tannin, and other phenolics from the skins and into the liquid; may occur before, during, and/or after fermentation |
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Macroclimate |
The climatic conditions of the overall region, roughly synonymous with climate |
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Maderization |
The process a wine undergoes when subjected to heat and oxidation; see also maderized |
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Maderized |
Term used for a wine that has taken on the cooked character of Madeira or that has otherwise been subject to heat and oxidation; see also maderization |
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Magnum |
A wine bottle with double the capacity of a standard bottle, i.e., 1.5 liters, especially when referring to sparkling wine |
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Malic Acid |
A moderately strong acid that is found in abundance in unripe grapes but that decreases as the grapes ripen; the primary input to malolactic fermentation |
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Malolactic Fermentation |
A biochemical process by which lactic bacteria convert malic acid to lactic acid, there by reducing a wine's acidity and altering the flavor profile |
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Marc |
French. 1. Grape pomace; 2. A spirit distilled from pomace; 3. In Champagne, a traditional measure of grape quantity equivalent to about 4,000 kilograms |
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Marginal Climate |
A climate type that has such cool temperatures or such a short growing season that grapes are at times just barely about to achieve an acceptable degree of ripeness |
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Maritime Climate |
A climate typical of coastal sections of large landmasses, characterized by warm summers and cool winters, with considerable precipitation and humidity throughout the year |
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Mediterranean Climate |
A climate typical of the southwestern quadrants of large landmasses in the temperate zone, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters |
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Mercaptan |
A sulfurous compound that is very malodorous and generally ruins a wine if it develops, often described as smelling of onions, garlic, or cabbage |
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Mesoclimate |
The climate of a relatively small area, such as a vineyard |
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Methuselah |
A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 6 liters, equivalent to 8 standard bottles |
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Mevushal (wine) |
Kosher wine that has been flash-pasteurized and is therefore permanently kosher |
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Microclimate |
The climate of a small, very specific area, such as a section of a vineyard row or a single vine |
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Micro-oxygenation |
A controversial procedure that involves the introduction of miniscule amounts of oxygen into a tank of young wine, intended to simulate the natural conditions in a wooden barrel |
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Millerandage |
Abnormal fruit set, a vine condition that results in grape bunches that have a high proportion of small seedless berries mixed in with the normal, larger, seed-bearing grapes |
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Millésime |
French. Vintage-dated |
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Mistelle |
French. A sweet fortified wine made by adding grape spirits to grape must that may or may not have begun fermentation; a specific type of vin de liqueur |
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Mousse |
French. 1. Literally foam; 2. The bubbles in sparkling wine; 3. The foam that develops on top of vigorously fermenting wine |
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Muselet |
A wine cage used to secure the cork in a bottle of sparkling wine |
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Must |
Unfermented grape juice, may also include skins, seeds, and stems |
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Must Weight |
The density or specific gravity of unfermented grape juice, which roughly equates to the juice's sugar content and therefore the potential alcohol in the finished wine; measures of must weight include the widely used Brix scale, as well as Baumé, sometimes used in France, Oechsle in Germany, and KMW in Austria |
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Mutage |
A winemaking process of stopping (or "muting") fermentation, usually by the addition of distilled spirits; may also involve the use of sulfur dioxide |
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Mutation |
A genetic change; a natural but random alteration to the DNA of a grapevine that results in traits unlike those of the plant's parents or clone source |
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Nebuchadnezzar |
A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 15 liters, equivalent to 20 standard bottles |
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Negociant/négociant |
An intermediary who buys grapes or finished wine for resale and who may also ferment, age, blend, and/or bottle the wine |
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New World |
For wine purposes, all countries outside Europe, or the wine styles typical of those countries |
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Noble Rot |
A term used in France and elsewhere to refer to the beneficial form of botrytis; see also pourriture noble |
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Oechsle |
German. A measure of the sugar level in grapes or must used in Germany |
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Oenophile |
Literally, wine lover |
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Off-dry |
Having a small amount of perceptible sugar |
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Off-odor |
An unpleasant or atypical aroma in a wine |
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Off-premise |
Away from the place of business; specifically, the segment of the wine industry that sells wine for consumption elsewhere, such as wine shops and supermarkets; cf. on-premise |
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Oidium |
Powdery mildew |
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Old World |
For wine purposes, the countries of Europe, or the traditional wine styles of those countries |
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Olfactory Epithelium |
A patch of specialized cells located inside the nasal cavity; a sensory receptor for smell |
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On-premise |
At the place of business; specifically, the segment of the wine industry that sells wine for consumption on-site, such as restaurants and wine bars; c.f. off-premise |
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Organic Viticulture |
A practice of grape growing based on the avoidance of non-natural, manufactured chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers |
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Ortswein |
German. "Classified site wine"; often compared to the village wine classification of Burgundy; a VDP term |
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Oxidation |
Chemical changes that take place in the presence of oxygen |
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Oxidized |
A wine that has undergone oxidation; such a wine may show discoloration as well as a stale, flat aroma and flavor |
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Peronospora |
Downy mildew |
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Pétillant |
French. Slightly sparkling |
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pH |
A measure of the strength of an acid or of an acid solution such as wine; c.f. total acidity |
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Phenolics |
A class of complex carbohydrate molecules often responsible for certain organoleptic properties and other aspects of wine; also known as polyphenolics or polyphenols |
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Photosynthesis |
A biochemical process by which green plants concert carbon dioxide and water into simple sugar and oxygen |
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Phylloxera (Oaktulosphaira vitifoliae) |
An insect (root louse) that sucks sap from grapevines, reducing their productivity and eventually killing them; one of the must serious pests in viticulture |
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Physical Maturity |
The point at which a grape attains it's optimal level of sugar ripeness |
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Physiological Maturity |
The point at which a grape reaches it's ideal level of phenolic compounds such as tannins, anthocyanins, flavones, and other compounds that enhance the color, flavor, and aromas of the resulting wine |
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Piccolo |
Italian. 1. Literally, small; 2. A wine bottle holding 187.5 milliliters; see also split |
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Pierce's Disease |
One of the most serious vine diseases threatening vineyards today, caused by bacteria spread by the glassy-winged sharpshooter and other insects |
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Pipe |
Portuguese. An oak barrel used in production of Port |
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Polymerize |
To join together two molecules, e.g., phenolics, to create a larger one |
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Polyphenolics |
Long-chain phenolic molecules |
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Pomace |
The residue left after grapes are pressed, consisting of skins, seeds, stems, and other solids |
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Pourriture Noble |
French. "Noble rot"; botrytis |
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Powdery Mildew |
A serious fungal disease of grapevines; also known as odium |
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Prädikat |
German. One of the subdivisions used to categorize Prädikatswein based on sugar level at harvest (plural Prädikate) |
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Pradikatswein |
German. The highest category of wine in Germany, from a protected designation of origin (PDO); also used in Austria |
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Premier Cru |
French. "First growth"; the highest classification level in Bordeaux and the second highest classification level in Burgundy and Champagne |
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Press |
1. To squeeze grapes in order to extract the juice from the solids; 2. The machine used to press grapes, must, or finished wine |
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Primary Aromas |
Those aromas in a wine considered to be derived from the grape itself; see also secondary aromas, tertiary aromas |
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Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) |
The legal category of officially recognized quality won't regions used throughout the European Union |
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Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) |
The legal category of officially recognized wine regions below the quality wine level used throughout the European Union |
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Pruning |
The removal of unwanted canes, shoots, and leaves from grapevines |
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Pumping Over |
A method of cap management that involves drawing liquid from the bottom of a tank of fermenting juice and pouring it over the too of the floating solids to wet and break up the cap |
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Punching Down |
A method of cap management that involves physically pushing the floating solids down into the tank of fermenting juice |
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Pupitre |
French. A wooden rack traditionally used to hold bottles of sparkling wine during the process of riddling |
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Qualitätswein |
German. The second highest category of wine in Germany (PDO) |
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Quality Wine |
Wine with superior characteristics- a legal category of wine with specific requirements used throughout the European Union |
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Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region (QWPSR) |
Formerly, the general legal category of officially recognized quality wine regions in the European Union, now being replaced by "protected designation of origin (PDO)" |
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Quinta |
Portuguese. Wine estate |
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Rack & Return |
A type of cap management that involves draining the fermenting juice into a separate holding tank before it is returned to the original tank by spraying it over the now sunken cap; see also délestage |
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Racking |
A clarification process that involves moving wine from one vessel (tank, barrel) to another in order to separate the wine from sediment |
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Rebêche |
French. In Champagne production, juice from the flesh nearest to the pips or skins that is extracted by more powerful pressing after the taille; maybe be used for still wines, vinegars, or distillation |
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Recioto |
Italian. A style of sweet wine made from dried grapes |
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Recognition Threshold |
The smallest amount of a stimulus (e.g. sugar on the tongue) necessary to be noticed and identified |
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Reduction |
The chemical opposite of oxidation in which oxygen is scavenged from various molecules |
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Refractometer |
A device that measures the refraction of light through a liquid, used to measure the sugar level of grape juice in Brix |
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Rehoboam |
A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 4.5 liters, equivalent to 6 standard bottles |
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Remontage |
French. The form of cap management known as "pumping over" |
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Remuage |
French. Riddling |
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Reserva |
Spanish. 1. A term used for Spanish DO and DOCa wines that have gone through moderate periods of barrel and/or bottle aging as defined by an area's regulating council; 2. A term used for vinos finos in Argentina that have undergone a specified period of aging; 3. A somewhat undefined term when used in Spanish-speaking wine areas such as Chile; see also crianza and gran reserva |
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Reserve |
1. Wine with superior characteristics compared to a winery's other wines; may or may not be legally defined; 2. To hold back for future use |
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Residual Sugar |
Sugar that remains in a wine after fermentation, usually measured in grams per liter (g/L) or percent |
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Respiration |
The biological process of breaking down chemicals such as sugar in order to release stored energy |
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Resveratrol |
A phenolic compound found in grapes that is believed to have beneficial health effects for humans |
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Riddling |
Shaking and repositioning bottles of sparkling wine in order to move forward yeast cells to the neck of the bottle for disgorging; see also remuage |
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Ripasso |
Italian. A style of wine made from combining the pomace left over from the production of Amarone or recioto with a batch of freshly fermented wine |
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Rootstock |
The portion of a grafted grapevine that is rooted in the soil; cf. scion |
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Rosado |
Spanish. Rosé |
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Rosato |
Italian. Rosé |
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Rosé |
French. Pink-hued wine made from red grapes that have had limited contact with the grape skins |
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Rosso |
Italian. Red |
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Rot |
German. Red |
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Rouge |
French. Red |
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Saccharomyces Cerevisiae |
The species of yeast most widely used in winemaking |
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Saignée |
French. Literally bled; a process used for the production of rosé wine in which a portion of the juice is run off from a batch of macerating or fermenting must; may also result in the production of deeply hued red wines |
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Salmanazar |
A traditional large bottle for sparkling wine that holds 9 liters, equivalent to 12 standard bottles |
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Schaumwein |
German. Sparkling wine; see also sekt |
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Scion |
The portion of a grafted grapevine that produces shoots, leaves, and fruits; cf. rootstock |
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Sec |
French. 1. Dry; 2. A sweetness category of sparkling wine that is moderately sweet |
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Secco |
Italian. Dry |
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Seco |
Spanish. Dry |
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Secondary Aromas |
Those aromas in a wine considered to be derived from the winemaking process; see also primary aromas, tertiary aromas |
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Sekt |
German. Sparkling wine; see also Schaumwein |
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Sélection de grains nobles |
French. A wine made from selected grapes affected by botrytis |
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Solera |
Spanish. 1. A system of aging and fractional blending of wines traditionally used for Sherry; 2. The lowest (oldest) set of barrels in a solera system |
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Sparkling Wine |
Wine that contains dissolved carbon dioxide under pressure so that it produces bubbles spontaneously when it's bottle is opened |
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Spätlese |
German. A category of the Prädikat that represents wine made from ripe bunches of grapes |
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Species |
A grouping of grapevines that are genetically similar, have broad characteristics in common, and can produce viable offspring through sexual reproduction; see also labrusca; subspecies; variety; vinifera |
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Split |
A wine bottle containing 187.5 milliliters; see also piccolo |
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Spumante |
Italian. Fully sparkling |
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Spur |
The shortened stub of a grapevine cane created via pruning |
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Still |
1. Not sparkling; 2. A piece of equipment used for distillation |
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Stomata |
Openings on the underside of a vine's leaves |
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Stuck Fermentation |
A situation in which the fermentation of wine stops on it's own before the desired level of alcohol is produced |
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Subspecies |
A grouping of grapevines within a species that have considerable genetic and qualitative similarity- more or less synonymous with variety |
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Succinic Acid |
An acid that is a minor component in grapes and a by-product of normal alcoholic fermentation |
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Sulfite |
A category of sulfur- containing chemical compounds |
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Sulfur Dioxide |
The most common form of sulfur in wine; a preservative |
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Sur Lie |
French. "On the lees," referring to wine that has had extended time in contact with dead yeast cells |
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Sur Pointe |
French. An upside-down vertical positioning of a bottle, sometimes used in the riddling stage of sparkling wine |
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Süss |
German. Sweet |
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Süssreserve |
German. Grape juice held in reserve to be added to wine as a sweetening agent after fermentation |
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Sustainability |
A philosophy of agriculture that focuses on maintaining the viability of the land, the crops, agricultural businesses, and the agricultural workforce |
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Table Wine |
1. A wine intended for consumption during a meal; 2. Any non-sparkling, unfortified, and relatively dry wine; 3. In the US, any wine with 14% alcohol or less; 4. The former general legal category for wines with minimal restrictions on production in the European Union, now simply referred to as "wine" |
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Taille |
French. In Champagne production, fractions of juice from specific pressings |
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Tannic |
Containing high levels of tannin |
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Tannin |
A phenolic compound found in grapes that gives wine a somewhat bitter taste and a distinctive mouth-drying feel |
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Tartaric Acid |
The most common acid in grapes and wine |
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Tartrate |
A crystalline compound that is formed when wine contains more tartaric acid than it can retain in a dissolved state, particularly when the wine is chilled |
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Taste |
A sensory characteristic of a wine detectable by the taste buds of the tongue and mouth |
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TCA |
2, 4, 6- trichloroanisole, the primary chemical responsible for cork taint |
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Tears |
Streaks produced by viscous droplets of liquid that run slowly down the interior of a glass of wine after swirling; see also legs |
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Terroir |
French. The all-inclusive physical environment of a vineyard |
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Tertiary Aromas |
The complex range of aromas that evolve in a wine following fermentation and aging, particularly bottle aging; also known as bouquet; see also primary aromas; secondary aromas |
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Tête de Cuvée |
French. The finest sparkling wine made by a given winery |
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Three-tier System |
A regulatory system in the US and some other countries that requires separation among businesses involved in (1) making, (2) distributing, and (3) retailing wine |
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Tinto |
Spanish. Red; red wine |
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Tirage |
French. Bottling |
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Tonne |
A metric ton, equal to 1,000 kilograms or about 2,200 pounds (compared to a standard English ton of 2,000 pounds) |
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Total Acidity |
A measure of the quantity of all the acids in a wine, usually in grams per liter (g/L); cf. pH |
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Training System |
A method of positioning and shaping grapevines to improve the quality of the fruit and/or the ease of harvesting |
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Transfer Method |
A method of sparkling wine production that follows the Traditional Method through the 2nd fermentation and lees aging, then begins the clarification stage with the wine emptied into a pressurized tank |
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Translocation |
The movement of sugar and other compounds from one part of a plant to another, especially from leaves to fruit |
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Transpiration |
The evaporation of water through openings on the underside of plants' leaves (stomata) |
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Trellis |
A physical structure to support grapevines as part of a training system |
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Trocken |
German. Dry |
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Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) |
German. A category of the Prädikat that represents very sweet dessert wines made from individually harvested, extremely overripe berries that are often affected by botrytis |
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Turbid |
Cloudy, having sediment or foreign particles |
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Umami |
One of the generally accepted 5 basic taste components; represents the taste sensation of certain amino acids |
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Vanillin |
A phenolic compound found in oak that gives barrel-aged wines a vanilla aroma or flavor |
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Varietal |
Relating to a grape variety |
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Varietal Wine |
A wine made primarily with a single grape variety and named for a single grape variety |
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Variety |
A named type of grapevine with recognizable characteristics; more or less synonymous with subspecies |
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Vendange |
French. The grape harvest |
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Vendange Tardive |
French. "Late-harvest," wine made from overripe grapes |
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Vendemmia |
Italian. The grape harvest |
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Vendimia |
Spanish. Harvest; 2. Vintage; see also cosecha |
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Veraison |
A biochemical change in grapes when color (other than green) first appears in the grapes, sugar and other flavor components are stored in the grapes, and the berries begin to enlarge and soften |
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Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) |
German. The organization of Germany's leading wine estates |
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Vin de France |
French. Basic wine ("table wine") made from 100% French grapes |
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Vin de Liqueur |
French. Sweet fortified wine |
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Vin de Pays |
French. "Country wine"; the higher category of basic wine in France, from a protected geographical indication (PGI) |
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Vin Doux Naturel |
French. A sweet fortified wine made by adding grape spirits to partially fermented grape must |
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Vinho Regional |
Portuguese. "Regional wine"; the higher category of basic wine in Portugal, from a protected geographical indication (PGI) |
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Vinifera (Vitis vinifera) |
The species of wine grape native to the Middle East and Europe that is used to produce most quality wine |
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Vinification |
The process of winemaking |
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Vino de Calidad (on indicación geográfica [VCIG]) |
Spanish. One of the subcategories of quality wine used in Spain; a protected designation of origin (PDO) |
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Vino de la Tierra (VdIT) |
Spanish. "Country wine"; the higher category of basic wine in Spain, from a protected geographical indication (PGI) |
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Vino de Pago |
Spanish. "Estate wine"; a special category of wine equivalent to denominación de origen (or, potentially, DOCa) granted to individual exceptional estates; a protected designation of origin (PDO) |
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Vintage |
1. The year in which grapes were harvested; 2. A style of wine, generally used in reference to sparkling or fortified wine |
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Viticulture |
The science and practice of grape growing, sometimes known as wine growing |
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Volatile |
Prone to evaporation |
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Weiss |
German. White |
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Weissherbst |
German. A single-variety rosé of Qualitätswein quality or higher |
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Yeast |
Single-celled organisms responsible for the primary alcoholic fermentation of wine; see also Saccharomyces Cerevisiae |