Wine Terms

The complete language of wine, from vine to glass.

432 articles

Classification1

Port Classification — Tawny Styles (Oxidative; Barrel-Aged)

Classification Systems1

General Terms18

American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)Botrytis Cinerea Botrytis Cinerea & Noble Rot Charmat Method Fortified Wines German Riesling German Wine Classification System Italian White Wines Méthode Traditionnelle Noble Rot Petite Sirah Sangiovese Grosso Spanish White Wines Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) in Wine Tannin Structure in Red Wine Tokaji Aszú Wine Aging & Cellaring

Oak & Barrel Terms28

Air Seasoning — Outdoor Stave Drying Allier Forest (France) — Tight Grain, Subtle Spice, and Vanilla; a Premier Wine-Barrel Oak Amphora & Qvevri — Clay Vessels in Ancient and Natural Wine Barrique — 225L Bordeaux Barrel Bending — Steam, Fire, or Water-Bending of Staves to Form Barrel Shape Concrete Egg / Vessel Demi-Muid — 600L Oak Vessel; Rhône Valley Staple; Moderate Oak Influence Ellagitannins — Oak-Derived Hydrolyzable Tannins Eugenol — Clove and Spice Compound Firing / Toasting — Barrel Construction Foudre / Botti Foudre / Botti — Large Oval Casks Furfural & 5-Methylfurfural — Caramel and Almond Aldehydes from Oak Toasting Hungarian Oak (Quercus petraea) — Tight Grain, Rich Spice, and Elegant Vanilla Kiln Seasoning — Accelerated Artificial Drying Limousin Oak — Wide Grain, High Tannin, and the Heart of Cognac Cooperage Nevers Oak (France) — Medium-Tight Grain; Spicy; Versatile for Reds and Whites Oak Lactones (Whisky Lactones)Pièce — 228L Burgundy Barrel Puncheon / Hogshead — 500L and 300L; Slower Oak Extraction; Used Widely in Australia and Beyond Quercus alba — American White Oak Quercus petraea — Sessile Oak Quercus robur — Pedunculate Oak Slavonian Oak (Croatia) — Large Casks (Botti)Stave Splitting vs. Sawing Tronçais Forest (France) — Fine-Grained Oak for Wines and Cognac; Slow Extraction; Precise Structure Vanillin — Phenolic Aldehyde from Lignin Degradation; Classic Vanilla Aroma in Oaked Wines Vosges Forest (France) — Oak Terroir for Elegant Wines

Service & Sommelier Terms27

Ah-So / Butler's Friend — Two-Pronged Cork Puller Benchmark Wine Blind Tasting — Systematic Deduction BTG — By the Glass: Portion Pricing and a Key Profitability Driver for Restaurants Coravin System Coravin Wine Preservation System — Enabling Premium By-the-Glass Service Without Opening the Bottle Court of Master Sommeliers: Advanced Sommelier Certificate Decanting for Aeration — Young Tannic Wines Decanting for Sediment Double Decanting Horizontal Tasting Master of Wine (MW): The World's Most Rigorous Wine Qualification Master Sommelier (MS)Opening Sparkling Wine — Wire Cage Removal; Rotating Bottle Not Cork; Controlled Pressure Release; Angle at 45°Pairing Principles — Weight Matching, Contrast & Regional Proxy — A Tasting Stand-In Wine Used When the Benchmark Is Unavailable or Too Expensive Sabrage — Opening Champagne with a Sword Service Exam Components — Tableside Service, Wine Recommendations, and Decanting Demonstration Serving Temperature by Wine Type Sommelier's Corkscrew (Waiter's Friend)Sommelier's Margin: Understanding Restaurant Wine Markup Vertical Tasting Wine at Altitude (Aircraft) — Cabin Pressure, Low Humidity, and Engine Noise Combine to Alter Aroma, Body, and Taste Perception In-Flight Wine Cellar Classification: Temperature, Humidity, Vibration & Light — Professional Storage Standards Wine Flight Wine Glassware: Selecting the Right Glass for Your Wine WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines — Expert qualification covering all aspects of wine, from production to business; key milestone for the Master of Wine pathway

Tasting & Sensory44

Acidity Types in Wine Appearance Assessment — Color, Hue, Depth, Clarity, and Viscosity Balance Black Fruit Aromas — Blackcurrant / Cassis (Cabernet Sauvignon), Blackberry (Malbec), Blueberry (Syrah), Black Plum Brett / Barnyard — Brettanomyces Yeast Citrus Aromas — Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit & Orange Peel Complexity — Multiple Aromas and Flavors Evolving in the Glass; Hallmark of Fine Wine Court of Master Sommeliers Deductive Tasting Method Finish / Length / Persistence Floral Aromas — Violet, Rose, Jasmine, and Elderflower in Wine Geraniol & Linalool — Rose and Floral Aroma Compounds Glycerol — Wine's Fermentation Polyol Heat Damage / Maderization Herbal & Green Aromas — Pyrazines & Unripe Phenolics Methoxypyrazine (IBMP) — Bell Pepper / Green Capsicum Mousiness — Wine Fault Nose Assessment — Condition, Intensity, and Development Oxidation — Premature Exposure to Oxygen Oxidative Notes — Nutty, Aldehydic, Dried Fruit Palate Assessment — Sweetness, Acidity, Tannin, Alcohol, Body, Flavor Intensity, Finish Petrichor & Earthy Notes in Wine Petrol / Kerosene (TDN) — 1,1,6-Trimethyl-1,2-Dihydronaphthalene pH in Wine — Acidity Measurement and Its Role in Winemaking Phenolic Ripeness vs. Sugar Ripeness Polymerized Tannins Primary Aromas — Derived from the Grape Itself (Fruit, Floral, Herbal, Spice)Red Fruit Aromas in Wine — Strawberry, Raspberry, Cranberry, and Pomegranate Reduction — Volatile Sulfur Compounds Reductive Notes Refermentation / Pétillance — Unintended CO₂ in Still Wine Retronasal Aroma Rotundone — The Black Pepper Aroma Compound Secondary Aromas — From Fermentation Sotolon — Maple Syrup, Curry & Walnut Aroma Compound Stone Fruit Aromas — Peach (Viognier), Apricot (Roussanne), Nectarine (Chardonnay), White Plum (Alsatian Pinot Gris)Tannin Descriptors — Silky, Velvety, Supple, Chalky, Grippy, Drying, Astringent, Green, Coarse Tannin Types — Seed, Skin, Stem & Oak Tannins TCA / Cork Taint Tertiary Aromas / Bouquet — From Aging: Oxidation, Reduction, Bottle Development & Maillard Reactions Tropical Fruit Aromas in Wine Typicity — Faithfulness to Regional, Varietal, or Vintage Characteristics Umami in Wine — Savory, Brothy Quality Volatile Acidity (VA) — Acetic Acid & Ethyl Acetate WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting (SAT): Appearance, Nose, Palate, Conclusions

Viticulture & Vine34

110R Rootstock — Deep-rooting; drought-tolerant; suited to dry, low-limestone terroirs Albariza — The White Chalky Soil of Jerez American Rootstocks — Vitis riparia, Vitis rupestris, Vitis berlandieri Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) — Soil's Ability to Hold and Exchange Minerals Clone Selection Cordon de Royat Coulure — Poor Fruit Set in the Vineyard Crop Thinning / Green Harvest Diurnal Temperature Variation Galestro — The Friable Schistous Clay of Tuscany Geneva Double Curtain (GDC)Gobelet / Bush Vine (En Gobelet)Guyot Double Guyot Simple Kimmeridgian Limestone Leaf Removal Limestone / Calcareous Soils Lyre / U-System — Horizontally Divided Double-Curtain Trellis for High-Vigor Sites Millerandage / Shot Berries — Uneven Berry Development Minimal Intervention Viticulture Own-Rooted / Ungrafted Vines Pergola / Tendone — Overhead Trellis System Phenological Stages — Bud Break, Flowering, Fruit Set, Véraison, Harvest Photosynthesis in Vines — Leaves convert sunlight, CO₂, and water into sugars transported to grapes via phloem Phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae)Scott Henry System Shatter (Coulure) — Poor Fruit Set at Flowering; Flowers Fail to Develop into Berries; Reduced Yields Shoot Positioning SO4 Rootstock — Moderate to Vigorous; Early Ripening; Widely Planted; Suited to Moist and Limestone Soils Translocation — Movement of Sugars from Leaves to Grape Clusters Post-Véraison Transpiration — Water Loss Through Vine Leaves; Stress Management Critical in Hot Climates Véraison — The Onset of Grape Ripening Volcanic Soils in Wine — Santorini, Etna, and the Canary Islands VSP — Vertical Shoot Positioning

Wine Business & Trade31

Allocation Back Label — Wine Label on the Reverse of the Bottle Château — French Estate Term CIF — Cost, Insurance, Freight Domaine — Estate that grows its own grapes and makes its own wine; end-to-end control; Burgundy standard DTC — Direct to Consumer En Primeur En Primeur Campaign Fine Wine Market FOB — Free on Board Garagiste — Micro-Production Winemaking Movement Liv-ex — London International Vintners Exchange Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Merchant / Importer / Distributor (Three-Tier System)Négociant Négociant-Éleveur Off-Trade — Retail (wine shop, supermarket, online); high volume; lower margin per bottle On-Trade: Restaurants, Bars & Hotels — The Premium Channel for Wine Producers Provenance — Documentation of Wine's Storage and Ownership History Provenance Verification — Authentication Services: Capsule Inspection, Label Condition, Fill Level (Ullage), Specialist Tasting Release Price Spot Market The Parker Points Effect TTB — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Ullage Vintage Variation Wine Auction — Christie's, Hart Davis Hart, Zachys, and Acker Wine Club — Subscription & Allocation Model Wine Investment — Fine Wine as Alternative Asset Wine Media & Ratings Platforms Winery / Bodega / Cantina / Weingut — English, Spanish, Italian, and German Terms for Wine Estate or Cellar

Wine Concepts1

Terroir

Wine Faults1

Wine Faults

Wine Law & Classification41

1855 Classification — Only One Revision: Mouton Rothschild Elevated from 2ème to 1er Grand Cru Classé in 1973 AOC / AOP — Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée / Protégée AVA — American Viticultural Area Bordeaux 1855 Classification Burgundy Grand Cru Vineyards — 33 Grand Cru AOCs in Côte d'Or Burgundy Premier Cru Classico — Italy's Historic Original Production Zone Climat — Burgundy's UNESCO-Recognized Vineyard Classification System Crianza — Spain's Gateway to Oak-Aged Wine Cru Bourgeois — The Quality Middle Tier of the Médoc DO — Denominación de Origen DOC — Denominazione di Origine Controllata DOCa / DOQ — Denominación de Origen Calificada DOCG — Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita Eiswein — Naturally Frozen Grape Wine GI — Geographical Indication (Australia)Gran Reserva Halbtrocken / Feinherb — Off-Dry German Wine Terms IGP / Vin de Pays — Indication Géographique Protégée IGT — Indicazione Geografica Tipica INAO — Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité Joven — Young Wine; No Mandatory Oak Aging; Fresh and Fruit-Forward Lieu-Dit — Named Place Monopole — Single Owner Controls Entire Vineyard PDO / PGI — EU Framework Pomerol Classification — No Official Classification; Pétrus Considered Equivalent to a First Growth by Market Consensus Prädikat System — Sugar Ripeness Classification in German Wine Premier Cru vs. Grand Cru (Burgundy) — Why Grand Cru Is the Top Tier, Not Premier Cru Prošek — Croatian Dessert Wine Reserva — Minimum 3 Years (Reds: At Least 12 Months Oak); 2 Years (Whites: 6 Months Oak)Riserva (Italy) — Extended Aging Requirement Saint-Émilion Classification — A Dynamic, Periodically Revised Hierarchy: Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and A Superiore — Italian Wine Classification for Enhanced Quality VDP — Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter VDP.Erste Lage — Germany's Premier Cru Equivalent VDP.Grosse Lage (Großes Gewächs / GG) — Germany's Grand Cru Classification VDP.Gutswein — Entry-Level VDP; Estate Wine; Regional Character VDP.Ortswein — Village-level Wine; Named Village; Step Above Gutswein Vin de France — France's Most Flexible Wine Category Vino de Autor / Vino de Guarda — Modern Spanish Marketing Designations WO — Wine of Origin (South Africa)

Wine Service1

Decanting

Wine Structure1

Tannins

Wine Terms107

Wine Terms -- General3

Arak: Lebanon's National Spirit French Wine Classification System South African Brandy: World-Class Pot-Still Excellence

Wine Terms & Classifications44

1855 Classification of Médoc & Sauternes 5 Premiers Crus Classés (1855): Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion Auslese (Selected Harvest — Hand-Picked; Often Botrytised; Rich and Sweet)Austria's DAC System and Erste Lage Classification: One Appellation Per Region, One Quality Pyramid Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB): Austria's National Wine Promotion Body Blanc de Blancs Champagne (100% Chardonnay)Bulgarian Wine Law: PDO/PGI System & Classification Framework Chianti Classico Annata (normale)Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Croatia Wine Law: EU-Harmonized Framework Post-2013 Accession Crus Bourgeois du Médoc (2020 Classification: Exceptionnel, Supérieur, Cru Bourgeois)DOC / DOP (Denominação de Origem Controlada / Protegida) — Portugal's Highest Appellation Tier DOC & IG: Argentina's Appellation System English Wine PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)Export Markets: USA, UK, China, Japan, Brazil – The Global Wine Trade Landscape Georgian Wine Law: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) System GI — Geographical Indication (Australia's Wine Region Framework)Graves / Pessac-Léognan Classification (1953 / 1959)Großes Gewächs (GG) — Germany's Dry Grand Cru Classification Halbtrocken (Off-Dry — Up to 18 g/L RS)Israeli Wine Law: GI System & Quality Designations Kabinett (Lightest Prädikat — Fully Ripe Main Harvest, Low Alcohol, Racy, Off-Dry to Sweet)Label Rules: 85% Rule for Variety, Vintage, and Geographic Indication Label Rules: 85% Variety, 85% Vintage, and DO Region Declaration Label Rules: The 85% Rule for GI, Vintage, and Variety Lebanese Wine Law: Regulatory Framework and Classification System Mediterranean White Wines Moldovan Wine Law: PGI Classification System & EU Alignment PDO Status Requirements: English & Welsh Wine Classification Standards Prädikat System: Germany's Ripeness-Based Wine Classification Reserve Ruby Port (Higher Quality Ruby Style; Graham's Six Grapes)Saint-Émilion Classification (revised every ~10 years)Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A (Pavie, Figeac — and the Unclassified Giants Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus)Soviet Era Impact on Wine Regions Spätlese (Late Harvest)Uruguay Wine Law: INAVI Regulation & Wine Classification VDP.Gutswein (Estate Wine — Entry Level)Vi de Finca (Catalonia's Single-Vineyard Classification)VIGNO (Vignadores de Carignan)Vino de Calidad (VC) — Spain's Quality Stepping Stone Vintage on Label: Minimum 85% of Stated Year WIETA (Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association) — Fair Labour Certification WO Label Declarations & Geographic Origin Requirements ZOI & ZOZP — Croatian Protected Designations of Origin

Wine Terms & Concepts3

Blanc de Noirs Champagne (Pinot Noir and/or Meunier)Swartland Revolution (SwR): South Africa's Independent Wine Movement Wine Label Minimum Percentages: Variety, Vintage, and Appellation Rules

Wine Terms & Labeling1

Varietal Labeling: Minimum Percentage Rules Explained

Wine Terms General2

Spanish Wine Classification Wine Label Rules: The 85% Variety and Vintage Threshold, Swiss Canton-of-Origin Requirements, and Grand Cru Designations Regulated Per Canton

Winemaking Process43

Acacia, Chestnut, and Cherry Wood — Alternatives to French and American Oak American Oak (Quercus alba) — Wider Grain, Higher Oak Lactones, Faster Flavor Extraction Amphora / Clay Vessel Aging Bâtonnage Brut — 0–12 g/L RS: The Standard Champagne Style Brut Nature / Zero Dosage Chaptalization — Adding Sugar Before Fermentation Char vs. Toast — Barrel Processing Methods Charmat Method (Metodo Martinotti) — Secondary Fermentation in Sealed Tank; Fresher, Fruitier; the Prosecco Method Cold Soak / Pre-Fermentation Maceration Commercial Yeasts — Selected Strains Cross-Flow Filtration Cryoextraction Débourbage Disgorgement (Dégorgement) — Removing the Frozen Plug of Spent Yeast from the Bottle Neck Dosage — The Final Touch in Sparkling Wine Production Extended Maceration Extra Brut Filtration Types — Coarse, Fine & Sterile/Membrane Fining Agents French Oak Forests: Allier, Nevers, Tronçais, Vosges, and Limousin Indigenous / Wild Fermentation Intracellular Fermentation — Carbonic Maceration Malolactic Fermentation (MLF)Méthode Champenoise / Traditionnelle — Secondary Fermentation in Bottle Micro-Oxygenation (MOx)Must Concentration — Reverse Osmosis, Vacuum Evaporation, and Partial Concentration of Grape Must New vs. Used Oak — Flavor and Tannin Extraction in Winemaking Non-Vintage (NV) Champagne Oak Grain Tightness Pét-Nat (Pétillant Naturel) — Méthode Ancestrale Pied de Cuve Puncheons (500L) / Demi-Muids (600L) — Larger formats; slower oxidation; less oak flavor per liter; popular in Burgundy and Rhône Racking (Soutirage)Saignée — The Art of Bleeding Red Must Semi-Carbonic Maceration Slavonian & Hungarian Oak — Eastern European; Quercus Robur and Petraea; Large Cask Tradition; Barolo, Brunello, and Tokaji Stabilization — Cold Stabilization Stave Seasoning Stuck Fermentation Tirage — Bottling with Liqueur de Tirage for Secondary Fermentation Toast Levels — Light, Medium, and Heavy Toast Transfer Method (Méthode Transvasage)