Wine Terms: The Wine ABC

Welcome to our page where the fascinating world of wine comes to life through the Wine ABC. From aromas to bouquet and zest – we explore each letter of the alphabet to uncover the secrets, stories, and art of wine. Whether you are a seasoned wine lover or a curious beginner, let's navigate this ABC together and discover the diversity, depth, and elegance of wine.

Wine Terms with A

A for Aftertaste

The aftertaste is the lingering flavor that remains in your mouth after swallowing or spitting out the wine. A long aftertaste is often seen as a sign of high quality.

A for Astringent

Astringent describes the sensation where your tongue and palate contract, often occurring with young, tannin-rich red wines.

A for Old World

Old World refers to wines from traditional wine regions in Europe, known for their classic wine styles.

A for Avinage

Avinage is the process of rinsing a wine glass or decanter with a small amount of the wine to be served to remove any unwanted odors.

A for Auslese

Auslese is a designation for high-quality wines made from fully ripe grapes.

Wine Terms with B

B for Barrique

A Barrique is a 225-liter oak barrel used for aging wine, imparting tannins that influence the wine's flavor.

B for Blind Tasting

A blind tasting is a tasting where the bottles are concealed to allow for an unbiased evaluation.

B for Bouquet

Bouquet, also known as the nose or aroma, refers to the totality of a wine's scent impressions.

B for Bouchon

A Bouchon is a wine fault characterized by an unpleasant aroma reminiscent of garlic, onions, or rotten eggs.

Wine Terms with C

C for Chambrage

Chambrage is the process of warming red wine to the correct serving temperature.

C for Cuvée

A Cuvée is a wine made from a blend of different grape varieties.

Wine Terms with D

D for Degustation

Degustation is a tasting where wines are consciously sampled to assess their quality.

D for Decanting

Decanting is the process of pouring wine into a decanter to separate it from sediment or to aerate it.

D for Deposit

Deposit refers to the sediment that settles at the bottom of a wine bottle during aging.

Wine Terms with E

E for Noble Rot

Noble Rot is a desirable rot that dries out grapes, often used in making sweet wines.

E for Destemming

Destemming, also known as de-stemming, is the process of separating the grapes from the stems.

E for Label Drinker

A label drinker is someone who tends to drink only well-known or famous wines.

E for Extract

Extract refers to the total amount of non-volatile substances in wine.

Wine Terms with F

F for Barrel Sample

A barrel sample is a taste of wine directly from the barrel before it is bottled.

F for Firn

Firn describes a wine flavor that shows distinct aging notes, often due to oxidation.

Wine Terms with G

G for Grand Cru

Grand Cru refers to the highest quality, dry wines from a vineyard classified as a "Great Growth."

Wine Terms with H

H for Hand Harvesting

Hand harvesting is the manual picking of grapes, allowing for careful selection.

Wine Terms with J

J for Jeroboam

A Jeroboam is a large wine bottle with a 5-liter capacity, allowing wine to age better.

Wine Terms with K

K for Kabinett

Kabinett is a quality designation for light, often dry wines in Germany.

K for Legs

Legs are the viscous streaks that form on the inside of a glass when wine is swirled, often indicating alcohol content.

K for Body

Body refers to the weight of a wine, which comes from its alcohol and extract content.

K for Cult Wine

Cult wine refers to wines of exceptional quality that are produced in limited quantities and are usually very expensive.

Wine Terms with L

L for Sweet

Sweet describes a wine with more than 18 grams of residual sugar per liter.

Wine Terms with M

M for Magnum Bottle

A magnum bottle is a wine bottle with double the standard volume, holding 1.5 liters.

M for Must

Must is a mixture of grape skins, pulp, and seeds in the freshly pressed juice.

Wine Terms with N

N for Nervous

Nervous describes a young, lively, and acid-driven white wine.

N for New World

New World refers to wine regions outside of Europe, such as the USA, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Wine Terms with O

O for Oechsle

Oechsle is a unit of measurement used in Germany to determine the must weight of grapes.

Wine Terms with P

P for Parker Points

Parker Points is a wine rating system introduced by Robert Parker to critically evaluate wines.

P for Perlage

Perlage refers to the bubbles in sparkling wines, indicating the release of carbon dioxide.

Wine Terms with S

S for Fining

Fining is a process used during winemaking to remove impurities from the wine.

S for Secco

Secco is a German sparkling wine inspired by Italian Prosecco.

S for Sommelier

Sommelier refers to a trained wine steward with expertise in wine, beverages, and gastronomy.

S for Varietal

Varietal refers to a wine made from a single grape variety.

S for Spontaneous Fermentation

Spontaneous fermentation is a naturally occurring fermentation process without the addition of cultured yeast.

Wine Terms with T

T for Tannin

Tannin is a phenolic compound in wine that causes a drying sensation in the mouth.

T for Tawny

Tawny is a mahogany-colored Port wine, typically aged longer in barrels than Ruby Port.

T for Terroir

Terroir refers to the influence of soil, climate, and location on a wine's character.

T for Tears

Tears refer to the colorless streaks that form on the inside of a glass when wine is swirled.

T for Toasting

Toasting refers to the charring of the inside of a barrel by open fire to influence the wine's flavor.

Wine Terms with U

U for Spoiling

Spoiling refers to the process where a wine has passed its prime and becomes undrinkable.

Wine Terms with V

V for Closed

Closed refers to a young wine with undeveloped aromas, requiring time to open up.

V for Vertical Tasting

Vertical tasting involves tasting different vintages of a wine to see how it has evolved over the years.

Wine Terms with W

W for Tartrate

Tartrate refers to the natural, flavorless crystals that form in a wine bottle, especially with age.

These terms provide a comprehensive overview of wine terminology and help you develop a better understanding of the world of wine. Use this ABC as a reference guide and discover the fascinating aspects of wine enjoyment.

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