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Wine Definitions:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R T U V W Y Z
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| AC/AOC: |
Abbreviation for appellation d’origine; the set of French wine laws that has established winemaking standards for quality French wine. AC is the top level of quality; VDQS is a set of laws with lower standards; vin de pays is the lowest set of standards. |
| Acetic: |
Vinegary taste or smell that develops when wine is overexposed to air and acquires a trace of acetic acid. |
| Acid: |
One of the taste components of wine. Acidic wine is sometimes described as tart or sour. The taste buds for sensing acidity are found on the sides of the tongue. |
| Acidity: |
All wines naturally contain acids that should be in proper balance with fruit and other components. Sufficient acidity gives wine liveliness and crispness, is critical for wine to age and gives wine thirst quenching qualities. |
| Aerating: |
Letting wine breath. Aeration occurs upon opening a bottle, by exposing air to the wine to help develop and mellow the flavor of especially red wine. |
| Aftertaste: |
The aroma and taste that linger at the back of the throat and nose after the wine has been swallowed. |
| Alcoholic Fermentation: |
Natural, Chemical process that turns the sugars of grapes and any added sugars, into alcohol through the action of yeast. The better sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation in the bottle. This happens because developing bubbles are trapped when the carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation process has nowhere to go. |
| Aloxe-Corton: |
(ah-LOHSS CorTAWN): A village in the cote d’Or in Burgundy France. |
| Alsace: |
Major wine range in France, noted for its white wines. Alsace Borders Germany. |
| Amontillado: |
A style of Sherry, amber in color and fairly dry. |
| Aperitif: |
A before-dinner drink that supposedly stimulated the appetite. |
| Appellation: |
A specific geographic region. For instance, a California wine may be labeled as California or by a progressively more specific area, if applicable, Napa Valley, Napa Valley-Stag’s Leap District, or even a single vineyard. |
| Aroma: |
The smell of wine. Aroma seems to generate a surprising number of adjectives among wine people discussing a beverage made from grape juice. |
| Astringency: |
A lip-puckering sensation caused by sharp acidity and tannin. A wine’s astringent quality often diminishes as the wine ages. |
| Attack: |
The first impression a wine makes on the palate. |
| Auslese: |
A german white wine made from very ripe grape bunches. These wines tend to be sweet. |
| Austere: |
Wine that has very little fruity flavor and high acidity. Some very good wines such as French Chablis and Italian Gavy may be described as austere. |
| A.V.A.: |
An abbreviation for the American Viticulture Area. A.V.A.’s are officially recognized names that are used to indicate the area from which a wine comes from. |
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B
| Baco Noir: |
A French hybrid grape variety resulting from a cross between a European variety and a domesticated American variety. Popular in Canada, Baco Noir is very hearty, capable of withstanding very cold winters. |
| Balance: |
Harmony among the wine’s components; fruit, acidity, tannins, and alcohol. |
| Barbaresco: |
A full bodied DOCG wine from Piedmont, Italy, made from Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo and Barbaresco are the two top Nebbiolo based wines from Piedmont, Italy. |
| Barbera: |
A red grape grown in the Piedmont region. Wines from this grape are rarely exported to North America. Growing in popularity, these wines are good cheap pizza wines. Barbera was once widely planted in California, but many of the vines have been replaced by more popular grapes. Barbera grapes are often part of the mix in California red jug wine. |
| Barolo: |
A full bodied DOCG red wine from Piedmont, Italy, made from the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo and Barbaresco are the two top Nebbiolo based wines from Piedmont, Italy. |
| Beaujolais: |
(bo-zho-LAY): A light fruity red Burgundy wine from the Beaujolais, France, made from the Gamay grape. |
| Beaujolais Nouveau: |
(bo-zho-LAY new-VOH): The new Beaujolais that comes out the third week of November. |
| Big: |
Powerful in aroma and flavor; full bodied wine. These wines are said to be chewy. |
| Black Muscat: |
A wine grape used to make funky, raisiny, dark red wine. These wines are usually somewhat sweet. |
| Body: |
The weight and texture of a wine. Glycerine is the component of wine most | |