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WINE FACT |
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CLARITY There
are 3 categories of clarity:
• brilliant: absolutely free of sediment and crystal clear
• clear: free of sediment, but not brilliant
• cloudy: visible sediment or a muddy look.. |
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS |
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Aging |
Aging
allows flavors and aromas of the wine to develop and mature
prior to bottling. |
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Appellation |
Generally,
the area where grapes are grown and made into wine. Examples:
Bordeaux, Sonoma. In the U. S. an appellation is a state, county,
or other legal geographic area. To be labeled with a specific
U.S. appellation, 75% of the wine's grapes must come from the
area. California law requires 100% of the grapes to be grown
in the state for a wine to be labeled "California." |
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Aroma |
Smells
that are directly related to the odor of the fresh wine grape. |
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Balance |
Harmony
among wine's components--fruit, acidity, tannins, alcohol. Great
wines have balance. Also known as "integration." |
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Body |
Perceived
weight of the wine, sensation of fullness. The density of a
wine on the palate—either light, medium, or full. |
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Bouquet |
Smells
that result from the fermentation or aging process. |
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Brix |
A
measurement of the sugar content of grapes before they are harvested.
Used to estimate the alcohol content of the resulting wine. |
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Fermentation
Process |
Process
of yeast cells converting grape sugar to alcohol and carbon
dioxide. |
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Finish |
The
wine’s aftertaste. Not only the flavors, but the length
of time those flavors linger in the mouth. |
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Fruit-first |
Term
used to describe softer less acid white and lower tannin red
wines. Also called “fruit forward.” See also tannin. |
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Hang
Time |
Time
the grape cluster is on the vine. |
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Malolactic
fermentation |
A
secondary fermentation that may occur either during primary
fermentation or after primary fermentation is completed. This
is the conversion of tart malic acid into softer lactic acid.
This process can be induced or occur naturally. |
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Mouthfeel |
Tasting
term for the texture of a wine, for example, its smoothness. |
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Nose |
Smell
of wine, divided into two sub-components: the aroma and the
bouquet. Aroma comes from the characteristics of the grape.
Bouquet is the complex fragrance developed by the winemaker’s
influence during fermentation and aging. |
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pH |
A
measurement of the concentration of acidity in the juice/wine. |
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sur
lie aging |
Wine
is left on its natural sediment. |
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Tannin |
Natural
preservative found in varying degrees in skin, seeds and stems
of grapes. Most prominent in reds, where it creates dry mouth-puckering
sensation. A result of grape to skin/seed/stem contact. Can
build structure and improve aging. |
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Titratable
Acid (TA) |
Measurement
of the total acidity present in grape juice or wine. |
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Varietal
wines |
Wines
made from, and named after, a particular grape variety. In order
to name the variety on the label, at least 75% of the blend
must be composed of that grape. |
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Vintage |
Refers
to wine's age (year of harvest shown on label) and if wine was
produced in a "good year" (abundant harvest, high-quality
harvest or both). The year in which the grapes were harvested. |
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Viticultural |
Term
for science of grape production for wine and the making of wine. |
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Viticultural
Area |
A
well-defined region with climate, soil, elevation and physical
features that set it apart from surrounding areas |
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