wine glossary & pronunciations

8/8/2019 WINE GLOSSARY & Pronunciations

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WINE GLOSSARY & PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

Acidity - Acid is present in all grapes. It gives liveliness and shape to a wine's flavor and accounts forthe crispness and longevity of its aftertaste. It also helps preserve the wine. When there is too much acid,a wine no longer tastes ""crisp," instead, " it tastes sour."

Acrid - Excess sulfur which causes a bitter taste or pungent smell.

Albariño (Ahl-ba-REE-n'yo) - Spanish white-wine grape from Galicia.

Aleatico (Ah-lay-AH-tee-co) - Red grape used for an Italian red wine, also found in California.

Alicante Bouschet (Ah-lee-KAHNT Boo-SHAY) - Red-wine grape of Southern France andCalifornia's Central Valley, usually used in hearty jug wines.

Aligoté (Ah-lee-go-tay) - Burgundian white-wine grape, considered unimpressive but may turn up inmodest white Burgundy of good value.

Alsace (Al-zahss) - Northeastern French province on the Rhine, known for rich dry white wines madefrom grapes of German heritage, primarily Riesling and Gewurztraminer.

Alto Adige (AHL-toe AH-dee-jay) - Northeastern Italian wine region, near Bolzano.

Amarone (Ah-ma-ROE-nay) - Powerful, hearty red wine from northeastern Italy.

= denotes a wine grape

= denotes a type of wine

= denotes a wine region

= denotes a miscellaneous term



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Amontillado (Ah-MOHN-tee-YAH-doe) - A dry, rather full-bodied style of Sherry.

Appellation Contrôlée (Ah-pel-ah-syohN cohn-troh-LAY) - Legally defined wine-growing region underFrench law. The official designation indicating that prescribed standards have been met in production.Sometimes the term is used to apply to a wine itself, as in "an appellation.”

Assemblage (ah-sem-BLAHJ) - Champenois artistry, the hopefully harmonious balance of differentvarietal wines (chardonnay, Pino Meunier, Pinot Noir), from different villages and vintages. The result isthe cuvee (kew-VAY), or blend, and is concocted fresh each year.

Auslese (OWS-lay-zeh) - Designated quality level for German wine made from grape bunches "pickedout" (literally) for their sweetness.

Bandol (Bahn-dole) - Southwestern French wine region, once rare but gaining increasing attention for

its rustic reds, particularly those of Domaine Tempier.

Banyuls (Bahn-YOOLZ) - Natural French dessert wine from the Pyrenees.

Barbaresco (Bar-ba-RES-coe) - Excellent red table wine made from the Nebbiolo grape in the

Piemonte of Northwestern Italy.

Barbera (Bar-BARE-ah) - Grape used to make hearty red wines in the Piemonte of Northwestern Italy,

also California.

Bardolino (Bar-d0-LEE-noe) - Light, simple red wine from the Veneto in Northeastern Italy.

Barolo (Ba-ROE-loe) - Outstanding, full-bodied and complex Nebbiolo-based red wine from the

Piemonte of Northwestern Italy.

Barsac (BAR-zock) - Sub-region of Sauternes in Bordeaux, France, making sweet wines similar to

Sauternes but generally less expensive.

Beaujolais (Boe-zho-lay) - Light, fruity red wine from the region of the same name in Southern

Burgundy, France.

Beaumes-de-Venise (BOME da Veh-NEES) - Southern Rhone (France) region best known for its

delicious white dessert wine made from Muscat grapes.

Beaune (Bone) - Small city in Burgundy, center of its wine region.

Beerenauslese (BARE-ehn-OWS-lay-zeh) - Quality rating for very sweet German dessert wines,



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made, literally, from "individual grapes picked out" for their sweetness.

Bereich (Beh-RYE'KH) - German wine region, a rather broad area usually incorporating a number of

neighboring villages and vineyards.

Bordeaux (Bore-DOH) - Major wine region of Southwestern France, along the Dordogne andGaronne rivers from the city of Bordeaux downstream to the Atlantic; source of some of the world's

greatest table wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other

minor grapes. Bordeaux from specific delimited sub-regions, from Medoc and Haut-Medoc down to such

specific villages as Pauillac and Margaux, are considered most desirable; wines from the "right bank" of

the river, St.-Emilion and Pomerol, often contain higher proportions of Merlot.

Botrytis (Boe-TRY-tis) - "Noble rot," a kind of mold that may appear on late-harvested grapes, causing

them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars become highly concentrated.

Bourgogne (Boor-GON-yeh) - French for "Burgundy."

Brunello di Montalcino (Broo-NELL-oh dee Mon-tahl-CHEE-noe) - Excellent red Italian wine from

Tuscany, a neighbor of Chianti.

Brut (Broot) - Very dry (unsweet), in specific reference to Champagne.

Cabernet Franc (Cab-air-nay FrahN) - French red wine grape, often used in a Bordeaux blend, also in

the Loire and California. Probably best blended, but increasingly trendy as a varietal, in which blueberry

aromas are often descriptive.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-air-nay So-veen-yawN) - One of the noblest red wine grapes, used inBordeaux, also as either a 100 percent varietal or in red blends in the U.S., Australia, Chile, Argentina,

South Africa and wherever wine grapes grow.

Cahors (Cah-ORE) - Southwestern French wine region, not far from Bordeaux, best known for inky-

dark red wines made from the Malbec grape.

Carignan (Cah-reen-yawN) - Red grape from Southern France, once lightly regarded, but coming into

its own with the emergence of quality wines from Languedoc. Red-fruit character, sometimes peppery like

Syrah.

Cava (CAH-bah) - Spanish sparkling wine.

Chablis (Shah-blee) - Excellent white wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the region of the same

name in northern Burgundy. Long used as a generic term for "white wine" by makers of cheap American

jug wines, a practice that is dying out theses days.

Chambourcin (Sham-boor-saN) - One of the more palatable red French-American hybrid wine



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grapes, widely used for making table wines in Eastern U.S. regions where vitis vinifera grapes don't

thrive.

Champagne (Sham-pain) - Sparkling wine, specifically the type made in the French region of the same

name using a traditional process in which the wine gains its sparkle by a secondary fermentation in the

bottle, and made only from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes. Some U.S. wineries stillappropriate the name for their sparkling wines, a practice illegal in Europe; but as with Chablis, above,

and Burgundy, this practice is dying out.

Chancellor (CHAN-suh-ler) - Another French-hybrid grape used to make hearty red wines in the

Eastern U.S.

Charbono (Shar-BOE-noe) - Italian-style grape used to make a simple, robust red wine in California.

Chardonnay (Shar-doe-nay) - One of the world's most well-known white wine grapes. Originated in

Burgundy, where many argue that it still reaches its pinnacle, but widely planted in the U.S., Australia andall over the world. In modern times, "Chardonnay" has become almost synonymous in the mass market

with a generic "glass of white wine." Apple and green-apple aromas are the classic descriptor, although

tropical fruit and pineapple show up commonly, especially in American and Australian Chardonnays, and

when aged in oak -- as New World Chardonnays often are -- it may add the vanilla, spice and tropical fruit

flavors typical of oak.

Chasselas (Shah-s'lah) - White wine grape best known in dry Swiss whites.

Chateau (Shot-toe) - Roughly equivalent to "vineyard" or "winery" in French wines.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Shot-toe-noof duh Pop) - An excellent, complex red dry wine from the Rhone

region of Southern France, made from a blend of up to 13 specified grapes and boasting a heritage that

reaches back to the Fourteenth Century.

Chelois (Shel-wah) - French-hybrid grape used in Eastern U.S. wines, makes a rather light and fruity

red.

Chenin Blanc (Shay-naN BlaN) - Noble French grape, most common in the Loire, making very fine

white wines both dry and slightly sweet. Also found in California and elsewhere. Variable in the glass,

although pleasant honeydew, persian and cantaloupe melon

flavors and light muskiness are common.

Chianti (Ki-AHN-tee) - The classic dry red wine of Tuscany, made from Sangiovese and other grapes

near Florence in North Central Italy. Once dismissed as "pizza wine" and served in wicker-wrapped

fiaschi bottles, it's now more respected as a serious table wine, and has given rise in turn to pricey "Super

Tuscan" wines incorporating Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and other non-traditional blends. Chianti

Classico is made from grapes grown in the central part of the region and considered more desirable;

Chianti Classico Riserva spends additional time aging in oak barrels.



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Cinsaut (SaN-so) - dark red French grape, sometimes spelled "Cinsault." Most common in

Languedoc, also a parent (with Pinot Noir) in the South African grape crossing called "Pinotage."

Claret (CLARE-it) - Old synonym, particularly British, for red Bordeaux.

Classico (CLAH-see-koe) - Legally delimited central part of an Italian wine region, generally producing

wines considered the region's best. See "Chianti."

Clos (CLOW) - Originally, a walled vineyard. Often used in French wine names, and with some

California imitators.

Collioure (Cole-YOOR) - Dry red wine from Banyuls in Southwestern France. Dr. Parcé is the most

widely sought label.

Concord (CAHN-curd) - American native grape (vitis labrusca ) used in making old-fashioned country-

style red wines with the "Welch's Grape Jelly" aroma and flavor that wine tasters call "foxy."

Corbières (Cor-b'yare) - A Languedoc region producing particularly appealing red wines based on

Syrah, Carignane and other varietals.

Cornas (Cor-nahs) - Northern Rhone wine region, making a fine, ageworthy wine from Syrah.

Cosecha (Coh-SAY-cha) - Spanish for "vintage."

Côte Rôtie (Coat Row-tee) - Exceptionally fine, ageworthy red wine from the Northern Rhone, primarily

Syrah-based and named for the "roasted slopes" on which the vineyards grow.

Coteaux du Languedoc (Coat-toe duh Lahn-geh-dawk) - Increasingly desirable dry red table wine

from Southern France, variously using Grenache, Syrah, Cinsaut, etc., individually or in blends.

Côtes-du-Rhône (Coat duh Rone) - Generic appellation for basic Rhone Valley wines, red and white.

Often represent good value, although some drop to jug-wine status.

Côtes-du-Ventoux (Coat duh VaN-too) - Neighbor of Cotes-du-Rhone, sometimes offeringexceptional quality-price ratio. Look for La Vieille Ferme, replaced in the mid-'90s by Perrin Reserve.

Crianza (Cree-AHN-zah) - Spanish term for "aged in oak."

Cru Classé (Croo Clah-say) - Literally "classed growth," French legalese for a vineyard historically

identified as being of exceptional quality.



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Cuvée (Coo-vay) - Literally "vat," typically means the blend of different grapes that make up a specific

wine.

Denominación de Origen (Day-nom-ee-nah-SYON day Oh-ree-HEN) - "Denomination of origin," the

Spanish equivalent of the French "Appellation Controlée," a legally designated description of a winebased on its origin and content.

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Day-nom-ee-nah-tzee-OH-nay dee Oh-ree-GEE-nay Con-troh-

LAH-tah) - Usually abbreviated DOC , the Italian equivalent of "Appellation Controlée." Certain wines,

including Chianti, add "Garantita" (Gah-rahn-TEE-tah) to the phrase as an additional assurance of quality.

Dolcetto (Dohl-CHET-toe) - Tasty red-wine grape of the Piemonte in Northwestern Italy, making a

delightful wine that's usually light and fruity, but not sweet as the name (literally "little sweet one") might

suggest.

Domaine (Doh-mayn) - "Estate" in French; in Burgundy, a domaine may incorporate numerousseparate vineyards.

Edelfäule (Ay-del-foy-leh) - "Noble rot" in German; see "botrytis."

Einzellage (EYE'N-tzel-lah-geh) - Single vineyard, in German.

Eiswein (ICE-wine) - Just as it sounds in English, wine made from late-harvested grapes allowed to

freeze on the vine, concentrating the sugars. Originated in Germany, also becoming a star attraction of

the Ontario, Canada, wine region.

Erzeugerabfüllung (AIR-tsoy-gur-AHB-few-loong) - "Estate bottled" under German wine law.

Faugères (Fow-ZHER) - Languedoc region and the red wine made there.

Fendant (FaN-daN) - Swiss dry white wine made from the Chasselas grape.

Fino (Fee-noe) - Sherry in a dry, light-bodied style.

French Colombard (Cole-um-bar) - Productive white-wine grape used primarily in California's Central

Valley to make cheap, neutral jug wines.

Frizzante (Free-DZAHN-tay) - Slightly sparkling, in Italian wine. Similar to the French "Pétillant."



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Fumé Blanc (Foo-may BlahN) - U.S. synonym for Sauvignon Blanc, invented by Robert Mondavi

during the 1970s as a marketing ploy and widely imitated. Originally denoted a dry style, but any past

distinction between Fumé and Sauvignon is lost.

Furmint (FOOR-mint) - Hungarian white-wine grape, used to make the renowned dessert wine Tokay

(see "Tokay").

Gamay (Gam-may) - Red-wine grape of Beaujolais, a light, fresh and fruity red wine from the region of

the same name in Southern Burgundy, France. Source of some confusion, as the grape grown in

California as "Gamay Beaujolais" is actually a clone of Pinot Noir, while the California grape known as

"Napa Gamay" is probably Valdiguié.

Garnacha (Gahr-NAH-cha) - Spanish for "Grenache," a red-wine grape.

Gattinara (Gaht-tee-NAH-rah) - Excellent red wine made from the Nebbiolo grape in Northwestern

Italy's Piemonte region.

Gewürztraminer (Geh-VERTZ-trah-mee-nur) - White wine grape best-known in Alsace, Germany, the

U.S. West Coast and New York. Highly aromatic, makes wines (often off-dry to sweet, though less so in

Alsace) with much concentration and "spice" (the literal translation of the German "Gewurz").

Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé (GrahN Crew Clah-say) - "Great growth" or "great classed growth." In

France, legal terms for specific vineyards identified as historically producers of exceptional wine.

Graves (Grahv) - Sub-region of Bordeaux, named for its gravelly soil, known for both red wines andBordeaux's most classic dry, racy whites made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Grenache (Gray-NAHSH) - Red-wine grape commonplace in Languedoc and the Rhone, also

California and, as Garnacha, in Spain. Typically makes hearty, peppery wines.

Grosslage (GROSS-lah-geh) - Literally "large vineyard," a German wine-law designation for a group of

individual vineyards whose fruit may be assembled into a wine sold under the Grosslage name.

Gruner Veltliner (GREW-ner Felt-LEE-ner) - Excellent Austrian grape, producing light but crisp and

racy dry white wines.

Halbtrocken (HALP-trock-en) - "Half-dry" in German; wines intentionally made with less than the

typical amount of residual sugar. See also "Trocken."

Haut-Médoc (Oh May-dawk) - Major subdivision of the Médoc region of Bordeaux, and source of

many of its greatest red wines.



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Hermitage (Air-mee-tahj) - One of the top wines of the Rhone, usually red (made from Syrah grapes)

but also white, allegedly created by a Crusader who returned from the Holy Land bearing Syrah vines and

declaring that his days of war were behind him and that this vineyard would be his hermitage. Also,

pronounced in English ("HER-muh-taj") the long-time name of Grange Hermitage, one of Australia's most

noteworthy reds; but the "Hermitage" was dropped around 1990 to satisfy European import criteria.

Jurançon (ZHOO-rahn-sone) - Delicious dry, aromatic wine from the yrenees region of Southwestern

France.

Kabinett (Kah-bee-NET) - Lightest and least sweet quality level for German wines.

Languedoc (Lahn-geh-dawk) - Southern French region, long lightly regarded as the source of simple

table wines, more recently gaining recognition for wines of interest and value.

Loire (Lwahr) - Northeastern French wine region along the river of the same name, known for its

scenic beauty and impressive chateaux as well as a wide variety of delicious wines.

Mâcon (Mah-coN) - Large region of Burgundy generally known for its good, modest table wines.

Madeira (Mah-DER-ah) - Portuguese island in the Atlantic off the North African coast, producing an

unusual fortified wine of the same name. Very popular in the U.S. during Revolutionary War times, the

Madeira trade was an important part of the young nation's economy.

Madiran (Mah-dee-raN) - Small but important Languedoc appellation producing particularly robust,

ageworthy red wines.

Magnum - a large wine bottle with the capacity of two ordinary bottles. Wines age more slowly in large

bottles and fine wines from especially great vintages are often at their best when served from magnums.

Malbec (Mahl-bek) - Red-wine grape used as a nominal element of the Bordeaux blend, where itsintense color and extract add to the wine's body; also used as primary grape in the inky red wines of

Cahors and in some Argentine reds.

Malvasia (Mahl-va-SEE-ah) - Italian white-wine grape, often blended with other grapes (including the

traditional Chianti), occasionally seen as a 100 percent varietal.



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Manzanilla (Mahn-za-NEE-yah) - A dry style of Sherry, similar to Fino, made in a particular seaside

village where the environment allegedly adds a saltwater tang to the wine.

Marechal Foch (Mah-reh-shal Fosh) - French-hybrid grape used to make red wines in the Eastern

U.S.

Margaux (Mahr-goe) - One of the top sub-regions of the Medoc in Bordeaux, centered on the first-

growth property that shares its name.

Marsanne (Mahr-sahn) - Excellent white-wine grape of the Rhone, increasingly planted in California.

Mataro (Mah-TAH-roe) - Spanish name for Mourvèdre (see Mourvèdre).

Mavrodaphne (Mahv-roe-DAHF-nee) - Greek red-wine grape usually used in a sweet, strongly

fortified dessert wine that can represent very good value.

Médoc (May-dawk) - The peninsula between the Gironde River and the sea, center of the Bordeaux

vineyard area. See "Haut-Médoc."

Merlot (Mare-low) - Very good red-wine grape, a key player in the Bordeaux blend, more recently

grown as a varietal in its own right, especially in California and, increasingly, Washington State. Because

it makes a smooth and mellow red wine, it has become an "entry" wine for new red-wine drinkers,

especially those inspired by recent publicity about red wine's purported benefits for cardiovascular health.

Accordingly, in recent years, for many people, "a glass of Merlot" has become all but synonymous with "a

glass of red wine." Black-cherry and herbal flavors are typical.

Minervois (Mee-nehr-vwah) - Languedoc wine region, source of inexpensive, fruity red wine.

Mise en bouteille (Meez ahn Boo-tay) - Literally, "put in bottle" in French. " Mise en bouteille au

Château " has legal significance, meaning "estate bottled," wine made by, and from grapes grown on the

property of, the winery.

Mosel, Moselle (Mo-ZELL) - Beautiful German river valley, tributary of the Rhine, source of some of

the nation's best white wines made from Riesling grapes. Also in Luxembourg, where a small amount of

wine is produced.

Mourvèdre (Moor-VED'rr) - Red grape commonplace in Southern France, Languedoc and the Rhone,

also Spain (where it is known as Mataro) and, increasingly, California. Rich in color and extract, it often

imparts earthy aromas to the wine; one common descriptor is "tree bark."

Müller-Thurgau (MEW-lehr Toor-gow) - Relatively modern grape, perhaps a Riesling-Sylvaner cross,

widely planted in Germany. Originally thought to be a cross between Riesling and Silvaner, and

sometimes designated "Riesling x Silvander on a wine label. It tends to make a simpler, lighter wine than



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Riesling. Also a mainstay of England's small vineyard industry.

Muscadet (Moos-cah-day) - A light, dry Loire white wine made from a grape of the same name

(alternatively named Melon ("May-lawN"), sometimes showing a light musky or cantaloupe quality.

Muscat (Moos-caht) - Aromatic, ancient grape, considered by some to be an ancient ancestor of mostother vitis vinifera grapes; makes wines, often sweet and always fruity, with a characteristic grapefruity

and musky (as the name implies) aroma.

Nebbiolo (Nay-BYOH-low) - Noble grape of Northwestern Italy's Piedmonte region, source of such

powerful and ageworthy red wines as Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara. Typical aroma and flavor

descriptors include "violets" and "tar" and intense black fruit.

Nouveau (Noo-voe) - Literally "new" in French, most often seen in "Nouveau Beaujolais," the first wine

of the new Beaujolais vintage, first sold by tradition on the third Thursday of November and bestconsumed before the end of that year.

Oloroso (Oh-loe-roe-soe) - Spanish, literally "fragrant." One of the two broad categories of Sherry, the

other being Fino (above). Olorosos are typically dark and full-bodied, in contrast with the light Fino; most

are made sweet, but dry Oloroso (like the Emilio Lustau Don Nuño) can be a revelation.

Optima (OP-tee-mah) - Modern German grape, a Sylvaner, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau cross. Primarily

a blending grape but turns up occasionally as a varietal.

Orvieto (Orv-YEH-toe) - Dry white wine from the ancient town of the same name in Umbria, Italy,

between Rome and Florence.

Passito (Pah-SEE-toe) - Italian wine-making process in which harvested grapes are placed in a dryroom (traditionally on straw mats) to dry into raisins before being pressed. The procedure concentratesthe sugars in the grape juice, and is usually used to make sweet wines, although one of the finest --Amarone (see Amarone) -- is usually dry.

Pauillac (Pow-yahk) - Village of the Haut-Medoc in Bordeaux, central to perhaps the world's greatestvineyard region.

Penedès (Pay-nay-DEHS) - Good Spanish wine district near Barcelona. Dominated by the Torreswinery.

Perequita (Pay-reh-KEE-tah) - Portuguese grape, produces hearty, robust dry reds.

Pétillant (Peh-tee-yahN) - Like the Italian "frizzante," slightly sparkling, perhaps sensed merely as a



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prickling on the tongue without actual bubbles being visible.

Petit Verdot (Peh-tee Vehr-doe) - Red wine grape, fine quality but a minor player in the Bordeauxblend.

Petite Sirah (Peh-teet See-rah) - California red grape, probably the same as the Durif of the Rhone.Makes an inky-dark red wine that can last forever, but typically one-dimensional in flavor, with the warm,plummy notes typical of grapes grown in a warm climate.

Phylloxera (fil-LOX-er-rah) - Plant louse that can devastate vineyards; virtually wiped out the Frenchwine industry during the 1860s and 1870s (after being accidentally exported on vines from the U.S.), andremains a problem today in Northern California, where many vineyards are now being replanted on louse-resistant roots.

Piemonte (Pee-eh-MAWN-tay) - Also "Piedmont," literally "the foot of the mountains," NorthwesternItalian wine region in the Alpine foothills, producer of some of the world's greatest red wines.

Pinot Blanc (Pee-noe BlahN) - White wine grape, making a dry, full white wine that some liken to

Chardonnay, but typically medium in body and sometimes showing melon scents.

Pinot Gris (Pee-noe Gree) and Pinot Grigio (Gree-joe) - French and Italian names, respectively, forthe same grape, typically making a dry and very crisp and acidic white wine, often with a light muskyaroma, well-suited to accompany seafood. Common in Alsace, Northeastern Italy, and increasinglyOregon, where ittakes the French name.

Pinot Meunier (Pee-noe Mehr-n'yay) - Relatively uncommon as a varietal, but frequently used in theChampagne blend.

Pinot Noir (Pee-noe Nwahr) - Classic red grape, widely accepted as one of the world's best.Burgundy is its home, and it has proven difficult to grow and vinify well elsewhere, but California andOregon increasingly hit the mark, and wine makers in many other parts of the world are still trying. At itspeak, it makes wines of incredible complexity. Cherries and "earthy" qualities are typical. Known for its"velvety" texture.

Pinotage (Pee-noe-tahj) - A cross between Pinot Noir x Cinsaut of the Rhone, grown commerciallyonly in South Africa, where it makes a fruity, dark red wine with an odd earthy character often describedas "paintbox."

Pomerol (Paw-mehr-ahl) - Noteworthy village on the right bank of the Dordogne, opposite the Haut-Médoc, known for its Merlot-based red wines, particularly the cultish Chateau Pétrus.

Pouilly-Fuissé (Poo-yee Fwee-SAY) - White Burgundy, Chardonnay-based, made in the region of thesame name. Especially popular in the U.S.

Pouilly-Fumé (Poo-yee Foo-MAY) - Loire white made from Sauvignon Blanc, dry and very lean andtart; like Sancerre (see below), an excellent seafood wine.

Priorato (Pree-oh-RAH-toe) - Wine region of Northeastern Spain, near Barcelona, gaining an



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increasing reputation for very hearty, dark red wines.

Provence (Pro-vahNs) - Wine region of Southern France along the Mediterranean coast, south of theRhone region and east of Languedoc.

Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (Kval-ee-TEHTS-vine mit PREH-dee-kaht) - Often abbreviated "QmP" forobvious reasons, this is the highest quality rating for German wines.

Recioto (Ray-CHO-toe) - Wine from the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy, made from especially ripegrapes. The juice is further concentrated by the "passito" process in which freshly harvested grapes areallowed to dry into raisins before they're pressed and fermented. Usually sweet, although the well-knownstyle Amarone is dry. See also "Ripasso."

Reserva (Ray-zair-vah) - Spanish legal term for wines aged before sale; for reds, at least three years,including at least one year in wooden barrels. The Italian "Riserva" is similar, but note that the English"Reserve" has no legal significance and may mean anything the winery (or its advertising agency) wishes.

Rheingau (RINE-gow) - German wine region along the Rhine ("Rhein" in German) where steepvineyards face directly south along an east-west stretch of the river and thus are considered some of themost favored of the region. The neighboring Rheinhessen (Rine-HESS'n) and Rheinpfalz (Rine-PFALTZ,sometimes abbreviated to "Pfalz") regions are also well regarded.

Rhône (Rone) - Great French wine region along the river of the same name. Best known for heartyred wines based on Syrah, Grenache and others, with a wine history certainly going back to the 14th

Century, and at least by local legend, to the Romans.

Ribera del Duero (Ree-BEHR-ah dell Doo-AY-roe) - Challenging Rioja (below) for the title of Spain'sgreatest red wine, these Tempranillo-based reds -- particularly the fabled Vega Sicilia -- can last andimprove for decades.

Riesling (REESE-ling) - The classic German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, certainly ranks withChardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir among the most noble wine grapes. Germany's greatRieslings are usually made slightly sweet, with strong, steely acidity for balance, a style of wine so variantfrom the French, Italian and U.S. tradition that it requires a real paradigm shift for many of us to enjoy; butobjectively, the greatest German Rieslings stand comparison to the best the world has to offer. AlsatianRiesling is also excellent, though usually made in a different style, equally aromatic but typically stronger

and usually dry or nearly so.

Rioja (Ree-OH-hah) - Perhaps the best red wines of Spain, grown in arid, mountainous Northern Spainand named for the Rio Oja river there. The wines are made from Tempranillo and other grapes, are oftenaged in oak, and trace some heritage to Bordeaux, from where many wine makers emigrated after thephylloxera scourge of the mid-19th Century.

Ripasso (Ree-PAH-soe) - Unusual wine-making practice of Valpolicella, in which wine made during therecent vintage is reserved, then placed atop the pressed grapeskins and lees in the vats just used for



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Amarone and allowed to ferment further in contact with those skins, thus acquiring additional body,extract and flavor.

Riserva (Ree-SEHR-vah) - Under Italian wine law, a wine aged for a designated period before bottling;regulations vary from one region to another in terms of the exact period and whether wood aging isrequired, but are always specific. (See also "Reserva," above.)

Rosé (Roe-zay) - Pink wine, traditionally made not by blending red and white juice (although someinexpensive wines do this), but by using red grapes and removing the skins from the fermenter beforethey have had time to impart much color. Also sometimes labeled "Vin Gris" ("VaN Gree," literally "graywine") and, among popular, low-cost American pink wines, "blush." Although the blush fad included manyforgettable wines, a good, dry, crisp rosé or vin gris can be a refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

Rosso di Montalcino (ROE-soe dee Mon-tahl-CHEE-noe) - "Little brother" to Brunello (see Brunello), agood dry Italian red from Tuscany, requiring no aging in wood and permitted to be sold with less aging;often particularly good value.

Roussanne (Roo-sahn) - White Rhone grape, often grown with and blended with Marsanne, butsomewhat supplanting the latter for economic reasons -- it is considered more productive and easier togrow.

Saint-Chinian (SahN Shee-nee-ahN) - Another once little-known and lightly regarded region of theLanguedoc gaining new attention in recent times as the wines of this region become more well-known.

Saint-Emilion (San'Tay-meel-yon) - Bordeaux region on the right bank of the Dordogne, upriver fromPomerol, and like the latter, best known for its red wines made with Merlot and sometimes CabernetFranc dominating the blend.

Saint-Estephe (San'Tes-teff) - Northern portion of the Haut-Médoc in Bordeaux, producing winesconsidered somewhat less "refined" than Pauillac to the south (there are no first growths in Saint-Estephe), but still generally excellent, and perhaps more affordable.

Sancerre (SahN-sehr) - Loire village known for deliciously dry and tartly acidic white wines made fromSauvignon Blanc, a classic match with oysters.

Sangiovese (Sahn-joe-VAY-zeh) - The predominant red-wine grape of Tuscany in Central Italy,primary player in the Chianti blend; also sometimes used as a varietal there and in California. Makes ahearty, dry red with flavors of black cherries, often with a characteristic orange glint in the color.

Sauternes (So-TAIRN) - Great French dessert wine from the Bordeaux district of the same name,made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes harvested late and usually affected bybotrytis, (see Botrytis). The most famous (and expensive) rendition is Chateau d'Yquemm although thereare many other excellent examples.

Sauvignon Blanc (So-veen-yawn BlahN) - Noble white grape, native to the Loire and Bordeaux(where it is usually blended with Semillon); also widely planted in the Western U.S., South America,Australia and New Zealand and elsewhere. The wine comes in many styles, depending largely on canopy



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management or leaf pruning (shaded grapes make a "green," "grassy" style while grapes exposed tosunlight make a characteristically citric style) and whether the wine maker chooses to age the wine inoak.

Savennières (Sah-ven-YARE) - Small Loire region making white wines of exceptionally high qualityfrom Chenin Blanc. One of the few white wines that doesn't merely benefit from a few years of age but

actually needs time to come into its own.

Scheurebe (SHOY-ray-beh) - Modern German grape, a Riesling x Sylvaner cross, still ratheruncommon but seen increasingly in sweeter, late-harvest wines from the Rhine. The better examplesresemble Riesling, with a raisiny fruitiness.

Sémillon (Say-mee-yoN) - White wine grape, native to Bordeaux and used there primarily in a blendwith Sauvignon Blanc; increasingly seen as a varietal in the U.S. and Australia, where it makes a soft,medium-bodied, sometimes pleasantly musky white wine.

Seyval Blanc (Say-vahl BlahN) - French-hybrid grape so widely used to make white wines in theEastern U.S. that it's sometimes jokingly called "Indiana (or fill in your state of preference) Chardonnay." It

makes a dry, crisp white wine that's often aged in oak to enhance its otherwise rather neutral "vinous"flavor.

Shiraz (Shee-rahz) - Australian synonym for Syrah, now also turning up on occasion in South Africa.

Sommelier (Soh-mell-yay) - The wine waiter in a restaurant.

Spätlese (SHPAYT-lay-zuh) - Literally "late-picked," the ripeness level of German QmP wines betweenKabinett and Auslese (see also, Kabinett and Auslese).

Spumante (Spoo-MAHN-tay) - Literally "foaming," Italian for sparkling wine, usually seen incombination with its source, as in "Asti Spumante."

Sylvaner (Sill-VAH-ner) - German grape (sometimes spelled Silvaner there), considered secondary toRiesling in quality but planted widely as a blending grape. Vinified as a varietal, it makes a light, fruityquaffing wine.

Syrah (See-rah) - The classic Rhone red grape allegedly brought back from Shiraz in Persia by the14th-Century crusader Gaspard de Sterimberg. Blended in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and standing alone inHermitage, Cote-Rotie and other Rhone reds, it makes tannic, ageworthy wines easily identified by a verycharacteristic floral black-pepper fragrance.

Tempranillo (Temp-rah-NEEL-yo) - Excellent Spanish red-wine grape. Black fruit is the usualdescriptor, although most Tempranillo-based wines show spicy oak as an integral component, and arealso characterized by the hearty, robust and acidic structure that the grape imparts.

Terroir (Tehr-wahr) - Literally "soil" in French, a term widely used by wine hobbyists (sometimes asgout de terroir) in reference to the flavors and aromas that soil and geography impart to a wine.

Tinto (TEEN-toe) - Spanish term for red wine.



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Tocai Friulano (Toh-KYE Fr'yoo-LAH-noe) - Italian white-wine grape grown in the far Northeast, nokin to Hungarian Tokay, but capable of producing a delightfully distinctive and aromatic white wine with aunique floral scent; also occasionally seen in California.

Tokay (Toe-KAY) - Respected Hungarian dessert wine, reaches its pinnacle in Tokay Aszù ("Ah-zhu"),

the sweetest style, affected by botrytis.

Torrontés (Tohr-ROHN-tayss) - White grape from Galicia in Spain, gaining recent there and inArgentina for producing racy and aromatic white wines of real character.

Trebbiano (Treb-YAH-no) - Widespread but rather forgettable Italian white grape, producing a neutraldry white wine.

Trentino-Alto Adige (Tren-TEE-noe Ahl-toe AH-dee-jay) - Mountainous wine region of the ItalianNorth, reaching the Alpine foothills above Trentino and Bolzano. Best known for excellent dry whites.

Trocken (TROCK-en) - German for "dry." Usually seen on the label of modern efforts to produce

traditional German quality wines in a new style without residual sugar, more closely approximating theFrench and Italian style of dry table wines.(see also Halbtrocken).

Trockenbeerenauslese (TROCK-en-BEHR-en-OWS-lay-zeh) - Tongue-twisting name for the sweetestand most expensive quality level of German wine, literally "dried individual grapes picked out," hand-selected and botrytis-affected.

Tuscany (TUSS-can-ee) - Wine region of Central Italy, surrounding Florence, ancient home ofChianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile, also increasingly known for modern, pricey "high-tech Tuscans" madeusing creative blends of the local grapes, Cabernet and others.

Valpolicella (Vahl-poe-lee-CHELL-ah) - Lightweight but refreshing red wine from the Veneto ofNortheastern Italy. As Recioto della Valpolicella, a thoroughly different wine, powerful and robust, may besweet or dry (Amarone).

Valtellina (Vahl-tell-LEE-nah) - Northern Italian wine region in Lombardy, on the Swiss border, makingexcellent red wines from Nebbiolo and other grapes.

Varietal (Vah-RYE-uh-tal) - Wine named for the specific grape from which it is made, such as CabernetSauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

Vendange (VawN-dawN) - French for vintage. "Vendange Tardive" [Tahr-Deev] is "late harvest" or

"delayed harvest".

Vendimia (Vehn-DEE-mee-ah) - Spanish for "vintage."

Veneto (VAY-nah-toe) - Wine region of Northeastern Italy, around Venice and Verona.

Veraison (Vay-ray-zoN) - First appearance of color in ripening grapes.

Verdicchio (Vehr-DEEK-yo) - Italian white-wine grape from the Adriatic coast of Central Italy; at its



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best, tart and suffused with an appealing bitter-almond quality.

Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Vehr-NAHCH-ya dee Sahn Jee-mee-NYAH-noe) - Dry white wine ofancient heritage from the picturesque Tuscan village of San Gimignano. The town is known for its manytowers; the wine, at its best, is crisp and dry and pleasantly bitter in the finish.

Vidal Blanc (Vee-dahl BlahN) - French-hybrid white-wine grape widely used in Eastern U.S. wines,sometimes crisp and dry but with a sometimes unfortunate pine resin or turpentine quality.

Vignoles (Vee-NYOLE) - Also Ravat 51, a French-hybrid white-wine grape seen in the Eastern U.S.One of the most successful French hybrids, in my opinion; I've seen it vinified as a luscious sweet wineand also, with lightly toasted oak, as a full-bodied dry white of real quality.

Villard Blanc (Vee-yar BlahN) - Yet another white French-hybrid grown in the Eastern U.S. Usuallyrather neutral in quality.

Vin Gris (VaN Gree) - Pink wine (see Rosé).

Vin de Pays (VaN deh Pie-ee) - Literally, "wine of the country," a category of French wines consideredlower in status than Appellation Controllée, but because it's considered less "desirable," may offerparticularly good value if well-chosen.

Vinho Verde (VEEN-yoh VEHR-day) - Literally "green wine," a reference to youth rather than color; arefreshing, light and often slightly sparkling Portuguese white wine. Always look for the youngestavailable, preferably no more than a year old.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Vee-noe NOH-bee-lay dee Mohn-tay-pool-CHAH-noe) - ExcellentTuscan red wine made from a blend of Sangiovese and other red grapes; neighboring to Chianti but

distinctly different.

Vintage (VIN-tij) - For wines so designated, the year in which the grapes were grown.

Viognier (Vee-ohn-yay) - Long a seldom-seen grape used only in the rather rare French Condrieuand Chateau-Grillet, this white grape is gaining considerable attention as a varietal in California andSouthern France. It makes a light, lean wine with a very characteristic floral scent, not meant for aging butbest consumed early.

Vitis Vinifera (Vee-tis Vi-NIFF-eh-ra) - Grape species including virtually all of the most desirable winegrapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, etc.

Vouvray (Voov-ray) - Outstanding Loire white, based on Chenin Blanc; table wines may range from drythrough slightly sweet, and it also makes spectacular dessert wines.

Wein (Vine) - German for "wine."

White Riesling (Reese-ling) - Sometimes seen in the U.S. (and required in Oregon) for Riesling.



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"Johannisberg Riesling" is also often used as a California marketing term to heighten the grape's Germanheritage.

White Zinfandel (Zin-fahn-DELL) - "Blush" wine, usually California, usually simple and often slightlysweet, made by removing red Zinfandel grapes from the juice before they impart significant color. SeeZinfandel, below.

Zinfandel (Zin-fahn-DELL) - Declared the American wine grape because it reaches its highest level inCalifornia, it's now been shown to be the same as the Southern Italian Primitivo, and it's thought that bothmay go back to an earlier Balkan progenitor. At its best, it makes an exuberantly fruity, ripe and big redwine full of mixed blackberry and raspberry scents (known botanically as "bramble fruit").

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