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A ~
Aerate
:
to
let in air; from the French 'air'. Allowing air into a glass
of wine, especially reds, causes oxidation and evaporation.
Oxidation gives the wine a chance to clear its throat, so
to speak, ridding itself of unpleasant compounds that have
been bottled up. The evaporation aids the drinker; after pouring
and swirling the liquid in a glass, the evaporating aromas
give complexity to the taste of the wine.
Auctions
:
a
public sale where the price of an item or lot is reached by
competative bidding, rather than negotiation, until no more
'bets' are placed, the item(s) going to the highest bidder.
A buyer should know what they are looking for and have searched
for it on the internet, in showrooms, at free pre-auction
viewing and through auction house catalogues, available for
purchase or subscription. If the auction of interest in is
held by an auction house such as Christie's or Sotheby's,
one must register by filling out a form through the bidding
department or by signing up online. Instructions are available
online or by phone. First-time bidders must provide their
credit information to prove they can afford to pay; details
can be procured from the specific auction house. Be prepared
to give bank account number(s) and personal information.
B ~
- Baco
Noir / Baco Blanc :
- a
hybridized, hearty grape variety from France that is resistant
to diseases like oidium and phylloxera, and can also withstand
the cold - many varieties of the Baco lineage are planted
around the Great Lakes in the United States. Baco Noir's
strong flavour is thought by some to be a good substitute
for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Barrel
:
a
bulbous, cylindrical container used globally and throughout
history for fermenting and aging wine, sherry, port, congnac.
Basalmic vinegar is often aged in oak barrels from 10 to 50
litres, though can be kept in ash, chestnut or cherry each
affecting the flavour. [see
Basalmic]
Black
rot :
a
common disease that can threaten entire crops, caused by the
fungus Guignardia bidwellii, that can attack all parts of
a grape vine above ground during hot, humid weather. Brown
spots start on leaves, developing into black lesions, causing
the leaf to wilt. Should the plight move to the fruit, affected
grapes will first appear brown or light in colour, eventually
shrivelling to small, hard raisins called 'mummies'.
Blending
:
the
practice of balancing or improving wine by mixing two or more
grape varietals together, and is responsible for a wine's
complexity. Cabernet Sauvignon is commonly blended with Merlot
to increase tannins. Flavour can be enhanced by melding opposite
flavours of the same grape variety, or to tone down the tannin
level; Chardonnay together with a Riesling, for example, can
soften or brighten sweetness. Sometimes the nose, or aroma
of a wine will be enhanced through blending, as with a combination
of Syrah and Viognier. Some blending may be employed to increase
a wine's alcohol content, or appearance - white wine may be
combined with a red to lighten the colour. Blending brings
out flavour points, or mellows a new vintage. However, caution
must be used, especially if one wants to age a wine - not
all vintages will hold their flavour over time.
Blind tasting
:
wine
tasting done without visual access to the bottle, or even
the glass. This can be done by putting the bottles being tasted
in sacs, or wrapping them in foil. Opaque, black bottles and
glasses are available for this purpose, with the aim of removing
one of the senses, in order to intensify the others, when
judging wine.
Brix
:
a
measurement of sugar in wine, equalling 1 gram of sucrose
per 100 grams of solution, formally called "degrees brix",
and symbolized as °Bx.
C ~
Cellar
rat :
Chocks
:
Claret
:
the
English term for Bordeaux.
Clones
:
Corkage
Corcons
Coulure
Crop
loads
D
~
Dry
soil
E
~
Eonologist
Eonology
F
~
Finish
Fittings
G
~
Grape
Grey
rot
H
~
Harvest
dates
I
~
Intern
J
~
Japanese
beetles
K
~
L
~
M
~
Mildew
is a powdery,
downey...
- Monopoles
are sites
owned by a single producer.
Mummies
N
~
Nose
O
~
Oidium
Overcropping
P
~
Peynaud
pH:
high-pH, low acidity (good) / higher-acitiy, lower-pH ("less
flavourful, less interesting")
Phylloxera
Premier
cru
Q
~
R
~
Recognition
threshold :
- Swirling wine in its
glass aerates the wine and releases its bouquet, letting
your nasal cavity draw up the scents into your olfactory
system, which is essentially the control panel for your
sense of smell. Your olfactory interprets
what you smell, immediately comparing it to other familiar
smells. more
sources : http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/how-to-taste-wine2.htm
Rootstock
S
~
Salute
Sanctity
of the vine
Skin
Spacing
Spit
Stem
Structure
T
~
Tastevin
Terroir :
From the French "terre",
meaning land. Everything grown in the same region, plant and
animal, shares similar soil, weather conditions, pollen, water,
and farming techniques all contributing to the unique flavour
of the food. The same rgapes grown in another country will
likely have a different 'sense' about it because of the terroir
of that other location.
Thrasher :
U
~
V
~
Variety
(grape)
Viniculture
Vineyard
Vintner
Viticulture
W
~
Wine
Wine
press
Wine
snob
Wine
thief
X
~
Y
~
Z
~
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