Acid- A
natural compound found in all grapes
that adds to the flavour and crispness
of a wine while helping to preserve
it. The four most prominant acids
found in wines are tartaric, malic,
lactic and citric acid.
Ageing- The
lenghth of time a wine should age
depends on the type grape and the
type of wine being produced and can
vary from a few weeks to many decades.
Ageing in barrels provides a slow
oxidation while simultaniously inparting
the flavours of the wood on the wine.
Bottle ageing allows the wines to
soften and various components within
the wine to harmonize. Eventually
bottled wines will begin to deminish
in quality if allowed to hang around
too long.
Alcohol- Ethyl
alcohol, a chemical compound formed
by the action of natural or added
yeast on the sugar content of grapes
during fermentation.
Balance- A
sense that the fruit, acid and other
flavors are in the right proportion
with no one element overpowering
the others.
Baum- A
system used to measure specific gravity.
Indicating the sugar content of unfermented
grape juice. A measure of 1 Baum
roughly equivalent to 1% alcohol
when the wine is fully fermented.
Body- How
the wine feels to the mouth. Full-bodied,
medium-bodied or medium-weight, or
light-bodied. Alcohol makes a wine
seem heavier, as does tannin.
Bottle
Sickness / Bottle shock- A
temporary condition that is usually
the result of transporting a delicate
wine, disrupting the expected taste.
Given time to settle the wine will
return to normal.
Clarification- Removing
cloudiness by the use of filtration
and or fining.
Cold
Stabilization- A
clarification technique where a wine's
temperature is lowered to 32° F,
causing the tartrates and other insoluble
solids to seperate.
Corked- An
unpleasant smell and taste of cork
in the wine due to the use of a poor
quality cork.
Crisp- A
fresh, young, wine with good acidity.
Decanting- In
order to separating the sediment
from the wine before drinking, the
wine is carefully poured from its
bottle into another container.
Dosage- A
small amount of wine (usually sweet)
is added to the bottle of sparkling
wines to add bubbles by means of
secondary fermentation.
Dry- Having
no perceptible taste of sugar.
Enology
or Oenology- The
science and study of winemaking.
Fermentation- Grape
juice becomes wine my means of yeast
converting grape sugars into alcohol
and carbon dioxide.
Filtering- Removing
particles from wine after fermentation
to improve a wines clarity and stability.
Fining- Clarifying
wine with the assistance of powdered
clay (bentonite), gelatin or egg
whites. The sediment particles combine
with the additives and settle to
the bottom, where they can be easily
removed.
Finish- The
taste or flavours that linger in
the mouth after the wine has been
swallowed. A long finish is preferable.
Legs- The
droplets that form and slip down
the sides of the glass after the
wine has been swirled.
Length- The
amount of time the sensations of
taste and aroma persist after swallowing.
Mature- Ready
to drink.
Methode
Champenoise- The
method by which true Champagne gets
its bubbles. Secondary fermentation
that takes place naturally within
the bottle.
Must- The
unfermented juice of crushed or pressed
grapes (It may include the pulp,
skins and seeds) in the cask or vat
before it is converted into wine.
Nose- The
aroma. The bouquet.
pH- A
chemical measurement of acidity or
alkalinity. A high pH means a low
acid content which increases the
chance of unwanted bacterial growth.
A Low pH provides wines with a tart
and crisp taste. A level of 3.0 to
3.4 is preferred for white wines
and 3.3 to 3.6 for reds.
Racking- Pumping
wine from one container to another
and leaving sediments behind, improving
the wines clarity.
Tannin- Tannin
provides a wine tart taste. It is
a substance that naturally occurs
in the stems, pips and skins of the
grape.
Tartrates- Harmless
crystals of potassium bitartrate
that may form in the bottle or on
the cork from the tartaric acid naturally
present in wine.
Yeast- Micro-organisms
that produce the enzymes which convert
sugar to alcohol. Necessary for the
fermentation of grape juice into
wine. |