Lexicon: Accessible to Buttery
A
Accessible
Can mean both easy to drink and ready to drink. Accessible can imply
unexpected readiness in a wine that sometimes requires aging.
Acidity
The tartness that wine's natural acidity imparts and that gives the wine a sense
of body and structure. Required for proper balance; too much or too little
constitutes a flaw.
Aftertaste
The flavor that remains after you swallow, which sometimes differs from the
taste while the wine is in your mouth; also called the "finish."
Albariño
A Spanish white grape varietal from Galicia.
Alicante Bouschet
A hearty red-wine grape of Southern France that is also grown a great deal in
California's Central Valley. Often used in jug wines.
Aligoté
A burgundian white-wine grape most often used in modest Burgandy wines.
Almond
A light, bitter, nutlike taste. Italian white wines are often cited as being almond
accented.
Alsace
A northeastern French province on the Rhine -- one of those places the
German were often after -- known for its rich, dry white wines made primarily
Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Alto Adige
An Italian wine region, near Bolzano, in the Northeast of the country.
Amarone
Potent red wine from northeastern Italy.
Amontillado
A dry, full-bodied Sherry. Remember the story by Poe?
Anise
A faint licorice flovor. Some Spanish reds are know for their anise hints. But it
may also indicate that the wine has been artificially acidified, a practice that
may improve short-term enjoyment but tends to make wines that age badly.
Appellation Contrôlée
A wine-growing region as defined under French law.
Apple
An apple-fruit aroma, particularly characteristic of Chardonnays that are not too
"oaky."
Apricot
A flavor often noted in sweet white wines.
Astringent
A quality in highly tannic reds that makes your mouth pucker, often associated
with young Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aroma
The snotty wine term for the smell of wine.
Attack
The oenophiliac term for the first impression that a wine makes as it washes
over your palate. Others are "middle" or "mid-palate" and "finish" or "aftertaste."
Austere
"Austere" can mean simple, one-dimensional; usually applied to young wines
of ageworthy quality to hint at unrealized potential. Or it can mean light yet
acidic; not necessarily simple, like a Chablis.
B
Bacchus
The Roman god of wine and revelry. Raise the roof.
Backbone
The sense of structure present in a wine with enough acidity. The amount of
alcohol and tannins may also be elements of structure or backbone.
Balanced
A wine is "balanced" when all of its elements arepresent in proper proportion --
acidity, fruit and tannin.
Banana
An aroma often found in Beaujolais.
Bandol
Southwestern French wine-growing region home rustic reds, such as those of
Domaine Tempier.
Banyuls
A French dessert wine from the Pyrenees.
Barbaresco
A red table wine made from the Nebbiolo grape from Piemonte in
Northwestern Italy.
Barbera
A grape used to make hearty reda in the Piemonte of Northwestern Italy. It is
also common in California.
Barnyard
A pleasant "earthy" or "organic" character reminiscent of the farm. It's common
in red Burgundies and in some other wines.
Barolo
A full-bodied and complex Nebbiolo-based red wine from the Piemonte region
of Northwestern Italy.
Barsac
A region within Sauternes in Bordeaux, where sweet wines similar to
Sauternes are made.
Beaujolais
A light, fruity red wine from the Beaujolais region in Southern Burgundy.
Beaumes-de-Venise
A region within the Rhone known for its white dessert wine made from Muscat
grapes.
Beaune
A small city in Burgundy, center of its wine region. A friend of mine, Carolyn
Bennet-Joly, helps run a jazz festival there each year.
Big
A broad term for a full-bodied, flavorful wine.
Bitter
A quality sometimes found in the aftertaste or finish of wine. When subtle it is
considered refreshing. It can be found in some Italian wines and Alsatian
whites.
Black cherry
A flavor common in red wines, particularly Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chiantis.
Black coffee
A "burnt," or bitter quality found in mature Cabernets.
Black pepper
A fragrant, floral, and distinctively peppery quality found Syrah, but also in
Grenache, Carignan, Petite Sirah.
Blackcurrant
A fruity and herbaceous quality that's the hallmark of red Bordeaux, called
"cassis" in French.
Blueberry
A fruity quality sometimes found in Cabernet Franc and other wines.
Body
"Body" describes the overall texture or "weight" of wine in the mouth. It is most
influenced by alcohol, glycerin and, in the case of dessert wines, sugar. Wines
can be "light-bodied," "medium-bodied" or"full-bodied."
Bordeaux
The grand dame of all wine regions. Part of Southwestern France it is the
home of some of the world's greatest table wines -- "clarets" -- made from
Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other grapes.
Botrytis cinerea
Aslo called the "noble rot," botrytis is a kind of mold that can appear on late-
harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars
become highly concentrated. It is what makes many dessert wines sweet.
Bouquet
Indicates the smell that develops over time in the wine bottle.
Boxwood
An aromatic shrub reminiscent of cat urine. It is a polite way of saying that a
wine has a kind of "cat pee" quality to it, such as is found in some Sauvignon
Blancs. Actually kind of the good thing.
Bright
"Bright" can refer to color -- clear or transparent -- or to a flavor, meaning high
but not excessive in acidity.
Brilliant
Exceptionally clear or transparent, visually; not a a description of flavor or
quality.
Brooding
Describes a heavy, intense red wine with deep complexity.
Brown sugar
A pleasant caramel aroma.
Brunello di Montalcino
An red Italian wine from Tuscany.
Burnt match
The smell of a just-blown-out match which suggests an excessive use of
sulfur in wine making. Not a compliment.
Buttery
The taste and feel in the mouth of butter in the wine which common in
Chardonnays, especially from California. It is highly desirable among ladies-
who-lunch but considered vulgar among many wine enthusiasts.
Accessible
Can mean both easy to drink and ready to drink. Accessible can imply
unexpected readiness in a wine that sometimes requires aging.
Acidity
The tartness that wine's natural acidity imparts and that gives the wine a sense
of body and structure. Required for proper balance; too much or too little
constitutes a flaw.
Aftertaste
The flavor that remains after you swallow, which sometimes differs from the
taste while the wine is in your mouth; also called the "finish."
Albariño
A Spanish white grape varietal from Galicia.
Alicante Bouschet
A hearty red-wine grape of Southern France that is also grown a great deal in
California's Central Valley. Often used in jug wines.
Aligoté
A burgundian white-wine grape most often used in modest Burgandy wines.
Almond
A light, bitter, nutlike taste. Italian white wines are often cited as being almond
accented.
Alsace
A northeastern French province on the Rhine -- one of those places the
German were often after -- known for its rich, dry white wines made primarily
Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Alto Adige
An Italian wine region, near Bolzano, in the Northeast of the country.
Amarone
Potent red wine from northeastern Italy.
Amontillado
A dry, full-bodied Sherry. Remember the story by Poe?
Anise
A faint licorice flovor. Some Spanish reds are know for their anise hints. But it
may also indicate that the wine has been artificially acidified, a practice that
may improve short-term enjoyment but tends to make wines that age badly.
Appellation Contrôlée
A wine-growing region as defined under French law.
Apple
An apple-fruit aroma, particularly characteristic of Chardonnays that are not too
"oaky."
Apricot
A flavor often noted in sweet white wines.
Astringent
A quality in highly tannic reds that makes your mouth pucker, often associated
with young Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aroma
The snotty wine term for the smell of wine.
Attack
The oenophiliac term for the first impression that a wine makes as it washes
over your palate. Others are "middle" or "mid-palate" and "finish" or "aftertaste."
Austere
"Austere" can mean simple, one-dimensional; usually applied to young wines
of ageworthy quality to hint at unrealized potential. Or it can mean light yet
acidic; not necessarily simple, like a Chablis.
B
Bacchus
The Roman god of wine and revelry. Raise the roof.
Backbone
The sense of structure present in a wine with enough acidity. The amount of
alcohol and tannins may also be elements of structure or backbone.
Balanced
A wine is "balanced" when all of its elements arepresent in proper proportion --
acidity, fruit and tannin.
Banana
An aroma often found in Beaujolais.
Bandol
Southwestern French wine-growing region home rustic reds, such as those of
Domaine Tempier.
Banyuls
A French dessert wine from the Pyrenees.
Barbaresco
A red table wine made from the Nebbiolo grape from Piemonte in
Northwestern Italy.
Barbera
A grape used to make hearty reda in the Piemonte of Northwestern Italy. It is
also common in California.
Barnyard
A pleasant "earthy" or "organic" character reminiscent of the farm. It's common
in red Burgundies and in some other wines.
Barolo
A full-bodied and complex Nebbiolo-based red wine from the Piemonte region
of Northwestern Italy.
Barsac
A region within Sauternes in Bordeaux, where sweet wines similar to
Sauternes are made.
Beaujolais
A light, fruity red wine from the Beaujolais region in Southern Burgundy.
Beaumes-de-Venise
A region within the Rhone known for its white dessert wine made from Muscat
grapes.
Beaune
A small city in Burgundy, center of its wine region. A friend of mine, Carolyn
Bennet-Joly, helps run a jazz festival there each year.
Big
A broad term for a full-bodied, flavorful wine.
Bitter
A quality sometimes found in the aftertaste or finish of wine. When subtle it is
considered refreshing. It can be found in some Italian wines and Alsatian
whites.
Black cherry
A flavor common in red wines, particularly Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chiantis.
Black coffee
A "burnt," or bitter quality found in mature Cabernets.
Black pepper
A fragrant, floral, and distinctively peppery quality found Syrah, but also in
Grenache, Carignan, Petite Sirah.
Blackcurrant
A fruity and herbaceous quality that's the hallmark of red Bordeaux, called
"cassis" in French.
Blueberry
A fruity quality sometimes found in Cabernet Franc and other wines.
Body
"Body" describes the overall texture or "weight" of wine in the mouth. It is most
influenced by alcohol, glycerin and, in the case of dessert wines, sugar. Wines
can be "light-bodied," "medium-bodied" or"full-bodied."
Bordeaux
The grand dame of all wine regions. Part of Southwestern France it is the
home of some of the world's greatest table wines -- "clarets" -- made from
Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other grapes.
Botrytis cinerea
Aslo called the "noble rot," botrytis is a kind of mold that can appear on late-
harvested grapes, causing them to shrink and dry so the natural sugars
become highly concentrated. It is what makes many dessert wines sweet.
Bouquet
Indicates the smell that develops over time in the wine bottle.
- Snob Tip: Don't confuse "bouquet for "nose" or "aroma." "Nose" is the
overall smell while "aroma" is the smell associated with the fruit, i.e.,
"apricot" or "cherry." The "bouquet" can be "mineral" or "barnyard."
Practice will show you the difference.
Boxwood
An aromatic shrub reminiscent of cat urine. It is a polite way of saying that a
wine has a kind of "cat pee" quality to it, such as is found in some Sauvignon
Blancs. Actually kind of the good thing.
- Snob Tip: Don't bother saying "this wine is very boxwoody," or "this wine
has hints of boxwood." Say, "this wine has hints of cat pee," or "little cat
pee here, no?" Real oenophiles value directness. Bourgeois
politeness turns them off.
Bright
"Bright" can refer to color -- clear or transparent -- or to a flavor, meaning high
but not excessive in acidity.
Brilliant
Exceptionally clear or transparent, visually; not a a description of flavor or
quality.
Brooding
Describes a heavy, intense red wine with deep complexity.
Brown sugar
A pleasant caramel aroma.
Brunello di Montalcino
An red Italian wine from Tuscany.
Burnt match
The smell of a just-blown-out match which suggests an excessive use of
sulfur in wine making. Not a compliment.
Buttery
The taste and feel in the mouth of butter in the wine which common in
Chardonnays, especially from California. It is highly desirable among ladies-
who-lunch but considered vulgar among many wine enthusiasts.
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