Lexicon: Cabernet Franc to
Côtes-du-Rhône
Côtes-du-Rhône
Cabernet Franc
A french red wine grape, often used in Bordeaux but also in the Loire and
California. Usually used in blends, but increasingly drank as a varietal.
Blueberry aromas are often hinted.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Considered among the "noblest" red wine grapes. Usually blended in
Bordeaux, but often used as 100 percent varietal in the U.S., Australia, Chile,
Argentina, South Africa and all over.
Cahors
A wine region in southwestern France near Bordeaux, known for dark red
wines made from the Malbec grape.
Candied
A flavor descriptor that reminds one of bits of gelatin candy.
Cantaloupe
A melon flavor typical of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio and Chenin Blanc.
Caramel
A sweet, sugar-like aroma.
Carbonic maceration
In the Beaujolais process, whole grapes are fermented without being crushed
first. This makes for a very fruity wine with aromas of fruit, cotton candy and
sometimes vinegar.
Carignan
A red grape from Languedoc. It is characterized by red-fruit and peppery flavors
similar to Syrah.
Cassis
A French blackcurrant liqueur. The word classic also describes the aroma of
red Bordeaux
Caudalie
A very technical French term that attempts to quantify a wine's "length," one
second of "finish" or aftertaste is equal to one Caudalie. I don't know who
keeps the stop-watch, but this seems like a pretty geeky bit of jargon.
Cava
Spainish bubbly.
Cedar
An herbaceous aroma found in Bordeaux and California Cabernet.
Chablis
White wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the Chablis region of northern
Burgundy. Sometimes used erroniously as a generic term for "white wine" by
makers of cheap American jug wines.
Champagne
Sparkling wine made only in the French Champagne region using a traditional
process in which the wine gets it bubbles by a secondary fermentation in the
bottle, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes. Don't
be fooled by American or other non-French sparkling wines labelled
"champagne." The only genuine champagne comes from Champagne.
Charbono
An Italian-style grape used to make robust red wines in California.
Chardonnay
Chardonney is the best-known white wine grape. Originally from Burgundy it is
widely planted all over the world. Common aromas include apple and green-
apple, tropical fruit and pineapple. Those aged in and oak hold vanilla, spice
and tropical fruit flavors as well. "Buttery" is often characteristic of the more
mass market versions.
Chateau
This word means "castle" or "manor house" in French, but it can also refer to a
vineyard or winery.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
A complex red dry wine from the Rhone region of Southern France, made up of
as many as thirteen grape varieties. Chateauneuf-du-Pape goes back to the
14th century split in the Papacy (the name translates as "The Pope's new
castle").
Cheesy
An ripe, natural cheese aroma. It is usually a flaw, indicating filthy bad making.
Chelois
A red varietal French-hybrid grape sometimes used in Eastern U.S. wines,
described as light and fruity.
Chenin Blanc
A French white grape considered "noble," common in the Loire but grown all
over. The wines it makes are both dry and slightly sweet. Honeydew and
cantaloupe flavors common among Chenins.
Chestnut
An aroma and flavor descriptor, found in Meursault but often present in other
white wines.
Chewy
A description for the texture of a wine that is very, very full-bodied.
Chianti
A dry red wine of Tuscany, made from Sangiovese and other grapes.
Chianti Classico
A dry red wine of Tuscany made from grapes grown in the central part of
Tuscany
Chianti Classico Riserva
The top of the triumvirate of the Chiantis, Classico Reserva wines spend
mopre time aging in oak barrels that either plain Chianti or Chianti Classico.
Chocolaty
This is the wine snob's synonym for "rich." "Chocolaty" wines are often hearty
reds with a creamy feel in the mouth and a "burnt" quality.
Cinsault
A dark red French grape commonly found in Languedoc.
Citric, citrus
The citrus fruit quality often found in white wine.
Claret
The queen of all wines -- in my humble opinion. Claret is a blended red wine,
classically from Bordeaux, made usually from merlot, cabernet sauvignon,
cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. The English word “claret” comes from
the French clairet, meaning “pale” or “clear.” It is usually pronounced with the
“t” ending uttered -- “claire-ette,” not “claire-ay,” which is most un-French.
Producers outside Bordeaux, including Coppola in California, have been
producing wines labeled "claret" in recent years, using the grapes named
above. Claret should not be confused with clairet (pronounced "claire-ay"),
which is a rosé wine also made in the region.
Clean
Used to describe a wine that has no spoiled aromas or tastes.
Closed
A wine that shows little aroma or flavor is sometimes said to be "closed."
Sometimes older wines take a while to "open up" when exposed to the air.
Decanting -- pouring the wine from its bottle into a decanter -- sometimes
helps to open up a wine.
Cloying
A way to describe a wine that is too sweet and which does not balance its
acidity. Wine should have balance between fruit and acidity and not taste like
Retsina.
Collioure
A red wine from Banyuls in Southwestern France.
Complex
A wine that has a lot going on at once, with many elements but none really
dominating.
Consistent
A wine in which all the parts cohere is said to be consistent. That is, if the
aroma hints "cherry," the taste and finish will compliment "cherry," if not match
it.
Corbières
A region in Languedoc that produces red wines based on Syrah, Carignane
and others.
Corkage
The fee charged by a restaurant when you bring your own wine in, usually
about $10.
Corked
A wine that done gone bad, which has been spoiled by a cork fungus. A corked
wine has an unpleasant musty taste that overawes all other aromas and
flavors in the wine.
Cornas
A northern Rhone wine region that produces wines made from Syrah.
Côte Rôtie
Red wine from the Northern Rhone usually made from Syrah.
Coteaux du Languedoc
Dry red table wines from Southern France, usually blending Grenache, Syrah,
Cinsault.
Côtes-du-Rhône
This is the appellation for both red and white wines coming from Rhone Valley.
Red Côtes-du-Rhônes are my third favorite wines after claret and Chateneuf
du Pape.
Crisp
A synonym for tartness which, when in balance, is a good thing.
Cuvée
A wine blended from different grapes.
A french red wine grape, often used in Bordeaux but also in the Loire and
California. Usually used in blends, but increasingly drank as a varietal.
Blueberry aromas are often hinted.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Considered among the "noblest" red wine grapes. Usually blended in
Bordeaux, but often used as 100 percent varietal in the U.S., Australia, Chile,
Argentina, South Africa and all over.
Cahors
A wine region in southwestern France near Bordeaux, known for dark red
wines made from the Malbec grape.
Candied
A flavor descriptor that reminds one of bits of gelatin candy.
Cantaloupe
A melon flavor typical of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio and Chenin Blanc.
Caramel
A sweet, sugar-like aroma.
Carbonic maceration
In the Beaujolais process, whole grapes are fermented without being crushed
first. This makes for a very fruity wine with aromas of fruit, cotton candy and
sometimes vinegar.
Carignan
A red grape from Languedoc. It is characterized by red-fruit and peppery flavors
similar to Syrah.
Cassis
A French blackcurrant liqueur. The word classic also describes the aroma of
red Bordeaux
Caudalie
A very technical French term that attempts to quantify a wine's "length," one
second of "finish" or aftertaste is equal to one Caudalie. I don't know who
keeps the stop-watch, but this seems like a pretty geeky bit of jargon.
Cava
Spainish bubbly.
Cedar
An herbaceous aroma found in Bordeaux and California Cabernet.
Chablis
White wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the Chablis region of northern
Burgundy. Sometimes used erroniously as a generic term for "white wine" by
makers of cheap American jug wines.
Champagne
Sparkling wine made only in the French Champagne region using a traditional
process in which the wine gets it bubbles by a secondary fermentation in the
bottle, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes. Don't
be fooled by American or other non-French sparkling wines labelled
"champagne." The only genuine champagne comes from Champagne.
Charbono
An Italian-style grape used to make robust red wines in California.
Chardonnay
Chardonney is the best-known white wine grape. Originally from Burgundy it is
widely planted all over the world. Common aromas include apple and green-
apple, tropical fruit and pineapple. Those aged in and oak hold vanilla, spice
and tropical fruit flavors as well. "Buttery" is often characteristic of the more
mass market versions.
Chateau
This word means "castle" or "manor house" in French, but it can also refer to a
vineyard or winery.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
A complex red dry wine from the Rhone region of Southern France, made up of
as many as thirteen grape varieties. Chateauneuf-du-Pape goes back to the
14th century split in the Papacy (the name translates as "The Pope's new
castle").
Cheesy
An ripe, natural cheese aroma. It is usually a flaw, indicating filthy bad making.
Chelois
A red varietal French-hybrid grape sometimes used in Eastern U.S. wines,
described as light and fruity.
Chenin Blanc
A French white grape considered "noble," common in the Loire but grown all
over. The wines it makes are both dry and slightly sweet. Honeydew and
cantaloupe flavors common among Chenins.
Chestnut
An aroma and flavor descriptor, found in Meursault but often present in other
white wines.
Chewy
A description for the texture of a wine that is very, very full-bodied.
Chianti
A dry red wine of Tuscany, made from Sangiovese and other grapes.
Chianti Classico
A dry red wine of Tuscany made from grapes grown in the central part of
Tuscany
Chianti Classico Riserva
The top of the triumvirate of the Chiantis, Classico Reserva wines spend
mopre time aging in oak barrels that either plain Chianti or Chianti Classico.
Chocolaty
This is the wine snob's synonym for "rich." "Chocolaty" wines are often hearty
reds with a creamy feel in the mouth and a "burnt" quality.
Cinsault
A dark red French grape commonly found in Languedoc.
Citric, citrus
The citrus fruit quality often found in white wine.
Claret
The queen of all wines -- in my humble opinion. Claret is a blended red wine,
classically from Bordeaux, made usually from merlot, cabernet sauvignon,
cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot. The English word “claret” comes from
the French clairet, meaning “pale” or “clear.” It is usually pronounced with the
“t” ending uttered -- “claire-ette,” not “claire-ay,” which is most un-French.
Producers outside Bordeaux, including Coppola in California, have been
producing wines labeled "claret" in recent years, using the grapes named
above. Claret should not be confused with clairet (pronounced "claire-ay"),
which is a rosé wine also made in the region.
Clean
Used to describe a wine that has no spoiled aromas or tastes.
Closed
A wine that shows little aroma or flavor is sometimes said to be "closed."
Sometimes older wines take a while to "open up" when exposed to the air.
Decanting -- pouring the wine from its bottle into a decanter -- sometimes
helps to open up a wine.
Cloying
A way to describe a wine that is too sweet and which does not balance its
acidity. Wine should have balance between fruit and acidity and not taste like
Retsina.
Collioure
A red wine from Banyuls in Southwestern France.
Complex
A wine that has a lot going on at once, with many elements but none really
dominating.
Consistent
A wine in which all the parts cohere is said to be consistent. That is, if the
aroma hints "cherry," the taste and finish will compliment "cherry," if not match
it.
Corbières
A region in Languedoc that produces red wines based on Syrah, Carignane
and others.
Corkage
The fee charged by a restaurant when you bring your own wine in, usually
about $10.
Corked
A wine that done gone bad, which has been spoiled by a cork fungus. A corked
wine has an unpleasant musty taste that overawes all other aromas and
flavors in the wine.
Cornas
A northern Rhone wine region that produces wines made from Syrah.
Côte Rôtie
Red wine from the Northern Rhone usually made from Syrah.
Coteaux du Languedoc
Dry red table wines from Southern France, usually blending Grenache, Syrah,
Cinsault.
Côtes-du-Rhône
This is the appellation for both red and white wines coming from Rhone Valley.
Red Côtes-du-Rhônes are my third favorite wines after claret and Chateneuf
du Pape.
Crisp
A synonym for tartness which, when in balance, is a good thing.
Cuvée
A wine blended from different grapes.
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