Lexicon: Dark to Gulpable
D
Dark
Sometimes a color descriptor of an deep red wine or a flavor descriptor
indicating a hearty wine with depth and texture.
Delicate
Describes a wine with lots of subtle flavors working in harmony.
Denominación de Origen
Spanish for "Denomination of origin," a legal description of a wine based on
where it is from and the types of grapes used. Basically the same as
"Appellation Controlée" in French.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
The Italian equivalent of Appellation Controlée and Denominación de Origen.
Diesel
Describes a wine that has (hopefully faint) diesel aromas, which is sometimes
considered a plus in small quantities.
Dirty socks
Describes a wine that has an aroma of old socks. It is usually a bad sign.
Dionysus
The Greek god of wine and revelry.
Dolceto
A red grape form the Piemonte area in Northwestern Italy, that makes a wine
that's usually light and fruity.
Domaine
This means "estate" in French. A single domaine many incorporate many
vineyards, especially in Burgundy.
Dominant
Describes a flavor or aroma that dominates all the others in given wine. Not
usually a good thing. See: "balance."
Dry
The opposite of "sweet." A dry wine contains little or no residual sugar. Dry
wines work well in company with food.
Dumb
Pretty much the same as "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.
E
Earthy
The over-arching descriptor for the whole range of aromas and flavors
associated with the organic, including: "barnyard," "forest floor," "foxy," "tree
bark," etc.
Edelfäule
German for "botrytis," the "noble rot" that makes dessert wines sweet.
Einzellage
The German word for "vineyard."
Eiswein
German for "ice wine." These are wines made from late-harvest grapes that
have frozen on the vine, concentrating the sugars. Germany and Canada are
noted for ice wines.
Elusive
One of the funnier wine snob terms, meaning that the taster can't figure out
what the wine really smells or tastes like.
Enology
Sometimes spelled "oenology" or "ænology." The science and study of all
aspects of wine and winemaking.
Enophile
Sometimes spelled "oenoohile" or "ænophile." A wine lover (and usually a
wine snob). Also called a wine geek or a cork dork.
Evolution
The development of complex and desirable qualities in aging wine stored
under optimal conditions.
F
Faugères
A region in Languedoc and the name of the red wine made there.
Fendant
A dry Swiss white made from the Chasselas grape.
Finish
A wine's aftertaste
Fino
A light, dry Sherry.
Fat or flabby
A wine without enough acidity that lacks "structure."
Flowery
Descriptor for a wine with aromas of flowers that is considered pleasant in
whites.
Forest floor
A light "earthy" quality in a wine hinting of leaves and moss.
Foxy
A strong "grapy" aroma and flavor characteristic of native American grapes like
Concord but sometimes found in more subtle form in red French-hybrid
grapes. "Foxy" probably comes from the Aesop fable about the fox and the
grapes. Most wine snobs don't think much of "foxy" wines.
Fragile
Describes a mature wine that nearing the end of its life and is close to going
bad -- a wine you need to drink right now.
French Colombard
A white-wine grape used mostly to make jug wines from California's Central
Valley.
Frizzante
An Italian term meaning lightly sparkling.
Fruit bomb
Descriptor for a wine in which fruit dominates. "Whoa! This wine's the fruit
bomb."
Fruity
An overarching descriptor for wines in which a general fruitiness is the
predominant quality.
Full-bodied
A description for a wine's texture that feels heavy on the palate, often
associated with high alcoholic content.
Fumé Blanc
A BS marketing term made up by Robert Mondavi. Fume blanc is sauvignon
blanc.
Funky
The same as "earthy."
Fumint
A Hungarian white grape, used in Tokay.
G
Gamay
A red grape from Beaujolais that makes a light, fresh and fruity red.
Gamey
Descriptor for a wine with meaty, earthy organic attributes.
Garnacha
Spanish for grenache, a red grape.
Gattinara
A red wine made from Nebbiolo grapes in Italy's Piemonte.
Gewürztraminer
White grape grown in Alsace, Germany, but also the on west coast and even in
New York. Gewürztraminer makes aromatic, "sweetish," "spicy" wines.
Probably a tertiary cause of World War II.
Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé
French for "great classed growth." In France, it is a legal term that describes
specific vineyards identified as makers of exceptional wine.
Grapefruit
A flavor and aroma commonly found in Sauvignon Blanc.
Grassy
A clipped grass flavor commonly associated with Sauvignon Blanc.
Graves
An area in the Bordeaux region of France known for both red wines as well as
whites made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Green
Describes a range of herbaceous flavors from grass to green peas.
Grenache
Red grape common in France's Languedoc and Rhone regions but, also
found in California and Spain.
Grip
A descriptor applied to Port and sometimes to other reds. It refers to the
combination of acidity and tannin that provides structure supporting the fruit.
Gruner Veltliner
An Austrian white grape, producing light, crisp, dry white wines.
Gulpable
Describes a wine that's easy to drink -- gulp-able. Get it?
Dark
Sometimes a color descriptor of an deep red wine or a flavor descriptor
indicating a hearty wine with depth and texture.
Delicate
Describes a wine with lots of subtle flavors working in harmony.
Denominación de Origen
Spanish for "Denomination of origin," a legal description of a wine based on
where it is from and the types of grapes used. Basically the same as
"Appellation Controlée" in French.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata
The Italian equivalent of Appellation Controlée and Denominación de Origen.
Diesel
Describes a wine that has (hopefully faint) diesel aromas, which is sometimes
considered a plus in small quantities.
Dirty socks
Describes a wine that has an aroma of old socks. It is usually a bad sign.
Dionysus
The Greek god of wine and revelry.
Dolceto
A red grape form the Piemonte area in Northwestern Italy, that makes a wine
that's usually light and fruity.
Domaine
This means "estate" in French. A single domaine many incorporate many
vineyards, especially in Burgundy.
Dominant
Describes a flavor or aroma that dominates all the others in given wine. Not
usually a good thing. See: "balance."
Dry
The opposite of "sweet." A dry wine contains little or no residual sugar. Dry
wines work well in company with food.
Dumb
Pretty much the same as "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.
E
Earthy
The over-arching descriptor for the whole range of aromas and flavors
associated with the organic, including: "barnyard," "forest floor," "foxy," "tree
bark," etc.
Edelfäule
German for "botrytis," the "noble rot" that makes dessert wines sweet.
Einzellage
The German word for "vineyard."
Eiswein
German for "ice wine." These are wines made from late-harvest grapes that
have frozen on the vine, concentrating the sugars. Germany and Canada are
noted for ice wines.
Elusive
One of the funnier wine snob terms, meaning that the taster can't figure out
what the wine really smells or tastes like.
Enology
Sometimes spelled "oenology" or "ænology." The science and study of all
aspects of wine and winemaking.
Enophile
Sometimes spelled "oenoohile" or "ænophile." A wine lover (and usually a
wine snob). Also called a wine geek or a cork dork.
Evolution
The development of complex and desirable qualities in aging wine stored
under optimal conditions.
F
Faugères
A region in Languedoc and the name of the red wine made there.
Fendant
A dry Swiss white made from the Chasselas grape.
Finish
A wine's aftertaste
Fino
A light, dry Sherry.
Fat or flabby
A wine without enough acidity that lacks "structure."
Flowery
Descriptor for a wine with aromas of flowers that is considered pleasant in
whites.
Forest floor
A light "earthy" quality in a wine hinting of leaves and moss.
Foxy
A strong "grapy" aroma and flavor characteristic of native American grapes like
Concord but sometimes found in more subtle form in red French-hybrid
grapes. "Foxy" probably comes from the Aesop fable about the fox and the
grapes. Most wine snobs don't think much of "foxy" wines.
Fragile
Describes a mature wine that nearing the end of its life and is close to going
bad -- a wine you need to drink right now.
French Colombard
A white-wine grape used mostly to make jug wines from California's Central
Valley.
Frizzante
An Italian term meaning lightly sparkling.
Fruit bomb
Descriptor for a wine in which fruit dominates. "Whoa! This wine's the fruit
bomb."
Fruity
An overarching descriptor for wines in which a general fruitiness is the
predominant quality.
Full-bodied
A description for a wine's texture that feels heavy on the palate, often
associated with high alcoholic content.
Fumé Blanc
A BS marketing term made up by Robert Mondavi. Fume blanc is sauvignon
blanc.
Funky
The same as "earthy."
Fumint
A Hungarian white grape, used in Tokay.
G
Gamay
A red grape from Beaujolais that makes a light, fresh and fruity red.
Gamey
Descriptor for a wine with meaty, earthy organic attributes.
Garnacha
Spanish for grenache, a red grape.
Gattinara
A red wine made from Nebbiolo grapes in Italy's Piemonte.
Gewürztraminer
White grape grown in Alsace, Germany, but also the on west coast and even in
New York. Gewürztraminer makes aromatic, "sweetish," "spicy" wines.
Probably a tertiary cause of World War II.
Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé
French for "great classed growth." In France, it is a legal term that describes
specific vineyards identified as makers of exceptional wine.
Grapefruit
A flavor and aroma commonly found in Sauvignon Blanc.
Grassy
A clipped grass flavor commonly associated with Sauvignon Blanc.
Graves
An area in the Bordeaux region of France known for both red wines as well as
whites made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Green
Describes a range of herbaceous flavors from grass to green peas.
Grenache
Red grape common in France's Languedoc and Rhone regions but, also
found in California and Spain.
Grip
A descriptor applied to Port and sometimes to other reds. It refers to the
combination of acidity and tannin that provides structure supporting the fruit.
Gruner Veltliner
An Austrian white grape, producing light, crisp, dry white wines.
Gulpable
Describes a wine that's easy to drink -- gulp-able. Get it?
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