Lexicon: Valpolicella to Zinfandel
V
Valpolicella
A red wine from the Veneto, in Northeastern Italy that's light and highly
drinkable, IMHO.
Valtellina
An Italian wine region in Lombardy that makes red wines from Nebbiolo, as
well as other grapes.
Varietal
A varietal is a type or "breed," if you will, of grape. Examples include Nebbiolo,
Petit Verdot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and about a zillion others. Wines in the
U.S. are largely marketed on their varietal -- people in the U.S mostly ask for
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fumé Blanc, etc. at the market or in bars. It's easy
that way, because people have an idea what to expect. Know what? Most
wines sold as varietals also contain other, well, varietals, for balance. There's
some kind of law of other about it in the U.S., but I'm damned if I care that much
about it. The best wines, I think, are blends, especially from Bordeaux, but also
from other places. So there.
Velvety
A rather imprecise texture description implying delicious smoothness,
classically used to describe red Burgundy and other fine Pinot Noir.
Vendange
French for "vintage." Not to be confused for the cheap-ass jug wine sold in the
U.S under that name.
Vendimia
Spanish for "vintage."
Veneto
A wine region in Northeastern Italy, near Venice.
Verdicchio
An white grape from the Adriatic coast of central Italy. It is known for its
almond-like flavor.
Vin de Pays
A B.S. category of French wines, IMHO. Vins de Pays are considered lower in
status than Appellation Controllée wines. But you never know. Lots of vins de
pays are gems in disguise.
Vinegary
You know what vinegar tastes like. It's a sign of poorly made or stored wine.
Vintage
You'd think, with all the "vintage" clothing stores around these days, that this
would mean "used." However, it just refers to the year in which the grapes of a
wine were harvested.
Viticulture
The cultivation of grapes, often for use in the production of wine. Sometimes
spelled "viniculture." Tomato, tomato...
Voignier
A white grape from France sometimes used in varietal wines from California
and Southern France. It cane make a light, floral wines.
Vouvray
A white wine from the Loire, in France, that is based on Chenin Blanc. I love
Vourvray wines. Love them.
W
Warm
A wine high in liquor the same as "hot" but not as hot.
White Zinfandel
American slang for "complete, utter, flaming pink garbage." OK, just kidding.
White Zinfandel is a bizarre attempt to make rosé wine from Zinfandel grapes
by removing the skins from the juice before they stain it red. There is, or may
be, lots of other little nefarious tricks -- like adding sugar or pear juice for
sweetness -- in making this type of "wine." Avoid it.
Y
Yeasty
A hint of yeast sometime associated with sparkling wines.
Youthful
Either an age-worthy wine that needs more aging or a mature young wine that
need drinking right now.
Z
Zinfandel
When I was a kid this was nothing more than a road in Sacramento. Zinfandel
is a varietal that was, and is, grown in Amador County, in the Northern
California foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It's chewy and raisiny and I love it. It
used to be considered "the American grape" but in fact it probably comes from
somewhere in eastern Europe or perhaps Italy.
Valpolicella
A red wine from the Veneto, in Northeastern Italy that's light and highly
drinkable, IMHO.
Valtellina
An Italian wine region in Lombardy that makes red wines from Nebbiolo, as
well as other grapes.
Varietal
A varietal is a type or "breed," if you will, of grape. Examples include Nebbiolo,
Petit Verdot, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and about a zillion others. Wines in the
U.S. are largely marketed on their varietal -- people in the U.S mostly ask for
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fumé Blanc, etc. at the market or in bars. It's easy
that way, because people have an idea what to expect. Know what? Most
wines sold as varietals also contain other, well, varietals, for balance. There's
some kind of law of other about it in the U.S., but I'm damned if I care that much
about it. The best wines, I think, are blends, especially from Bordeaux, but also
from other places. So there.
Velvety
A rather imprecise texture description implying delicious smoothness,
classically used to describe red Burgundy and other fine Pinot Noir.
Vendange
French for "vintage." Not to be confused for the cheap-ass jug wine sold in the
U.S under that name.
Vendimia
Spanish for "vintage."
Veneto
A wine region in Northeastern Italy, near Venice.
Verdicchio
An white grape from the Adriatic coast of central Italy. It is known for its
almond-like flavor.
Vin de Pays
A B.S. category of French wines, IMHO. Vins de Pays are considered lower in
status than Appellation Controllée wines. But you never know. Lots of vins de
pays are gems in disguise.
Vinegary
You know what vinegar tastes like. It's a sign of poorly made or stored wine.
Vintage
You'd think, with all the "vintage" clothing stores around these days, that this
would mean "used." However, it just refers to the year in which the grapes of a
wine were harvested.
Viticulture
The cultivation of grapes, often for use in the production of wine. Sometimes
spelled "viniculture." Tomato, tomato...
Voignier
A white grape from France sometimes used in varietal wines from California
and Southern France. It cane make a light, floral wines.
Vouvray
A white wine from the Loire, in France, that is based on Chenin Blanc. I love
Vourvray wines. Love them.
W
Warm
A wine high in liquor the same as "hot" but not as hot.
White Zinfandel
American slang for "complete, utter, flaming pink garbage." OK, just kidding.
White Zinfandel is a bizarre attempt to make rosé wine from Zinfandel grapes
by removing the skins from the juice before they stain it red. There is, or may
be, lots of other little nefarious tricks -- like adding sugar or pear juice for
sweetness -- in making this type of "wine." Avoid it.
Y
Yeasty
A hint of yeast sometime associated with sparkling wines.
Youthful
Either an age-worthy wine that needs more aging or a mature young wine that
need drinking right now.
Z
Zinfandel
When I was a kid this was nothing more than a road in Sacramento. Zinfandel
is a varietal that was, and is, grown in Amador County, in the Northern
California foothills of the Sierra Nevada. It's chewy and raisiny and I love it. It
used to be considered "the American grape" but in fact it probably comes from
somewhere in eastern Europe or perhaps Italy.
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