WINE GLOSSARIES (D-E)

DEFINITION A wine with good definition is one that is not just clean with a correct balance, but that also has a positive expression of its grape variety or origin.. DÉLESTAGE (Fr.) Commonly known to anglophile winemakers as “rack and return.” Délestage is a process designed to produce softer red wines by reducing harsh tannins from the grape seeds, and is particularly successful in areas where unripe seeds are common due to uneven ripening. The basic délestage procedure starts after a cold soak of juice and skins. The juice is drawn off into a separate tank, allowing the cap to fall to the bottom of the first tank, where it is left to drain for several hours. During this time, many seeds are loosened from the pulp and can be caught by a filter that allows free passage to the draining juice, which also goes to the second tank. Once the cap has drained out, the drain is closed off, and the juice from the second tank is pumped back into the first tank, where it is mixed with cap. This process is repeated daily until all the seeds and their harsh tannins are removed. DELICATE Describes the quieter characteristics of quality that give a wine charm. DEMI-MUID (Fr.) A large oval barrel with a capacity of 300 liters/80 gallons (600 liters/160 gallons in Champagne). DEMI-SEC (Fr.) This literally means “semidry” but such wines actually taste quite sweet. DENDOMETER A very accurate device that measures the minute swelling and shrinkage of the vine trunk in response to water use. It can be used to control the amount of irrigation water taken up by the vine, rather than the amount that goes into the ground. DÉPARTEMENT (Fr.) A French geopolitical division, similar to a state in the US and a county in the UK. DEPTH This refers primarily to a wine’s depth of flavor and secondarily to its depth of interest. DEPTH FILTRATION The separation of solids from a liquid solely inside a filtration medium such as kieselguhr A Rotary Drum Vacuum or Plate and Frame filter is commonly used. DIATOMACEOUS EARTH Also known as kieselguhr, this is a fine, powdered, silaceous earth evolved from decomposed deep-sea algae called diatoms. Ceramic filtration, and Polishing. DIRTY This applies to any wine with an unpleasant off-taste or off-smell, and is probably the result of poor vinification or bad bottling. DISGORGEMENT This is part of the process of making a bottle-fermented sparkling wine such as Champagne. After fermentation, the yeast forms a deposit, which must be removed. To allow for this removal, the bottles are inverted in a freezing brine for just long enough for the sediment to form a semifrozen slush that adheres to the neck of the bottle. This enables the bottle to be reinverted without disturbing the wine. The temporary cap used to seal the bottle is removed and the internal pressure is sufficient to eject or “disgorge” the slush of sediment without losing very much wine at all. The wine is then topped off and a traditional Champagne cork is used to seal the bottle. DISTINCTIVE Describes a wine with a positive character. All fine wines are distinctive to some degree or other, but not all distinctive wines are necessarily fine. DIURNAL DIFFERENCE In viticulture, any reference to a diurnal or daily difference will invariably be a reference to temperature, comparing the highest daytime temperature with the lowest nighttime temperature—the greater the difference, the better the grapes’ acidity retention. There can be a wide diurnal difference in relatively cool wine areas, such as Champagne, as well as in essentially hot ones, such as Idaho. DO (Sp.) This stands for Spain’s Denominación de Origen, which is theoretically the equivalent of the French AOC. DOBLE PASTA (Sp.) Red wines macerated with double the normal proportion of grape skins to juice during fermentation. DOC (It., Port.) Short for Italy’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata and Portugal’s Denominação de Origem Controlada, which are theoretically the equivalent of the French AOC. DOCa (Sp.) Abbreviation for Spain’s Denominación de Origen Calificada, which is the equivalent of the Italian DOCG. DOCG (It.) Italy’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita is theoretically one step above the French AOC. Ideally it should be similar to, say, a Premier or Grand Cru in Burgundy or a Cru Classé in Bordeaux, but in reality, it is almost as big a sop as Italy’s Denominazione di Origine Controllata itself. DOPPELSTÜCK (Ger.) A very large oval cask with a capacity of 2,400 liters (635 gallons). DOSAGE (Fr.) Sugar added to a sparkling wine after disgorgement, the amounts of which are controlled by the terminology used on the label—brut, demisec, and so on. DOUX (Fr.) Sweet, as applied to wines. DRIP IRRIGATION Various forms exist, but at its most sophisticated, this is a computer-controlled watering system programmed with the vine’s general water requirement and constantly amended by a continuous flow of data from soil sensors. The water is supplied literally drip-by-drip through a complex system of pipes with metered valves. .DRYING UP Describes a wine that has dried up and lost some of its freshness and fruit through aging in the bottle. It may still be enjoyable, but remaining bottles should not be kept long. DUPLEX SOILS So-called when two contrasting soil textures are found layered, with a sharp divide between the two. Duplex soils usually consist

of a coarse soil over a fine-grained soil, and are commonly found in Western Australia, where they are invariably sand over clay. They are categorized by color (red, yellow, brown, dark, and gray duplex soils) based on the color of the subsoil, not the topsoil. DUSTY Akin to “peppery” in a red wine; a blurring of varietal definition in a white wine EARTH FILTRATION This term can be synonymous with depth filtration. EARTHY Describes a drying impression in the mouth. Some wines can be enjoyably earthy, but the finest-quality wines should be as clean as a whistle. When a wine is very earthy, it is usually due to a preponderance of geosmin, which can occur naturally in grapes, but in excess can give a wine a corked taste. EASY This term is to a certain extent synonymous with accessible, but probably implies a cheaper, value-for-money wine, whereas “accessible” often applies to finer wines. EAU-DE-VIE (Fr.) Literally, “water of life”; specifically, a grape-derived spirit. EDELFÄULE (Ger.) The German term for noble rot; EDELKEUR (S. Afr.) The South African term for noble rot. EDGE Almost, but not quite, synonymous with grip; wine can have an edge of bitterness or tannin. Edge usually implies that a wine has the capacity to develop, while grip may be applied to a wine in various stages of development, including fully mature wine. EDGY Synonymous with nervy or “nervous.” EGG WHITE A traditional fining agent that fines out negatively charged matter. EINZELLAGE (Ger.) A single-vineyard wine area; the smallest geographical unit allowed under German wine law. EISWEIN (Ger.) Originally a German concept but now used in the New World as well, this rare wine resulted from the tradition of leaving grapes on the vine in the hope of attracting Botrytis cinerea. The grapes are then frozen by frost or snow, harvested, and pressed while frozen. They are pressed while still frozen because the frozen ice rises to the top of the vat and it can be scraped off to leave a concentrated juice that produces a wine with a unique balance of sweetness, acidity, and extract. ELEGANT A subjective term applied to wines that may also be termed “stylish” or “possessing finesse.” ELEVATED FRUIT Synonymous with VA lift. ÉLEVÉ EN FÛTS DE CHÊNE Aged in oak barrels. ELEVEUR, ÉLEVAGE (Fr.) Literally “bringing up” or “raising” the wine. Both terms refer to the traditional function of a négociant: namely to buy ready-made wines after the harvest and take care of them until they are ready to be bottled and sold. The task involves racking the wines and blending them into a marketable product as each house sees fit. EMBRYO BUNCHES In spring, the vine develops little clusters of miniature green berries that will form a bloom a few weeks later. If a berry successfully flowers, it is capable of developing into a grape. The embryo bunch is thus an indication of the potential size of the crop. EN PRIMEUR (Fr.) Classic wines such as Bordeaux are offered for sale en primeur, which is to say within a year of the harvest, before the final blending and bottling has taken place. For experienced buyers given the opportunity to taste, this is a calculated risk and the price should reflect this element of chance. ENCÉPAGEMENT (Fr.) The relative proportions of the grape varieties in a blend. ENOLOGIST, ENOLOGY (Am.) Spelling of oenologist, oenology often used in the US. ENTRY-LEVEL WINE From the producer’s point of view, this will be his cheapest, most basic quality of wine. From a critic’s point of view, this will be the cheapest wine worth buying. ENZYME A protein produced by living organisms (anything from yeast cells to human beings) that functions as a biochemical catalyst. ESTERS Sweet-smelling compounds, formed during fermentation and throughout maturation, that contribute to a wine’s aroma and bouquet. ESTUFAGEM (Port.) The process whereby Madeira is heated in ovens called estufas, then cooled. ETHANOIC ACID Synonymous with acetic acid. ETHANOL Synonymous with ethyl alcohol. ETHYL ALCOHOL This main alcohol in wine is so important in quantitative terms that to speak of a wine’s alcohol is to refer purely to its ethyl alcohol content. EU LOT NUMBER Proposed by an EC directive in 1989 and implemented by all member states of the Community by 1992, this Lot Number must be indicated on every bottle of wine produced in or sold to the EU. Should a wine have to be removed from general distribution for any reason, this code can save unnecessary waste by pinpointing the shipment involved. EVERYDAY WINES These are inexpensive, easydrinking wines. EX-CELLARS Wines offered en primeur are usually purchased “ex-cellars”; the cost of shipping the wine to the importer’s cellars is extra, on top of which any duty and taxes will be added. EXPANSIVE Describes a wine that is big, but open and accessible. EXPRESSIVE A wine that is expressive is true to its grape variety and area of origin. EXTRACT Sugar-free soluble solids that give body to a wine. The term covers everything from proteins and vitamins to tannins, calcium, and Iron.

Read More

WINE GLOSSARIES (C)

CA (Sp.) Short for Cooperativa Agrícola and other titles denoting a local or regional cooperative. CANBERRA DOCTOR An easterly evening wind from the coast that helps to cool Canberra, although it virtually blows itself out by the time it reaches Braidwood or Bungendore. Albany Doctor and Fremantle Doctor. CANOPY MANAGEMENT The vine’s canopy is comprised of the collective arrangement of its shoots, leaves, and fruit. Ideally, a canopy will have most of its leaves well-exposed to sunlight, as this promotes fruit ripening through photosynthesis, and air circulation will be good, which provides the least favorable environmental conditions for the development of fungal diseases. References to an excessive or too-vigorous canopy imply that the ratio of leaves to fruit is too high, causing herbaceous flavors in the wines produced from such vines. CANTINA (It.) Winery. CANTINA SOCIALE (It.) A growers cooperative. CAP The manta or layer of skins that rises to the top of the vat during cuvaison. CARBONATE A salt or ester of carbonic acid. Active or free carbonates increase the alkalinity of soil and are thus found in limestone soils, such as chalk. CARBONIC ACID The correct term for carbon dioxide (CO2) when it dissolves in the water content of wine (to become H2CO3). Although sometimes referred to as a volatile acid, it is held in equilibrium with the gas in its dissolved state and cannot be isolated in its pure form. CARBONIC GAS Synonymous with carbon dioxide (CO2), this gas is naturally produced during the fermentation process (when the sugar is converted into almost equal parts of alcohol and carbonic gas). It is normally allowed to escape during fermentation, although a tiny amount will always be present in its dissolved form (carbonic acid) in any wine, even a still one; otherwise, it would taste dull, flat, and lifeless. If the gas is prevented from escaping, the wine becomes sparkling. CARBONIC MACERATION The English term for Macération carbonique. CASEIN A milk protein sometimes used for fining. CASK-FERMENTED The same as barrel-fermented. CASSIS (Fr.) Literally “blackcurrant.” If “cassis” is used by winetasters in preference to “blackcurrant,” it probably implies a richer, more concentrated, and viscous character. CEDARWOOD A purely subjective word applied to a particular bouquet associated with the bottlematurity of a wine previously stored or fermented in wood, usually oak. CELLAR DOOR A sales point at a winery. This is often a sophisticated retail operation in the New World, with sales of wine accessories, books, and T-shirts as well as the wines. For small growers in the Old World, however, purchases are more-oftenthan- not conducted in the producer’s kitchen! CENTRIFUGAL FILTRATION Not filtration in the pure sense, but a process in which unwanted matter is separated from wine or grape juice by so-called “centrifugal force.” CÉPAGE (Fr.) Literally “grape variety,” this is sometimes used on the label immediately prior to the variety, while in the plural format (cépages) it is used to refer to the varietal recipe of a particular cuvée. CERAMIC FILTRATION An ultrafine depth filtration that utilizes perlite. CHAI, CHAIS (Fr.) Building(s) used for wine storage. CHAPTALIZATION The addition of sugar to fresh grape juice in order to raise a wine’s alcoholic potential. Theoretically, it takes 1.7 kilograms of sugar per hectoliter (4 pounds per 27 gallons) of wine to raise its alcoholic strength by 1 percent, but red wines actually require two kilograms (41⁄2 pounds) to allow for evaporation during the remontage. The term is named after Antoine Chaptal, a brilliant chemist and technocrat who served under Napoleon as minister of the interior from 1800 to 1805 and instructed winegrowers on the advantages of adding sugar at pressing time. CHARM This is a subjective term; if a wine charms, it appeals without attracting in an obvious fashion. CHARMAT METHOD Invented in 1907 by Eugène Charmat, this is a bulk-production method of making inexpensive sparkling wine through a natural second fermentation inside a sealed vat. Also known as the Tank Method or Cuve Close. CHÂTEAU (Fr.) Literally “castle” or “stately home.” Whereas many château-bottled wines do actually come from magnificent buildings that could truly be described as châteaux, many are modest one-story villas; some no more than functional cuveries; and a few merely tin sheds! The legal connotation is the same as for any domaine-bottled wine. CHEESY This is a characteristic element in the bouquet of a very old Champagne, although other wines that have an extended contact with their lees—possibly those that have not been racked or filtered—may also possess it. It is probably caused by the production during fermentation of a very small amount of butyric acid that may later develop into an ester called ethyl butyrate. CHEWY An extreme qualification of meaty. CHIP-BUDDING A method of propagating vines in which a vine bud with a tiny wedge-shape of phloem (live bark) and xylem (inner wood) is inserted into a rootstock in an existing root system. CHLOROSIS A vine disorder caused by mineral imbalance (too much active lime; not enough iron or magnesium) that is often called “green sickness.” CHOCOLATY,CHOCOLATE-BOX This is a subjective term often used to describe the odor and flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir wines. Sometimes “chocolate-box” is used to describe the bouquet of fairly mature Bordeaux. The fruity character of a wine may also be described as chocolaty in wines with a pH above 3.6. CHRISTMAS CAKE A more intense version of the tasting term fruitcake. CIGAR-BOX A subjective term often applied to a certain complex bouquet in wines that have been matured in oak and have received good bottle-age (usually used in relation to red Bordeaux). CITROUS This describes aromas and flavors of far greater complexity than mere lemony can suggest. CLAIRET (Fr.) A wine that falls somewhere between a dark rosé and a light red wine. CLARET An English term for a red Bordeaux wine. Etymologically, it has the same roots as the French term clairet. CLASSIC, CLASSY These are subjective words to convey an obvious impression of quality. They are applied to wines that not only portray the correct characteristics for their type and origin, but also possess the finesse and style of top-quality wines. CLASSICO (It.) This term may be used only for wines produced in the historic, or classic, area of an appellation—usually a small, hilly area at the center of a DOC. CLEAN A straightforward term applied to any wine devoid of unwanted or unnatural undertones of aroma and flavor. CLIMAT (Fr.) A single plot of land with its own name, located within a specific vineyard. CLONE A vine that has developed differently to other vines of the same variety due to a process of selection—either natural, as in the case of a vine adapting to local conditions, or artificial. CUVAISON (Fr.) The fermentation period in redwine production, during which the juice is kept in contact with its skins. CUVE (Fr.) Vat; a cuve should not be confused with cuvée. CUVE CLOSE (Fr.) A method of producing sparkling wine that involves a second fermentation in a vat. Cuve Close is synonymous with the Charmat Method or Tank Method. CUVÉE (Fr.) This originally meant the wine of one cuve or vat, but now refers to a specific blend or product which, in current commercial terms, will be from several vats. CUVERIE, CUVIER (Fr.) The room or building housing the fermenting vats (cuves). CV (Fr.) Short for Coopérative de Vignerons and various other titles that denote a local or Regional cooperative.

CLOS (Fr.) Synonymous with climat, except that this plot of land is, or was, enclosed by walls. CLOSED Refers to the nose or palate of a wine that fails to show much character (or “open”). It implies the wine has some qualities—even if “hidden”—that should open up as the wine develops in bottle. CLOVES Often part of the complex bouquet found on a wine fermented or matured in oak, the aroma of cloves is actually caused by eugenic acid, which is created during the toasting of oak barrels. CLOYING Describes the sickly and sticky character of a poor sweet wine, where the finish is heavy and often unclean. COARSE Applies to a “rough and ready” wine, not necessarily unpleasant but certainly not fine. COATES LAW OF MATURITY Master of Wine Clive Coates claims that a wine remains at its peak for as long as it took to arrive at this point in its maturity. This law is infinitely variable according to both the wine and individual consumers. If you find a specific wine to your liking in, say, its fifth month, year, or decade, it will remain within the bounds of this taste profile until its tenth month, year, or decade. If you think about it, however, “Coates Law of Maturity” has a logic—and whereas I do not let it influence my optimal drinking recommendations in this book, I have yet to find an anomaly serious enough to debunk the theory. COCONUTTY-OAK Coconutty aromas are produced by various wood lactones that are most commonly found in American oak. COMMERCIAL A commercial wine is blended to a widely acceptable formula. At its worst it may be bland and inoffensive, at its best it will be fruity, quaffable, and uncomplicated. COMPACT FRUIT This term suggests a good weight of fruit with a correct balance of tannin (if red) and acidity that is presented on the nose and palate in a distinct manner that is opposite to open-knit. COMPLETE Refers to a wine that has everything (fruit, tannin, acidity, depth, length, and so on) and thus feels satisfying in the mouth. COMPLEXITY An overworked word that refers to many different nuances of smell or taste. Great wines in their youth may have a certain complexity, but it is only with maturity in bottle that a wine will achieve its full potential in terms of complexity. CONCOCTION Usually a derogatory term, but can be used in a positive sense for a medley of flavors in an inexpensive wine. COOKED Similar to baked, but may also imply the addition of grape concentrate to the wine during fermentation. COOL-FERMENTED An obviously cool-fermented wine is very fresh, with simple aromas of apples, pears, and bananas. CORKED Originally believed to be the result of penicillin or aspergillus mold in the cork, but such infections are extremely rare, while the “corked” phenomenon is relatively common (believed to affect up to 8 percent of all wines). Various chloroanisoles are now deemed responsible, with 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (commonly referred to as TCA) the main culprit. Initially thought to be exclusively the unwanted by-product of sterilizing corks with chlorine, TCA has since been identified at source in cork oak trees, in oak barrels, wooden pallets, and wooden roofs. Other compounds that may also be responsible include geosmin, which gives beets their earthy taste and can be found in reservoir water. CORRECT This word describes a wine with all the correct characteristics for its type and origin, but not necessarily an exciting wine. CÔTE, CÔTES (Fr.) Slope(s) or hillside(s) of one contiguous slope or hill. COTEAUX (Fr.) Slopes and hillsides in a hilly area, not contiguous. COULURE (Fr.) A physiological disorder of the vine that occurs as a result of alternating periods of warm and cold, dry and wet conditions after bud-break. If this culminates in a flowering during which the weather is too sunny, the sap rushes past the embryo bunches to the shoot-tips, causing a vigorous growth of foliage, but denying the clusters an adequate supply of essential nutrients. The barely formed berries thus dry up and drop to the ground. COUPAGE (Fr.) Blending by cutting one wine with another. CREAMY A subjective term used to convey the impression of a creamy flavor that may be indicative of the variety of grape or method of vinification. I tend to use this word in connection with the fruitiness or oakiness of a wine. Dr. Tony Jordan believes that creaminess in a sparkling wine is probably a combination of the finesse of the mousse (created by the most minuscule of bubbles and their slow release) and an understated malolactic influence, the combined effect of which is picked up at the back of the throat on the finish of the wine, and this is most apparent in Chardonnay-based wines. CREAMY-OAK A more subtle, lower-key version of the vanilla-oak character that is most probably derived from wood lactones during maturation in small oak barrels. CRÉMANT (Fr.) Although traditionally ascribed to a Champagne with a low-pressure and a soft, creamy mousse, this term has now been phased out in Champagne as part of the bargain struck with other producers of French sparkling wines who have agreed to drop the term Méthode Champenoise. In return they have been exclusively permitted to use this old Champagne term to create their own appellations, such as Crémant de Bourgogne and Crémant d’Alsace. CRISP A clean wine, with good acidity showing on the finish, yielding a refreshing, clean taste. CROSS A vine that has been propagated by crossing two or more varieties within the same species (within Vitis vinifera for example). In contrast, a hybrid is a cross between two or more varieties from more than one species. CROSSFLOW FILTRATION A relatively new, highspeed form of microfiltration in which the wine flows across (not through), a membrane filter, thus avoiding build-up. CROWN-CAP The common beer-bottle cap, which is now widely used as the temporary closure while a sparkling wine undergoes its second fermentation. CRUSH Grapes are often crushed so that the juice can macerate in the skins prior to and during fermentation—to obtain color for red wines, and aromatic qualities for white wines. In the US and Australia, “the crush” is synonymous with the harvest in general, and the crushing/pressing in particular. CRYPTOGAMIC Refers to a fungus-based disease such as gray rot. CRU or CRÛ (Fr.) Literally means growth, as in Cru Bourgeois or Cru Classé. CRU BOURGEOIS (Fr.) A nonclassified growth of the Médoc. CRU CLASSÉ (Fr.) An officially classified French vineyard. CS (It.) Short for Cantina Sociale and other titles denoting a local or regional cooperative. CULTIVAR A term used mainly in South Africa for a cultivated variety of wine grape. CUT 1. In blending, a wine of a specific character may be used to cut (mix with) a wine dominated by an opposite quality. This can range from a bland wine that is cut by a small quantity of very acidic wine, to a white wine that is cut with a little red wine to make a rosé, as in pink Champagne. The most severe form of cutting is also called stretching and involves diluting wine with water, an illegal practice. 2. A cut in pressing terms is a point at which the quality of juice changes, the term deriving from the days of old vertical presses when the lid of the press would be lifted and workers would cut up the compacted mass with sharp spades, piling it in the middle so that more juice may be extracted. 3. In matching food and wine, a wine with high acidity may be used to cut (balance) the organoleptic effect of grease from a grilled or fried dish or an oily fish, just as the effervescence of a fine sparkling wine cuts the creamy texture of certain soups and sauces.

Read More