WINE GLOSSARIES (P-Q-R)

PAD FILTRATION A filtration system utilizing a Plate and Frame filter with a series of cellulose, asbestos, or paper sheets through which wine is passed. PALATE The flavor or taste of a wine. PASSERILLAGE (Fr.) Grapes without noble rot that are left on the vine become cut off from the plant’s metabolic system as its sap withdraws into its roots. The warmth of the day, followed by the cold of the night, causes the grapes to dehydrate and concentrate in a process known as passerillage. The sweet wine produced from these grapes is prized in certain areas. A passerillage wine from a hot fall will be totally different to one from a cold fall. PASSITO (It.) The Italian equivalent of passerillage. Passito grapes are semidried, either outside—on the vine or on mats—or inside a warm building. This concentrates the pulp and produces strong, often sweet wines. PASTEURIZATION A generic term for various methods of stabilization and sterilization. PEAK The ideal maturity of a wine. Those liking fresher, crisper wines will perceive an earlier peak in the same wine than drinkers who prefer mature wines. As a rule of thumb that applies to all extremes of taste, a wine will remain at its peak for as long as it took to reach it. PEPPERY A term applied to young wines whose components are raw and not yet in harmony, sometimes quite fierce and prickly on the nose. It also describes the characteristic odor and flavor of southern French wines, particularly Grenachebased ones. Syrah can smell of freshly crushed black pepper, while white pepper is the character of great Grüner Veltliner. Young ports and light red Riojas can also be very peppery. PERFUME An agreeable scented quality of a wine’s bouquet. PERLANT (Fr.) Very slightly sparkling, less so than crémant and pétillant. PERLITE A fine, powdery, light, lustrous substance of volcanic origin with diatomaceous earth-like properties When perlite is used for filtration, it is sometimes referred to as ceramic filtration. PESTICIDE Literally a pest-killer, but more accurately a parasite-killer, the term pesticide infers a highly toxic concoction of chemicals capable of eradicating parasitic insects that attack the vine, including larvae, flies, moths, and spiders. PÉTILLANCE, PÉTILLANT (Fr.) This term describes a wine with sufficient carbonic gas to create a light sparkle. PETIT CHÂTEAU (Fr.) Literally “small château,” this term is applied to any wine château that is neither a Cru Classé nor a Cru Bourgeois. pH A commonly used chemical abbreviation of “potential hydrogen-ion concentration,” a measure of the active acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. It does not give any indication of the total acidity in a wine, but neither does the human palate. When we perceive the acidity in wine through taste, it is more closely associated with the pH than with the total acidity. PHENOLS, PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS Compounds found in the skin, seeds, and stalks of grapes, the most common being tannin and anthocyanins. PHOTOSYNTHESIS The process by which light energy is trapped by chorophyll, a green chemical in the leaves, and is converted into chemical energy in the form of glucose. This is then carried around the plant in special tubes called phloem to grow shoots, leaves, flowers, and fruit. PHYLLOXERA A vine louse that spread from America to virtually every viticultural region in the world during the late 19th century, destroying many vines. New vines had (and still have) to be grafted on to phylloxera-resistant American rootstocks. PIPE (Port.) The most famous Portuguese barrel, a Douro pipe has a 550-liter (145-gallon) capacity. PIQUANT (Fr.) Usually applied to a pleasing white wine with positive underlying fruit and acidity. PLAFOND LIMITÉ DE CLASSEMENT. PLC Plafond Limité de Classement, a legalized form of cheating whereby producers of AOC wines are allowed to exceed the official maximum limit by as much as 20 percent. PLUMMY An elegant, juicy flavor and texture that resembles the fleshiness of plums. PLUM-PUDDING A subjective term for a rich and spicy red wine; a more intense term than Christmas cake. POLISHED Describes a wine that has been skillfully crafted, leaving no rough edges. It is smooth and refined to drink. POLISHING The very last, ultrafine filtration of a wine, usually with kieselguhr or perlite. It is so called because it leaves the wine bright. Many high-quality wines are not polished because the process can wash out natural flavors. POST-DISGORGEMENT AGING The period between disgorgement and when the wine is consumed. With the sudden exposure to air after an extended period of aging under anaerobic conditions, the development of a sparkling wine after disgorgement is very different from its development before. POURRITURE NOBLE (Fr.) Noble rot, which is caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea under certain conditions. PRD Partial rootzone drying, a clever way of fooling the vine into thinking that it is not being irrigated, when in fact it is. This is achieved by alternating irrigation between two separate parts of the root system. Part of the vine receives a carefully metered out drip irrigation, but the rest of the plant system is unaware of this and, not sensing the irrigation, believes that it is in fact experiencing a mild water stress. The vine thus diverts its metabolism (energy) from the leaves to the grape clusters, improving the quality of the fruit. When the water is drawn into the part of the vine that has shut down the metabolism of its leaves, this part of the vine reverses the metabolic process. This is the very time that the drip irrigation is switched to that side of the vine, as it has already accepted the water’s presence. However, by turning off the irrigation to the other side of the vine, that side now believes it is experiencing a mild water stress, and it is its turn to divert the vine’s metabolism from the leaves to the grape clusters. And so it goes on, drip feeding either side of a vine that perpetually experiences a mild state of water stress. This conserves water, and while it does not increase yields per se, it does produce better quality at normal yields. ROOTSTOCK The lower rooting part of a grafted vine, often phylloxera-resistant. ROSÉ This French term has become as anglicized for pink wine as rendezvous has for appointment. In most cases, a rosé is made by crushing black grapes and keeping the juice in contact with the grapeskins for a short while prior to pressing or by running off colored juice (saignée). It will have no discernible tannin content. Champagne rosé is a rare case where the wine may be made by blending a little red wine into a white wine. ROUND A wine that has rounded off all its edges of tannin, acidity, extract, and so on through maturity in bottle.

PREFERMENTATION MACERATION The practice of maceration of juice in grape skins prior to fermentation, to enhance the varietal character of the wine. This maceration is usually carried out cold and is normally employed for aromatic white varieties, but can be undertaken warm—or even quite hot for red wines. PREMIER CRU (Fr.) Literally “First Growth,” this term is of relevance only in those areas where it is controlled, such as in Burgundy and Champagne. PREMIUM A marketing term for a quality category. So-called premium or premium-quality wine is not as expensive as you might think, and certainly not the top category of wine. Because of the differential in tax, duty, and shipping costs, it is actually possible to categorize wines by exactly the same unit price in dollars (US), pounds (UK), and Euros (rest of Eurozone): Basic: less than $3/£3/ 3; Premium: $/£/ 5–7; Superpremium: $/£/ 7–14; Ultrapremium: $/£/ 14–150; and Icon: in excess of $/£/ 150. PRICKLE, PRICKLY This term describes a wine with residual carbonic gas, but with less than the light sparkle of a pétillant wine. This characteristic can be desirable in some fresh white and rosé wines, but it is usually taken as a sign of an undesirable secondary fermentation in red wines, although it is deliberately created in certain South African examples. PRODUCER VINE Vines are usually grafted on to phylloxera-resistant rootstock, but the grapes produced are characteristic of the above-ground producer vine or scion, which is normally a variety of Vitis vinifera. PROTEIN HAZE Protein is present in all wines. Too much protein can react with tannin to cause a haze, in which case bentonite is usually used as a fining agent to remove it. PUNCHEON A type of barrel that is commonly found in Australia and New Zealand and has a capacity of 450 liters (119 gallons). PVPP Abbreviation for polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, a fining agent used to remove compounds sensitive to browning from white wines. PYRAZINES One of the most important groups of aromatic compounds found in grapes (especially methoxypyrazines), pyrazines typically have green, leafy, grassy characteristics through to bell-pepper, green-pea, and asparagus. The more herbaceous pyrazine aromas are symptomatic of an excessively vigorous vine canopy, particularly in red wines. Although pyrazines become less abundant as grapes ripen, they are considered a vital element in the varietal character of Sauvignon Blanc QbA (Ger.) Germany’s Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete is the theoretical equivalent of the French AOC. QmP (Ger.) The abbreviation for Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. Literally a “quality wine with predication,” this term is used for any German wine above QbA, from Kabinett upward. The predication carried by a QmP wine depends upon the level of ripeness of the grapes used in the wine. QUAFFING WINE Describes an unpretentious wine that is easy and enjoyable to drink. QUINTA (Port.) A wine estate. R2 A yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae race bayanus) discovered by Danish-born winemaker Peter Vinding-Diers. RACKING The draining of a wine off its lees into a fresh cask or vat. RACY Often applied to wines of the Riesling grape. The term racy accurately suggests the liveliness, vitality, and acidity of this grape. RANCIO Description of a vin doux naturel stored in oak casks for at least two years, often with the barrels exposed to direct sunlight. This imparts a distinctive flavor that is popular in the Roussillon area of France. RATAFIA A liqueur made by combining marc with grape juice, Ratafia de Champagne being the best-known. RD A sparkling-wine term that stands for “recently disgorged,” the initials RD are the trademark of RECIOTO (It.) A strong, sweet wine made in Italy from passito grapes. REDOX The aging process of wine was originally conceived as purely oxidative, but it was then discovered that when one substance in wine is oxidized (gains oxygen), another is reduced (loses oxygen). This is known as a reductive-oxidative, or redox reaction. Organoleptically, however, wines reveal either oxidative or reductive characters. In the presence of air, wine is prone to an oxidative character, but shut off from a supply of oxygen, reductive characteristics begin to dominate, thus the bouquet of bottle-age is a reductive one and the aroma of a fresh, young wine is more oxidative than reductive. REDUCTIVE The less exposure it has to air, the more reductive a wine will be. Different as they are in basic character, Champagne, Muscadet sur lie, and Beaujolais Nouveau are all examples of reductive, as opposed to oxidative, wines, from the vividly autolytic Champagne, through Muscadet sur lie with its barest hint of autolytic character, to the amylic aroma of Beaujolais Nouveau. A good contrast is between sherry and Madeira, the latter of which is reductive, while the former is oxidative. The term is, however, abused, as many tasters use it to describe a fault, when the wine is heavily reduced. REFRACTOMETER An optical device used to measure the sugar content of grapes when out in the field. REMONTAGE (Fr.) The pumping of wine over the cap (or manta) of skins during the cuvaison of red wine. REMUAGE (Fr.) An intrinsic part of the méthode champenoise; deposits thrown off during secondary fermentation are eased down to the neck of the bottle and are then removed at disgorgement. RESERVE WINES Still wines from previous vintages that are blended with the wines of one principal year to produce a balanced nonvintage Champagne. RETICENT This term suggests that the wine is holding back on its nose or palate, perhaps through youth, and may well develop with a little more maturity. RICH, RICHNESS A balanced wealth of fruit and depth on the palate, and a good finish. RIPASSO (It.) Refermentation of wine on the lees of a recioto wine. RIPE Grapes ripen; wines mature. However, the fruit and even the acidity in wine can be referred to as ripe. Tasters should be careful not to mistake a certain residual sweetness for ripeness. RIPE ACIDITY The main acidic component in ripe grapes (tartaric acid) tastes refreshing and fruity, even in large proportions, whereas the main acidity in unripe grapes (malic acid) tastes hard and unpleasant. ROASTED Describes the character of grapes subjected to the shriveling or roasting of noble rot. ROBUST A milder form of aggressive, which may frequently be applied to a mature product. A wine is robust by nature, rather than aggressive through youth.

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WINE GLOSSARIES (M-N-O)

MACERATION A term that is usually applied to the period during the vinification process when the fermenting juice is in contact with its skins. This process is traditionally used in red-winemaking, but it is on the increase for white wines utilizing prefermentation maceration techniques. MACÉRATION CARBONIQUE (Fr.) A generic term covering several methods of vinifying wine under the pressure of carbonic gas. Such wines, Beaujolais Nouveau being the archetypal example, are characterized by amylic aromas (peardrops, bubblegum, nail-polish). If this method is used for just a small part of a blend, however, it can lift the fruit and soften a wine without leaving such telltale aromas. MADERIZED All Madeiras are maderized by the estufagem, in which the wines are slowly heated in specially constructed ovens, and then by cooling them. This is undesirable in all wines except for certain Mediterranean wines that are deliberately made in a rancio style. Any ordinary, light, table wine that is maderized will often be erroneously diagnosed as oxidized, but there is a significant difference in the symptoms: maderized wines have a duller nose, have rarely any hint of the sherrylike character of acetaldehyde, and are flatter on the palate. All colors and styles of wine are capable of maderizing and the likely cause is storage in bright sunlight or too much warmth. MAILLARD REACTIONS Chemical interactions between amino acids created during autolysis and residual sugar added by dosage, which are responsible for many of the mellow, complex post-disgorgement aromas adored by drinkers of mature Champagne. Maillard Reactions also play an important role in the raisining of grapes. MALIC A tasting term that describes the green apple aroma and flavor found in some young wines due to the presence of malic acid, the dominant acid found in apples. MALIC ACID A very strong-tasting acid that diminishes during the fruit’s ripening process, but still persists in ripe grapes and, although reduced by fermentation, in wine too. The quantity of malic acid present in a wine may sometimes be considered too much, particularly in a red wine, and the smoothing effect of replacing it with just two-thirds the quantity of the much weaker lactic acid is often desirable. MALOLACTIC The malolactic fermentation is often termed a secondary fermentation, but is actually a biochemical process that converts the hard malic acid of unripe grapes into soft lactic acid and carbonic gas. MANURE A very extreme form of farmyardy. MANNOPROTEIN Nitrogenous matter secreted from yeast during autolysis. MARC 1. The residue of skins, seeds, and stalks after pressing. 2. The name given to a four-ton load of grapes in Champagne. 3. A rough brandy made from the residue of skins, seeds, and stalks after pressing. MARQUE A brand or make. MATURE,MATURITY Refers to a wine’s development in bottle, as opposed to ripe, which describes the maturity of the grape itself. MEAN An extreme qualification of ungenerous. MEATY This term suggests a wine so rich in body and extract that the drinker feels almost able to chew it. Wines with a high tannin content are often meaty. MELLOW Describes a wine that is round and nearing its peak of maturity. MEMBRANE FILTRATION Use of a thin screen of biologically inert material, perforated with microsized pores that occupy 80 percent of the membrane, to filter wine. Anything larger than these holes is denied passage when the wine is pumped through during filtration. MERCAPTANS Methyl and ethyl alcohols can react with hydrogen sulphide to form mercaptans, foulsmelling compounds that are often impossible to remove and can ruin a wine. Mercaptans can smell of garlic, onion, burnt rubber, or stale cabbage. MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE (Fr.) The process in which an effervescence is produced through a secondary fermentation in the same bottle in which the wine is sold (in other words, not transvasage). This procedure is used for Champagne and other good-quality sparkling wines. In Europe, the term is forbidden on the label of any wine other than Champagne, which never uses it itself. MÉTHODE GAILLAÇOISE (Fr.) A variant of Méthode Rurale involving disgorgement. MÉTHODE RURALE (Fr.) The precursor of Méthode Champenoise, this method involves no secondary fermentation. The wine is bottled before the first alcoholic fermentation has finished, and carbonic gas is produced during the continuation of fermentation in the bottle. There is also no disgorgement. METODO CHAMPENOIS (It.) Italian for Méthode Champenoise. MICROCLIMATE Due to a combination of shelter, exposure, proximity to mountains and/or water mass, and other topographical features unique to a given area, a vineyard can enjoy (or be prone to) a specific microclimate that differs from the standard climate of the region as a whole. MICROPOROUS FILTRATION Synonymous with membrane filtration. MICROVINIFICATION This technique involves fermentation in small, specialized vats, which are seldom bigger than a washing machine. The process is often used to make experimental wines. There are certain dynamics involved in fermentation that determine a minimum optimum size of vat, which is why home-brewers seldom make a polished product and why most wines made in research stations are dull. MID-PALATE 1. The center-top of your tongue. 2. A subjective term to describe the middle of the taste sensation when taking a mouthful of wine. It may be hollow if the wine is thin and lacking, or full if it is rich and satisfying. MILLERANDAGE (Fr.) A physiological disorder of the vine that occurs after cold or wet weather at the time of the flowering. This makes fertilization very difficult, and consequently many berries fail to develop, remaining small and seedless even when the rest of the bunch is full-sized and ripe. MINERAL Some wines have a minerally aftertaste that can be unpleasant. Vinho Verde has an attractive, almost tinny aftertaste when made from certain grape varieties. .

MISTELLE (Fr.) Fresh grape juice that has been muted with alcohol before any fermentation can take place. MOELLEUX (Fr.) Literally soft or smooth, this term implies a rich, medium-sweet style in most areas of France. In the Loire, however, it is used to indicate a truly rich, sweet botrytis wine, thereby distinguishing it from demi-sec. MONOPOLE (Fr.) Single ownership of a vineyard. MOUSSE (Fr.) The effervescence of a sparkling wine, which is best judged in the mouth because a wine may appear to be flat in one glass and vigorous in another due to the different surfaces. The bubbles of a good mousse should be small and persistent; the strength of effervescence depends on the style of wine. MOUSSEUX (Fr.) Literally “sparkling.” MOUTH-FILL Literally meaning a wine that easily fills the mouth with a satisfying flavor. There is no holding back, but it does not quite imply anything too upfront or obvious. MUID (Fr.) A large oval barrel with a capacity of 600 liters (159 gallons). MUST Unfermented or partly fermenting grape juice. MUST WEIGHT The amount of sugar in ripe grapes or grape must. MUTAGE (Fr.) The addition of pure alcohol to a wine or to fresh grape juice either before fermentation can take place, as in the case of a vin de liqueur, or during fermentation, as in the case of a vin doux naturel. NÉGOCIANT (Fr.) Trader or merchant. The name is derived from the traditional practice of negotiating with growers (to buy wine) and wholesalers or customers (to sell it). NÉGOCIANT-ÉLEVEUR (Fr.) A wine firm that buys in ready-made wines for éleveur. The wines are then blended and bottled under the négociant’s label. NERVY, NERVOUS A subjective term usually applied to a dry white wine that is firm and vigorous, but not quite settled down. NEUTRAL GRAPE VARIETIES Such grapes include virtually all the minor, nondescript varieties that produce bland tasting, low-quality wines, but also encompass better known varieties such as the Melon de Bourgogne, Aligoté, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, and even classics such as Chardonnay and Sémillon. The opposite of aromatic grapes, these varieties are ideal for oak-maturation, bottling sur lie, and turning into fine sparkling wines because their characteristics are enhanced rather than hidden by these processes. NOBLE ROT A condition caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea under certain conditions. NOSE The smell or odor of a wine, encompassing both aroma and bouquet. OAK Many wines are fermented or aged in wooden casks and the most commonly used wood is oak. OECHSLE LEVEL (Ger.) A system of measuring the sugar content in grapes for wine categories in Germany and Austria. OENOLOGIST, OENOLOGY Pronounced “enologist” and “enology” (and usually spelled this way in the US), oenology is the scientific study of wine. It is a branch of chemistry, but with practical consequences, hands-on production experience, and an understanding of viticulture. OFF VINTAGE An off vintage or year is one in which many poor wines are produced due to adverse climatic conditions, such as very little sunshine during the summer, which can result in unripe grapes, and rain or humid heat at the harvest, which can result in rot. Generally an off vintage is a vintage to be avoided, but approach any opportunity to taste the wines with an open mind because there are always good wines made in every vintage, and they have to be sold at bargain prices if a vintage has a bad reputation. OIDIUM A fungal disease of the vine that turns leaves powdery grey and dehydrates grapes. OILY A subjective term meaning fat and viscous, and often also flat and flabby. OLOROSO (Sp.) A sherry style, naturally dry but usually sweetened for export markets. OPEN-KNIT An open and enjoyable nose or palate, usually found in a modest wine that is not capable of much development. OPULENT Suggestive of a rather luxurious varietal aroma; very rich, but not quite blowzy. ORGANIC WINES A generic term for wines made using the minimum amount of SO2 (sulfur dioxide), from grapes grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. ORGANOLEPTIC Affecting a bodily organ or sense, usually that of taste or smell. OSMOTIC PRESSURE When two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane, water will leave the weaker solution for the more concentrated one in an endeavor to equalize the differing solution strengths. In winemaking, this is most commonly seen when yeast cells are put to work in grape juice with an exceptionally high sugar content. Since water accounts for 65 percent of a yeast cell, osmotic pressure causes the water to escape through the semipermeable cell membrane. The cell caves in (a phenomenon called plasmolysis), and the yeast dries up and eventually dies. OVERTONE A dominating element of nose and palate; often one that is not directly attributable to the grape or wine. OXIDATION,OXIDIZED These terms are ambiguous; as soon as grapes are pressed or crushed, oxidation sets in and the juice or wine will become oxidized to a certain and increasing extent. Oxidation is also an unavoidable part of fermentation and essential to the maturation process. In this case, however, in order not to mislead it is best to speak of a “mature” or, at the extreme, “oxidative” wine. This is because when the word oxidized is used, even among experts, it will invariably be in an extremely derogatory manner, to highlight the sherrylike odor of a wine that is in a prematurely advanced stage of oxidation. OXIDATIVE A wine that openly shows the character of maturation on the nose or palate. This can range from buttery, biscuity, and spicy characteristics through to a hint of nuttiness.

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