Fattoria (It.)
Wine farm, wine estate (especially in Tuscany).
Fermentation
Complex process in which sugars, naturally present in grape juice, are transformed into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action of yeasts.
Heat is the other main by-product.
Fiasco (It.)
Wicker-covered bottle, once very popular for Chianti but now considered naff by sophisticated wine lovers.
Fining
Winemaking procedure in which a product is added to wine in order to remove unwanted material.
Typical fining agents include bentonite clay (to remove
proteins) and egg white (to remove bitter tannins). Ox blood was once commonly
used as a fining agent but is now generally forbidden.
Finish
Tasting term used to indicate the final sensation left in the mouth once a wine is swallowed.
A long, persistent finish is considered a sign of a fine wine.
Fino
Style of Sherry, pale, dry and pungent,
produced by ageing the wine under a layer of yeast cells called flor.
Firm
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with positive,
assertive attributes, such as fruit, tannin and acidity.
First growth
English translation of the French premier cru,
indicating a wine at the top of some official quality classification.
Flabby
Tasting term used to indicate a wine lacking in structure,
often marked by low acidity.
Flinty
Tasting term used to indicate the aroma (and sometimes taste) of fresh, pungent whites,
particular from the Sauvignon Blanc variety.
Decanter World Wine Awards
