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Wine Terminology

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Glossary terms

MA (Marque auxillire)

Champagne label term, indicating the name of the wine does not belong to the producer (for example on supermarket own-label Champagne).

The number following the letters identifies the producer.

Maceration

Process of steeping grape skins in their juice, to extract flavour and, in the case of reds, colour and tannin.

Essential for red wines, the maceration may last between a few days and a few weeks. Optional for whites, and usually limited to a few hours.

Macration carbonique (Fr.)

Carbonic maceration.

Maderized

Tasting term used to indicate a wine that has become over-mature,

oxidised, and with a cooked taste.

Maduro (Por.)

Mature. A vinho madureo is an aged Portuguese wine,

as opposed to a vinho verde (green wine) which is designed to be drunk young.

Magnum

Bottle of 1.5 litres, equal to 2 normal

(75cl) bottles.

Malic acid

See 'acids',

'malolactic fermentation'.

Malolactic fermentation

Transformation (not technically a fermentation at all) in which the tart tasting malic acid present in young wine is transformed into the softer lactic acid.

Normal for reds, but optional for whites. Whites that have undergone malolactic can have a distinctive buttery taste.

Marc (Fr.)

Solids, such as dry skins and pips, left after pressing.

Also used to describe the spirit made by distilling the marc.

Marque auxillire

See 'MA'.