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AusbruchAustrian sweet-wine category,
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Auslese (Ger.)
Quality white wine category, meaning selected harvest.
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Austere
Tasting term, usually indicating a lack of richness
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Autolysis
Process whereby dead yeast cells break down, to give a biscuity flavour.
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Autovinificator
Fermentation vat, where the pumping over process is performed automatically, using the pressure of carbon dioxide gas generated during fermentation.
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Azienda agricola (It.)
Wine estate,
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Beerenauslese (Ger.)
Quality white wine category, meaning 'selected grapes'.
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Beery
Tasting term indicating the malty smell or taste of beer,
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Bentonite
Clay often used in fining wine, particularly white.
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Bereich (Ger.)
Wine-growing district, comprising a group of sites which produce wines of similar character.
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Bianco (It.)
White
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Big
Tasting term used to indicate a powerful wine
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Bite
Tasting term used to indicate a powerful initial sensation of acidity or tannin,
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Bitter
One of the four basic flavours which can be detected by the tongue.
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Blackcurrant
Tasting term used to indicate the often pungent aroma of blackcurrant fruit and leaf,
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Blanc (Fr.)
White
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Blanc de blancs (Fr.)
White wine made from white grapes
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Blanc de noirs (Fr.)
White wine made from black grapes.
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Garrafeira (Por.)
Aged wine,
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Girasol (Sp.)
Machine used to reproduce the effect of riddling in the production of sparkling wines.
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Gluhwein (Ger.)
Wine served hot,
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Gobelet (Fr.)
System for growing vines,
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Gout (Fr.)
Taste. As in gout de terroir
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Governo (It.)
Technique for producing Chianti, in which some grapes are reserved and dried, and then added to wine after the first alcoholic fermentation.
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Grand cru (class) (Fr.)
Literally '(classified) great growth'. The meaning varies by region. Within Bordeaux, grand cru class refers to the top estates of Medoc, Graves and Sauternes, and the top wines of St Emilion.
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Gran reserva (Sp.)
Literally 'great reserve'. Wine that has fulfilled certain (lengthy) ageing requirements and, in theory, comes from a good vintage.
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Grand vin (Fr.)
Great wine. Meaningless on the label, as use of the term is not regulated.
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Grappage (Fr.)
Destemming.
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Long
Tasting term used to indicate a wine with a persistent aftertaste.
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Macration carbonique (Fr.)
Carbonic maceration.
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Maduro (Por.)
Mature. A vinho madureo is an aged Portuguese wine,
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Magnum
Bottle of 1.5 litres, equal to 2 normal