CMS Introductory key terms

A root-feeding insect pest from North America that destroyed most European vineyards in the late 1800s; it is now managed by grafting vines onto resistant American roots.

Joining a shoot of a European wine grape variety onto the root system of an American vine species so the plant resists soil pests and adapts to local soil conditions.

The stage when grape berries change color, soften and begin accumulating sugar while acidity falls, marking the shift from growth to ripening.

A fungus called noble rot that, in humid mornings and dry afternoons, shrivels ripe grapes and concentrates sugar and acidity, giving sweet wines such as Sauternes and Tokaji.

The combined influence of soil, slope, aspect, climate and local tradition on a vineyard site, believed to give its wines a recognizable sense of place.

The difference between daytime high and nighttime low temperatures in a vineyard; a wide swing slows ripening and helps retain acidity and aromatics.

The amount of fruit harvested per vine, hectare or acre; lower yields usually give more concentrated flavors, while very high yields can dilute a wine.

A bacterial conversion of tart malic acid into softer lactic acid, common in reds and some whites, which lowers acidity and can add buttery, creamy notes.

The time during fermentation when juice stays in contact with grape skins, seeds and stems, extracting color, tannin and flavor; longer contact gives deeper, firmer wines.

Pushing the cap of skins and seeds that floats on fermenting red wine back into the liquid, by hand or tool, to increase extraction and keep the cap wet.

Adding sugar to grape must before or during fermentation to raise the final alcohol level; it is legal in some cool regions and restricted or banned in others.

Fermenting whole grape clusters inside a tank filled with carbon dioxide so berries ferment from within; it gives light, fruity, low-tannin reds such as Beaujolais.

Leaving wine in contact with the dead yeast cells left after fermentation, which adds body, texture and flavors of bread, cream or nuts; common in white and sparkling wines.

Adding grape spirit to wine, either during fermentation to keep sweetness or after it is dry, raising alcohol as in Port, Sherry and Madeira.

Phenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds and stems and from oak barrels that give a drying, gripping sensation in the mouth and help wine age.

A small addition of wine and sugar, called liqueur d'expédition, made after disgorgement to set a sparkling wine's sweetness level, from brut nature to doux.

France's protected-place system that defines where grapes may grow and sets rules on varieties, yields and winemaking for wines using a named origin.

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, Italy's top wine category, with stricter production rules and, for many wines, a government tasting test.

American Viticultural Area, a grape-growing region defined by the U.S. alcohol regulator; it controls origin claims on labels but not grape varieties or winemaking methods.

A French word for a specific vineyard or growth, used to rank sites within regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace.

A ranking of leading Bordeaux châteaux drawn up for the Paris world's fair, grading them into first through fifth growths; it still influences prestige and price.

The sparkling wine method in which the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, producing bubbles, toasty lees flavors and a fine mousse before disgorgement.

Describes a wine with a slight but noticeable sweetness, usually a few grams per liter of residual sugar, enough to soften acidity without tasting like dessert.

Wines made from grapes picked after normal ripeness so sugar and flavor concentrate on the vine, producing sweet styles such as Spätlese or vendange tardive.

A pink wine made by allowing red grapes only brief contact with the skins, or by pressing them quickly; colors and sweetness range from pale and dry to deep and fruity.

The year the grapes for a wine were harvested; a vintage wine comes mostly or entirely from one year, while a non-vintage bottling blends several years.

Naming a wine after its main grape, such as Chardonnay or Merlot; the minimum share of that grape required on the label varies by country, typically 75 to 85 percent.

A label term indicating the winery grew the grapes on land it owns or controls and made the wine there; exact legal requirements differ from country to country.

A batch distillation vessel, usually made of copper, that is run one or more times; it gives spirits such as Cognac and single malt more body and character than continuous stills.

A continuous still with stacked plates that separates alcohol very efficiently and can reach high strength; used for vodka, grain whisky and other light spirits.

By-products of fermentation and distillation such as esters, aldehydes and fusel oils that give spirits flavor and aroma and are often linked to worse hangovers.

A gin style in which botanicals are distilled with the spirit and nothing sweet or colored is added afterward; juniper must be the leading flavor.

Steeping crushed malted grain in hot water so enzymes turn starch into sugar, producing a sweet liquid called wort that yeast can ferment into beer.

Cooked rice inoculated with a mold that breaks its starch into sugar, allowing sake yeast to ferment rice, which contains no sugar of its own.

The share of the sake rice grain left after milling, stated as a percentage; a lower number means more of the outer grain was removed, usually giving a cleaner, more aromatic sake.

Pouring wine into another vessel to leave sediment behind or to let it breathe, which can soften tannins and open up aromas in young wines.

A musty, wet-cardboard fault caused mainly by a chemical called TCA, which mutes fruit and can come from corks or winery surfaces; affected bottles should be replaced.

Judging a wine without seeing its label, using appearance, aroma, palate and finish to assess quality and to deduce grape variety, origin and vintage.

The wholesale cost of the drink in a glass divided by its selling price, expressed as a percentage; bars and restaurants use it to price wine by the glass profitably.