Alphabetical Listing of Wine Terms

Don’t be left behind in your next conversation about wine. Below are some of the more important wine terms and Glossary boxdefinitions so that you come off as an expert at your next wine party.

  • Appellation: Geographic name for an area where wine grapes are grown.
  • AOC (AC): Acronym for Appellation d’origine Contrôlée which is the French quality classification system for rating wine. AOC is also the designation for the wines that are considered at the highest level within the system.
  • Charmat: Method of making sparkling wine in which the second fermentation (necessary for producing the effervescence) is carried out in pressurized tanks.  This method is significantly cheaper than the champagne method due to the fact that the second fermentation does not occur in individual bottles which require daily manual turning.
  • Classification System- A system based on appellations that indicate the quality of a wine by its level of regulations.  Understanding a country’s classification system provides a wine buyer with knowledge of what can be expected from the wine without even tasting it.
  • DO (Spanish): Acronym for Denominaciónde Origen.  This designation represents a high quality, regulated wine in the Spanish quality classification system.
  • DOC (Italian): Acronym for Denominazione di Origine Controllata. This designation represents a high quality, regulated wine in the Italian quality classification system.
  • DOCa (Spanish): Acronym for Denominaciónde Origen Calificada.  This designation represents the highest quality, regulated wine in the Spanish quality classification system.
  • DOCG: Acronym for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Guarantita. This designation is considered the highest quality, regulated wine in the Italian qualification system.
  • Dry: Tasting term used to identify levels of residual sugar. A dry wine is simply a wine that is not sweet. However, the term is often misused to reflect tannic/acidic wines that give your mouth a dry feeling.
  • IGT:Indicazone Geografic Tipica.  IGT wines are from a specified geographic area but may or may not contain the grape varietals and production methods normally associated with that area.
    Within the overall Italian Classification System, IGT is a step between a Table wine and DOC.  however, as a consumer, you should know that IGT wines are often as good as DOC wines, but can typically be less expensive (“Super Tuscans” excepted).
  • Pommace: Wine made from leftovers of the wine press
  • Phylloxera: Tiny insects that attack the roots of grapevines
  • Sparkling Wine: Any wine with effervescence
  • Spumante: Italian sparkling wine
  • Sweet: Tasting term to identify levels of residual sugar.
  • Terroir:The total and natural environment of a viticulture site. Often misinterpreted as just the soil the grapes are grown from, terroir also refers to the topography, weather, and geography