Wine Glossary - A quick guide to improve your wine conversation, tasting and buying skills
Unravel the language of wine with a simple glossary, organised from A to Z, covering aromas, winemaking methods, styles, classifications, service and even market terminology.
Behind every bottle are words that help define it: tannin, acidity, sur lie, Reserva, terroir, dégorgement… This guide gathers the terms most used by producers, sommeliers and critics, so you can read labels with confidence, engage in conversation at a tasting and pick with precision.
● Key terms and expressions used in wine industry slang.
Here you will find concrete definitions, examples of usage and associations between concepts (from the vineyard to the bottle and from tasting to serving). ● Whether you are looking for something specific or just getting started, filter from A to Z or search the table below – and turn wine vocabulary into a tool, not an obstacle.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Acacia | The acacia flower has a floral aroma that can be found in some whites such as Rieslings, Sauternes and Gewürztraminers. |
| Acerbic | Acerbic means a wine that contains an excessive quantity of malic and tartaric acid, originating from under-ripe grapes. |
| Acetic | Affected by acetic acid bacteria that cause vinegar taint. This defect is typical of poorly matured wines in which the volatile acidity is excessive. |
| Acetic Acid | Acetic acid or vinegar (balsamic vinegar aroma common in old wines) is formed by several strains of acetic bacteria that, in contact with oxygen, degrade wine alcohol into acetaldehyde and acetaldehyde into acetic acid, water and carbon dioxide. |
| Acetic acid bacteria | Acetic acid bacteria are aerobic organisms responsible for the acetification of wine. |
| Acetic Bacteria | Acetic bacteria can be responsible for the production of acetic acid (vinegar) and ethyl acetate (smell of glue, varnish, acetone). |
| Acetone | Acetone is an unpleasant chemical odour reminiscent of nail varnish remover. It comes from the oxidation of secondary alcohols, can be produced by aerating the wine and is not necessarily permanent. |
| Acetophenone | Acetophenone is an aromatic compound with a sweet orange or jasmine-like odour found mainly in spirits. |
| Acidic Flavour | The acidic flavour in wine comes from acids originating in the grape, such as tartaric acid, malic acid and citric acids and acids of fermentation origin, such as lactic acid or acetic acid. |
| Acidic Wine | Acidic is a wine that has excessive acidity. |
| Acidiification | Acidification is a regulated procedure that allows the natural acidity of must or wine to be increased by adding tartaric, malic acid or citric acid. |
| Acidity | Acidity is an essential component in wine that contributes to its balance, freshness and conservation. It comes from the acids present on the grapes and fermentation. |
| Acrid | A wine that is acidic, with excess volatile acidity. Sensation of bitterness, astringency and acidity that causes the tissue of the mouth cavity to shrivel. |
| Adamado Wine | Adamado is a slightly sweet Portuguese wine that contains a certain amount of residual sugar. |
| Aeration | Aeration refers to the maturing process that takes place in the presence of air. It is very common in Sherry wines when they are matured covered by "flor". |
| Aged | Aged wine has a leathery aroma that may develop in wines that remain in bottle for a long time. It brings to mind musky smells of game and fur. |
| Ageing | Ageing is the maturing process that takes place in the bottle. The wine consumes the air contained in the bottle and develops slowly. |
| Agressive Wine | Aggressive is an adjective that characterises a wine that is too harsh (acidic and tannic). |
| Agronómica | Agronómica is a very productive grape variety developed by José Leão Ferreira de Almeida at the National Agronomy Station (perhaps the origin of the name) in order to resolve the great shortage caused by grape phylloxera, it comes from the cross-breeding of the Castelão and the Moscatel de Hamburgo grape varieties. |
| Água Pé | Água pé (piquette) is a traditional Portuguese slightly alcoholic drink, made by adding water to grape marc and spirit. |
| Albumin | Albumin is a protein found in egg whites and is added to wines to help in the clarification process. |
| Alcohol | Alcohol is the result of fermentation carried out by yeast that transforms sugar into this compound. The main alcohol in wine is ethanol. |
| Alcohologenic | An alkaline wine is a wine rich in sodium and potassium salts. |
| Alcoholometry | Alcoholometry refers to the set of methods which allow the percentage of alcohol in an aqueous solution to be calculated. |
| Aldehyde | Aldehydes are volatile substances originating from the oxidation of ethanol. Acetaldehyde or ethanal, an aroma of oxidised (green apple) appears in wines that have suffered oxidative contact. |
| Aldehydic Wine | A wine with a sharp aroma caused by the oxidative maturing, typical of Sherry wines. |
| Alembic Still | The distillation apparatus which permits the production of pomace liquors and brandies. |
| Alentejo | The Alentejo region has around 21,000 hectares of vineyards planted on predominantly low vigour, gently sloping soils. Located between 38º and 39º latitude north of the equator, it provides a desirable mix of cold in winter and warmth in summer and is an excellent climate for grape production. |
| Alfrocheiro | Alfrocheiro is a red grape variety from the Dão region that can also be found in Bairrada and Alentejo. Absent from ancient records, Alfrocheiro was thought to be a recent variety in Portugal. |
| Alicante Bouschet | Alicante Bouschet is a grape variety with a relatively recent origin in Languedoc, since it appeared only at the end of the 19th century, by the crossing of the Petit Bouschet and Grenache grape varieties. |
| Alicante Branco | Alicante Branco was and is also known as “Boal de Alicante” or “Boal Cachudo” and will have been an important grape variety in the Alentejo for many years. |
| Alkalini Wine | An alkaline wine is a wine rich in sodium and potassium salts. |
| Alvarinho | Alvarinho, also known as Albariño, is a very old white grape variety of low yield that is mainly planted in the Monção and Melgaço area (Vinho Verde wine region). |
| American Oak | The American oak is a tree of the Quercus Alba species which is used to obtain fine woods for maturing. |
| Ampelography | Ampelography is the science that studies Vitis vinifera and its different varieties. In addition to morphological characterisation, molecular analysis has been incorporated in order to reduce ambiguity in variety identification. |
| Amphora | Amphora is a bulbous vessel made of baked clay used in the Alentejo to make wine. An amphora is a baked clay vessel that was once used to transport oil and wine. It is currently used by some producers as a fermentation and/or maturing vessel. |
| Anisole | Anisole is a methyl ether phenol. Within this family trichloroanisole stands out for having odours reminiscent of mould, chlorine, cork or damp newspapers. It is caused by mould and is normally associated with bottle corks. |
| Anosmia | Anosmia refers to a partial or complete loss of the sense of smell. |
| Antão Vaz | Antão-Vaz is a white grape variety originating from the sub-region of Vidigueira which is gaining popularity throughout the Alentejo and Ribatejo. |
| Anthocyanins | In nature, anthocyanins are glycosylated anthocyanidins, i.e. they occur in the form of heterosides and, by acid hydrolysis, give rise to the corresponding anthocyanidin (aglycone). These anthocyanin pigments are responsible for the colour of the grapes and their wine, a characteristic that is determined by their chemical structure. |
| Anthoxanthins | Anthoxanthins are pigments that give a yellow tint to grapes and white wines. |
| Anthrosols | Anthrosols are soils originating from human activity for the cultivation of vines. Due to the disintegration of the land caused by the deep digging, these resulting soils are stony on the surface and internally. |
| Antiseptic | Antiseptic is any substance that prevents the formation of micro-organisms. |
| AOC | AOC stands for appellation d'origine contrôlée in France. It corresponds to the Controlled Designation of Origin (DOC). |
| Aragonez | The red Aragonez grape variety, imported from Aragão and also called Tinta-Roriz and Tempranillo, is the most widely grown grape variety in the country. It is a lively variety, that’s very vigorous and productive, easily adaptable to different climates and soils. |
| Arinto | The Arinto grape variety has the largest area of plantation in the Vinho Verde region, where it is called Pedernã, although it is also widely grown throughout the country. It is considered the monarch of grape varieties in the Bucelas region. |
| Arinto dos Açores | Arinto dos Açores is a grape variety native and exclusive to the Azores Islands, having in common with the mainland's Arinto variety only its name and good acidity. |
| Arm | The arm is the main branch of the vine's trunk. |
| Aroma | The word aroma is used to describe all the pleasant fragrances of wine via the direct nasal route or the retronasal route. |
| Ascorbic Acid | Ascorbic acid or vitamin C is an antioxidant agent used to protect must or wine. |
| Astringency | Astringency is the sensation caused by the chemical reaction of proteins and glycoproteins in saliva. |
| Astringent | A wine excessively rich in tannins is said to be astringent. |
| Attack | Attack refers to the first impression that a wine invokes when tasted. |
| Bacelo | Bacelo another term for rootstock, the phylloxera resistant vine where the grafting with the intended variety will take place. In countries like Chile, which have never suffered a phylloxera threat, bacelo is also used to describe a grapevine reproduction technique without grafting. |
| Back Label | In Portugal, the back label is a document with the stamp of the respective CVR that producers place on the back of the bottle to provide the consumer with additional information about the qualities, conservation, vintage and age of the wine. |
| Bafio | Musty is a term used to describe a wine with an odour similar to an old trunk that has been closed for years in a storeroom. It can be acquired during the ageing process or through contact with the bottle’s cork. |
| Baga | It is thought that Baga is a grape variety that originated in Bairrada, where it accounts for more than half of the vineyard area. |
| Bagaceira | Bagaceira is a Portuguese brandy that comes from the distillation of grape pomace. |
| Baixo Corgo | Baixo Corgo is the sub-region of the Douro Demarcated Region with the westernmost and smallest area, but it has the highest percentage of planted vines of the three sub-regions. |
| Baked | Baked is a warm odour that can be detected in some red wines fermented in cement or in wooden vats that have undergone strong temperature elevations during vinification. |
| Balanced Wine | Balanced is a term used to describe a wine whose palate is constructed in a harmonious way. |
| Balsa | Balsa is a synonym of dorna or balseiro, i.e., a large wooden container where the wine may ferment or mature with oxidation. |
| Balsamic | Balsamic is a series of noble aromas present in wine that evoke incense, resins or vegetal balsams. This resinous aroma can be due to the variety, the characteristics of the land or the maturing process (incense, cedar, pine, camphor, etc.). |
| Bar Top Cork | A bar top is a short cork with a plastic or wooden top. It is designed to be easily removed from the bottle, without the help of a corkscrew, and later reused in the bottle after the wine has been served. Common in fortified wines. |
| Barrel | Barrel is the name given to a wooden container (usually oak) with an average capacity of 225 litres used for fermenting and/or ageing wines. |
| Base wine | Base wine serves as a platform for the elaboration of sparkling wines and champagnes. It should have high development potential. |
| Baumé Scale | Baumé scale is a density scale used to infer the degree of sweetness of musts or wines. |
| Benefício | Benefício is the Portuguese system for determining total volume of grape juice that can be made into Port wine in a given year. Once their total value is defined, the authorities distribute the benefício to each individual vineyard. |
| Bentonite | Bentonite is a clay used for wine stabilization. It is a hydrated aluminium silicate derived from diatoms, which diluted in water, forms a gelatinous paste that is added to wine to prevent protein stability. |
| Benzol | Benzol is an odour reminiscent of a solvent or varnish. |
| Bergamot | Bergamot is citrus aroma reminiscent of mandarin and orange. |
| Berry | He grape berry is composed of skin, pips and pulp. It is connected to the cluster by the pedicel. Its composition depends on factors such as grape variety, climate and soil. |
| Bical | The Bical grape variety is especially widespread in the Beiras region, particularly in Bairrada and Dão (where it is called "Borrado das Moscas" (Blur of Flies) due to the small brown spots that appear on the ripe grape). |
| Bin | In English and in wine vocabulary, bin is a small deposit to storage wine. |
| Bitter Flavour | The bitter taste is attributed to phenolic compounds in the monomeric form (catechin and epicatechin), amides, aldehydes, ketones, esters and substituted benzenes. |
| Bittersweet Wine | The term bittersweet is used to characterise a wine that has a mixture of these flavours. |
| Blanc de Blanc | Blanc de Blanc is a white wine made from white grapes. |
| Blanc de Noir | Blanc de Noir is a white wine made from red grapes that have been fermented off skins. |
| Blended Wine | A blended wine is a wine made from different origins, either distinct grape varieties or wines from different plots or even different years. |
| Blending | A blend is a mixture of grape varieties. The art of blending consists of taking individual pieces and making them better as a whole. It can be a blend of grape varieties or just a blend of distinct vineyards. |
| Boal | Boal or Bual is the official synonym for the Malvasia Fina grape variety in the VLQPRD Madeira labelling, and distributed all over Portugal. |
| Body | Body is the sensation of volume and weight that the wine leaves on the palate. Wines seem more voluminous the higher their alcohol or sugar concentration is. |
| Boiled Sweet | Boiled sweet is a toasted odour (burnt sugar) that can be detected in some wines with fruit that is generally very ripe. It is a secondary aroma of the amyl range. |
| Bordeaux bottle | The Bordeaux bottle is a 75 cl bottle with pronounced shoulders that serve to retain the deposit that is abundant in Bordeaux wines. |
| Botrytis Cinerea | Botrytis cinerea is a grape phytoparasitic fungus that usually appears in high humidity conditions and penetrates the grape berry through wounds previously caused by powdery mildew, downy mildew, grapevine moth, physiological accidents or mechanical damage. |
| Bouquet | The bouquet of a wine is also known as the set of tertiary aromas, i.e., it is the set of aromas that result from the ageing process and methods (either during the maturing periods in wood or just in bottle). |
| Brandy | Brandy is a spirit drink produced by the distillation of fruit, stems or wine lees, in other words, Brandy is a spirit obtained from the distillation of wine and matured in oak. |
| Brief Wine | Brief is the term that designates a wine whose aroma and or taste do not last on the palate. |
| Brix | Degrees Brix is a numerical refractive index scale that indirectly measures the quantity of soluble solids in a sucrose solution. 1.8º Brix corresponds to 1º Baumé. It is measured using a refractometer. |
| Brown | Brown is a colour that wine presents when it is tainted. It may come from the oxidase casse. |
| Browning Wine | Browning wine is a term recurrently used to define the colour of old and oxidised wines. |
| Brut | Brut is a term used in sparkling wines and champagnes to designate a residual sugar content of less than 15 g/L. |
| Bubble | Bubble refers to the carbon dioxide gas found in sparkling wine that results from the second fermentation in the bottle. |
| Bucelas | Region demarcated in 1911, the town of Bucelas is located 25 km north of Lisbon in the municipality of Loures. |
| Budding | Budding is the phenological awakening of the plant after winter dormancy, i.e. it coincides with the start of the vegetative cycle using the nutrients accumulated by the plant in the previous year. The sapling buds swell and start to sprout. |
| Bunch of Grapes | The bunch is made up of the berries and the stalk that connects the berries of the bunch to each other in a shape that varies from variety to variety. |
| Bung | Bung is a plug or stopper that is used to cover the hole in barrels, casks, etc. |
| Burgundy bottle | The Burgundy bottle is a 75 cl bottle with dropped shoulders, almost non-existent. It was created on the basis of the low deposit of wines produced in the Burgundy region. |
| Buttery Wine | Buttery refers to a characteristic texture and aroma of a wine. In the mouth it is reminiscent of the taste and fullness of butter. The butter aroma is produced during malolactic fermentation by lactic bacteria (diacetyl). |
| Cabbage | Cabbage is a potent vegetable odour, which derives from the compound methional and is associated with wines with an ageing defect. |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc and originated in the Bordeaux area where it quickly spread worldwide to become the most planted grape variety on the planet. |
| Calcium Carbonate | Calcium carbonate is a neutral salt used to de-acidify musts and wines in cold areas or acidic vintages. |
| Camarate | In 2007, the Camarate red grape variety cover about 600 ha of the Portuguese wine-growing area. With unknown origin, Gyrão (1822) already classified and described it in the Douro and the Estremadura region. |
| Camomile | Chamomile or camomile is the aroma that is reminiscent of Asteraceae plants and that can be detected in some young wines. |
| Cane | Cane is a mature vine branch, a term commonly used after Veraison. |
| Capsule | The capsule is a PVC, aluminium, tin or plastic cap-shaped coating that serves to protect the cork and the neck of the bottle. |
| Caramelised | Caramelised is said of a wine with a caramel aroma and flavour. |
| Carcavelos | Carcavelos is the smallest of the Portuguese demarcated regions and is situated very close to the mouth of the Tejo River. |
| Carmine | Carmine is used for a red colour wine with violet reflections usually found in young red wines. |
| Casa do Douro | Casa do Douro is the common name given to the Federation of Winegrowers of the Douro Region (DL nº 21883, of 18 November 1932), created with the aim of increasing collaboration, representing the interests of winegrowers and supporting production. |
| Casal | A “Casal” is a small to medium agricultural extension with a house inhabited by caretakers whose agricultural production was essentially for self-consumption. |
| Casein | casein is a lactic protein used to clarify white and rosé wines in preparation for filtration. Prevents oxidation and eliminates oxidised and oxidisable polyphenolic compounds and lightens the colour of wines. |
| Cask | A cask is a wooden container for transporting and ageing alcoholic beverages. |
| Casse | Casse is the name given to a change in the clarity and colour of wines. It may be of the following types: |
| Cassis | Cassis is an aromatic berry, a kind of blackcurrant whose smell and flavour can be detected in wines derived from some grape varieties, such as Merlot or Shiraz. |
| Castelão | Castelão (synonymous with Periquita or João de Santarém) is a low concentration red grape variety, which has fallen by the wayside in this era of concentrated reds. |
| Cava | The “cava” is a traditional cultivation operation that consists of digging around the trunk, exposing the surface roots and facilitating the collection of winter rainwater and allowing the leaves to accumulate, providing water and nourishment. |
| Champagne glass | The champagne glasses have a narrow shape so that the light aromas are not lost, as they are wines that have been stored for some time. |
| Char | Char is a tertiary aroma of the empyreumatic series, reminiscent of substances which have undergone an intense fire (e.g., cocoa, coffee, tobacco). It is the result of ageing in charred wood. |
| Character | The Character of a wine is the set of characteristics that allow it to be distinguished from others. Its the "personality" of a wine. |
| Cheerful Wine | Cheerful is a term used to describe a wine with a lively, clear aroma and fresh acidity. It is also used to describe sparkling wines whose bubbles are pleasant to the taste. |
| Cherry | Cherry is a fruity aroma that appears in some rosé and red wines. It is also used to describe the colour of wine. |
| Chestnut | Chestnut is the nutty aroma evoking that of roasted, warm chestnuts, characteristic of some wood-fermented Chardonnays, or in some young white wines. |
| Chive | Chive is the vegetal odour of the plant of the same name in some white wines. |
| Chlorine | Chlorine is an unpleasant chemical odour caused by TBA and TCA reminiscent of swimming pools. It may be caused by contact with the bottle’s cork of the stopper. |
| Chocolate | chocolate is an aroma reminiscent of the food obtained from roasted cocoa. It is typical of some grape varieties such as Shiraz, Tinta Roriz or Trincadeira. |
| Chrysanthemum | Chrysanthemum is a floral aroma typical of some whites that resembles the aroma of this flower. |
| Cima Corgo | Covering a total of 95 000 hectares (more than double that of Baixo Corgo), Cima Corgo has the largest area of vineyards of the three sub-regions, with around 20 000 hectares. |
| Cinnamon | Cinnamon is the aroma of the spice that can be found in whites and reds aged in wood. It originates from cinnamic aldehyde formed during the maturing process. |
| Citric Acid | Citric acid is a naturally occurring acid in grapes that provides freshness. It can be added to increase the acidity of musts or wines. |
| Citrus | Citric corresponds to the fruity aroma of certain wines evoking that of citrus fruits (citron, lemon, orange, etc.). |
| Claret | Claret is the term used for a lightly coloured red wine with an alcohol content not more than 2.5% vol. above the minimum legally established limit. |
| Clay Soil | Clay soil is a type of soil composed of more than 30% clay, aluminium and iron. After the rain, the clay soils, which absorb a lot of water, become saturated. |
| Clear Wine | Clear is an adjective used to indicate a wine with little intensity of colour. |
| Climate | The climate is the set of meteorological phenomena that characterise the average state of the atmosphere and its evolution over a long period of time in a place located on the earth's surface and which influence the vegetative cycle of the vine with consequences on its production and annual quality and quantity. |
| Cloudy Wine | A Cloudy wine is said to be cloudy when it presents turbidity due to particles in suspension. Opposite of clear. |
| Cloves | Clove is a spicy aroma, present in certain red wines, reminiscent of the dried flower buds of the clove tree. |
| Cocoa | Cocoa is a roasted aroma characteristic of some old vintages. |
| Coconut | Coconut is a pleasant aroma that appears in certain wood matured wines. |
| Códega do Larinho | Códega do Larinho is an oxidative white grape variety of medium ripeness, found mainly in the Douro and Trás-os-Montes regions. |
| Coffee | in tasting coffee aroma can be divided in into two distinct origins: |
| Colares | Colares is a Demarcated wine region in the Portuguese Lisbon district since 1908. |
| Cold Chamber | A cold chamber is a conditioned room for processing must prior to fermentation or for controlling the temperature of the must during fermentation. It also promotes the natural decanting of the wines. |
| Colloids | Colloids are all gelatinous substances that give body and thickness to wine, but may also cause instability. |
| Colour | Colour is a chromatic dimension of wine. Generally speaking, regarding colour, wines are classified according to the grapes from which they are made or according to the wine production process into red wines in which the colour varies from ruby – which may be more translucent or opaque – to garnet; white wines in which the tones range from pale yellow to amber and rose wines which may go from pale pink to violet. |
| Complex Wine | Complex is a term applied to designate a wine with several layers of aromas (primary, secondary and tertiary or maturation). |
| Concentrated Wine | A concentrated wine is one that has good colour extraction and/or intense aromas. |
| Confraria | Is a Portuguese fraternity who share wine as a common interest and get together to celebrate it. |
| Consistent Wine | A consistent wine is one that is firm, dense with some but not excessive tannins. |
| Contamination | Contamination is the action triggered by micro-organisms such as fungi or bacteria liable to alter wine. This may be due to carelessness in cleaning. |
| Cooper | A Cooper is a person qualified in the construction and repair of wooden vessels. |
| Cooperage | Cooperage is the term used to describe the art of making or repairing wooden vessels such as barrels, casks, or vats. |
| Cooperative Society | A wine Co-op is a society of winegrowers whose purpose is the common production of wines and the equitable distribution of the obtained benefits. |
| Copper | Heavy metals such as copper are trace elements that play an important role in the Oxy-reduction reaction balance of must. |
| Coppery Wine | Coppery is a term used to describe wines with reddish-brown, terracotta or golden-red colours. |
| Cordon Spur | Cordon spur is a grape vine training and pruning technique that consists of shaping the vine so that the vine shoots develop over the wires. |
| Cork | Cork is a organic material obtained from the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber L.), its light weight and has great insulating power. |
| Cork Stopper | A cork stopper is a product obtained from natural or agglomerated cork harvested from the cork oak, used to seal bottles or other containers to preserve the wine they contain. Its porosity allows a certain micro-oxygenation and is usually associated with wines for ageing. |
| Corkscrew | A Corkscrew is an instrument used to extract the corks from bottles. |
| Creamy Wine | The term creamy is used to distinguish a wine that has a creamy, pasty texture. |
| Crossarm | Rotating Crossarm is a traditional vine trellising system used especially in the Vinhos Verdes region. The trellis framework consists of a system of crosses perfectly aligned in successive rows. |
| Crown Caps | The crown cap is a metal stopper that is used to temporarily close bottles of sparkling wine that ferment in the bottle and release carbon dioxide. |
| Crystalline wine | Crystalline is a term applied to a wine that is crystal clear. |
| Crystals | Tartrate crystals are formed by binding tartaric acid to calcium or potassium molecules, which in turn give rise to crystals of potassium bitartrate and neutral calcium tartrate, which may form a salt-like deposit in the bottle. |
| Currais | Dry stone walls called “currais” built some 500 years ago, and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, are intended to protect the vineyards from wind and salt from the sea, and at the same time create a micro-climate for the vines, with more heat. |
| Cuvaison | Cuvaison is the French term for maceration. This is the process during the fermentation of red wines and some white wines in which the must liquid remains in contact with the seeds and skins to promote the extraction of tannins, anthocyanins and aromas. |
| Cuvée | The French term cuvée originally refers to wine from a tank or vat (cuvée). |
| Date | Date is an aroma of sweet dried fruit that can be found associated with toasted notes in some liqueur wines or wines made from very ripe grapes |
| Dessert Wine | The term dessert is used to describe a sweet and unctuous wine and with generally low acidity. |
| Douro Demarcated Region | The Douro Demarcated Region is distinguished by particular geographical characteristics, set between deep valleys and steep hills which, combined with a climate of "six months of winter and six months of hell", gives this region, beautifully sculpted along the River Douro, an unmistakable seductive beauty. |
| Dry | Dry, in reference to still wines indicates that the residual sugar in the wine is less than 2 g/L. Whilst in sparkling wines, the term dry indicates that it contains between 17 and 32 g/L. In Port wine, the residual sugar corresponding to the term dry is between 40 and 65 g/L. |
| Dull Wine | Dull describes a wine that is poor in aroma and/or flavour or a state of a wine that has lost aromas during bottle ageing. |
| Earthy Wine | Earthy is a term used for a wine with a damp earthy aroma or taste caused by an organic compound called geosmin (beets, mushrooms, fresh rain or damp soils are some of the possible flavours). |
| Elderberry | Elderberry is a floral, woody, honeyed aroma reminiscent of the fragrance of the elderflower. |
| Ethanal | Ethanal is a substance that gives some wines that have been in contact with oxygen their aroma. Fortified wines with oxidative maturing such as tawnies and sherries may contain aromas reminiscent of dried fruits or certain fruits such as green apple and quince. |
| Ethyl Acetate | Ethyl acetate is an ester derived from the combination of acetic acid and ethanol. Produces an unpleasant ether-like odour similar to glue, varnish or acetone. |
| Fermentation off Skins | Off skin fermentation is the winemaking process in which the must is fermented separately from the solid parts of the grape. Generally used for whites and rosés. |
| Fermentation on skins | Fermentation on skins the term used in Portugal to designate the winemaking method used, generally for reds and some roses, in which the must macerates and ferments in contact with the skins, pips and stems. |
| Fining | The name fining is given to the clarification technique whereby a fining agent is added and when it sediments it drags the suspended solids along with it. |
| Fining Agent | Fining agent (albumin, gelatine, bentonite, fish glue, etc.) is a substance that has the ability to bond and sediment impurities present in wines, helping to clarify them. |
| Finishing | Finishing is the name given to the set of final operations in the wine making and maturing process, mainly clarification. |
| Fixed Acidity | The fixed acidity together with the volatile acidity makes up the total acidity of a given wine. |
| Flavour | Flavour is the sensation caused by the stimulation of the tongue's taste receptors due to its interaction with the wine. There are six elementary tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami and metallic. |
| Fortified Wine | Fortified wine is a wine in which brandy has been added during fermentation, preventing the total transformation of its sugars into alcohol. The wine thus becomes sweeter and more alcoholic than table wines. |
| French Oak | French oak belongs to either the Quercus Petraea or the Quercus rubor species, both of which are used to obtain fine oak for maturing. |
| Full Wine | Full is the term used to designate a full-bodied, well-structured wine that covers the mouth. A full wine is a rich, balanced and harmonious wine. |
| Full-body Wine | Full-bodied is a term used to characterise a heavy and strong wine. |
| Game | Game is an extremely strong animal odour, characteristic of mature wines that have undergone a strong ageing in bottle. |
| Grape | Grape is the fruit of the Vitis vinifera species used to make wine. It is composed of skin, pulp and pips. |
| Grape Harvesting Box | Tthe grape harvesting box is a container usually made of stackable and interlockable polypropylene used to transport grapes from the vineyard to the winery. |
| Harvest | A harvest consists of picking the grape bunches, destined for wine production, when they reach the desired ripeness. |
| Harvest Year | The harvest year corresponds to the year in which the grapes of a given wine were harvested. |
| Hearty Wine | Hearty is a term used to characterise a robust and powerful warming wine. |
| Hoop | This is the galvanised iron arch that supports the staves and gives the barrels their shape. |
| Hydrogen Sulphide | Hydrogen sulphide is a rotten egg smelling compound produced during alcoholic fermentation in ageing conditions. |
| Jam | Jam is a fruity odour reminiscent of cooked fruit that appears in very intense and mature wines. |
| Label | The label is a guarantee document that is attached to the body of the bottle. The brand, product name, reference to the bottler and the origin of the product all must be inculded, but it may also contain information such as the number of bottles produced, mention of sulphites, etc. |
| Labeller | Labeller is the name given to the machine that automatically sticks the labels and back labels on the bottles or containers. |
| Lactic Acid | Lactic acid results from the breakdown of malic acid by malolactic bacteria. It provides smoothness to wines as it is a milder acid than malic acid. |
| Lactic Bateria | Lactic bacteria are micro-organisms that carry out malolactic fermentation in red wines and some more complex whites. |
| Leather | Leather is an odour belonging to the empyreumatic/musk range associated with the compound ethylphenol that usually appears due to Brettanomyces or Dekkera contamination. It is more common in wines with long maceration, matured in wood or long ageing in bottle. |
| Lees | Lees are the solid material that are deposited in the fermenting containers. |
| Limestone | Calcareous or lime soil are those with a high calcium carbonate content and secondary carbonate accumulation and high silt content. |
| Linden | Sometimes called Lime-tree is a delicate aroma present in some white wines that recall the flower of this tree. |
| Liquiorice | Liquorice is a woody and sweet aroma often detected in mature fine red wines |
| Malic Acid | Malic acid is a constituent of several fruits such as apples or grapes. It is broken down by malolactic bacteria by decarboxylation of malic acid into lactic acid. |
| Methyl Alcohol | Methyl alcohol, also known as methanol, is highly harmful to humans. It can cause blindness and even death. |
| Millerandage | Millerandage is the presence of small berries in a bunch of normal sized berries, and may be classified as green or sweet. Millerandage leads to seedless fruit caused by phenomena such as parthenocarpy and stenospermocarpy. |
| Mould | Mould is a tasting term used to describe wines that have a musty smell or taste. It may originate in rotten grapes, poor conservation of the wines or the cork used. |
| Muselet | A muselet is a galvanised wire frame with a top plate that is fixed to the neck ring of sparkling wine bottles to hold the cork under the pressure of the carbonated gas. |
| Mushroom | Mushroom is an earthy, fungal aroma belonging to both the vegetal and fungal aroma series. It is more common in wines that have been aged for a long time in the bottle |
| Musk | Musks are a series of aromas that have their origin in the evolution of the wine's proteins. It is reminiscent of the smell of leather, fur, game or leather goods. |
| Oak | Oak is a tree of the genus Quercus which is used to obtain the noble ageing woods. Traditionally, the oak species most used for cooperage are Quercus Alba (American) and the European species Quercus robur, Q. sessilis and Quercus petraea. |
| Old Vineyard | Old vineyard is a vineyard with an advanced planting age. During this last phase of the vine's biological cycle, not only is its effort concentrated on a smaller number of bunches, but also, because it has a highly developed radicular system (its deep nutrition extraction is more diversified and richer, and it also manages to overcome the lack of water and heat in the summer), its wines have high intensity and concentration. In the absence of Portuguese or international legislation determining the minimum age of a vineyard for it to be considered old, in a region with a recent wine history, as is the case of most of the Alentejo, a vineyard that is 25 years old is already considered old. In the Douro Demarcated Region, a vineyard is considered to be old if it is at least 40 to 50 years old. |
| Orange Peel | Orange Peel is the fruity aroma of some wines, specially present in the grape variety Touriga Nacional. |
| Organic Farming | Organic farming is a mode of production that aims to produce high quality, healthy food and textile fibres, while promoting sustainable practices and positive impact on the agricultural ecosystem. |
| Phenolic Acids | In grapes, phenolic acids are mainly hydroxycinnamic acids found in the vacuoles of the skin and pulp cells in the form of tartaric esters. |
| Phenolic Compounds | Phenolic compounds are a group of small molecules characterized by their structures having at least one phenol unit with one or more hydroxyl groups attached. |
| Pleasant | Pleasant is an adjective used to describe a wine whose features are all pleasant and balanced. |
| Pomace | Pomace is the solid parts resulting from the pressing of grapes. The pomace can be used as fertilizer or for the distillation of pomace brandy. |
| Port Pipe | Port Pipe is the name given to the wooden container of around 550 L used for maturing tawny Port wine. |
| Porto Ruby | Ruby is a category of Port wine with reductive ageing (avoiding contact with the air) in vat or bottle with the purpose of retaining its fruity and fresh character. As a general rule, they are of an intense red or reddish colour and rich in fruityness. |
| Potassium Bitartrate | Potassium bitartrate is a salt resulting from the reaction of tartaric acid and potassium. At low temperature the two substances react and produce potassium bitartrate crystals. |
| Potential Alcohol | The potential alcoholic strength of a given must. It corresponds to the alcohol value obtained if there is complete fermentation of all the sugars. |
| Press Wine | Wine obtained from the pressing of pomace. The winemaker defines, at their discretion, whether to blend with the free run wine or not. |
| Pruning Load | Pruning load is the number of buds left during pruning, which will determine the pruning branches for the following year. |
| Pumping Over | Pumping over is an important stage in red wine maceration. |
| Rabelo Boat | The rabelo boat is a Portuguese flat-bottomed, square-sailed vessel that measures between 19 and 23 metres. In former times, it was the nautical carriage used to transport the barrels of Port wine from the Douro vineyard to the cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia. |
| Rabo de Ovelha | Rabo de Ovelha, is a white grape variety that assumes some importance in the Portuguese vitivinicultural heritage. It has no equivalent variety and is recommended for the production of VQPRD whites in the Dão, Bairrada and Alentejo DOC (except Portalegre) and some DOC in Ribatejo, Estremadura and the Setúbal Peninsula. |
| Racking | Racking is an operation that consists of separating (and sometimes aerating) the clear wine from the lees deposited at the bottom of the vats or barrels. The transfer is done by gravity or pumping and means moving the wine into another container, separating it from the lees (either coarse or both). |
| Raw Wine | Raw is said of a wine that has not yet developed, that is too young to reveal its characteristics. |
| Re-fermentation | Re-fermentation is the action of re-fermenting a wine so that it converts the remaining sugar into alcohol. A wine with residual sugar may ferment again in bottle if it has not been well stabilised. |
| Receiving Hopper or Auger | The receiving hopper or auger designates the container, generally large and made of stainless steel, where the grapes coming from the harvest are unloaded. It is a quick method of unloading without the possibility of selection. |
| Red Wine Glass | A red wine glass should have a greater capacity than the white glass to help the aromas release and aerate the wine. |
| Refining | Refining is the mixing of spirits to obtain high quality liquors. This is part of the finishing process which is carried out on brandies or cognacs. |
| Refractometer | Refractometer is an optical instrument used to measure the refractive index of a liquid substance. |
| Refreshing Wine | A wine that is refreshing is a light wine with pleasant acidity. |
| Region Demarcated Algarve | The Algarve known by many as Portugal's largest holiday resort, was once home to a vast expanse of vineyards. |
| Region Demarcated Azores | In the Azores, near the sea where the waves overflow the shores on stormy days, it was recognised more than five centuries ago that the way to protect the vines from the harshest winds was to build basalt walls. |
| Regional Winegrowing Commission (CVR) | The main function of the regional winegrowing commissions (CVR) is the certification of the wines of the region under their jurisdiction. |
| Remouage | Remouage is the operation that aims to direct the lees produced during the second sparkling wine bottle fermentation towards the neck of the bottle and consists of shaking and rotating the bottles placed on top of the pupitres. |
| Reproductive Cycle | The grapevine reproductive cycle takes place over two consecutive years from the differentiation of the buds’ inflorescences primordia, before the flowering period of one year, to the ripening of the pips at the phisiological maturity of the following year. |
| Reserve | Reserve is the name given to quality wine with outstanding organoleptic characteristics in a glass bottle, associated with the vintage year, which cannot be marketed before being at least six months old and must be registered in a specific current account. |
| Residual Sugar | Residual sugar is the sugar left in wine after alcoholic fermentation. |
| Retancha | Replanting is the name given to the act of replanting vines that have died for whatever reason. |
| Retronasal Aroma | Retronasal aroma becomes perceptible when the wine is put in the mouth and heated to body temperature. This releases aromatic substances that are not released at lower temperatures (retronasal aroma) that can be perceived in the depth of the mouth during the tasting phase in which the pharynx and the nose work together. |
| Robust Wine | Robust is said of a full-bodied wine that presents a good structure. |
| Rose | Rose is the floral aroma reminiscent of most varieties of rose, rich in notes of open rose, withered rose and rose petals. |
| Rose Wine | Rose is a wine with a rosy hue that is obtained either by saignée method or by direct and light pressing of red grapes in which the maceration does not last longer than the pressing time. |
| Rough Wine | Rough Wine is an adjective used to describe a wine that is rough and rich in coarse tannins. |
| Rounded Wine | Rounded describes a wine that shows harmony between its components. The tannins are polished and pleasant on the palate, making the wine soft and velvety. |
| Ruby | Ruby is the colour of a red wine that resembles the colour of the ruby stone. |
| Saborinho | Saborinho (also known as Tinta Negra or Molar de Colares) is one of the Azores' traditional red grape varieties that has almost disappeared from vineyards. |
| Saccharomyces Cerevisiae | Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the most common fermentation yeast (of oxidative metabolism) to develop alcoholic fermentation in wine production. |
| Saffron | A spicy aroma derived from the saffron crocus flower. |
| Saignée Method “Bleeding” | In oenology, saignée method involves the act of extracting the liquid must from the vat, separating it from the solid parts. |
| Salinity | Salinity is used to describe obvious iodine or seaweed saltiness notes. |
| Salty Flavour | The salty taste is due to the presence of ions of mineral acid salts and some recurrent organic acids in coastal wine-growing areas or saline soils. |
| Sandy | Sandy refers to a type of soil that has about 70% sand in relation to the total solid particles. It has large openings between the grains of sand through which water and air circulate with relative ease. |
| Sediment | The sediment that sometimes collects in the bottle is composed of colouring matter and potassium bitartrate crystals. They are only a visual defect as they are harmless to health. |
| Selected Harvest | Selected Harvest refers to a designation in Portuguese legislation, that can only be attributed to vinhos verdes and wines with geographical indication that have outstanding organoleptic characteristics and an alcohol content equal to or greater (by 1% in vol.) than the legally established limit, and must be listed in a specific current account, where it is obligatory to indicate the harvest year; |
| Sensory Analysis | Sensory analysis is defined as a scientific method that is used to evoke, measure, analyse and interpret certain reactions that are perceived by human beings to the characteristics of a product through the senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. |
| Setúbal, DO | The Setúbal Designation of Origin vineyards extend over 15 kilometres north, west and east of the port city of Setúbal, on the limestone hills of the Arrábida Mountains Natural Park where they form a specific terroir for the production of the fortified wine, Moscatel de Setúbal. |
| Silky Wine | Silky is a term used to describe a smooth, velvety wine that elicits pleasant sensations on the palate. Silky wine is an adjective for wines that have a pleasant tactile sensation of delicacy and lightness that are reminiscent of satin. |
| Silky Wine | Silky is a term used to describe a smooth, velvety wine that elicits pleasant sensations on the palate. |
| Smooth Wine | Smooth is a term that applies to a wine that has a fine and round texture, balanced in body and flavour. |
| Sour | Sour is the sensation produced by excess acidity and sourness. It refers to a wine that is over-powered by the acetic acidity that produces a vinegary aroma. |
| Sousão | Sousão is a red grape variety that originated in Minho under the official synonym Vinhão and is distributed throughout the entire Demarcated Vinho Verde region and is expanding in the Douro, where it also includes some DOC Douro wines. |
| Spacing | Spacing is the measure of the distance between vines in the row (m) by the distance between the rows (m), which corresponds to the area occupied by a vine in (m2). |
| Spittoon | A wine spittoon is a small container intended to receive the wine that the tasters do not intend to ingest, particularly used during tastings. |
| Stainless Steel | Stainless steel is a ferrocarbon alloy which is hardened by tempering and has the property of not oxidising. It is used to coat presses, tanks and other containers to ensure easy sanitation |
| Stave | Staves are curved wooden boards that form the body of barrels, casks, vats, etc. |
| Still Wine | Still is a wine without effervescence, added alcohol or sugar. |
| Sucrose | Sucrose, the scientific name for sugar, is a disaccharide composed of one molecule of glucose and one of fructose. |
| Sugars | The main constituent sugars of wines are glucose and fructose. Alcoholic fermentation occurs due to yeast, that transform glucose into ethanol and carbon dioxide. |
| Sulphur Dioxide (commonly called sulphur) | Sulphur dioxide is a substance with clarifying, antiseptic, antioxidant and antioxidase properties. It is used in small quantities in musts and wines to protect them from oxidation and possible contamination. Inhibits the growth of bacteria. |
| Sulphur Wine | Sulphur Wine is said to have a characteristic chemical odour reminiscent of sulphur. |
| Sweaty | Sweaty is a descriptive term used to characterize a wine contaminated with yeasts of the genus Brettanomyces / Dekkera. |
| Sweet Flavour | The sweet flavour in wine comes from sugars from grapes and alcohols of fermentation origin. |
| Table Grape | Table grape is a term used to designate grapes from varieties grown for fresh consumption. These are grapes with a higher quantity of pectins in the pulp. |
| Tangerine | Tangerine is a fruity aroma reminiscent of the fruit of the same name. |
| Tannic Wine | Tannic is a term used to describe an astringent wine, that’s rich in generally harsh and rough tannins. |
| Tannins | Tannins are polyphenols with astringent properties capable of triggering production of proteins and glycoproteins in saliva. |
| Tartaric Acid | Tartaric acid is an acid found in grapes. Unlike most plants, Vitis vinifera fruits are low in citric acid but accumulate large concentrations of tartaric acid. |
| Tartrates | Tartrates are crystals that are derived from tartaric acid and form with increasing alcohol content, lowering of temperature or raising of pH. These may be neutral calcium tartrates or potassium bitartrates. |
| Tasting Room | A tasting room is a place prepared for wine tasting which aims to minimise errors, enhance the perceptions of the tasters and eliminate variability. |
| Teinturier Grape Variety | The teinturier name comes from the French word ” to dye or stain”, is a red variety in which, in addition to the skin, the berry pulp is also coloured. Examples are Sousão or Vinhão and Alicante Bouschet. |
| Tejo Valley | The Tejo region is a DOC winegrowing region which includes the subregions of Almeirim, Coruche, Cartaxo, Chamusca, Santarém and Tomar. Located in the heart of Portugal, the Tagus region is intrinsically linked to wine production. |
| Temperature control | Temperature control, in oenology, refers to the temperature control of the must during fermentation that may need to be heated (speed up the process and increase extraction) or cooled (slow down the process and decrease extraction). |
| Tenaz Tongs | “Tenaz” Tongs are a tool, invented in the Douro region, used to open bottles of very old wine whose cork is not in conditions to be removed with a corkscrew. The lower end of the tongs, once heated, hugs the neck of the bottle below the cork. Then remove the tongs and pour cold water over the neck of the bottle, which then breaks at the place previously clamped by the tongs. |
| Terrace | Terrace is a type of construction that is very typical of the demarcated Douro region. Due to the steep slope of the land, the vines were planted following the contour lines in traditional terraces supported by schist walls. These walls were built by hand on the steep slopes and later filled in with earth brought from the river bank or by breaking the bedrock. |
| Terrantez da Madeira | Terrantez da Madeira, along with Malvasia, is one of the most noble grape varieties for Madeira wine. However, unlike Malvasia, which is highly cultivated, the Terrantez da Madeira variety has been slowly disappearing. It is white with a very thin skin and is known for producing spicy and complex wines with a sweet first impression and a very dry finish. |
| Terrantez do Pico | Terrantez do Pico is one of the three indigenous grape varieties which remain exclusive to the Azores Islands. The other two are Verdelho and Arinto. The more popular Verdelho is also used in the Madeira Island. |
| Terroir | The viticultural "terroir" is a concept that refers to an area on which a collective knowledge of interactions between an identifiable physical and biological environment and the viticultural practices is applied, which give distinctive characteristics to the products from this area. A Terroir has specific the soil, topography, climate, landscape, and biodiversity characteristics (OIV, 2010) |
| Thermal Range | The thermal range refers to the difference between the highest and lowest temperature in a given period. |
| Thyme | Thyme is a herbal aroma reminiscent of the plant of the same name |
| Tinta Amarela, Trincadeira Preta or Trincadeira | The Trincadeira Preta (Alentejo) or Tinta Amarela (Douro) or simply Trincadeira is a typical Alentejo grape variety with a thin and fragile skin, which causes it to rot if it rains and to shrivel at high temperatures. |
| Tinta Carvalha | Tinta Carvalha is an old grape variety from the Alentejo, related to Castelão and Moreto and a result of the crossing of the Sarigo and Alfrocheiro Preto grape varieties. Medium to regular yielding red grape variety, with short funnel-shaped bunches of medium compactness, with medium thick-skinned berries. |
| Tinta Roriz | The Aragonez red grape variety, imported from Aragão and with the official synonyms Tinta-Roriz and Tempranillo, is the most widely grown grape variety in Portugal. It is a tenacious grape variety, very vigorous and productive, easily adaptable to different climates and soils. If the growth vigour is managed, it offers elegant wines with notes of fruit and spices. |
| To Plug | The verb To Plug means to seal a barrel or vat with a bung. |
| Toasted | Toasted is a tertiary aroma of the empyreumatic series that reminds one of toasted nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), toasted seeds (coffee) or toasted bread that can generally be found in wines matured in wood. |
| Tobacco | Tobacco is a pungent scent of the empyreumatic range that evokes the smell of a cigar or cigarette. |
| Tonel Barrel | Tonel is a container made of oak or chestnut wood with a high capacity used to age and store fortified wines. |
| Topsoil tillage | Topsoil tillage is an operation carried out at the end of spring that aims to thoroughly tilt the soil in order to help the root development of the vine, destroy the bedrock and remove old roots. |
| Total Acidity | The total acidity is the sum of the titratable acids present in the wine at pH7 by adding a titratable alkaline solution (NaOH). |
| Touriga Nacional | Touriga Nacional, considered the best variety for Port wine and now paving the way for Portuguese table wines showing great elegance, they are wines with intense colour and even more intense flavour. The aromas are of violet and tea. |
| Training | Training is the technique used on the vine that allows, through pruning, to give the plant a certain shape. |
| Transfer Pump | A Transfer Pump is a device used to move wine from tank to tank, aerate or refill. |
| Truffle | Truffle is a primary aroma of the vegetal range or a tertiary fungal aroma in some matured wines that recalls either the fruitier odour of the black truffle or the strong odour of the white truffle. |
| Trunk | Trunk is the stem of the vinestock between the root and the limbs of the vine. |
| Umami Flavour | The Umami taste in wine is due to the presence of amino acids |
| Unctuous Wine | Unctuous is a term used to describe a wine rich in glycerol and sometimes alcohol with a silky body which in turn comes from the fatty character of a red wine or the residual sugar contained in a white wine. |
| Vanilla | Vanilla is a balsamic aroma present in numerous wines, reminiscent of the perfume of vanilla. |
| Varietal | Varietal is the primary aroma and flavour characteristic of the grape variety itself. |
| Varietal Wine | Varietal wine is a wine made from only one grape variety. |
| Variety | Grape variety is the name used to designate a variety of vine that presents a set of common morphological characteristics and that has descended from the same ancestors. |
| Varnish | Varnish is an unpleasant ethereal smell similar to glue or acetone characteristic of the ethyl acetate molecule. It may begin in fermentation or during the ageing of the wine. |
| Vat | Vat is the deposit used for the fermentation of musts or the storage of wines. These are stainless steel or cement vessels coated with an inert material. |
| Vegetal | Vegetal is a series of primary aromas characteristic of certain grape varieties such as fresh grass, lavender, thyme, oregano, moss, or black tea. |
| Vegetative cycle | The vegetative cycle is the period of time between sprouts (start of root activity). |
| Vegetative rest | Vegetative rest is a dormant period of the vine which occursafter leaf fall. This period ends with the start of budbreak the following year. |
| Veil | Veil is the name given to the film composed of microorganisms that develop on the surface of wines when their containers are not fully filled. |
| Veil of Flor | Veil of flor is a whitish veil made up of yeast that appears on the surface of the wine and becomes thicker and thicker, eventually sedimenting when it becomes too heavy. The sedimentation of the veil causes the wine to become cloudy. Caused by aerobic metabolism yeasts, such as Candida spp. and Pichia spp., this infection develops mainly in young wines with low alcoholic content, occurring in badly filled tanks or in bottles with an excess of air. |
| Velvety Wine | Velvety is said of a wine that, on tasting, is soft, smooth, with a pleasant texture. It applies to, above all, red wines rounded off by maturing or by the quality of their tannins. |
| VEQPRD | VEQPRD is an indication of quality sparkling wine produced in a specific region. |
| Verdelho | "Is it Verdelho Verdelho or Verdelho Gouveio?"The answer may well be "it’s Verdelho Verdejo". Confused? Don’t worry, it is. Many believe they have tasted Verdelho, but few truly have. The botanical similarity between the Gouveio and Verdelho varieties led to the former being mislabelled for years as verdelho, giving rise to enormous confusion. To make matters worse, the Spanish grape variety Verdejo, close in name, is also confused with Verdelho. These three varieties are distinct from each other. When we say Verdelho, we mean the Verdelho from the islands. This variety provides aromatic and balanced wines, used for medium dry fortified wines in Madeira. The variety has small and compact bunches composed of small yellowish green berries. |
| Vermouth | Vermouth is fortified aperitif wine flavoured with flowers, aromatic herbs, and spices. Each type of vermouth follows a slightly different preparation, but for the most part they are macerated wines, for a period ranging from six months to a year, with the addition of different spices and herbs. After that they are fortified to raise their alcoholic strength to 16º or 18º. |
| Vigour | The vigour of a vine is related to its growth, and is characterised by long and large diameter canes, long inter-nodes and a tendency to develop panicles, secondary shoots and epicormic branches. To ensure that the bunches are in good microclimatic conditions and that the balance of the plant is favourable to adequate production, vigour must be controlled. |
| Vine | The vine is a perennial plant belonging to the Rhamnaceae family and the Vitales order. Over time, this crop has shown the ability to adapt to different climatic conditions, to grow in various types of soil and to flower between 20º and 50º latitude either north or south of the equator, making it the fruit crop with the largest planted area in the world. |
| Vineyard | Vineyard is the term vineyard is the term used to describe land planted with vines. |
| Vineyard on High | Vineyard on high is a system of trellising on sloped land (35-40% inclination) where the vines are planted following the contour lines of the hill allowing for high coverage on unfavourable terrain. |
| Vinhão | Vinhão is a red grape variety that originated in Minho and is distributed throughout the entire Demarcated Vinho Verde region and is expanding in the Douro under the official synonym Sousão, where it also includes some DOC Douro wines. |
| Vinho Verde | Vinho Verde wine is a wine produced exclusively in the Demarcated Region of Vinhos Verdes in northwest Portugal, it is made only from the region's native grape varieties, preserving its distinctive typical aromas and flavours. |
| Vinho Verde, DOC | Denominação de origem controlada, The Demarcated Vinho Verde Region extends throughout the northwest of the country, in the area traditionally known as Entre-Douro-e-Minho. It is bordered to the north by the Minho River (the border with Galicia), to the east and south by mountainous areas that form the natural separation between the Entre-Douro-e-Minho Atlantic and the more inland Mediterranean areas of the country, and finally by the Atlantic Ocean, which forms its western extremities. |
| Vinification | Vinification is the set of technical operations needed to transform grapes into wine. |
| Violet | Violet is a very pleasant floral odour, reminiscent of violets, given by ionone, which may be detected in certain wines. |
| Violet, Colour | Violet is a descriptive term for the red-violet colour of some young red wines. |
| Viscous Wine | Viscous is the characteristic of a wine whose consistency produces a fluid tactile sensation. |
| Viticulture | Viticulture is a multidisciplinary area that brings together the scientific knowledge needed to establish and maintain, on a given soil, a vineyard that produces grapes of the quality and health status needed to produce wine. |
| Vitis Vinifera | Vitis vinifera is the scientific name given to the European vine species. |
| Vivacity | Vivacity is a quality of a fresh, sparkling wine that has a lively character. |
| Vivid Wine | A wine that presents a lot of colour intensity is said to be vivid. |
| VLQPRD | Quality Fortified Wine Produced in a Specified Region. |
| Volatile Acidity | Volatile acidity is formed by acetic bacteria which, in contact with oxygen, oxidise alcohol to acetaldehyde and acetaldehyde to acetic acid, water and carbon dioxide. |
| VQPRD | Quality Wine Produced in a Specified Region, includes DOC and Geographical Indication wines. |
| Water | Water is fundamental for the growth of the grapes and the survival of the vineyard. Water makes up between 80 and 90% of the composition of wine. All the odour and taste elements of wine are dissolved in it. |
| Watery Wine | Watery is a term used to describe a poor, diluted wine |
| Wet Cardboard | Wet Cardboard is the odour that the wine may acquire, either through TCA contamination, being in contact with the filtering plates or simply because the glasses used were dried with paper. |
| White Wine | White is a term used to characterise a wine ranging from straw-coloured to golden tones. |
| White wine glass | White wine glass should have a small opening and a low volumetric capacity. It is important that the glass has a low volume so that the wine always remains fresh. |
| Wholesaler | A wholesaler is a natural or legal person, or a group of such persons, engaged in wholesale trade of wine derivatives and by-products of wine production, in bulk or bottled, excluding the distribution of bottled products to the final consumer and retail sales. |
| Wine | Wine is the product obtained from total or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, whether or not crushed, or of fresh grape must, whose berries are crushed, pressed or processed by other technological processes allowed by law and the alcohol content may not be less than 8.5% |
| Wine Alcohol | Wine alcohol comes from the distillation of pomace liquors and lees from the harvest. |
| Wine Brandy | Wine brandy is a spirit drink obtained by distilling wine into Aguardente Velha, Cognac, Armagnac and Brandy. |
| Wine Crate | A wine box is a cardboard or wooden package used to transport bottled wines. It generally contains 6 or 12 bottles. |
| Wine Vinegar | Wine vinegar is a product resulting from the fermentation of wine by acetic bacteria resulting acetic acid. |
| Winegrower | Winegrower is a natural or collective person, or a group of such persons, who makes wines from fresh grapes produced exclusively on his own or a third party's vineyard holding, provided that the holder of the vineyard holding unequivocally assumes effective management and exclusive responsibility for making and storing wine. |
| Winery | Winery is the set of facilities where the grapes from the vine are received and where a wine is made and matured. The term can also be used to refer to a company that makes, matures, and/or markets wine. |
| Winery Worker | Winery worker is the person responsible for the winery and all the work inherent to the production and maturing of wines. |
| Year | Year means the vintage year of a given wine. |
References
