|
Abboccato |
Italian for lightly sweet. |
|
ABV |
Alcohol by volume,
measured as the percentage of alcohol in the
liquid. |
|
Acetic |
Used to describe sour
vinegar characteristics. |
|
Acidity |
The quality, state, or
degree of being sour, tart, sharp or chemically
acid. |
|
Adega |
A Portuguese term meaning
cellar. |
|
|
|
Aestivalis |
See Vitis
Aestivalis |
|
Ah-So |
A wine opener with two
parallel prongs that are wedged into the bottle
on opposite sides of the cork using a rocking
motion. The cork is then pulled out by lifting
the Ah-So straight from the bottle. Also known
as the 'Butler's Friend, because a butler could
remove the cork, fill his glass, and replace the
cork without anyone knowing. |
|
Albariza |
A white marl composed of
clay, calcium and sea fossils found in the Jerez
region of Spain. Albariza is highly valued
because it imbues Sherry with its most notable
characteristics and also reflects sunlight back
to the grape vines to help the grapes ripen.
Areas containing Albariza are classified as
Jerez Superior and are divided into individual
vineyards. |
|
Alluvion |
See Alluvium |
|
Alluvium |
Clay, silt or gravel
carried by rushing streams and deposited where
the stream slows down. |
|
Almacenista |
The owner of a small
family-run solera in the Jerez region of Spain
who sells his Sherry to the larger bodegas. The
larger bodegas then blend in the Almacenista's
Sherry with their own and often print his name
on the label. |
|
Amabile |
Italian for semi-sweet. |
|
Amarzém |
See Adega |
|
American Viticultural Area |
Growing regions in the
United States, distinguished by geographical and
terroir features, that are defined and regulated
by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. |
|
Amontillado |
A style of Sherry. The
traditional Amontillado is a mature Fino that is
fortified to give it a higher alcohol content
(between 16% and 18%) and placed in barrels
where flor cannot grow. This method of
fermentation gives the wine a slight oxidation
that deepends its color and imbues rich, nutty
flavors. |
|
Añada |
A Spanish term for a wine
of the current year. |
|
Anbaugebiete |
Any of the thirteen
specific wine producing regions recognized under
German wine law Qualitätswein bestimmter
Anbaugebiete. |
|
Annatta |
Italian for vintage. |
|
Año |
Spanish for year. |
|
AOC |
See Appellation
d'Origine Contrôlée |
|
Apéritif |
An alcoholic beverage
consumed before a meal to stimulate the
appetite, such as sparkling and fortified wines. |
|
Aperitivo |
Italian for the French
term apéritif. |
|
Appellation |
A protected name under
which a wine may be sold, to indicate that the
grapes are from a specified district. Can be a
large area, such as California, or a small,
specific area, such as Napa Valley. |
|
Appellation
d'Origine Contrôlée |
The French quality control
system, created by The National Institute of
Appellations of Origin (INAO) in 1935, to
guarantee the origin of wine and other food
products, such as cheese. |
|
Arena |
The Spanish term for sand. |
|
Aroma |
The quality of wine which
constitutes its fragrance. Used with the simple,
fruity fragrance associated with young wines,
while bouquet is associated with mature wines. |
|
Ausbruch |
Sweet Austrian wine made
from overripe, medium-shriveled grapes affected
by Botrytis cinerea. |
|
Auslese |
Literally translated from
German as 'selected harvest', these wines are
made from fully-ripened grape bunches
specifically chosen by the producer. Typically
crisp and sweet with concentrated fruit
characteristics. |
|
AVA |
See American Viticultural
Area |
