Wine-Searcher Technical Wine Terms A to B

'A'

• Acidification: Is the practice of arficially increasing the acidity of grape 'must' by the addition of Tartaric, Citric or Malic acids. It is most prevalent in warm wine regions where the grapes' natural acids (mainly Malic acid) tend to degrade during the ripening process. If acidification is not carried out in these conditions, the resulting wine will not only lack freshness with a subdued fruit quality but will also be vulnerable to bacterial spoilage as the acids act as preservatives to certain degree.
  
  
• Alluvial: Refers to a soil type made up of fine grained elements like clay, sand, silt and sometimes gravels or stones. Alluvial soils are created when these sediments are deposited by flowing water bodies. Soils high in alluvial components are generally fertile.
  
  
• Altitude: In wine-growing terms, it refers to the height above sea level of a particular geographical location (a large region, sub-region or even a vineyard site). Altitude often has a marked effect on a wine's quality due to the following reasons:
  • With every 100 meters (330 ft), temperature normally falls by about 1.1 F (0.6 C). So, higher the vineyard location is, cooler will be the air temperature which will delay the ripening or conversely lengthen the growing period. This ensures that the grapes enjoy a longer 'hang-time' which assists in the accumulation of vital chemical compounds (acids, sugar, color compounds etc.) which defines a grape's profile. On the negative side, lower temperatures can hinder ripening making these regions generally suitable for 'cool climate viticulture', or the production of grape varieties which can be reliably ripened
  • Altitude also affects the intensity of sunlight which means that on a clear sunny day, the vines on a higher site will enjoy more intense sunlight than the one on a plain. Sunlight intensity is often associated with the development of color pigments as well as having an overall effect on the ripening process.
  
  
  
• Amontillado: A style of Sherry that is richer in color and aromas than a Fino. An Amontillado has a layer of the 'Flor' to start with but as the yeast dissipates, the wine is 'fortified' to approximately 17.5% alcohol to prevent rapid oxidation. A slow ageing from now on results in a darker color but with hints of the Flor characters.
  
  
• Anthocyanin: A naturally occurring 'phenolic' compound responsible for the color of red grapes and wines.
  
  
• AOP: Stands for Appellation d'Origin Protegée, formerly AOC (Appellation d'Origin Controlée). Highest level of the French wine hierarchy, an AOP classification denotes the quality and acts as a guarantee that a wine has been produced in a designated area in accordance with local laws and regulations. Includes all the Grand and Premier Cru wines.
  
  
• Appellation: Refers to a geographical area defined by a country or region's wine laws to indicate a particular wine producing area.
  
  
• Aromatics: A generic term referring to the grape varieties that produce distinctly aromatic wines. More specifically, it is used for fruity and floral aromas produced by white grape varieties like Riesling, Viognier, Muscat and the Traminer family, especially Gewürztraminer among others.
  
  
• AVA (American Viticultural Area): A geographical area designated as a suitable wine-growing region based on it's grape-growing conditions in the United States of America. The boundaries of these regions are defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
  
  

'B'

• Barrel fermentation: A winemaking technique of fermenting the grape juice in oak barrels with the primary aim to integrate the grape's natural flavors with the oak components. This is particularly suited for white wines as it allows a controlled extraction of oak components in the wine and readies it for further barrel maturation (see below). The 'lees' or yeast solids that remain after this fermentation are also thought to impart a softer mouthfeel to the wine.
  
  
• Barrel Maturation: Is a step in winemaking process where a wine is stored in oak barrels post fermentation. With barrel maturation, the winemaker aims to extract the oak components that will hopefully integrate with the wine's flavor to produce more complex aromas. Barrel maturation is also important to soften the harsh tannins in young red wines and stabilize their color. This is achieved due to the action of oxygen which the wine comes in contact with in the barrel.
  
  
• Botrytized: Mostly referred to the sweet/dessert wines made using grapes affected by the fungus Botrytis cinerea. In its beneficial form, the condition is also known as 'noble rot'. The affected berries lose moisture, leaving behind a higher percentage of solids especially sugars.
  
  This results in wines high in 'residual sugar' and concentrated flavor.