Wine Terms N - S

Nutty

A wine tasting term for a wine that exhibits flavors reminiscent of nuts, especially hazelnut. In some cases this can be a sign that the wine is oxidized.

Oak

Oak is used to make containers for storing and aging wine. Specific oak is used for small barrels to impart flavor and tannins to the wine. The newer the barrel, the more flavor it imparts. Oak is critical for making long lived red wines, and some whites.

Oxidized

A wine tasting term for a wine that has absorbed oxygen. In extreme examples the wine (usually white wine) has begun to turn brown.

Petite Sirah

A wine grape found primarily in California. Once thought to be related to the Syrah grape of the Rhone Valley in France, it is now known to be the grape Durif. It has been said that this grape is "neither petite, nor Syrah."
Pinot Blanc

A relative of the Pinot Noir, this white grape is planted in abundance in Alsace, France; California and Oregon. At one time this grape was found in the vineyards of Burgundy, along side Chardonnay.

Pinot Grigio

The Italian name for the grape and wine produced from the Pinot Gris grape. Most of this popular wine is rather bland and uninspiring.

Pinot Gris

A relative of the Pinot Noir grape this "grey" member of the family is important in Alsace, France, where it is known as Tokay d'Alsace and in Germany where it is called Rulander, and in Italy as Pinot Grigio.

Pinot Noir

One of the most important red wine grapes in the World. At home in Burgundy, France, it is also found throughout the New World. In California many of the best examples are found in Santa Barbara county. Oregon too boasts exceptional Pinots, and New Zealand is proud of their up and coming contributions.

Pinotage

An important grape in South Africa. The result of crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault (which is known as Hermitage in South Africa). While the South Africans are very proud of the wines made from this grape, I have not had the pleasure of tasting one of note.

Port

A sweet red wine that is made by adding neutral grape spirit (brandy) to the unfinished wine. This is the process known as "fortification." Port is made in several styles.

Vintage Port is made in years that are exceptional. It is bottled young, and ages in the bottle for decades. An aged Vintage Port throws a good deal of sediment and must be decanted before serving.

Primitivo

A red wine grape found in Italy. It was thought for some time that this was the origin of the Zinfandel grape of California. Current DNA methods suggest that the Primitivo may actually have come from the Zinfandel, rather than the other way around.

Prosecco

A white wine grape of Italy. In the US it is best known as a sparkling wine made from the same grape. In Italy the wine may be sparkling, lightly sparkling, or even still.

Reserve

In the US the term reserve has no legal meaning. It implies that the wine is from the better part of the production; however, it is often used on the label of very cheap wines that have not been reserved from anything.

Rice Wine

Made throughout Asia, and best known as the Japanese Sake, this is not a wine at all. The first criteria for wine, both legally and from the point of view of quality, is to be made from grapes.

Riesling

One of the greatest white wine grapes. Found originally in Germany, and still the most important quality grape there, it has now made its way around the world.

Rose

The French word for "pink" and the wines that are close to that color. Rose wines suffer from an image problem. It may be that white wine and red wine drinkers feel that rose does not fit either niche, rather than being a bridge between them. It may also be that the sweet and simple rose wines from the 60s and 70s made people think that all rose wines are as uninspiring.

Round

A wine tasting term applied to a wine that is well balanced. Often used as in "a well rounded wine."

Sake

A Japanese rice based alcoholic beverage often erroneously called "rice wine."

Sangiovese

One of the most important red wine grapes of Italy. Found primarily in the Tuscany region of central Italy. There are several distinct clones of this grape, each of varying quality.

Sauvignon Blanc

A white wine grape planted around the world. In France it is found in Bordeaux, where it is usually blended with Semillon to make a rich styled wine, but with very little varietal character. The Loire Valley of France is home to the villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume which may produce the truest expression of this grape.

Sec

The French term for "dry" (meaning a wine without any residual sugar).
The exception is Champagne. No one wanted to admit to drinking sweet wines, so "Sec" is a term that was adopted for the sweetest style of Champagne.

Secco

The Italian term for "dry" (meaning a wine without any residual sugar).

Sharp

A wine tasting term used when the acid in a wine is out of balance or strong. It would fall between "tart" and "sour" on a scale of perceived acidity.

Shiraz

The Australian name for the grape Syrah. Most of the vines planted in Australia (where Shiraz is one of the most planted red wine grapes) can trace their ancestry back to France, via South Africa. This circuitous route means that the vines left France before the twin plagues of oidium and phylloxera of the last half of the 19th century.

Silky

A wine tasting term for a specific mouth feel that is evident in the very finest of red wines. It is related to balance and is usually used when the wine is old enough for the tannins to have softened.

Smooth

A wine tasting term that refers to a tactile sensation in the mouth (mouth feel) associated with the acids, rather than the tannins in the wine (see "soft"). Technically a wine is smooth due to the presence of lactic acid, which in turn is present in the wine due to malo-lactic fermentation.

Soft

A wine tasting term that refers to the lack of apparent tannins in a wine. If the wine is well aged, or in a style that is enjoyed young, soft is a plus. If the wine is meant to age, and is soft in its youth, it is a minus, as one would expect to find tannins to help the wine age.

Sparkling Wine

That class of wines that has been carbonated. The highest quality versions are carbonated through the action of yeast in a sealed bottle. This is the champagne method, and all Champagne is made this way. Another method is to start in the bottle, but then to transfer all the wine to a tank and filter out the sediment. This is known as the transfer method.

Spice / Spicy

A wine tasting term. Use carefully. Gewurztraminer (which means "spicy traminer") is the only grape that you should use the unqualified term "spice" for (in reference to its aroma). For every other type of wine, it is important to specify what kind of spice you mean (after all there are many spices).

Split

The name for a quarter bottle of wine, especially Champagne.

Syrah

One of the great red wine grapes. At home in the Rhone valley of France, it has made its way to Australia where it is known as Shiraz as well as California where it is still known as Syrah.

The above Information was written by Stephen Reiss

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