A - B

Acetic: Wines contain several types of acid, but acetic is the bad one: it suggests vinegar and is sometimes referred to as volatile acidity. If present at more than minimal levels, it makes a wine unpleasant.

Acidity: Acid is present in all grapes, and therefore all wines. It is extremely important (particularly in white wines) in determining structure, shape and lifespan. Good acid levels can make a wine crisp and refreshing, supporting the aftertaste. Acidity also helps preserve a wine. Wines low in acidity are often described as tasting flabby.

Aeration: Letting a wine "breathe" before drinking it in order to soften the tannins, smooth out the wine, and allow the bouquet and flavors to open up. Young red wines benefit most from aeration, which is accomplished by decanting the bottle into another container; or else, by swirling the wine in a glass.

Aggressive: A term used to describe a wine with harsh flavors, often the result of too much tannin or acid.

Alluvial: Soil that contains clay, silt, sand or gravel deposited by running water is said to be alluvial. Grapes grown in mostly sandy and stony alluvial soil produce wines with more concentrated fruit flavors.

Appellation: A system developed by the French to regulate the authenticity of their finest wines. Appellation applies specifically to the region where the grapes were grown. The French also regulate what grapes can be grown where; what winemaking methods can be used; how large the yields can be; etc. Other countries have adopted their own versions of controlled appellations with varying success.

Aroma: The scent of a wine--frequently used interchangeably with the word "bouquet." Some tasters apply the term aroma only to the fruit-like fragrances of a young wine, and subsequently refer to the more complex smells of bottle-aged wines as bouquet.

Appellation d'origine controlee (aoc): The French system of appellations.

Balance: Describes a wine with harmonious elements, in reference to the balance of acids, tannins and fruit.

Barrel Fermentation: Wine (usually whites) fermented in, typically, 55-gallon oak barrels rather than neutral containers such as stainless steel. Barrel fermentation requires careful cellar attention, but can contribute to increasing the complexity and flavor of a wine by adding suggestions of spice and vanilla from the interaction of the wine and the wood. Most often used in the fermentation of Chardonnay.

Body: The feeling of a wine's weight in the mouth, such as full-bodied, medium-bodied or light-bodied.

Botrytis: Botrytis blight or gray mold is a fungus disease which infects a wide array of herbaceous annual and perennial plants. The benevolent form is known as “noble rot” and is responsible for some of the world’s finest sweet wines.

Bouquet: Often used interchangeably with the word aroma. Some tasters use the term to specifically refer to the scents of a bottle-aged wine, which includes the complexities beyond the fruit aromas of a young wine.

Brut: Used by sparkling wine producers to indicate a dry wine; a producer's Brut is always drier than an Extra Dry bottling.

Bunch Rot: See Botrytis.

Buttery: Describes a rich wine with a texture like that of melted butter, often referring to Chardonnay.