Joes Place Fine Wine & Spirits
1 3 3 0  E a s t  A l a m e d a - N o r m a n  O k l a h o m a

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Continuing our trek through the Encyclopedia of Wine...

DUBONNET (DOO bawn nay) - Excellent French aperitif made, according to a proprietary formula, of sweet, red, fortified wine, quinine and various herbs. It is used as an ingredient in many cocktails but more often, in France at least, served straight or with ice and soda. Dubonnet is also manufactured under license in California, theoretically under the same formula, but the basic wine is, of course, different and so the end result can vary.

DUTCHESS - A native American grape variety of high quality, like the Delaware, but less common and more difficult to grow.

DOM PERIGNON (dawm PAY-reen-yaw) - One of the most competent and imaginative wine technicians of his day. He served as cellar-master at the Abbey of Hautvillers in the Champagne region of France from 1670 to 1715. Dom Perignon is often credited with “inventing” Champagne and upon first tasting it remarking “I am drinking stars.” Of course, no one “invented” Champagne, and the old monk never claimed to have done so, he along with Dom Oudard, and many nameless and forgotten experts were the first to experiment with cork closures, and to make what is now known as a cuvee by blending wines of different origins and of both black grapes and white.
These techniques and others led to what we refer to today as Champagne. In commemoration, Moet & Chandon (current owners of the Abbey) have given the name Dom Perignon to their best and most expensive wine. This wine does not always live up to its great present reputation, but it is generally of outstanding quality.

DOSAGE (doe-SAJ) - All Champagne is absolutely bone dry up to the moment it is “disgorged” and receives what is known as its dosage. This consists of anywhere from a teaspoonful to two ounces of syrup, or liqueur d’expedition, and the amount determines whether the wine is Brut, Extra Dry, Sec or Demi-Sec. There exists various formulas for the syrup, but commonly there are three parts of sugar to two of old wine.

DRY - As far as wine is concerned, the opposite of sweet is not sour, but dry; and even an extremely dry wine is no more necessarily sour than unsugared coffee is sour. Practically all of the widely used table wines of the world are dry rather than sweet, as are many aperitif wines such as Fino, Amontillado Sherry, Sercial and Rainwater Madiera as well as some Marsalas. 

DIONYSUS - (DI ohn I sis) - In Greek mythology, Dionysis is a nature god, especially of the vine and wine, the son of Zeus and Semele, the earth goddess. He is also called Bacchus and his symbol is the thyrsus, a staff wreathed with ivy and grape leaves and surmounted with a pine cone.

DISTINGUISHED-Used by wine experts, this is the highest sort of praise and is reserved for wines of truly exrtraordinary balance and class. The quality of such a wine would be obvious , even to a beginner.

DOLE - (DOLE) - Generally considered the best red wine of Switzerland, produced in the high, rocky upper valley of the Rhone. It is made from the Pinot Noir grape(often a good deal of Gamay as well) and is full-bodied, deep-coloured, quite high in alcohol, and long-lived. 

DOMAINE - (DOE mane) - Vineyard holdings or vineyards making up a single property or estate, although these vineyards may be widely separated in different communes or townships, and bear entirely different names. A single Burgundian Domaine might, for example, consist of vines in Chambertin, Corton, and Montrachet; the wines from these will of course be kept scrupulously separate, and will be marketed under the various vineyard appellations, with the name of the Domaine appearing only as the producer, not as the name of the wine. Many Domaine wines are estate-bottled although by no means all; those that are, carry on the labels the words “Mise du Domaine” or “Mis du bouteilles au Domaine.”

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DECANT - To transfer a wine from its original bottle to another vessel-carafe, bottle or decanter-usually for serving. The purpose of decanting is to separate the clear wine from any sediment which it may have thrown: this is almost never necessary with white wines, or red wines that have been less than five years in the bottle. Some experts advocate decanting to aid wine in breathing, but there is no consensus on whether decanting relatively young wines (7yrs or less) actually helps increase their enjoyability.

DELAWARE - One of the best and most widely planted of our Native American Grape varieties, almost unique in that it produces excellent table grapes which are also excellent for wine. A pink grape, it has white juice and yields white wine, fresh, pale, well-balanced but rather high in acid, with the definite but not too oppressive native-grape or “foxy” flavor. It is widely used in Eastern Champagnes and until the arrival of the new French hybrids was consistently responsible for the best white table wines of New York and Ohio.

DELICATE - Wine taster’s term, properly applicable to wines that are light, rather than full or big; subtle, rather than coarse or sturdy; fine and elegant, rather than great.

DEMI-SEC - (DEM-mee-sek) This, in French, means “half-dry”; actually when applied to Champagne or other sparkling wines, it means sweet. Demi-sec are about the most heavily dosed, or sweetest on the market. They typically contain anywhere from 5% to 7% of sugar syrup or liqueur, which, rightly so, is about twice the amount for wines marked “sec”.

DESSERT WINE - A dessert wine is one that might be properly served to accompany dessert. Generally very sweet with varying alcohol contents, Sauternes, sweet Sherry, Port, Banyuls and German Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen would all fall into this category.

COTE D’OR (COAT DOOR) Literally, in French, “golden slope”; region in the heart of the old province of Burgundy, southeast of Paris, taking its name from the same “golden”, vineyard-covered hillside, on which most of the great Burgundy wines are grown.

COULANT (COO law) Literally, in French, “running” as in running water. As a wine-taster’s term it means easy to drink, and is applied to light, fresh, tender wines, low in tannin and alcohol.

CREMANT (CRAY maw) In French, “creaming” applied to wines that are mildly sparkling. Should not be confused with Cramant, which is a place name.

CRU (CREW) French word for “growth” or “production of”. When applied to wine, it means a specific vineyard and the wine it produces; by implication, one of superior quality, as “vin de cru”.

CONCORD (Kon kord) Blue-Black slip-skin American grape of the labrusca species, by far the most widely planted of the "native" grapes. It is probably a cross between two labrusca varieties; hardy and productive, a good table grape, and a wholly satisfactory variety for jelly and unfermented grape juice, it rapidly became famous and popular. It is responsible today for most of the sweet "kosher" wines where its pronounced "foxy" flavor is not considered objectionable. As a true wine grape, however, it has almost nothing to recommend it. It is nevertheless the dominant variety in a good deal of the New York State "Burgundy" and much New York State "Port."

COOKING WINE This is an inexcusable term, since it implies that something not good enough to drink would be acceptable to eat. The truth is that the only two major ingredients that bad wine and good wine have in common, water and alcohol, are largely dissipated in cooking by evaporation and what remains is the flavor and quality is no less important in the saucepan than in the wineglass.

CORKS (Korks) Plastic "corks" are more and more tending to replace those made of the bark of the "cork oak" in America and Europe. This may greatly alarm the traditionalists but they are wrong. Common wine (at least 95% of the world's production) is made to be consumed immediately, and providing its container is sanitary, cheap and gives no bad taste to the wine, there can be no legitimate objection to it. However, on the other hand, precisely the opposite is true of wines capable of ageing and improving in the bottle. For these, the elite wines, corks are still irreplaceable and indispensable since they permit the slow evaporation and eventual slight oxidation of the wine which give it bouquet and distinction. Even the finest quality corks have a usable life of slightly more than twenty years, even in the best cellars.

CORKY (Korkee) A corky wine is one that has the definite and disagreeable odor and flavour of a bad cork. Such bottles occur occasionally, even from the finest vintners. 

COLLAGE (KALL ahj) French term for fining or clarifying wine, through the addition of any one of many different substances or products to the wine before bottling. An essential step in wine-making. Not to be confused with the English art term.

COLOMBARD (KALL awm bar) A productive, good quality white wine grape which is grown principally in the Cognac district of France. It is the most widely planted white wine grape in California where it is used widely in "Chablis" and "California Champagne". Characteristics of this varietal include being well-balanced, full-to-medium body, pale, fresh and sometimes tart. 

COLOR An expert can tell a great deal about a wine, particularly white wine, by looking at it in a clear glass, tilted either against a white tablecloth or against the light. A good wine in any case should be clear and brilliant. Dry white wines from cooler districts should be somewhere between the color of pale straw and that of gold, with a distinct greenish cast; the same wines from warmer climates may be as gold as ripe corn with almost no green at all; in practically all white wines a trace of amber or brown is a tell-tale sign of age, or in a younger wine, an indication of slight maderisation and will probably be short-lived. Sweeter wines should be gold, never brown unless very old. Red wines have their own range from purple (generally a very young wine, usually coarse, heavy one) to a sort of autumnal reddish brown, like a oak leaves in the fall. This last, which the French call "pelure d'oignon", or onion skin, comes invariably to fine red wines as they grow older-it can best be noted along the edge of the wine in a tilted glass. 

CLEAN (KLEEN) Essentially, a clean wine is a sound wine, one without any "off" aroma or taste, palatable, agreeable, refreshing. It is a term that can quite properly be applied to a young wine as well as an aged one, to an expensive wine or a modestly priced one. A wine that is not "clean" is bad, and generally not fit to drink.

CLOUDY (KLOW dee) A wine that is not clear or brilliant. No sound and good wine is ever cloudy, but the term should not be applied to a clear wine which has thrown sediment in the bottle.

COARSE (KORS) A wine lacking in finesse, common, heavy, with plenty of body and not much else. Inexpensive, California Burgundies are usually coarse, and so is most of the red "vin ordinaire" that the average Frenchman drinks everyday.

COLD DUCK (KOLD DUK) Pink or Red sparkling wine made by any method; theoretically a mixture of sparkling wine and sparkling Burgundy. The name is a translation of the German Kalte Ente-"Cold Duck" which was originally Kalte Ende - "Cold End", a combination of all unused open wine at the end of a banquet, saved for subsequent drinking. Cold Duck was wildly successful in the late 1960's, served as an introduction to wine for many beginners and today is a minor inexpensive sparkling wine. 

CHENIN BLANC (SHAY-nan Blaw) White wine grape of excellent quality. This grape is responsible for Vouvray, Saumur, Savennieres and other ancient and famous wines in France. It is now second among whites in California since it is highly productive and yields a fresh, pale, early-maturing wine of considerable finesse and breed. This grape is sometimes confused with the Pinot Blanc and even more frequently referred to as the White Pinot; it is neither, and deserves to be known by its own proper name.

CHIANTI (KEY-ahnt-tee) A wonderfully agreeable, and in some cases quite distinguished, red Italian table wine, made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo grapes, plus a small amount of white Trebbiano and white Malvasia. Special note, in America the term 
Chianti on a bottle does not mean that the wine inside
follows the recipe above. If you want to be sure that you are really drinking a true Chianti, make sure that 
the bottle says Chianti Classico.

CINSAULT (SAN-so) A superior red wine grape that gives a firm, full-bodied, deep-colored wine of definite character and good class. Rarely vinified as a varietal, it is an important part of many Rhone Valley blends, the Chateauneuf-du-Pape in particular.

CLARET (KLAIR-ay) Loosely and widely used term, meaning, in most countries other than England,
a light red wine. Thus in the U.S. any and all red table wines may be labeled "claret" whatever their origin, character or type. In England, it traditionally refers to red Bourdeaux, but red Bourdeaux wines are
almost never labeled "Claret". 

CHARDONNAY (Shar-doe-nay) One of the very finest of all the white wine grapes, rivaled only by the true Riesling. In France, it produces all of the great white Burgundies, including Chablis, Montrachet, Pouilly-Fuisse, and it is the white grape of the Champagne Country. In California, in spite of its extremely small yield per acre, it has been widely planted; ranking third among the whites; its wine is perhaps the best white table wine made in the U.S., and comes generally from the North Coast Counties. Sometimes called the "Pinot Chardonnay," it is not in the opinion of most botanists and ampelographers, a true Pinot at all, nor related to the Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, etc.

CHATEAU (Shot toe) For wine purposes, a house attached both by proximity and ownership, to a specific vineyard. Many chateau, especially in the less renowned sections of the Bourdeaux Country are simply country homes or small farmhouses, whose owners cultivate their own vines and make their own wine. According to French law, the word "Chateau" may not appear on a label, as part of the name of the wine, unless a bona fide vineyard exists and has produced it and has some traditional right to the name.

CHATEAU-BOTTLED A wine bottled on the property which produced it, by the vineyard owner, especially common in the Bordeaux Country.

CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE (Shot toe nuuf Dew Pop) Celebrated sturdy wine of the Rhone Valley, from the village of this name, some dozen miles north of the old papal city of Avignon, in southern France. The "chateau neuf" (new castle), now a ruin, was the summer home of the Avignon Popes in the 14th century; the vineyards are planted on an extraordinary, high, stony tableland, dominating the Rhone and surrounding fertile plain. The Chateaunuef-Du-Pape district is the most important in the Rhone Valley. About a dozen different grape varieties are grown and most of the wine contains some admixture of most if not all of these; more or less in the order of their importance, they are: Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Clairette, Picpoul, Terret Noir, Counoise, Roussanne, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Picardan and Bourboulenc. The wine is deep crimson in color, full-bodied, generous, fairly high in alcohol; it is softer and matures more quickly than Hermitage and Cote-Rotie.

CHABLIS (SHAB-lee) A small town Southeast of Paris, France which produces some of the most famous of all the White Burgundies. Chablis may only be made from the Chardonnay grape and is sometimes referred to as Pinot Chardonnay. In the U.S., the term Chablis is almost meaningless. It can apply to any white wine from anywhere made with any kind on grape or combination of grapes.

CHAMPAGNE (SHAM-pain) Strictly speaking Champagne means French Champagne: a specific wine made by a specific process, from only certain varieties of grape, in a legally delimited part of France. The name also refers to those delimited parts of France as growing regions as evidenced in the term Champagne Cognac, which indicates that the Cognac is made entirely from grapes grown in the Champagne regions. In the U.S.A., Champagne, for the most part, just means sparkling wine, with no regard for the method of carbonation, i.e. Bulk Process, Carbonating Wine or others.

CHARACTER- A Wine-Taster's Term referring to wine that has definite and unmistakeable qualities, whether due to its geographical origin, its grape variety or some other flavor quality. This term is not related to how good or bad the wine may be in other terms. A wine without character is usually dull and uninteresting.

CHARBONO (Shar-bo-no) Wine grape of unknown origin, which produces a rather agreeable, somewhat rough, full-bodied red wine in California, especially in Napa Valley.

CAMPARI (kam Par ee) Pink, bitter-sweet, Italian Aperitif, used in some cocktails, but more often served simply with a twist of lemon and soda.

CANELLI (kahn Nell lee) Important vineyard town not far from Asti, famous for a special variety of Muscat grape to which it has given its name, 
Muscato di Canelli, and for the light, often sweet, very fragrant wine made from the grape, also used in Asti Spumante and Italian Vermouths.

CARIGNANE (kar Reen yan) Productive red grape, widely planted in southern France, Spain, Algeria and California(where it is second in acreage only to Zinfandel). While by no means of the highest quality, it yields a quite satisfactory table wine. Used often in Rhone Valley blends. 

CARMENERE (kar Men air) Secondary grape variety of the Bordeaux Country, probably related to the Cabernet.

CARMINE (kar Min) Relatively new California red grape variety, first planted commercially in 1977, is a Metis of Ruby Cabernet and Merlot, more productive and earlier ripening than Cabernet Sauvignon.

CARNELIAN (kar Neel ee an) Metis of Carignane, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache first planted commercially in 1973, this grape produces red wine of relatively high acidity in California's Central Valley.

CASCADE (Kass kaid) Very early ripening hybrid used in making agreeable red and rose wines.

CASSIS (Kas seece) A syrup made from black currants as deep purple in color and as sweet as blackberry jam, though generally with 10-16% of alcohol. Widely used to sweeten and flavor mixed aperitifs, including dry vermouth and white wine, it is a Burgundian specialty and the best of it is produced in Dijon. There is a popular aperitif made with cassis syrup and white wine known as a Kir, named for Canon Kir, the one-time mayor of Dijon. It was his favorite, also used in the Kir Royale with Champagne.

CABERNET - SAUVIGNON (CAB-air-nay SO-veen-yaw) - Superb red wine grape, responsible in large part for the great Clarets of Bourdeaux and what is generally considered America's best red wines, the Cabernets of the California North Coast. There are actually two Cabernet grapes, distinct but closely 
related: the smaller and less productive Cabernet-Sauvignon predominates in the Medoc and in  California, and gives a longer-lived slower-maturing wine, with more tannin; the Cabernet Franc is the leading variety in St. Emilion district and produces many excellent reds and rose's in the Loire Valley. Both varieties are planted in Chile and many of the best red wines of South America carry this name. The so-called "Ruby Cabernet" rather widely planted in California during the last decade, is not a true Cabernet but a very productive, recently developed metis of Carignane with Cabernet Sauvignon - it is not, on the basis of present evidence, a really superior wine grape and in any case, has no established right to the name.

CAHORS-(KAH-or)- Interesting, excellent, almost legendary red wine, produced around the old city of this name. It is made principally from the Malbec grape, but vinified in the ancient, traditional way, and it's perhaps the most deeply colored of the French red wines. Slow maturing, remarkably long-lived, firm but not harsh, it has unmistakable distinction and a special cachet of its own, some affinity with a good, full-bodied red Graves. Those interested in wine "discoveries" would do well to seek it out although it is not easy to come by.

BURGUNDY- (BUHR-gun-dee) - Old French Province, south of Paris that is famous for its world-class wines. This region, which produces both red and white wines(occaisionally rose') is comprised of the Yonne(Chablis district), Cote d'Or(region of the greatest Burgundies, both red and white), Saone-et-Loire(Macon, Pouilly-Fuisse, etc.) and part of the Rhone(Beaujolais). Not all of the wines produced in these 4 regions is entitled to the name Burgundy. French law reserves this name for wines made from certain superior grape varieties, grown in certain specific townships, and all true Burgundies are therefore better-than-average wines of some well-defined type and some known established origin.
Truly fine Burgundies are a rarity, since they can only be produced on a few narrow, especially favored hillsides, in a country of generally unfavorable climate, principally from two grape types which yield very little to the acre. The total production is less than 2% of France's annual wine output.
Some of the wines that are true Burgundies include Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse, Meursault, Montrachet, Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Corton, Beaune, Pommard, and many others.
In the U.S.A. among other countries, the word Burgundy is used as a generic term applied to red wine, however and wherever produced, even to sweet, red wines made from the Concord grape. So be advised if you are interested in trying a true Burgundy, look for the imported from France label and a slightly higher than normal price.

Boutique - (Boo-teek)- a word applied to wineries that produce less than 25,000 cases of varietal or unique wines per season.

Breathing - Rapid oxidation taking place during decanting or by opening bottles in advance of use. Much pretentious nonsense is written about breathing. It can be of some help in rounding out sturdy young wines and a few powerful northern Italian wines. It can presage the death of older delicate wines.

Brilliant - Term applied to an impeccably clear wine, as all good wines should be.

Brunello - (Brew-nell-o) -  Deep colored red wine, slow maturing and long-lived, produced near Montalcino near Siena in Tuscany and made from the Brunello  grape, a variety of the Sangiovese. 

Brut-(Brute)-French term applied to one of the driest of Champagnes and other sparkling wines, drier than  "Extra-Dry". 

BURGUNDY - (BURR-gun-dee) - French province southeast of Paris that is famous for its world class wines. Also, in some cases, the wines from this region. Although, by no means are all of the wines from this region entitled to the name Burgundy. French law reserves the name for wines made from certain superior grape varieties, grown in certain townships, and all true burgundies are therefore better-than-average wines of some well-defined type and some known, established origin.
Among the famous wines from Burgundy are the Pommard, Meursault, Montrachet, Pouilly-Fuisse', Macon, and the Beaujolais, Julienas, Fluerie, Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon and Cotes de Brouilly. Most of these wines, excepting Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse and a few rare Beaujolais, come from one extraordinary strip of hillside vines. This outstanding piece of land is known as the "Cotes d'Or" or "Golden Slope". All of these wines are made from either the Pinot Noir or the Chardonnay grape, and they all carry the name of the township from which they come and sometimes from specific vineyard plots i.e. Pommard, Beaune, Bonnes Mares, and Pommard Epenots. 

BOUQUET - The complex of diverse, interesting and pleasing odors which a good, mature wine gives off once it is opened; everything that such a wine says to the nose; one of a fine wine's greatest attractions and greatest charms.

BOURGOGNE - (Boor-gon-yuh)-French for the province of Burgundy and its wine.

BRACCHETO - (Bra-ket-toe)-Red Piedmontese wine, generally frizzante, made from the grape of this name.

BREATHING-Rapid oxidation taking place during decanting or by opening bottles in advance of use. It can be of some help in rounding out sturdy young wines and a few powerful northern Italian wines. It can presage the death of older delicate wines.

BRUNELLO - (Brew-nell-o) - Deep colored red wine, slow maturing and long lived, produced in Montalcino near Siena in Tuscany and made from the Brunello grape, a variety of Sangiovese.

BRUT - (Brute) - French term applied to the dryest Champagnes and other sparkling wines, dryer than "Extra Dry." Properly it means, in this instance, "unmodified"- a Champagne to which no dosage, or sweetening, has been added. Most Champagne houses ship their best wines, both vintage and non-vintage, as brut, but the term alone is no guarantee of quality.
 
BITTER - A wine-taster's term. Bitterness is generally perceptible only in the aftertaste of a wine. It is a fault sometimes due to variety of grape, sometimes to climate (usually an overly dry year) and sometimes to unskillful cellar work. Sometimes will dissappear with age in a red, but not usually in whites

BLANC de BLANCS - (Blaw d' Blaw) - A white wine made from white grapes. Normally used in dealing with Champagnes, it describes a wine made entirely from the white Chardonnay grape as distinguished from other wines made from the red Pinot Noir(Blanc de Noirs) or blends of the two.

BLANC de NOIRS - (Blaw d' Nwar)-A white wine made from black grapes; especially a Champagne produced entirely from the black grapes of the Pinot Noir variety.

BLANC-FUME - (Blaw-Foo-may) - Name given to the Sauvignon Blanc grape in and around the town of Puilly-sur-Loire. Therefore a Puilly-Fume is a wine made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

BODY - A wine-taster's term. Body means substance. A full-bodied wine is not necessarily high in alcohol, but it is the opposite of watery or thin. It gives an impression of weight, rather than lightness.

BOTRYTIS CINERA - (Bow-treat-iss Sin-eh-ray-ah) - The "Noble Rot" called Edelfaule in German and pourriture noble if French. A highly beneficient mold which, in certain districts, forms on the skins of the ripening grapes, of certain varieties, bringing about a concentration of sugar and flavor and a vast improvement in the quality of the resulting wine. The same mold prior to maturity resutls in grey rot, a deterioration of the grapes.

BEERENAUSLESE-(bearen-ouse-lay-zeh)-German, "Berry-selection". A wine of an exceedingly rare, special and expensive sort, made from fruit selected for their over-ripeness at the time of the Lese, or picking. In the making of Auslese, only the most perfect and ripest bunches of grapes are set aside and pressed separately; here the selection is in terms, not of bunches, but of chosen, single grapes. Quite sweet with an almost indescribable wealth of bouquet and fruit flavor, properly served only with dessert or after dinner, they are among the most remarkable white wines in the world, fully worth the fabulously high prices they bring.

BERINGER-(bear-in-jer)-Famous old California vineyard, founded in 1876 in the Napa Valley.

BIANCO-(Bee-ahn-ko)- The common Italian word for white.

Big-A wine with mote than the average amount of body, alcohol and flavor; not necessarily either fine or great, quite possibly a wine without much distinction. A wine that is too "big" has a tendency to be heavy and coarse.

BIKAVER-(beek-ah-vair)-Deep-colored, full-bodied Hungarian red wine, made in and around the town of Eger, from the Kadarka grape, plus several French varieties including the Cabernet and Gamay.

Binning- The laying away of bottled wine for ageing. In the case of table wines and sparkling wines, the bottles should be stored on their side, lying down, so 
that the wine is in contact with the cork.

BARBERA-(Bar-bear-ah)-A red wine grape grown principally in the region of Peidmont, Italy and to a large extent in California; the wine made from this grape, deep-colored, full bodied, full flavored, somewhat lacking in distinction, very agreeable with Italian food and at its best when young.

BARDOLINO-(Bar-doe-leen-o)-Excellent light red wine produced round the village of the same name. Like Valpolicella, Bardolino is made from Corvina, Negrara and Molinara grapes; barely darker than a dark rose', at its best from 1 to 3 years old, rarely over 11% alcohol, fruity, charming, never great, it is one of the most delightful wines of the province of Verona.

BAROLO-(Bar-oh-lo)-Perhaps the best red wine of Italy, very full-bodied, slow-maturing, comparable to the great French wines of the Rhone Valley. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape in Piedmont. It deserves and almost requires additional ageing in the bottle before drinking and often throws considerable sediment. Powerful, deep-colored, long lived, it is definitely a great wine and, at it's best, a quite extraordinary one.

BEAUJOLAIS-(Bow-zhow-lay)-One of the most popular and best-loved wines of France and of the district from which it comes, southern Burgundy.
Made primarily from the Gamay grape only a few of these wines may be legally labeled "Bourgogne"(Burgundy) - these are admittedly the best. They include Brouilly, Cote-de-Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent and St. Amour. Any one of these names on a bottle of Beaujolais is an indication, almost a guarantee, of superior quality. The qualities of Beaujolais are light, agreeable, fruity, eminently drinkable.

BALANCE Wine-taster's term, essentially, a well-balanced wine is one completely harmonious in its make-up, with nothing overly pronounced and no striking deficiency in its bouquet, flavor or aftertaste. If light, it will be delicate; if full-bodied, it will have a corresponding amount of flavor and character. A well-balanced wine may not be great; it is exactly what it should be in its type and class, and the term is high praise. 

BALTHAZAR (bal'-thuh-zar)- An oversize Champagne bottle, holding sixteen ordinary 750ml. bottles. Son of the last King of Babylon, capital of Chaldea.

BANDOL (bahn-dawl)-Pleasant, lesser wines, white, red and above all rose', produced on the Mediterranean Coast of France, round the twin resorts of Bandol and Sanary-sur-Mer, near Toulon. The reds and rose's are mostly from the Mourve'dre grape, plus Grenache and Cinsault; the whites from the Clairette and Ugni Blanc.

BANYULS (ban-yulz)- The most famous and perhaps the best of French dessert wines, somewhat comparable to a light Tawny Port. By law it must have at least 15% alcohol by volume, but often runs much higher; it is russet-brown in color , quite sweet, and with age acquires a special bouquet and flavor known as rancio. Banyuls is made largely from the Grenache grape in a picturesque little district known as Cote Vermeille.

ASTI-(Ahs-tea)-Important wine-producing town south of Turin, Italy; famous for its rather sweet sparkling wine Asti Spumante, Italy's best known and most popular.

ASTRINGENT-(As-trinj-ent)-Wine taster's term, applied to wines that make your mouth pucker, generally because of an excess of tannin. Many excellent red wines are astringent when young; providing they are not bitter, this is not a serious flaw, for they will soften and mellow with age. In a young red wine, astringency is often, but not invariably, an indication that the wine will be long- lived. 

AUSLESE-(Ouse-lay-zeh)-A German wine of a very special and superior sort, considerably sweeter and a great deal more expensive than others made by the same producer in the same year. At the time of harvest, the especially ripe and perfect bunches, and those affected by the Noble Mold, Botrytis, are put aside and pressed separately: the resulting wine is Auslese, and it rarely accounts for more than 10 or 15% of a vineyards production, even in a favorable year.

Bacchus-(Bak-us)-Another name for Dionysus, the Greek and Roman God of wine.

AMABILE (Ah-ma'-beel-ay)-In Italian, sweet or pleasing, used to describe a wine which, while sometimes or even usually dry, is in this special instance quite sweet.

AMELIORATION (Ah-meel'-ee-or-a-shen)-A wine makers term, often too broadly used, to cover cellar practices some of which are entirely necessary and some of which are illegal; these include the adding of sugar to the juice or must before fermentation, the "correcting" of its acidity, the addition of water to reduce acidity or to compensate for overripe grapes etc. Strict laws cover such matters in most wine producing lands.

AMONTILLADO (Ah-mone-tee-yah'-doe)-A superior type of Spanish Sherry, generally fairly dry and paler than the average, although not as pale and light nor generally as dry as a Fino or Manzanilla. Used sometimes to mean a wine of finesse, breed and superior origin, that has acquired some color and increased body through age.

AMPELOGRAPHY-The study of vines and grapes, publication and classification of such by text and illustrations.

APERITIF (Ah-pair-ee-teef)-A very broad term, meaning almost any drink taken before a meal as an "appetizer". A cocktail is an aperitif, so is Sherry, so is a glass of Champagne or white wine, if so consumed. From the wine expert's perhaps biased point of view, the best aperitifs are Champagne, dry Sherry, and Sercial Madiera. According to U.S. Federal regulations, however, these three cannot be called aperitifs at all-the term being reserved for "flavored wines."

AROMA -Very different from bouquet, the aroma of a wine is more pronounced and more distinctive when the wine is young, being directly related to the odor of fresh fruit. Certain varieties of grape (the Gewurztraminer, the Malvasia, the Muscat and the Concord) can be identified, blindfolded, by their scent alone. Much of this aroma disappears during fermentation, and bone-dry wines rarely have as much aroma as those that have retained a certain
amount of their natural grape sugar; aroma tends to diminish further as a wine is aged, and bouquet takes its place. 

ABBOCATTO-(Ah-bo-kah'-toe)-Italian word for sweet or semi-sweet, opposite of secco(dry).

ACID-(a'-sid)-All wine has a certain amount of acid- if too little, it is flat and insipid and unappetizing. If the wine has too much, it could be described as "acidic", and falls into one of two catagories. If the acid is the natural tartaric and malic acid of the grape, the wine is better described as "tart". If the taste or odor is reminiscent of vinegar(acetic acid), the wine is spoiled or sour. One sniff should be enough to tell the two apart. A tart wine may not be to one's taste, but a spoiled wine is not fit to drink.

AFTER TASTE- Sensation that remains in the mouth after expectorating or swallowing.

ALCOHOL-(al'-kuh-hall)-The colorless, volatile spirit, ethyl alcohol is formed by the activity of enzymes secreted by living microorganisms known as yeast. These convert the sugar in grape juice into approximately equal parts of alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. This process is fermentation. Table or simple wines contain between 7 and 12 % 

Bartending Glossary

SEC- A French word for dry(not sweet)

SOUR MIX- To make one quart, mix 12oz. lemon juice, 18 oz. water, 1/3 cup white sugar and one raw egg white (optional for the frothiness). Keep very cold at all times. Alternative-Add to drink a splash of lemon and lime juices with ½ teaspoon powdered or white granulated sugar

VINTAGE-Literally wine-age, or the year in which at least 95% of the grapes were processed for that wine.

SWIZZLE-A drink made with crushed ice that is stirred until the glass becomes frosty. Also the device used to stir, as in swizzle stick.

TODDY - A warm (sometimes cold), spicy drink served in a tall glass. Example: Whiskey, honey. 

PROOF - Potency number, which is calculated as twice the alcohol content by volume; i.e. 40%=80 proof

RICKEY - A drink made with citrus juice and club soda

SPRITZER - A drink with wine mixed with soda water

SIMPLE (SUGAR) SYRUP - Mix 2 parts water to 4 parts sugar depending on consistency. Bring to boil, cool, bottle. Used in place of powdered or granulated sugar in mixed drinks. Alternative add ½ teaspoon powdered or white granulated sugar.

MIST - A drink served over crushed or shaved ice

MUDDLE - Mash or crush an ingredient such as cherry or orange

MULL - Preparation of a drink by heating to infuse flavors. Mulled wine is a common example

NEAT - A drink served as it comes from the bottle with no mixer or ice.
Also called "Straight up".

ON-THE-ROCKS - A drink served over ice cubes.

FIZZ - A drink made with sugar, citrus juice and soda water added.

GARNISH - A fruit , flower, vegetable, spice, or herb added to a to enhance its appeal, i.e. olive in a martini

HIGHBALL - A drink usually made of one liquor mixed with a carbonated soda.

JIGGER - A type of measuring tool used by bartenders to insure quantity.

LIQUOR - Alcoholic beverage made by distillation

LIQUEUR - A thick alcoholic beverage with flavorings added.

APERTIF - A light before dinner drink designed to stimulate the appetite, i.e., champagne, sherry.

AMOUNTS OF MEASURE - Sprinkle-----1/6 Tsp
Dash---------1/4 Tsp
Splash-------1/2 Tsp
Pony---------1 oz
Shot----------1 ½ oz
Jigger--------2 oz

BITTERS - A flavor enhancer made from herbs, spices or berries. Typical flavors are Angostura, orange and 
almond.

BRUT - A French designation for dry as in champagne. See sec and doux.

BOTTLE SIZES:
Split-------------------6.3 oz--------187ml
Pint--------------------16 oz---------375ml
Fifth-------------------25.6oz-------750ml
Quart------------------32 oz----------1.0 L
Magnum--------------48 oz----------1.5 L
½ Gallon--------------64 oz---------1.75L

CORDIAL - A liqueur that provides a warming sensation. Served traditionally as an after dinner drink.

COOLER - A drink served in a tall glass. Usually a liquor or wine with a carbonated mixer added, garnished with fresh rind-twist, wedge or slice of citrus. Example: gin rickey, wine cooler. See spritzer

CORDIAL AND LIQUEUR DEFINITIONS

Joe's continuing dictionary of cordial and liqueur flavors, brands & types. 
Four years ago, the Beverage Network published a dictionary of cordial and liqueur flavors, brands and  types that proved both useful and informative. This is an updated version. We will add more definitions each month - recent additions will be added to the top of the list.  

JAGERMEISTER- A  distinctive liqueur from Germany that is rich in flavor from a blend of 56 roots, herbs and fruits.

KAHLUA-A coffee liqueur from Mexico.

LIQUORE GALLIANO- A rich, sweet Italian liqueur derived from natural seeds, herbs and spices.

LICOR 43- A Spanish liqueur made from vanilla, milk, citrus and herbs.

MALIBU- A white rum and coconut blend.

MANDARINE NAPOLEON- A Belgian tangerine liqueur using Andalusian tangerines and Cognac.

METAXA- A slightly sweet, brandy-like liqueur made from grapes in Greece.

MIDORI- A green, honeydew melon flavored liqueur from Nippon.

BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM - A blend of Irish whiskey and fresh cream

BARENJAGER - Honey and herb liqueur, sister brand to Jagermeister

BCHARTREUSE-Classic herb liqueur with subtle flavor and aroma drawn from 130 herbs distilled and blended in brandy. Green (110 pf.) is brisk and pungent, reminiscent of exotic herbs. Yellow (80 pf)
is sweeter and less aromatic.

BENEDICTENE D.O.M. - Classic French herb liqueur, rich, flavorful, from an  ancient formula using herbs and plants macerated in brandy, distilled twice and blended with cognac

B&B - Blend of Benedictene and brandy

CAMPARI - Italian bittersweet spirits apertif specialty. Light ruby red,  produced by infusion of aromatic and bitter herbs with orange peel

CHAMBORD - Rich aroma and taste of black raspberries and other fruits and herbs combined with honey

COINTREAU-Classic French triple-sec (orange liqueur), with mellow bouquet, subtle hint of orange.
Produced by blending sweet and bitter Mediterranean and tropical oranges.

DRAMBUIE-Liqueur produced in Scotland by blending Scotch whisky with heather honey, herbs and spices.

FRANGELICO-Hazelnut liqueur with berries and herbs added.

GODIVA-Rich chocolate liqueur made with Godiva chocolate from Belgium.

GOLDSCHLAGER-Cinnamon flavored schnapps with tiny gold flakes suspended in the liquid.

GRAND MARNIER-Classic Cognac-based orange liqueur from France, the flavor and bouquet are derived from peels of wild, bitter oranges.

IRISH MIST-From Ireland, a flavorful blend of four whiskeys, honeys, heather, clover and the essences of a dozen herbs. 

AMARETTO - Aromatic liqueur made from apricot pits steeped in aquavite, a fusion of alcohol. One of the best selling cordial flavors.

ANISETTE - Sweet, mild, aromatic with pleasant anise flavor. It is available in white or red varieties. The flavor results from a blend of aniseeds for which it is named and aromatic herbs. 

ARAK - An anise-flavored liqueur from turkey. 

CREAM LIQUEURS - Dairy fresh cream is blended with spirits and natural flavorings in this popular style of liqueur. The most widely used spirit is Irish whiskey. Brandy, cordials, rum and vodka may also be used. The flavor is rich and subtle with mellow bite of spirit. These are shelf stable. Some brands use non-dairy creams. Popular brands include Bailey’s, Carolans, St. Brendon’s, Emmets, McCormick’s, Cask and Cream, Heather, O’Mara’s and Devonshire.

CRÈME DE BANANA - Also called banana liqueur, this spirit is full of fresh, ripe banana flavor.

CRÈME DE CACAO (DARK) - A rich, creamy deep chocolate flavored liqueur that is derived from cacao beans (from which chocolate is made) as well as from vanilla beans and added spices.

CRÈME DE CACAO (LIGHT) - This is the same as the dark, with slightly less intense chocolate flavor.

CRÈME DE FRAMBOISE - A raspberry flavored liqueur.

CRÈME DE MENTHE (GREEN) - This tangy, natural mint flavored liqueur is cool, clean and pleasant to taste.

CRÈME DE MENTHE (WHITE) - This is the same as the green, but is more mixer friendly because of the lack of color.

CRÈME DE CASSIS - A fruity liqueur derived from black currants.

CURACAO - Liqueur with an orange character from the peel of bittersweet green oranges grown on the Dutch island of Curacao in the Caribbean. Clear amber in color, like triple sec, but slightly sweeter and more subtle orange flavor and lower proof.

OUZO - Sweet, clear Greek liqueur; Anise/licorice flavor, but drier and stronger than anisette. Turns milky white when mixed with water.

ROCK AND RYE - Whiskey-based liqueur that contains crystals of rock candy, flavored with fruits and sometimes containing pieces of fruit.

SAMBUCA - Clear anise-flavored liqueur. Recently introduced in a dark, blue-black color, known generally as black sambuca.

SCHNAPPS - Semi-dry liqueur produced mainly in Europe in many flavors, e.g., peppermint, peach, orange.

SLOE GIN - Tangy fruity flavor resembling wild cherries. Made from Sloeberries. 

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