Wine Glossary
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D
Decanting: The process of separating the sediment from a wine before drinking. Accomplished by pouring the wine from its bottle into another container.
DOC: "Denominazione di origine controllata" (controlled designations of origin); An Italian wine classification system created in 1963. The DOC indicates the area in which a wine must be produced, which may include all the vineyards in an entire region or only a few vineyards within a region. Each DOC wine and its varieties (rosso, rosato, spumante, etc.) has standards for grape variety, color, aroma, flavor, alcohol content, acidity, period of aging and maximum yield that the producer must meet.
DOCG: "Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita" (controlled and guaranteed designation of origin); An Italian wine classification for wines with more strict regulations than DOCs, including a specific bottle size, lower allowed yield, required tasting checks and in-depth chemical analyses.
Dry: A wine that has no or little sweetness. Can also apply to the texture of wine, as a synonym for "astringent".
E
Earthy: A descriptor for wines that have aromas and flavors reminiscent of the soil and its minerals, an important component of the wine's flavor balance.
F
Fading: A descriptor for a wine that is losing color, fruit or flavor, usually as a result of age.
Fermentation: The process by which yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, thereby turning grape juice into wine.
Finish: The final taste impression left by a wine in the mouth after swallowing (or spitting out). Commonly used, with some approximation, as a synonym for "aftertaste" (literally, the residual taste of wine in the mouth after the wine has left it).
Firm: A descriptor for wines that are solid and stern, usually with a high tannin or acidity.
Flowery: A description of the aroma of a young wine that smells of flowers.
Fortified: Describes a wine whose alcohol content has been increased by the addition of brandy or neutral spirits.
Frizzante: An Italian term to describe a wine that is fizzy and lightly bubbling.
Fruity: A broad descriptor for wines that have aromas and flavors that suggest fruit (better if broken down into specific types of fruit, as apples or pears). Misperceived as a synonym for "sweet", while all sound wines must be, in some degree and at some stage of their maturation, "fruity".
Full: A descriptor for a wine that has a vast odor produced by numerous substances.
