If you're new to the world of wine, you've probably come across terms that you haven't heard before. Don't be put off by foreign sounding words. Wine, like all subjects, has its own vocabulary. Here are some common terms that you should know - Wine Terms You Should Know

Acidity Sometimes called the sour factor, acidity refers to the tartness that is a result of the citric, malic, or lactic acid of the grapes. The acidity also acts as a preservative.

Appellation A geographic region where a wine's grapes are grown and made into wine.

Aroma The smell of the wine, especially during the first year, as opposed to the bouquet which develops later during the aging and fermenting process. The aroma can be fruity, smoky, floral, etc.

Decant Aerating the wine by pouring it into another decanter. This also removes any sediment from the wine.

Fining Fining refers to the filtration process in wine making. Wine goes through a clarification and filtration process in order to remove unwanted material.

Sommelier A sommelier is a wine expert. Sommeliers have extensive training and maintain wine collections at fine restaurants. Sommeliers will help you pair your meal with the perfect wine.

Terroir The characteristics of a particular growing region--its soil, water, and climate which determine the quality of the grapes and resulting wine. You could say terroir is the micro climate the varietals grow in, and each vineyard owner tries to improve the ecosystem.

Terroir

The characteristics of a particular growing region--its soil, water, and climate which determine the quality of the grapes and resulting wine. You could say terroir is the micro climate the varietals grow in, and each vineyard owner tries to improve the ecosystem.

Varietal A type of wine. A wine takes its name from the grape it was made from. As an example Zinfandel and Riesling are varietals.

Viticulture The agricultural science of growing grapes for the purpose of making wine.

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