Echo Wine Selections Wine Lexicon Dictionary
Where we demystify the terms, jargon, grapes and regions which make wine feel more complicated than it is!
Section 1. Grape Varieties
Aligoté - White grape variety from Burgundy, France. Essentially a cousin of Chardonnay, but tends to have higher natural acidity than Chardonnay. Was out of fashion for many years, but is now making a come-back in Burgundy due to the ability to remain fresh in hotter and warmer vintages. Generally makes fresh, crisp, and lively white wines with citrus, green apple, pear and similar flavors.
Albariño - White grape variety typically found in Spain & Portugal, and usually along the Atlantic coast. Produces light to medium bodied wines with slightly tropical fruit profile, but with great freshness and good acidity. Sometimes it feels “salty” as if reflecting the proximity to the sea.
Blaufränkisch - Red grape variety originally from Austria/Central Europe. Grown widely in Austria, Hungary, and various other central and southern European countries. Produces medium to full bodied red wines which tend to have very blue/black fruit profiles, medium to higher acidity.
Chardonnay - White grape variety originally from Burgundy, France. One of the most widely planted grape varieties worldwide. Adapts to different climactic conditions and the resulting wines can vary widely in style depending on the climate, soil type, and winemaking decisions. Can make extremely complex and deep wines, or can also make extremely simple and easy going wines.
Section 2. Wine Regions
France
- Burgundy
- Champagne
- Loire Valley
- Bordeaux
- Northern Rhone
- Southern Rhone
- Languedoc
- Roussillon
- Jura
- Alsace
Italy
- Piedmont
- Tuscany
- Friuli
- Campania
- Umbria
- Abruzzo
- Marche
- Emilia-Romagna
- Lombardy
- Alto Piedmont
- Liguria
Slovenia
- Kras
- Gorsika Brda
- Vipava Valley
- Slovenian Istria
- Staijerska
Lebanon
- Batroun Mountains
- Bekaa Valley
Germany
- Rheinhessen
- Rheingau
- Mosel
- Baden-Wurtemburg
- Pfalz
- Saale-Unstrut
-
Nahe
Section 3. Wine Descriptors & Wine Elements
Acidity- extremely important component of wine and how we perceive the wine in our mouths. Refers to the natural acid present in a wine as a result of the acidity in grapes, and which remains after the fermentation of grape juice into wine. Keeps wines feeling “fresh” when high, and feeling big or round, or heavy when the acidity is lower. Interacts with other components of a wine including tannins in red or skin-contact wines, sugar levels and more, affecting our perception of these components based on how high or low the acidity levels are. Higher acid wines also tend to be more food friendly, helping to “wash away” food/fat/oil in food while we eat and prepare us for a second bite.
Body - Refers to the “weight” and feeling of wine in your mouth while drinking, generally directly related to the levels of alcohol a wine has. Generally wines are categorized into Light Body, Medium Body, and Full Body, with some room for nuance in between. Easy analogy is to imagine the feeling of drinking Zero-fat milk (light body), 2% fat milk (medium body), and full fat milk or cream (full body). Can be deceptive based on other elements of winemaking which influence our perception of body/feeling.
Tannins - Phenolic compounds which exist in the skins of grapes, and are extracted by the winemaking process and therefore exist in the wine. Makes wines feel “grippy”, “rough” or like sandpaper against your tongue and mouth. Predominantly found in red wines due to the winemaking process, but can exist also in Skin-Contact white wines (orange wine) or in some whites with hard pressing during fermentation.
Texture- Refers to the physical feeling of holding wine in your mouth. Does the wine feel thick and creamy or thin and watery? The feeling is a direct result of a number of different elements in a wine, including alcohol levels, acidity levels, wine making choices (long lees aging, barrel vs. stainless steel fermentation etc..).
Crisp - Refers to wines which are generally lighter in body and alcohol, with higher acidity, and a “refreshing” feeling when drinking. Can refer to both white and red wines, but tends to be used more for white wines.
Juicy- Refers to wines which have a very easy/soft mouth feel, almost like actual juice. Tend to have very fruity and floral flavor notes. Usually no tannins, and lighter body. Tends to be used when referring to red wines, but can also be used for skin-contact white wines or normal whites.
Lees - Refers to the dead yeast cells after they have fermented all the sugar in grape juice into wine. These tend to float to the bottom of a tank or barrel and winemakers can decide to keep them in contact with the now aging wine, or whether to get rid of them during the aging process. The decision influences how the wine tastes and what kind of texture it has. Lees tend to convey a creamy, lactic, or “yeasty” aroma and/or taste to the wine.
