During some harvests, especially in cold climates, grapes may not reach their optimal ripeness level. This is when some winemakers add sugars to the grape juice. This is called chaptalization.
Chaptalization causes the yeasts to eat more sugars and produce more alcohol in the wine. This increases the body of the wine and helps some vintages round out their acidity.
Acidity in wine is the level of acid that the wine contains. Wines with more acid in them taste more tart or sour.
Burgundy glasses are wine glasses that are made for pinot noir.
Flutes are common styles of sparkling wine glasses.
Rim is the part of the wine glass where your mouth touches during a tasting.
The stem of a wine glass is the skinny section you hold.
The bowl of a wine glass is the hollow part where the wine sits.
Zinfandel is a high-quality grape from Italy that’s the same as primitivo.
Yield is a term that refers to how much a vineyard produces.
Yeast strain is a type of yeast used for a specific style of wine.
Yeast nutrient is the term for an added nutritional supplement for yeast cells.
Yeast is a microorganism that converts sugars into alcohol and CO2.
Wine pairing is the act of pairing wine with food.
Wine tasting is the process of tasting a wine to detect its flavors and aromas.
Wine glass is a term for a drinking vessel used for wine.
Wine is any fermented fruit juice, typically from grapes.
White wine is a wine that’s made from white grapes.
Weight is the term for the feeling of thickness in a wine on the palate.
Vitis vinifera is the scientific name of the wine grape.
Viticulture is the science of growing wine grape vines and grapes.
Viognier is a high-quality white grape from France.