Italian Wine Terms Flashcards
(242 cards)
1
Q
abboccato
A
off-dry; somewhat sweet (approx. 7–15 g/l residual sugar for still wines, 12–35 g/l for frizzante wines, and 32–50 g/l for sparkling wines)
2
Q
acciaio (inossidabile)
A
(stainless) steel
3
Q
acerbo
A
unripe; green
4
Q
acidità
A
acidity
5
Q
acido
A
acid, especially acetico (acetic), lattico (lactic), malico (malic), and tartarico (tartaric)
6
Q
acidulo
A
acidic; having excessive (sour) acidity
7
Q
acino
A
grape; berry (pl acini)
8
Q
affinamento
A
finishing; refinement (of a wine after vinification and blending, before release)
9
Q
agronomo
A
agronomist; an agricultural scientist
10
Q
alcol, alcool
A
alcohol, especially alcol etilico (ethyl alcohol or ethanol)
11
Q
amabile
A
semisweet; demisec (approx. 15–45 g/l residual sugar for still wines, 30–50 g/l for frizzante wines, and 40–100 g/l for fortified wines; not used for sparkling wines)
12
Q
amaro
A
(adj) bitter; (n) a bitter liqueur
13
Q
amarognolo
A
having a slightly bitter aftertaste
14
Q
ambra
A
amber (color)
15
Q
ambrato
A
“ambered”; turning brown
16
Q
ampio
A
ample; rich, complex, and balance
17
Q
anice
A
anise; licorice flavor
18
Q
anidride carbonica
A
carbon dioxide
19
Q
anidride solforosa
A
sulfur dioxide
20
Q
annata
A
vintage; year of harvest
21
Q
antociani
A
anthocyanins
22
Q
appassimento
A
the process of drying grapes
23
Q
armonico
A
harmonious; balanced; proportionate
24
Q
aromatico
A
aromatic; having a rich, usually floral, aroma
25
arricchimento
enrichment; increasing the sugar content of grape must
26
asciutto
bone dry (officially synonymous with secco: less than approx. 7 g/l residual sugar for still wines, 17–32 g/l for sparkling wines)
27
assaggio
(n) taste; sample (of wine)
28
assemblaggio
blending of wines
29
autoclave
autoclave; pressurized tank
30
autoctono
autochthonous; native to the place where it is growing; indigenous
31
azienda agricola
wine estate; a farm that grows grapes and produces its own wine
32
azienda vinicola
a winemaking firm that buys most or all of its grapes from growers
33
bacca
grape; berry (a more general botanical term than acino)
34
barile
small wine barrel, typically made of wood and holding about 50 liters
35
bianco
white (pl bianchi)
36
bicchiere
wineglass; drinking glass
37
biodinamica
biodynamic (agriculture)
38
biologica
organic (agriculture)
39
bollicine
bubbles
40
botrizzato
botrytized; affected by botrytis (muffa nobile)
41
botte
wine barrel, normally made of wood and of any size but usually 200 liters or more (pl botti)
42
bottiglia
bottle (pl bottiglie)
43
buccia (d’uva)
grape skin
44
caldo
hot (alcoholic)
45
cannella
cinnamon
46
cantina
Cellar , winery
47
cantina sociale
Winery cooperative
48
caratello
small wine barrel, typically made of wood and holding about 100 liters
49
caratteristico
characteristic; appropriate for the named grape variety, region, or wine style
50
cascina
Farmhouse or Rural Wine estate
51
castagno
chestnut tree or wood (sometimes used for casks or tanks)
52
cavatappi
Corkscrew
53
cerasuolo
Cherry red also a wine of that color
54
chiaretto
claret; a color on the border between a deep rosato and a light red
55
chiusura
closure (of a wine bottle)
56
classico
classic, often used in reference to a historic wine region or a traditional style
57
colle
hill (pl colli)
58
collina
small hill (pl colline)
59
collo
neck (of a bottle)
60
colmatura
topping up (a barrel)
61
colore
Color
62
confezionamento
packaging (closure and bottle)
63
consorzio
consortium, especially of wine producers in a specific region
64
consumatore
consumer
65
consumo
consumption
66
cooperativo
Winery cooperative
67
coppa
cup; goblet; wide-mouthed wineglass
68
corpo
Body
69
corposo
Full bodied
70
corto
short; having little persistence in the mouth
71
cuoio
Leather
72
degustazione
tasting, especially a formal tasting to evaluate wine
73
denominazione
denomination; appellation; place-name
74
densità
density (of a vineyard’s planting)
75
disciplinare
document that sets forth the rules and standards for wine production in a defined region
76
distributore
distributor
77
dolce
sweet (more than 45 g/l residual sugar for still and frizzante wines, more than 50 g/l for sparkling wines, more than 100 g/l for fortified wines)
78
dolcificazione
sweetening
79
dorato
golden
80
dosaggio
dosage; the liquid added to classic-method sparkling wine after disgorging for sweetening and topping up
81
effervescenza
effervescence
82
elaborazione
elaboration; processing (of wine); winemaking
83
elegante
elegant
84
enologia
Enology wine making
85
enologo
enologist; winemaker
86
enoteca
wine shop; wine bar
87
equilibrato
balanced
88
erbaceo
herbaceous; vegetal
89
estratto
extract; the components of a wine, apart from sugar, that would remain if all the liquid is evaporated
90
etanolo
ethanol
91
etichetta
label
92
etichettatura
labeling
93
ettaro
hectare (equivalent to 2.47 acres)
94
ettolitro
hectoliter (100 liters, equivalent to about 26.4 U.S. gallons or 11.1 cases)
95
atomizzatore
Atomizer
96
??
Tartrate casse the haze evident from precipitating tartrate salts.
97
Sfemminellatura
The cutting back of sterile canes
98
sgarzolatura
Suckering or shoot thinning vines.
99
fattoria
farm; farmhouse; rural wine estate
100
fecce, feccia
sediment from the winemaking process; dregs; lees
101
fermentazione
fermentation
102
fillossera
phylloxera root louse
103
filtrato
filtered
104
filtrazione
filtration
105
fine
elegant and harmonious
106
fiori
flowers
107
floreale
floral; reminiscent of the aroma of flowers
108
forzatura
forcing; strengthening; causing unnaturally vigorous growth in a vineyard
109
fragrante
fragrant; perfumed; aromatic; fruity
110
fresco
fresh; crisply acidic
111
frizzante
effervescent; fizzy; exhibiting carbon dioxide bubbles in solution, but at a lower pressure than a fully sparkling (spumante) wine
112
Frutta
Fruit
113
fruttato
Fruity
114
Giallo
Yellow
115
giovane
young; lacking maturity
116
Peronospora
Downy mildew
117
gradazione alcolica
alcoholic content; equivalent to “proof” in the U.S. (titolo alcolometrico is preferred)
118
granato
garnet (color)
119
grappa
spirit made by distilling grape pomace (skins and seeds)
120
grappolo (d’uva)
grape bunch (pl grappoli)
121
Gusto
Taste; flavor
122
Imballaggio
packing (putting wine bottles in containers for shipping or storing)
123
Imbottigliamento
The bottling process
124
Imbottigliato
Bottled
125
impianto
Planting; implantation
126
Importatore
Importer
127
Intenso
Intense (in aroma, color, or flavor)
128
Invecchiamento
The aging process
129
Invecchiato
Aged
130
Leggero
Lightweight; low in alcohol
131
Legno
Wood
132
Lieviti
Yeast (pL).
133
Limpidezza
Clarity
134
liquoroso
fortified; with added alcohol
135
lotta biologica
the vineyard pest control strategy of using only biological (organic) means to combat pests, rejecting all chemicals except copper and sulfur
136
lotta guidata
literally, guided struggle or reasoned fight; the vineyard strategy of using chemicals only when damage from pests and disease is imminent, rather than proactively on a routine schedule
137
lotta integrata
integrated pest management; the vineyard strategy of using biological and chemical means in a coordinated plan to combat pests
138
macerazione
maceration
139
macerazione carbonica
carbonic maceration
140
maderizzato
maderized; oxidized
141
malolattica
malolactic (fermentation)
142
marchio
trademark; brand (pl marchi)
143
mattonato
Brick red
144
maturo
Mature
145
metodo Charmat
the method of fermenting sparkling wine in pressurized tanks (autoclaves) and then transferring the wine into bottles under pressure; also called metodo Martinotti
146
metodo classico
the classic Champagne method of fermenting sparkling wine in the bottle in which it is sold
147
metodo Martinotti
another name for metodo Charmat, especially in Piemonte
148
metodo tradizionale
another name for metodo classico
149
millesimato
vintage dated, usually referring to sparkling wine
150
minerali
minerals
151
monovitigno
varietal; a wine made from a single grape variety
152
morbido
soft and balanced, with barely detectable sweetness and low to normal acidity
153
mosto
grape must; juice for winemakin
154
muffa nobile
noble rot; botrytis (Botrytis cinerea)
155
Nero
Black
156
Novello
(adj) new; (n) a light-bodied red wine made for release soon after harvest
157
Odore
Odor; aroma; smell
158
Ossidato
Oxidized; having been adversely affected by contact with air
159
Ossidazione
Oxidation
160
paglierino
Pale yellow, straw colored
161
passito
wine made using partially dried grapes to increase the alcohol and/or sweetness level
162
pergola
traditional high training of vines overhead
163
persistente
having a prolonged finish
164
pesante
heavy; overly alcoholic
165
pieno
full; full-bodied; rich
166
pigiatura
crushing; pressing
167
podere
farm; rural wine estate
168
polifenoli
polyphenols
169
polpa
pulp; flesh
170
porpora
purple; crimson
171
potatura
pruning
172
presa di spuma
the process of creating the second fermentation for sparkling wines
173
prezzo
price
174
produttore
producer
175
profumo
perfume; aroma; nose
176
provenienza
provenance; place of origin
177
qualità
Quality
178
quercia
Oak
179
raspo
stem (of a grape bunch); stalk
180
resa
yield (of grapes from a vineyard)
181
retrogusto
aftertaste
182
rifermentazione
refermentation
183
ripasso
literally, repassed; a wine whose alcoholic strength is increased and its complexity enhanced by combining it with the drained but still fermenting skins of a dried-grape wine to initiate a second fermentation
184
riserva
reserve; a wine of longer aging and usually higher quality than the norm for that style
185
robusto
robust; full-bodied
186
rosato
(adj) rosy; (n) a pink or rosé wine
187
rosso
red
188
rotondo
round; well-balanced with moderate acidity
189
rubino
ruby (color)
190
sapido
sapid; flavorful; full-bodied
191
sapore
flavor
192
Satèn
a style of white sparkling wine made in Franciacorta
193
sboccatura
disgorgement
194
scelto
chosen; selected, referring to grape bunches or individual berries hand-harvested for quality
195
secco
dry (less than 4–9 g/l residual sugar, depending on acidity level, for still wines; 17–32 g/l for sparkling wines; less than 40 g/l for fortified wines)
196
sesti
spacing; distances; density (of vineyard plantings)
197
solfato
sulfate
198
spuma
foam; effervescence
199
spumante
sparkling (wine)
200
struttura
structure
201
sughero
cork (material)
202
suolo
soil
203
superiore
superior; a wine of a somewhat higher standard—most commonly slightly riper grapes—than the norm for that style
204
Talento
a collective brand name for a style of sparkling wine made by the metodo classico; using only Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, and/or Pinot Nero; with a minimum of 15 months’ aging on the lees; and made in a brut or drier style (less than 12 g/l residual sugar)
205
tannico
tannic; rich in tannins
206
tannino
tannin (pl tannini); astringent compounds primarily found in grape skins and wood
207
tappatura
the corking process
208
tappo
(n) cork; closure; (adj) corked (aroma); affected by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA)
209
tappo a fungo
mushroom cork (for sparkling wine)
210
tappo a vite
screw cap
211
tenuta
estate
212
terreno
terrain; land; soil
213
tipologia
type; style (of wine) (pl tipologie)
214
titolo alcolometrico volumico effettivo
actual alcoholic strength
215
titolo alcolometrico volumico naturale
potential alcoholic strength before any enrichment
216
titolo alcolometrico volumico potenziale
potential alcoholic strength; the actual alcoholic strength that would be achieved if all sugars were fully fermented
217
tranquillo
still; not effervescent
218
uva
grape
219
uvaggio
blend of grapes
220
vaniglia
vanilla
221
varietà
variety
222
vecchio
old
223
vellutato
velvety; soft and smooth on the palate
224
vendemmia
harvest
225
vendemmia tardiva
late harvest
226
vigna
vineyard (pl vigne)
227
vignaiolo
grape grower; vine dresser
228
vigneto
vineyard, especially a large vineyard
229
vinaccia, vinacce
pomace; marc (pressed grape skins and seeds)
230
vinacciolo
grapeseed
231
vinificazione
vinification; winemaking
232
vino
wine (pl vini)
233
vin santo
literally, holy wine; a traditional wine style of Toscana characterized by an exceptionally long, slow fermentation of sweet juice from dried grapes in sealed barrels
234
vinoso
vinous; grapey; fresh and fruity like a young wine
235
viola, violetta
violet; purple (color)
236
vite
vine (pl viti)
237
viticoltore
viticulturist; grape grower
238
viticoltura
viticulture
239
vitigno
grape variety (pl vitigni)
240
vivace
lively; youthful, sometimes slightly effervescent
241
zucchero
sugar
242
zuccheri residui
residual sugars
