Notes and tips from Rob Wells,
host of this
popular segment of Cyberfeasts, are posted
here.Rob
says:
"Wine
shorts - are a short, quick
explanation of a piece of wine terminology. If
you would like a wine term explained then please
feel free to email us at
foodcast@cyberfeasts.com."
From CyberFeasts#10
Corked:
The wine tastes of
cork, it is unpleasant to smell and taste,
slightly musty.
From Cyberfeasts #8
breathing
- is where a cork is removed from a bottle of
wine exposing it to the outside air. It's thought
that this helps develop the bouquet of the wine.
This is especially true for red wines and some
white burgundies, though opinion is divided on
its actual effects especially on vintage wines.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast
#6:
balance -
is a reference to the
levels of dominance of the various components
found in a wine such as acid, alcohol and
tannins. When well balanced, the components blend
harmoniously and no particular flavor or
characteristic dominates.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast
#5:
auslese - this
is a German term where the grapes are
individually selected.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast
#4:
aroma, bouquet and
nose of a wine - Aroma is the simple, fruity
smell of the grape variety used to make the wine.
Bouquet is the complex set of fragrances that
develop in a wine during fermentation and aging.
The "nose" of a wine refers to the combination of
the aroma and bouquet.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast
#3:
appellation
- It's actually a French term for label or name.
In the wine world it is also a designated growing
area governed by the rules and regulations
established by the area's federal government and
its local governing body.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast #2:
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
- a.k.a. an a.o.c., is a label of controlled
origin. It's also a French system that was
introduced in 1935 to safeguard quality conscious
wine makers from unethical producers that were
taking advantage of well known names. To qualify
an area must specify the land and size acceptable
for a vineyard, the grape varieties, the grape
growing practices, the permissible yields, the
alcohol content, the wine making practices in
use, and since '79, an official tasting.
From Cyberfeasts
Foodcast #1:
acid balance
- this is where the winemaker has been successful
in balancing the amount of acid to avoid too much
of a sharp tart taste, but still allowing enough
acidity to enhance the flavour of the wine.
aging - is allowing a wine,
usually red wine, to mature and improve.
