Glossary

M-R

Marl - A sedimentary rock or soil consisting of clay and lime, formerly used typically as fertilizer.

Meritage - An invented term used by California wineries for Bordeaux-style red and white blended wines. Combines "merit" with "heritage" and rhymes with the latter. The term arose out of the need to name wines that didn't meet the minimum requirements for varietal labeling (i.e., 75 percent of the named grape variety). For reds, the grapes allowed are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec; for whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Joseph Phelps Insignia and Flora Springs Trilogy are examples of wines whose blends vary each year, with no one grape dominating.

Methuselah - An extra-large bottle holding 6 liters; the equivalent of eight standard bottles.

Mis en Bouteille au Domaine - A phrase simply meaning that the wine was bottled at the domaine or winery rather than by a négociant.

Mouthfeel - The tasting term used particularly for red wines to describe the texture of a wine within the mouth. This relates to attributes such as smoothness, or grittiness. Among the factors that influence a wine%u2019s mouthfeel are tannin, acidity, body, and bitterness.

Must - The unfermented juice of grapes extracted by crushing or pressing; grape juice in the cask or vat before it is converted into wine.

Nebuchadnezzar - A giant wine bottle holding 15 liters; the equivalent of 20 standard bottles.

Négociant - French term for merchant, refers to one who purchases grapes, must, or wine from a number of growers within an appellation, then blends the different lots and bottles the wine under their own label. This practice is especially important in Burgundy, where many growers own plots of land too small to support individual labels.

Nouveau - A style of light, fruity, youthful red wine bottled and sold as soon as possible. Applies mostly to Beaujolais.Non-vintage - Blended from more than one vintage. This allows the vintner to maintain a house style from year to year. Many Champagnes and sparkling wines, ports and sherries are non-vintage.

Oidium - A fungal disease affecting vines, caused by a powdery mildew. The fungus is Uncinula Necator.

Oxidized - Describes wine that has been exposed too long to oxygen and taken on a brownish color, losing its freshness and perhaps beginning to smell and taste like Sherry or old apples. Oxidized wines are also called maderized or sherrified.

Phenolics/ Phenols - Chemical compounds derived from skins, seeds, and stems. Phenols include tannin, color, and flavor compounds.

Phylloxera - Tiny aphids (root lice) that attack Vitis vinifera roots. The disease was widespread in both Europe and California during the late 19th century, and returned to California in the 1980s. There is no known cure at this time. Vinifera vines are instead grafted onto native American rootstocks.

QbA or Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete - The largest category of German wine that basically includes the lower quality wines that meet Qualitätswein standards. These wines must come from one of Germany%u2019s 13 wine regions and should also reach a minimum level of ripeness. QbA wines may be enriched with added sugar.

QmP or Qualitätswein mit Prädikat - Literally, a quality wine with distinction. Germany%u2019s category of superior wines. A designation of wines based on the level of ripeness of the grapes used in the wine. The grapes must also be picked as specified by law and the wines cannot have any sugar added to them. The six levels of QmP wines, beginning with the earliest harvest time, and ending with the latest, are Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Qualitätswein - German for %u201Cquality wine.%u201D A broad category encompassing the majority of German wine. It includes QmP and QbA wines. In Austria, it is the category between Landwein and Prädikatswein.

Racking - The practice of moving wine by hose from one container to another, leaving sediment behind. For aeration or clarification.

Remuage - In sparkling wine production, a tedious process where each individual bottle is rotated and tilted very slightly over time so that the yeast is loosened and settles into the neck of the bottle. Machines with computerized pallets have been designed to perform in days what takes around 8 weeks to do by hand in the traditional manner.

Rias Baixas - Wine-producing region in Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The language of Galicia is Gallego. Rias refers to the inlets made by the Atlantic into the coastline and Baixas (Bi-shas) is among the rias.

Ripasso (%u201Cre-passed%u201D) - In northeast Italy%u2019s Veneto region, a traditional method of winemaking where fresh, young Valpolicella wine is placed in contact with the used lees and unpressed skins of Amarone wines after their fermentation. This process activates a second fermentation, imparting some of the sweet, raisiny character into the young wine and adds alcohol content as well. *see also: Amarone.

Rustic - Describes wines made by old-fashioned methods, or tasting like wines made in an earlier era. Can be a positive quality in distinctive wines that require aging. Can also be a negative quality when used to describe a young, earthy wine that should be fresh and fruity.