Oxidative and Reductive are both wine words often used to describe a style or philosophy of winemaking. Do you know what the two terms mean and how they differ? Oxidative and reductive are opposites that depend on the relative presence or absence of oxygen during winemaking. Oxidative winemaking means more aerobic winemaking in the presence of oxygen (usually controlled amounts). In contrast reductive winemaking means winemaking in more of an anaerobic environment without oxygen.

Wine of the Week: Enamore by Bodega Renacer Region & Country: Mendoza, Argentina Price: $27 Continuing my South American travels, this week I am writing about a wonderful visit to Bodega Renacer in Argentina’s Mendoza region. There is so much to write about, but today I am going to focus on Enamore – Renacer’s seductive, opulent Amarone-style wine. There are many fascinating aspects to Bodega Renacer.

Barrel fermented is a word that you often see on bottles of white wine. Do you know exactly what it means? And why it is often highlighted on a label? In general when a wine label says ‘Barrel Fermented’ it is highlighting an oak influence on the wine. While theoretically any size of barrel can be used, the term usually is an indication that the wine was fermented in small oak barrels called barrique (60 US gallons / 225 liters).

It is not everyday that I exclaim “oh my goodness” when I visit a wine region for the first time. Well it happened recently when I visited Viña Leyda in Chile’s ultra cool (or should I say cold) Leyda Valley. The Leyda Valley is rapidly, and deservedly so, gaining a reputation as a leading producer of refreshing, cool climate Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah wines.

As most readers know, I have been visiting wineries in Chile and Argentina for the past eight days. I can honestly say that it a long time since I came across such an array of wines that offer both very high quality and incredible value. First up is a range of four varietal wines that you may already be familiar with called Root:1. Suggested retail price is $12 but you often find the wines for less. Here’s what I am enjoying about them.

I am so in love with the wines from the Languedoc. Not only is the Languedoc one of France’s oldest wine regions, dating back over two thousand years, it is also the source of some of the best value French wines you can find, and an exciting hotbed of innovative winemaking.Writing from Montagnac, in the heart of the Languedoc, I have been discovering and savoring a host of exciting Languedoc wines over the past few weeks.

Recioto is a wine word, which you see on some Italian wine labels. Do you know what it means?Recioto is an Italian wine word. It refers to wines that have been made from ‘dried’ grapes, or grapes that are harvested when ultra ripe then left out to dry and ‘raisin’ before fermentation. As such Recioto wines are naturally sweet wines. Recioto wine may also be affected by noble rot.

One of the many things I love about wine is that you are never done discovering. We are back in Languedoc again this year, on vacation, and I have made all sorts of new delicious bubbly discoveries. On arriving our friends poured us a welcome glass of sparkling Picpoul de Pinet from Côte Mas (Domaines Paul Mas) just outside Montagnac. A first for me!

Despite the heat and humidity some of us still like to drink red wine throughout the summer. Read on for some useful tips on choosing and serving the perfect refreshing summer red wines.One of the most important aspects of any wine is refreshment. This is especially important as the mercury rises, when many red wines can taste overly powerful, rich and heavy. Over the years I have developed a short set of guidelines, which I adhere to over the summer months to best enjoy red wine.

Bâtonnage is the French word for lees stirring. As explained in my lees aging post, lees are the dead yeast cells and other particles which remain in a wine after fermentation. They settle as sediment or more of a creamy mud at the bottom of the fermentation vessel…Lees AgingAs these dead yeast cell (lees) break down, they release all sorts of compounds such as mannoproteins, amino acids, polysaccharides and fatty acids, which interact with the fermented wine.

These are terms used to describe the general weight, ‘fullness’ or overall feel of a wine in your mouth. Full-bodied wines are big and powerful. In contrast, light-bodied wines are more delicate and lean. Medium-bodied wines fall somewhere in between. There is no legal definition of where the cut-offs occur and many wines fall into the medium-to-high or light-to-medium body categories.

Rootstock is a wine word that many readers probably have heard mentioned with regard to viticulture and the growing of wine grapes. Today most vines are planted on rootstocks. This means that they are not planted on their own roots; rather the vine is grafted onto the root of a different vine species.Almost all of the grape varieties used to make wine belong to the Vitis Vinifera species. In contrast most rootstocks are American hybrids derived from non-Vinifera vine species.

Port is a wine word. Like Sherry it is often misunderstood. While Port is a style of fortified wine, it is not a generic word for the style. Port is the name of the liqueur or fortified wines produced in a specific delimited area of the Douro Valley, Portugal, up river from the city of Oporto. Port is a fortified wine, meaning that a spirit alcohol is added to increase the alcohol level.

Regular readers at The Kitchn will know that I am a committed rosé wine fan, and while I drink rosé wine all year round, there is something about the arrival of spring and summer that seems to herald in these pink and salmon toned wines.Every year I say it and here I go again, rosé’s popularity just keeps growing — if the number and diversity of choices is anything to go by.For me, rosé is more than a simple pink wine.

Cru Bourgeois is a wine term that you see on the label of some wines from Bordeaux. Do you know what the term actually means? Cru Bourgeois is a quality classification term for red wines produced in the Médoc, which is on the left bank region of Bordeaux. If Cru Bourgeois is on a wine label it means that the wine has been examined and certified as having the high enough quality and taste characteristics to qualify as a Cru Bourgeois.

When we think of a wine and cheese party we automatically think of red wine, but in fact white wine is actually a much better partner for many types of cheese. Read on to find out more about perfect cheese and wine pairings. Admittedly, for most people red wine is the go-to partner for cheese. However, the issue with red wine, especially a full-bodied red, is that it can overpower all but the most robust of cheeses.

Do you ever wonder why so many people automatically reach for a beer to go with African, Asian, or Caribbean foods? Answer: Beer is refreshing, and it does not clash with the many feisty, fiery flavors of chilies, herbs, spices and sauces that are the signature of these many and varied cuisines. But don’t put away your wine glasses just yet!

While I am a big advocate of how most foods and wines are pretty flexible when it comes to wine pairing, there are a number of foods that are known to be challenging in this domain. However, do not give up! Read on to find out what wines work well with salad vinaigrette, hot and spicy foods, dessert, asparagus, artichokes and even Brussels sprouts.

If you have not yet discovered Frappato, a Sicilian red grape, which makes the most deliciously refreshing light bodied red wines, now is your chance. This week’s wine — the 2011 Nerocapitano Frappato, IGT Sicilia is the perfect wine for pizza or pasta.Pretty pale crimson in color. Vibrant, bright and refreshing were three words that kept echoing in my mind as I savored this delicious Sicilian Frappato a few weeks ago.

Wine of the Week: 2010 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet SauvignonRegion & Country: Napa Valley, California, USAPrice: $28 Sometimes I chide myself for not giving enough attention to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.Granted many are excessively expensive, but thankfully not all, and when I recently tasted the 2010 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon I was strongly reminded that Napa can deliver tremendous taste for a relatively modest price.

Noble Rot is associated with some of the most famous sweet wines in the world such as Sauternes and Tokaji Aszú. Do you know what Noble Rot is, and how it contributes to the style of these wines?Noble Rot is a benevolent fungus that is scientifically known as Botrytis Cinerea. However, what is really important to know is that all Noble Rot is Botrytis Cinerea but not all Botrytis Cinerea is Noble Rot.

Parker Points is a wine term that you hear bandied about quite a lot and often discussed critically. The term Parker Points refers to a score awarded to a wine by Robert M. Parker Jr., the most influential wine critic of the past 20-30 years.Robert M. Parker Jr., whose influential newsletter is called The Wine Advocate (often abbreviated to WA on shelf talkers), uses a 100 point scale to rate wines.

The wine word VDN stands for “Vin Doux Naturel,” and it’s a specific style of wine produced in certain parts of France. VDN wines are sweet fortified wines made using a process called ‘mutage’, or the addition of grape spirit during fermentation.This stops the fermentation well before the yeasts have converted all the sugars in the must to alcohol. Mutage is another word for fortification.

Aging Potential is a wine word often used when discussing higher end wines that one might hope to cellar to either enjoy at a later stage or to resell for investment purposes. The aging potential of a wine means the length of time that a wine will hold up in the bottle and be enjoyable to drink, and the aging potential of any wine is directly related to its quality.

Easy drinking, a word used to describe certain wines. What makes a wine easy drinking? Is it a compliment or not? Are there challenging or difficult drinking wines?Firstly, in my opinion, the term ‘easy-drinking wine’ is a totally subjective ‘wine geek‘ term and open to much interpretation.The term tends to be used by wine geeks to describe wines that they believe have very broad appeal, especially to novice and marginal wine drinkers.

Lees aging is a wine word used to describe a stage in a wine’s maturation phase. Do you know what it means? Lees are the dead yeast cells and other particles remaining in a wine after fermentation. They settle as sediment or creamy mud at the bottom of the fermenting container.The container could be a tank, a wooden barrel or even a bottle, as in the case of Champagne and bottle fermented sparkling wines.

So you have pizza night on the regular and now you need bottle of wine to go with that meat-lover’s number. Over the years I’ve found a number of tried-and-trusted wine styles that have stood the test of time as perfect pizza partners. Here are seven to know! Red or White? Traditionally pizza means a thin, crispy dough base with two key ingredients: tomato sauce and melted cheese. The best wines for pizza take into consideration these ingredients.

Disgorgement is a wine word that pertains to Champagne and sparkling wines. Have you ever seen a notice on the back label of some bottles of Champagne saying “disgorged on X date”? Do you know what this means? And why do some bottles carry the notice while other do not? Disgorgement, or dégorgement in French, is a step in making Champagne and other bottle fermented sparkling wines.

Dosage is a wine word specific to the production of Champagne and sparkling wine. It refers to the amount of sugar added to the sparkling wine just before corking, or to the sweetness level of the finished wine.The dosage, or liqueur d’expedition (as it is called in French), is typically a mixture of sugar and wine, though it could just be a sweet wine. The tradition of adding dosage comes from Champagne.

Last week I explained the wine word ‘Traditional Method‘. Tank Method is another wine word, specific to sparkling wine. Tank Method is also know as ‘Cuve Close’ or Charmat Method. Tank Method is a name for a sparkling wine making process. Unlike the ‘Traditional Fermentation’, whereby the second fermentation happens in bottle, in Tank Method it takes place in a large closed pressure tank.

Did you know that egg whites play quite an important role in the making of red wine? They work as a fining agent. Interested in finding out more? Read on to find out why and how egg whites are used to help make wine! Most of us expect that when we pour a glass of wine it will be clear and bright. Unfortunately when a wine finishes fermenting it is far from so.

Traditional Method (or méthode traditionelle) is a wine word associated with the production of Champagne and other bottle-fermented sparkling wines. It is an official, technical term denoting a specific method and process. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Classic Method’ (méthode classique), while it used to be called the ‘Champagne Method.’Traditional Method means that the sparkling wine in question was bottle fermented. i.e.

Last week I described the word vintageIf a wine does not carry a vintage year, it is generally described as non-vintage, in that the grapes used did not come from a single vintage. The tradition of non-vintage is especially strong in Champagne, where a certain percentage of reserve wine (i.e older wines) is added to achieve the desired house style and taste consistency as well as complexity.

As regular readers know, I love bubbles — not just Champagne but a wide range of sparkling wines from all over the world. Following a recent trip to the Loire Valley in France I thought I would share some of the less well-known treasures of the region — the sparkling wines. Delicious Crémant de Loire, Saumur and Vouvray sparkling wines. Perfect for any occasion, and all for $20 (or less).The Loire ValleyThe Loire Valley wine region is large and diverse.

Variety and varietal are two wine words that are so often confused and misused. Unfortunately wine professionals confuse the two as much as everyday wine consumers. Do you know the difference?Variety vs. Varietal: The easiest way to remember the distinction is to remember that one (variety) is a noun and the other (varietal) is an adjective.The word variety refers to the grape variety, grown and used to make the wine such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and so forth.

Many wine drinkers have come across little solid particles in their wine at some time. Is the wine flawed? And are they harmful? What are they? No, the wine is not flawed and they are not harmful. Sediments are natural deposits thrown by the wine over time in the bottle.Solid particles in your wine glass or bottle are known as sediment. However, most wines that are destined for early drinking do not throw sediment.

Balance is a word you very often hear wine people talk about.Do you ever wonder what it means in the context of a wine? What exactly is a balanced wine?Balance is extremely important in any wine and one of its most sought after characteristics. A wine is balanced when all the different components are working in harmony – a balanced wine is one where no one component protrudes or awkwardly sticks out.

Length and Finish are words often used by wine tasters. What do they mean? And what words might you use to describe them? Length is a tasting term to describe how long the taste of a wine persists or lingers on your palate after you have swallowed (or spit, if tasting professionally) the wine…Length is essentially, as it implies, a measure. A wine’s length may be described as long, moderate or short. In general, a long length is considered a sign of high quality.

What do we mean when we talk about the texture of a wine? What words might we use to describe a wine’s texture ? When we talk about the texture of a wine, we are essentially describing the mouthfeel or tactile sensation on the palate. Read on for some thoughts on describing and characterizing a wine’s texture!I am sure all our readers are familiar with texture when it comes to tasting food. Well, it is the same with wine – that physical sensation in our mouth.

Minerality—a word you hear bandied about by wine tasters and professionals. What exactly is minerality in a wine? What does it taste like? Where does it come from? And, do all wines have it?Defining MineralityUnfortunately there is really no real agreement among wine experts or even wine scientists as to how to define minerality in a wine.

Last week in posting about wine ‘aromas’What do we mean when we talk about flavor in wine?Flavor refers to the taste of a wine in your mouth. As well as reflecting the aromas absorbed retro-nasally, the overall flavor of a wine is also influenced by the wine’s acidity, sweetness, alcohol level, tannins, astringency, body and in sparkling wines by its fizziness, as these components can accentuate or neutralize the flavors.

Do you ever wonder what we mean when we say a wine has high or low acidity? Or when your wine geek friend describes him/herself as an acid guy or girl? What does acidity in a wine taste like?Welcome to the first installment in a new series — wine words. We’ll look at a different word every week and explore what it really means in the context of wine. What are its nuances and unspoken meanings?First up: Acidity.If you have ever tasted a lemon you know what acidity tastes like.

Happy New Year! The holidays are over. It is January, a month much associated with cutting back and shopping more wisely. Still love your wine? Read on for some great wine shopping tips to help you find the best deals, and save a few dollars.Tip #1 – Buy By the Case and Not By the BottleI have mentioned this a number of times in previous posts. While it might seem extravagant to order a case of wine, you generally get a discount of anything between 10% and 15% by doing so.