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A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V Z
abboccato 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)
acciaio (inossidabile) (stainless) steel
acerbo unripe; green
acidità acidity
acido acid, especially acetico (acetic), lattico (lactic), malico (malic), and tartarico (tartaric)
acidulo acidic; having excessive (sour) acidity
acino grape; berry (pl acini)
affinamento finishing; refinement (of a wine after vinification and blending, before release)
agronomo agronomist; an agricultural scientist
alcol, alcool alcohol, especially alcol etilico (ethyl alcohol or ethanol)
amabile 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)
amaro (adj) bitter; (n) a bitter liqueur
amarognolo having a slightly bitter aftertaste
ambra amber (color)
ambrato “ambered”; turning brown
ampio ample; rich, complex, and balance
anice anise; licorice flavor
anidride carbonica carbon dioxide
anidride solforosa sulfur dioxide
annata vintage; year of harvest
antociani anthocyanins
appassimento the process of drying grapes
armonico harmonious; balanced; proportionate
aromatico aromatic; having a rich, usually floral, aroma
arricchimento enrichment; increasing the sugar content of grape must
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)
assaggio (n) taste; sample (of wine)
assemblaggio blending of wines
autoclave autoclave; pressurized tank
autoctono autochthonous; native to the place where it is growing; indigenous
azienda agricola wine estate; a farm that grows grapes and produces its own wine
azienda vinicola a winemaking firm that buys most or all of its grapes from growers
bacca grape; berry (a more general botanical term than acino)
barile small wine barrel, typically made of wood and holding about 50 liters
bianco white (pl bianchi)
bicchiere wineglass; drinking glass
biodinamica biodynamic (agriculture)
biologica organic (agriculture)
bollicine bubbles
botrizzato botrytized; affected by botrytis (muffa nobile)
botte wine barrel, normally made of wood and of any size but usually 200 liters or more (pl botti)
bottiglia bottle (pl bottiglie)
buccia (d’uva) grape skin
caldo hot (alcoholic)
cannella cinnamon
cantina cellar; winery
cantina sociale winery cooperative
caratello small wine barrel, typically made of wood and holding about 100 liters
caratteristico characteristic; appropriate for the named grape variety, region, or wine style
cascina farmhouse; rural wine estate
castagno chestnut tree or wood (sometimes used for casks or tanks)
cavatappi corkscrew
cerasuolo cherry red; also, a wine of that color
chiaretto claret; a color on the border between a deep rosato and a light red
chiusura closure (of a wine bottle)
classico classic, often used in reference to a historic wine region or a traditional style
colle hill (pl colli)
collina small hill (pl colline)
collo neck (of a bottle)
colmatura topping up (a barrel)
colore color
confezionamento packaging (closure and bottle)
consorzio consortium, especially of wine producers in a specific region
consumatore consumer
consumo consumption
cooperativo winery cooperative
coppa cup; goblet; wide-mouthed wineglass
corpo body
corposo full-bodied
corto short; having little persistence in the mouth
cuoio leather
degustazione tasting, especially a formal tasting to evaluate wine
denominazione denomination; appellation; place-name
densità density (of a vineyard’s planting)
disciplinare document that sets forth the rules and standards for wine production in a defined region
distributore distributor
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)
dolcificazione sweetening
dorato golden
dosaggio dosage; the liquid added to classic-method sparkling wine after disgorging for sweetening and topping up
effervescenza effervescence
elaborazione elaboration; processing (of wine); winemaking
elegante elegant
enologia enology; winemaking
enologo enologist; winemaker
enoteca wine shop; wine bar
equilibrato balanced
erbaceo herbaceous; vegetal
estratto extract; the components of a wine, apart from sugar, that would remain if all the liquid is evaporated
etanolo ethanol
etichetta label
etichettatura labeling
ettaro hectare (equivalent to 2.47 acres)
ettolitro hectoliter (100 liters, equivalent to about 26.4 U.S. gallons or 11.1 cases)
fattoria farm; farmhouse; rural wine estate
fecce, feccia sediment from the winemaking process; dregs; lees
fermentazione fermentation
fillossera phylloxera root louse
filtrato filtered
filtrazione filtration
fine elegant and harmonious
fiori flowers
floreale floral; reminiscent of the aroma of flowers
forzatura forcing; strengthening; causing unnaturally vigorous growth in a vineyard
fragrante fragrant; perfumed; aromatic; fruity
fresco fresh; crisply acidic
frizzante effervescent; fizzy; exhibiting carbon dioxide bubbles in solution, but at a lower pressure than a fully sparkling (spumante) wine
frutta fruit
fruttato fruity
giallo yellow
giovane young; lacking maturity
gradazione alcolica alcoholic content; equivalent to “proof” in the U.S. (titolo alcolometrico is preferred)
granato garnet (color)
grappa spirit made by distilling grape pomace (skins and seeds)
grappolo (d’uva) grape bunch (pl grappoli)
gusto (n) taste; flavor
imballaggio packing (putting wine bottles in containers for shipping or storing)
imbottigliamento the bottling process
imbottigliato bottled
impianto planting; implantation
importatore importer
intenso intense (in aroma, color, or flavor)
invecchiamento the aging process
invecchiato aged
leggero lightweight; low in alcohol
legno wood
lieviti yeast (pl)
limpidezza clarity
liquoroso fortified; with added alcohol
lotta biologica the vineyard pest control strategy of using only biological (organic) means to combat pests, rejecting all chemicals except copper and sulfur
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
lotta integrata integrated pest management; the vineyard strategy of using biological and chemical means in a coordinated plan to combat pests
macerazione maceration
macerazione carbonica carbonic maceration
maderizzato maderized; oxidized
malolattica malolactic (fermentation)
marchio trademark; brand (pl marchi)
mattonato brick red
maturazione maturation; aging
maturo mature
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
metodo classico the classic Champagne method of fermenting sparkling wine in the bottle in which it is sold
metodo Martinotti another name for metodo Charmat, especially in Piemonte
metodo tradizionale another name for metodo classico
millesimato vintage dated, usually referring to sparkling wine
minerali minerals
monovitigno varietal; a wine made from a single grape variety
morbido soft and balanced, with barely detectable sweetness and low to normal acidity
mosto grape must; juice for winemaking
muffa nobile noble rot; botrytis (Botrytis cinerea)
nero black
novello (adj) new; (n) a light-bodied red wine made for release soon after harvest
odore odor; aroma; smell
ossidato oxidized; having been adversely affected by contact with air
ossidazione oxidation
paglierino pale yellow; straw colored
passito wine made using partially dried grapes to increase the alcohol and/or sweetness level
pergola traditional high training of vines overhead
persistente having a prolonged finish
pesante heavy; overly alcoholic
pieno full; full-bodied; rich
pigiatura crushing; pressing
podere farm; rural wine estate
polifenoli polyphenols
polpa pulp; flesh
porpora purple; crimson
potatura pruning
presa di spuma the process of creating the second fermentation for sparkling wines
prezzo price
produttore producer
profumo perfume; aroma; nose
provenienza provenance; place of origin
raspo stem (of a grape bunch); stalk
resa yield (of grapes from a vineyard)
retrogusto aftertaste
rifermentazione refermentation
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
riserva reserve; a wine of longer aging and usually higher quality than the norm for that style
robusto robust; full-bodied
rosato (adj) rosy; (n) a pink or rosé wine
rosso red
rotondo round; well-balanced with moderate acidity
rubino ruby (color)
sapido sapid; flavorful; full-bodied
sapore flavor
Satèn a style of white sparkling wine made in Franciacorta
sboccatura disgorgement
scelto chosen; selected, referring to grape bunches or individual berries hand-harvested for quality
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)
sesti spacing; distances; density (of vineyard plantings)
solfato sulfate
spuma foam; effervescence
spumante sparkling (wine)
struttura structure
sughero cork (material)
suolo soil
superiore superior; a wine of a somewhat higher standard—most commonly slightly riper grapes—than the norm for that style
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)
tannico tannic; rich in tannins
tannino tannin (pl tannini); astringent compounds primarily found in grape skins and wood
tappatura the corking process
tappo (n) cork; closure; (adj) corked (aroma); affected by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA)
tappo a fungo mushroom cork (for sparkling wine)
tappo a vite screw cap
tenuta estate
terreno terrain; land; soil
tipologia type; style (of wine) (pl tipologie)
titolo alcolometrico volumico effettivo actual alcoholic strength
titolo alcolometrico volumico naturale potential alcoholic strength before any enrichment
titolo alcolometrico volumico potenziale potential alcoholic strength; the actual alcoholic strength that would be achieved if all sugars were fully fermented
tranquillo still; not effervescent
uva grape
uvaggio blend of grapes
vaniglia vanilla
varietà variety
vecchio old
vellutato velvety; soft and smooth on the palate
vendemmia harvest
vendemmia tardiva late harvest
vigna vineyard (pl vigne)
vignaiolo grape grower; vine dresser
vigneto vineyard, especially a large vineyard
vinaccia, vinacce pomace; marc (pressed grape skins and seeds)
vinacciolo grapeseed
vinificazione vinification; winemaking
vino wine (pl vini)
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
vinoso vinous; grapey; fresh and fruity like a young wine
viola, violetta violet; purple (color)
vite vine (pl viti)
viticoltore viticulturist; grape grower
viticoltura viticulture
vitigno grape variety (pl vitigni)
vivace lively; youthful, sometimes slightly effervescent
zucchero sugar
zuccheri residui residual sugars