Glossary

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   L   M   N   O   P   R   S   T   U   V   W   Y

Decanting:

A method by which cellar-aged bottled wine is poured slowly and carefully into a second vessel, usually a glass decanter, in order to leave any sediment in the original bottle before serving. Almost always a treatment confined to red wines.

Degree:

Alcohol content. 'Twelve degrees' means 12% alcohol by volume.

Delicate:

Any wine demonstrating somewhat mild, but attractive characteristics. Occasionally used to describe well-made wines from the so-called "lesser grape" varieties.

Deep / Depth:

Refers to a premium wine that demands more attention, it fills the mouth with a developing flavor, there are subtle layers of flavor that go "deep" (see also lingering).

Dessert wine:

Has two meanings:

Fortified wine - eg: Sherry - where alcohol is added in the form of Brandy or neutral spirits.

Sweet or very sweet wines of any alcohol level customarily drunk with dessert or by themselves and usually in small amounts.

Destemming:

Process of separating grapes from stems. Traditionally stems were included in the fermenting vat, but they tend to give a tough, bitter taste to the wine. Most good quality wines are now made without stems.

Developed:

Tasting term indicating a wine with some aged character and maturity.

Diesel:

Aroma constituent reminiscent of diesel/petrol/gasoline engine fumes. Occasionally detected in botrytis affected sweet or semi-dry wines such as Riesling. Considered a flaw if too obtrusive (see also petrol).

Direct:

Everything present in this wine is immediately obvious (see also easy, simple).

Dirty:

Describes any of the undesirable odours that can be present in a wine that that was poorly vinified. A characteristic imparted by improperly cleaned barrels or various other processes performed incorrectly. Usually detected first in a wine by the smell of the cork stopper or from a barrel sample. Not to be confused with corkedwines where the stopper is thought to be responsible (see also yeasty / yeastlike).

Double magnum:

Bottle of 3 litres equivalent to 4 normal (75cl) bottles. In Champagne this size is called jeroboam.

Dry:

Description of a wine made deliberately to possess ittle or no sweetness. Commonly defined as containing less than about 0.5% residual sugar.

Dumb:

Characteristic description of a young wine with yet-to-develop aromas and flavours. A synonym for "closed-in". Named so because it seems "unable to speak".