GENERAL WINE TERMS
Other glossaries available here
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Charmat Method |
Technique for producing sparkling wines by second fermentation in tank. Cheaper and easier than bottle fermented, it is generally used for less expensive wines. |
| Chateau |
French term for castle; wine-producing estate (even if it isn't a real castle) |
| Chiaretto |
Light rose wine. |
| Chocolate, Cholatey |
Tasting term used to indicate a rich, warm chocolate-like aroma and taste, particularly in red wine. |
| Clairet |
Light red wine from Bordeaux, resembling a deeply colored rose. |
| Claret |
Anglo-Saxon term for any red wine of Bordeaux. |
| Clarete |
Spanish term for pale red wine. |
| Classed Growth |
English translation of the French 'cru class', meaning a wine-producing estate that has been ranked in an official classification (particularly in Bordeaux). |
| Classese |
Italian term for bottle-fermented sparkling wine category, particular to the Italian region of Oltrepo Pavese. |
| Classico |
Italian term/label appended to several Italian wine names, to indicate the original heart of the zone (e.g. Chianti Classico is the center of the larger Chianti region). |
| Climat |
French term for individual vineyard site (particularly in Burgundy). |
| Clonal Selection |
Sub-variety within a vine variety (grape variety). There are different clones of Chardonnay for example, and clonal selection results in the choice of the clone most suited to local conditions and the vinegrower's requirement for yield, disease resistance, and so on. |
| Clone |
Sub-variety within a vine variety (grape variety). There are different clones of Chardonnay for example, and clonal selection results in the choice of the clone most suited to local conditions and the vinegrower's requirement for yield, disease resistance, and so on. |
| Clos |
French term for walled vineyard. |
| Co-operateur-Manipulant |
Letters found on Champagne labels, indicating that the wine comes from a co-operative cellar. |
