Wine Glossary - “an easy to use layman’s guide”
This glossary is a selection of wine related terms which are fun to know but no one should feel it a necessity to know these words in order to enjoy a nice glass of wine.
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maceration: A winemaking process where grape skins are combined with the juice. This gives the color to red wine and intensifies the flavor.
malolactic fermentation: A secondary fermentation whereby malic acid which is harsh is converted to lactic acid which is softer.
MOG: Abbreviation for “materials other than grapes.”
must: A thick mixture of skins, pulp, seeds and juice
pH: A measurement of a solutions acidity. The scale is logarithmic and the lower the measurement the higher the acid. A pH of 3.0 is ten times more acidic than a pH of 4.0. Bottled wines with a pH of 4.0 and higher are suspectable to spoilage. Many finished wines are near the pH 3.5 range. Note that the higher the sugar content of a wine the lower the pH needs to measure (lower pH means more acidic). This ensures that the wine will have a crisp finish and will not taste like syrup. Winemakers can adjust a wines pH usually by adding tartaric acid.
phylloxera: A grapevine disease caused by small aphids that destroy grapevines
pomace: The grape skins, seeds and jacks after the grape or must is pressed.
potassium metabisulfite: Used by winemakers to inhibit bacteria growth. It is also used in higher doses to sanitize equipment.
press: A winemaking process where the winemaker uses a wine press to extract the juice or wine from the grapes or must.
