Click to access introductory wine glossary pages:
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
R S
T U
V W
Y Z
Canopy management
The canopy is the grape vine foliage. Canopy management employs
techniques such as
pruning and leaf
thinning that balance shoot growth and
fruit development to maximize the
varietal character of the grapes. Fewer
leaves may mean more energy going into grape production and a reduced likelihood of rot.
Cap
A layer of grape
skins,
seeds,
stems, and
pulp that forms on
top of the juice during the
fermentation
of red wines. The cap should not just
lie there, it should be broken up and mixed with the fermenting juice. Two
common techniques for doing so are
pump over and
punch down.
Capsule
The decorative metallic or plastic foil covering the
cork
and the upper neck of a wine bottle. Capsules may be replaced by a bit of wax
on the top of the cork.
Carafe
As a noun-A glass or crystal container for wine or other fine
beverages. As a verb-slowly pouring wine from the bottle into the container
with the purpose of adding oxygen to improve its
bouquet
and
aroma.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a gas produced during
fermentation. It generates those
wonderful bubbles found in wines such as Champagne.
Carbonic maceration
The
fermenting of bunches of uncrushed grapes
in an enclosed tank
containing
carbon dioxide, producing a light,
fruity wine with little
tannin.
Italian Vino Novello (new wines) are made by carbonic maceration.
Centrifuge
A centrifuge is a rapidly spinning device that separates materials, for
example in the must, the liquid mixture of crushed grapes, juice,
pulp,
seeds, and
skin.
A centrifuge may be used to dealcoholize wine (perish the thought.)
Chaptalization
Chaptalization means adding
sugar before
or during
fermentation to
raise the
alcohol level. This process
usually takes place in cold climates in
which the grapes may not ripen sufficiently to generate enough alcohol. It is
often illegal, especially in warm climates, and may be rejected by some
producers, even where legal.
Charring
Charring is burning the inside of the wooden
barrel
used for
aging wine. This
process adds
color,
aroma, and taste.
Chateau-bottled
A chateau-bottled wine is bottled at the estate where the grapes were grown.
This process is common with Bordeaux wines.
Citric acid
Citric acid is found in many fruits such as oranges and lemons, but is a minor component in grapes.
Some winemakers add it to increase a wine's acidity.
Claret
Claret is a British term for Bordeaux red wines, it comes from an old
French term.
Clone
A clone is a sub-variety of a given grape
variety.
Some varieties such as Pinot
Noir have multiple clones. Using the right clone can often mean the difference
between success and failure. For example, a Pinot Noir clone that is successful
in the warm climate of California can, and has, lead to disaster in the cooler
climate of Oregon.
Cold stabilization
Cold stabilization means chilling wine prior to bottling it. This process
crystallizes
tartaric acid in the vat,
so that these ugly, but harmless, crystals
don’t appear in the bottle.
Color
A wine’s color comes mostly from the grape
skins.
In general, red wines get lighter as they age, while white wines get darker.
Cooperative
A cooperative is a winery collectively owned and operated by many small
producers or growers.
Cork
The traditional stopper for wine bottles. Cork may come from the bark of the
cork tree or be made out of plastic. It must be durable, flexible, and air
tight.
Corkscrew
A corkscrew is a tool for removing a
cork.
Cover crops
Cover crops are grasses or other plants grown in between
vineyard rows that add nutrients to the soil, absorb excess moisture, and attract
beneficial insects.
Crossing or cross
A crossing is the result of breeding two grape
varieties of the same
species, for example the German Bacchus cross between a Silvaner-Riesling and
Müller-Thurgau. Many crosses occur spontaneously in nature. Contrast crossing to
hybrid.
Crush
The noun crush refers to the harvest. The verb crush refers
to breaking the destemmed grape
skins before
pressing and
fermentation.
Click to access introductory wine glossary pages:
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
R S
T U
V W
Y Z