Wine Terms Starting with S

The Saar is one of the Mosel River's tributaries and an area within the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer winemaking region. Being a challenging area for viticulture due to the cold climate, there are only a few vintages each decade that produce magnificent wines.

An early English term for what is now called Sherry.

A method of making rosé wines in which wine is bled from the must of a red wine to concentrate the red wine further. The “bled-out” juice is used to make the rosé.

A picturesque village and the second most important wine producing region in Bordeaux, France (the first being the Medoc region). The wines here are mostly Merlot based blends, although some are based on the Cabernet Franc varietal.

A large bottle holding 9 liters, the equivalent of 12 regular wine bottles.

An area in the Loire Valley known mostly for wines made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

A red grape native to Tuscany. It is the base grape for Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano, and others.

A beverage in Spain that's traditionally a mix of fruit and red wine, served on ice. Authentic Sangria from Spain often includes the country's brandy which is somewhat sweet and has its own unique flavor.

French term for "without sulfur." Usually on bottle labels indicating a wine with absolutely no added sulfur (but not necessarily 100% sulfite free). The wine has to contain less than 10 particles per million of sulfites.

Italian term for a wine that is flavorful and full-bodied

Italian term for flavor

Sassicaia is a red wine made in Tuscany from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wine is purposely made in the Bordeaux style and is produced from vines that were grown from cuttings from the famous First Growth (Premier Cru) Château Lafite-Rothschild estate

Various small appellations located in the Right Bank that are close to, but not in St. Emilion. These regions are capable of producing some very nice wine, often offering some of the best value wines in Bordeaux.

Style of white sparkling wine that is produced in

A charming village situated on the Loire River in the central Loire Valley, Saumur is part of a larger wine producing area called Anjou-Saumur. Since the early 1800's the majority of the wine produced in the area is sparkling, and it has been made via the Méthode Champenoise.

A region in Bordeaux, France and, more famously, a dessert wine of the same name. The secret to the stunningly sweet Sauternes wine is the Botrytis Cinerea mold (noble rot), that attacks and dehydrates the grapes, concentrating their sugars.

A white grape planted throughout the world. It is increasingly the signature wine of New Zealand.

Nestled in the Anjou area of the Loire Valley, this French town is famous for outstanding white wines made from Chenin Blanc grapes. In contrast to other wines of the Anjou area, Savennieres' wines are invariably dry.

In the north of the Cote de Beaune region in Burgundy, France, this small village produces an abundance of light, high quality, reasonably priced red wines.

Tasting term describing a wine that is not fruity or sweet.

Italian term for the disgorgment process

Italian term for grape bunches that were hand-harvested

Meaning "castle" in German, the term is used similarly to "Château" in France, indicating a vineyard or estate on a wine label.

Probably the most well-known German wine producing estate. In the early 18th century, Schloss Johannisberg became the first vineyard to record planting Riesling grapes exclusively. In 1775, there was an accidental delay in the harvesting of the grapes and, as a result, the sweetening effect of the Botrytis Cinerea fungus on grapes was discovered. The term Spatlese, meaning "late harvest" was later used to describe wines purposely picked later to create the same effect.

Wine writers and critics often apply numerical scores to denote a wine's level of quality vis-a-vis other wines in the same peer group. This is the same as a rating.

Screw Caps, as well as synthetic corks, are increasingly popular, modern alternatives to using the centuries old practice of bottling wine with cork. Stelvin is the most common brand name for a screw cap hence sometimes used interchangeably.

Some wineries offer special seated tastings. At a seated tasting, you’ll sit comfortably while servers pour the wines for you and someone from the winery describes their characteristics. Wine dinners with a winemaker or another winery representative are an example of a seated tasting.

The French word for "dry," the term thus connotes a dry wine, which is the opposite of a sweet wine.

The Italian word for "dry". It is the equivalent of "sec" in French and denotes wines without a perceptible amount of residual sugars.

Term for château in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc that earned the second highest level of classification.

A second wine is often produced from an estate’s young vines, or from juice or grapes that is not considered to be at the desired level of quality for the estate's top wine.

This is what happens to the scent of wine once it matures. It develops tertiary, non-fruit aromatics like truffles, tobacco, leather, tar, cedar and spice. This is a positive term.

The term, for on the positive side, what takes place to change still wine into Champagne or sparkling wine. On the negative side, this can also take place in the bottle due to remaining sugars and will create slight effervescence rendering a wine that was intended to be still to be vivace or in some cases frizzante.

During the wine making process, tiny particulates fall to the bottom of the tank or barrel. The wine is then removed from this sediment by "racking", in which the wine is moved to a new vessel while leaving the sediment behind in the old one. A much gentler method to clarify the wine as compared to using filtration.

Sekt is the German word for sparkling wine.

Used often in Bordeaux by growers that want to replace unhealthy, or under performing vines with vine cuttings produced from the estates oldest, best vines from their vineyard. This helps promote a more unique character to the vineyard.

Wines made in the United States but named after places that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau requires be modified by a US name of geographic origin. Examples would be New York Chablis, Napa Valley Burgundy or California Champagne.

Prevalent in France's Bordeaux region, Semillon is a white wine varietal that's often found in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc, a unique combination responsible for the region's dry white wines and their famed sweet dessert wines from Sauternes.

Italian term for spacing, mostly used to refer to the density of planting in a vineyard.

Sexy wines are sensuous, silky and opulent. They are usually rich wines as well.

A French hybrid grape that's a cross between a native grape of North America and a classic European grape, it is resistant to cold weather. It's gained favor in England, Canada, and New York State where conditions for growing grapes can be less than ideal.

A tasting term to describe a wine in which the acids are too strong or quite unbalanced.

Barrels are quite expensive so some producers, typically garagistes, “shave” previously used barrels. Shaving a barrel is the act of grinding/sanding the layer of the wood that has absorbed wine in previous vintages until a fresh wooden layer is exposed.

One of the three most famous fortified wines (along with Madeira and Port), Sherry is produced near the Spanish city of Jerez de la Frontera. A wide spectrum of colors, sweetness, flavors, and quality can be found in Sherry, but there are basically two types: Fino and Oloroso.The main things separating the two are a yeast called "flor" and the alcohol level.

Shiraz is the name used in Australia for the Syrah grape variety, and it is that nation's most important red wine grape. Syrah was a widely planted grape varietal in the southern areas of France by the Middle Ages and Australia's Shiraz can trace its heritage to France, via South Africa. Shiraz wines are usually more richer that Syrah, due to the warmer climate.

A tasting term referring to the finish of a wine. Short is not a positive. The length of time that the flavors of a wine persist in the mouth after tasting is a significant indicator of quality.

A tastingSoil, or terroir consisting of a mixture of sand, flint and rocks. term to describe a wine in which the acids are too strong or quite unbalanced.

A term used when tasting for a wine that is not complex; it lacks different levels of flavor and aroma. Most wine is simple to some extent. Only the extraordinary ones are considered truly complex exhibiting primary, secondary and tertiary profiles.

Wines produced from grapes grown in one single vineyard, instead of multiple vineyard sites.

The grape's outermost layer, sometimes also called the husk or hull. The skin is important because it provides the majority of a wine's color and supplies much of its flavor and tannin as well. Many varieties of grape, including those earmarked for making red wines, have pulp and juice that is primarily light in color with some exceptions.

Type or rock soil or terroir often found in the Northern Rhône and in Germany. Slate is a fine-grained, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash.

This technique involves removing the capsule and cork and allowing the wine to sit (breathe) for hours. This allows the wine to slowly evolve. It is typical for First Growth and other premier wines to be subdued upon opening and the contact with the oxygen allows the wine to demonstrate its full range and complexity.

When vineyards and grapes are exposed to smoke this can result in wines with undesirable sensory characters, such as smoky, burnt, ashy or medicinal, usually described as ‘smoke tainted’’. Fine particles (also known as PM2.5): particles generally 2.5 µm in diameter or smaller represent a main pollutant emitted from wildfire smoke, comprising approximately 90% of total particle mass.

A tasting term reflecting a smoke-like flavor and aroma in a wine. Sometimes it can result from the wine being aged in oak barrels; other times the smokiness comes via the soil from which the grapes were harvested. And in some cases it is smoke taint as a result of wildfires.

A term used in wine tasting referring to the way the wine feels in the mouth. This tactile impression is related to the wine's overall acidity, not just its tannins, which contribute to the sensation of a wine being "soft" or "hard".

Chemical compound shorthand for sulfur dioxide, a gas which is used as a preservative agent to help avoid oxidation. SO2 is a type of sulfite. Regulations globally require that a wine that contains over 10 particles per million disclose that the wine contains sulfites. In comparison, dried fruit like raisins, contains 10 to 20 times that amount.

One of the most well known white wines in Italy. It comes from the Soave region, in the area around Verona, in northeast Italy. Many wine enthusiasts would say the majority of Soave is uninspiring, produced to satisfy global desire for the famed wine.

A tasting term for wines that are in optimal balance: fruity, pleasing, and approachable. Usually it's indicative of a harmonious union between tannin and acid, both of which are expected to be low in a soft wine. It is the opposite of Hard.

Solera is a process of blending wines of different ages by transferring a fraction from barrel to barrel. As a result, the finished product is a mixture of different ages, with the average age gradually increasing as the process continues over many years. This is a labor-intensive process that creates a harmonious and compex end product with reliable quality over time. This method was popularized in Spain with sherry originally. Solera comes from the word sol which means floor in Spanish. Solera means "on the ground" and refers to the lower level of the set of barrels used in the process as well as refers to a stack of barrels holding wines of various ages.

Italian term for sulfate.

A wine tasting term for wines that are firm, full-bodied and full of alcohol, acidity, tannin, and fruit. Occasionally the word is applied to a young wine expected to evolve well with age.

An 18 liter wine bottle. Equal to 24 standard bottles.

An 18 liter wine bottle. Equal to 24 standard bottles.

A term used simply to indicate that a wine does not have any obvious defects. "Sound" is a low bar (any properly made wine should meet this criterion) so, while it is a positive term, it should not be thought of as praise.

A tasting term for a wine that's full of very sharp, vinegar-like acids. Sour wine is not simply tart. It is beyond that and implies the wine has a serious defect and is becoming vinegar.

A term used by detractors of Robert Parker for wines they deem were produced using some of the more modern, widely accepted winemaking techniques to achieve a high score by the famous wine critic. Used to denote “spoofed” or “tricked out” wine.

A cold drink typically made with soda water and white wine. Spritzers are a commonly requested drink at American bars. While some enophiles may consider it an offensive practice to adulterate wine with soda water, it's a custom that goes back centuries.

A description for wine with a slightly effervescent quality. In French this quality is known as perlant; in Italian it's frizzantA description for wine with a slightly effervescent quality. In French this quality is known as perlant; in Italian it's frizzante or vivace if it has a lower effervescence.e or vivace if it has a lower effervescence.

Italian term for the foam or effervescence of some wines, such as Prosecco

The Italian term for "sparkling". Spumante refers to fully sparkling wines, whereas wines that offer just a slight effervescence are known as "Frizzante".

A 750 ml wine bottle.

The South African name for the Chenin Blanc varietal, which is a popular and widely grown varietal in that country.

The most famous brand of screw cap (twist cap).

A term used to describe harsh, green characteristics in a wine, that are typically derived when the berries and the stems are macerated together. The use of pips and stems is associated with the desire to add more tannin to the wine.

An Australian term for a broad category of sweet wines included fortified and botrytized wines.

Wines that contain no carbon dioxide. They are not effervescent or sparkling.

Similar to Minerality. This aroma or flavor comes from grapes grown in intense mineral laden soils, normally filled with limestone. The sensation is of crushed rocks, stone or cement. This is a unique and desirable quality. The best wines are said to come from limestone.

A production method of artificially mellowing wine by exposing it to heat.

Descriptive term generally used to describe the color of white wine as opposed to the flavor or aromas.

Wine tasting descriptor for a wine (usually red) that's big, robust, powerful, and generally high in alcohol.

The term describes the framework formed by all of a wine's components (alcohol, acid, fruit, tannin, and glycerin) and their proportion to each other.

Wines that contain good levels of tannin and acidity as well as aging potential. Wines with higher tannins are considered structured.

Italian term for structure.

Italian tewrm for the cork (material)

Sulfites are naturally occurring and ambient on the grape skins. Sulfites are also compounds which are added to wine to prevent oxidation, microbial spoilage, and further fermentation by the yeast. Most Vin S.A.I.N.S. or “Brutal” wines require that no sulfites are added. Organic wines can contain up to 100 particles per million (varies by country). Conventional wines can contain up to 200 particles per million (varies by country)

Italian term for soil.

The term for Second Growth Bordeaux wines that are considered to be so good, they are better than most Second Growths, but not quite at the level of First Growth Bordeaux.

A red wine from Tuscany that is not made in accordance with established DOC rules. It is often a blended wine of superior quality containing Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot.

Found on Italian wine labels and most commonly associated with a regional classification that typically have more rigorous production quality standards. The rules are highly complex and vary by appellation. For the exact rules, it is best to refer to the Disciplinare, but typically indicates longer aging requirements before a wine could be released for sale.

An individual with the genetic ability to taste a wider array of tannins and other bitter compounds. On average, women have twice as many taste buds as men. Hence, why most of the supertasters that have emerged in recent years are women. Asian people have four times as many taste buds as white men.

French term for a wine that is aged on its fine lees, meaning seeds, skins and other grape solids along with yeast cells.

French term for a sparkling wine that has been aged with its neck down following the completion of autolysis but before dégorgement. Wines that are being riddled (remuge) will end up sur pointe with the yeast sediment consolidated in the neck of the bottle.

A German wine term for a sweet wine with more than 45 g/L residual sugar.

Opposite of dry. Sweetness in wine comes from any residual sugars that remain in the wine after fermentation is complete. This amount of sugar may range from a hardly perceptible one percent up to more than ten percent, making for intensely sweet wine.

Sweet wines are red or white wines which have varying degrees of residual sugar remaining.

A term used to represent the artificial cork that is becoming increasingly common in the industry worldwide to combat cork taint flaws that plague natural cork.