Aligote:

(Ahl-ee-go-TAY) : A white grape grown in the Burgundy region of France.

Aloxe Corton :

(Ah-LOHSS Cor-TAWN): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Anjou Rose:

(Awn-You)A rose wine from the Loire Valley in Frnace.

A.O.C. :

(Awn-pay-la-sioN though-re-jean contro-lay) An abbreviation for Appellation d’Origine Controlee; the French government agency that controls wine production there.

Beaujolais :

(Bo-zho-LAY): A light fruity red Burgundy wine from the region of Beaujolais; in terms of quality, the basic Beaujolais.

Beaujolais Nouveau :

(Bo-zho-LAY Noo-VOH): The “new” Beaujolais that’s produced and delivered to retailers in a matters in a matter of weeks after the harvest.

Beaujolais-Villages :

(Bo-zho-LAY vih-lahzh): A Beaujolais wine that comes from a blend of grapes from designated villages in the region; it’s a step up in quality from regular Beaujolais.

Beaune :

(Bone): French city located in the center of the Cote d’Or in Burgundy.

Blanc de Blancs :

(Blahnk deh BLAHNK): A white wine made from white grapes.

Blanc de Noir :

(Blahnk deh NWAHR): A white wine made from red grapes.

Botrytis cinerea :

(Bow-TRIED-iss Sin-eh-RAY-ah): A mould that forms on the grapes, known also as “noble rot,” which is necessary to make Sauternes and the rich German wines Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Bouquet :

(boo-kay) The smell of the wine after maturing.

Brix :

(Bricks): A scale that measures the sugar level of the unfermented grape juice (must).

Brut :

(Brute): The driest style of Champagne . (

Cabernet Franc :

(Cah-burr-NAY FrahnK): A red grape of the Bordeaux region of France.

Cabernet Sauvignon :

(Cah-burr-NAY Sow-vee NYOH): The most important red grape grown in the world , which yields many of the great wines of Bordeaux and California.

Chablis :

(Shah-BLEE): The northernmost region in Burgundy; a wine that comes from Chardonnay grpes grown anywhere in the Chablis district.

Chambolle-Musigny :

(Shahm-BOWL Moos-een-YEE): A village in the cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Champagne :

(shaaM-paan-yuH)The region in France that produces the only sparkling wine to be authentically entitled Champagne.

Chaptalization :

The addition of sugar to the must (fresh grape juice) before fermentation.

Chardonnay :

(Shahr-dun-NAY): The most important and expensive white grape, now grown all over the world; nearly all French white Burgundy wines are made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

Chassagne Montrachet :

(Shahs-SAHN-ya MoN-rah-shay): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Chateau :

(Shaa-TOH): The French “legal” definition is house attached to a vineyard having a specific number of acres with winemaking and storage facilities on property.

Château wine :

Usually the best quality Bordeaux wine.

Chateauneuf--de-Pape :

(Shah-toh NUFF-dew-PuP): A red wine from the southern Rhone Valley region of France; the name means “new castle of the Pope.”

Chenin Blanc :

A white grape grown in the Loire Valley region of France and California.

Cinsault :

(San-SoH): A red grape from France’s Rhone Valley.

Classified Chateaus :

The chateaus in the Bordeaux region of France that are known to produce the best wine

Cote de Beaune:

(Coat deh BONE): The southern portion of the Cote d’Or in Burgundy; known especially for fine white wines.

Cote de Nuits:

(Coat deh NWEE): The northern portion of the Cote d’Or in Burgundy; known especially for fine red wines.

Cote d’Or :

(Coat DOOR):The district in Burgundy that is known for some of finest wines in the world

Cote Rotie :

(Coat Row-TEE): A red wine from the northern Rhone Valley region of France.

Cotes-du-Rhone :

(Coat dew Roan): The Rhone Valley region of France also the regional wine from this district.

Crozes-Hermitage :

(Crows Air-mee-TAHZH): A red wine from the northern Rhone Valley region of France.

Cru Beaujolais :

The top level Beaujolais wine, coming from any one of ten designated villages in that region of France.

Cru Bourgeois :

A list of more than 400 chateaus in Bordeaux that have been recognized for their quality.

Degorgement :

(Day-gorzh-MOWN): One step of the Methode Champenoise, used to expel the sediment from the bottle.

Demi-sec :

(Deh-mee SECK): Champagne containing a high level of residual sugar.

Dosage :

(Doh-SAHZH): A combination of wine and cane sugar that is used in making Champagne.

Extra dry :

Less dry than brut Champagne.

First growth :

The highest-quality Bordeaux chateau wine from the Classification of 1855.

Gamay :

(Gah-MAY): A red grape used to make Beaujolais wine.

Gamay Beaujolais :

A red grape grown in California.

Gevrey Chambertin:

(Zhehv-RAY Sham-burr-TAN): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy , France.

Grand Cru :

(Grawn Crew): The highest classification for wines in Burgundy.

Graves :

(Grahv): A basic dry wine from the Bordeaux region of France.

Hermitage:

(Air-mee-TAHZH): A red wine from the northern Rhone Valley region of France.

Inky :

Refers to the colour. Wine in which purple and bright violet hues predominate.

Insubstantial

Week in any property.

Liqueur de Tirage :

(Lee KERR deh Teer-AHZH): In the Methode Champenoise, a blend of sugar and yeast added to Champagne to begin the wine’s second fermentation.

Macon Blanc :

(Mac-CAW blahnk): The most basic white wine from the Maconnais region of Burgundy, Frnace.

Macon-Villages :

(Mac-CAW vee-LAHZH): A white wine from designated villages in the Maconnais region of France; a step above the Macon Blanc quality.

Margaux :

(Mar-GO): A district in the Bordeaux region in France.

Medoc :

(May-DOCK): A district in the Bordeaux region in France

Merlot :

(Mehr-LOW): The red “softening” grape grown primarily in the Bordeaux region of France.

Methode Champenoise :

(May-TUD Shahm-pen-WAHZ): The method by which Champage is made.

Meursault :

(Mehr-SOH): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Morey-St-Denis:

(Mor-RAY san day-NEE): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Mousseux :

(Moo-SUH): The term for all French sparkling wines that are not produced in Champagne.

Muscadet :

(Moos-cah-DAY): A light, dry wine from the Loire Valley of France.

Muscat Beaumes-de Venise :

(Mus-CAT boam deh ven-EASE): A sweet fortified wine from the Rhone Valley region of France.

Must :

Grape Juice.

Non-vintage Champagne :

Champagne made from a blend of vintages (more than one year’s crop); it is more typical of the house style than vintage Champagne.

Nuits-St-Georges :

(Nwee san zhorzht): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Official classification of 1855 :

A classification drawn up by wine brokers of the best Medoc Chateaus of that time.

Pauillac :

(PAW-yak): A district in the Bordeaux region of France.

Petite Sirah :

A red grape grown primarily in California

Petits Chateaux :

Lesser-known chateaus in the Bordeaux region that produce good quality wines for reasonable prices.

Phylloxera :

(Fill-LOCK-she-rah): A grape louse that kills the vines.

Pinot Blanc :

A white grape grown primarily in the Alsace region of France.

Pinot Meunier :

(PEE-noh muhn-YAY): A red grape grown primarily in the Champagne region of France.

Pinot Noir :

(PEE-noh NWAHR): A fragile red grape that is difficult to grow; nearly all red French Burgundy wines are made from 100 percent Pinot Noir

Pomerol :

(Palm-muh-roll): A district in the Bordeaux region of France.

Pommard :

(Poh-MAR): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Pouilly-Fuisse :

(Pooh-yee-fwee-SAY): The highest-quality white Maconnais wine.

Pouilly-Fume :

(Pooh-yee fooh-may): A dry white wine from the Loire Valley region of France.

Pouilly-Vinzelles:

(Pooh-yee van-tsell): A dry white Maconnais wine.

Premier Cru :

A wine which has special characteristics tht comes from a specific designated vineyard in Burgundy, France, and bears that vineyard’s name.

Prestige Champagne :

The highest –quality Champagne.

Proprietary wine :

A wine that’s given a name like any other product and is marketed as such, i.e. Riunite, Mouton-Cadet.

Puligny-Montrachet :

(Pooh-LEAN-yee mown-rah-SHAY): A village in the Cote d’Or in Burgundy, France.

Ridding :

One step of the Champagne-making process in which the bottles are turned gradually each day until they are almost upside down, with the sediment resting the neck of the bottle.

Sancerre :

(Sahn-SEHR): A dry white wine from the Loire Valley region of France.

Sauternes :

(Saw-TAIRN): A sweet white wine from the Bordeaux region of France.

Sauvignon Blanc :

(SOH-veen-yown BLAHNK): A white grape grown primarily in the Loire Valley, Graves, and Sauternes regions of France, and in Washington State and California (where the wine is sometimes called Fume Blanc).

Semillon :

(Say-mee-YAW): A white grape found in the Graves and Sauternes regions of Bordeaux France.

Silvaner :

A white grape grown in Germany and Alsace.

Sommelier :

(So-mel-YAY): The French term for cellarmaster, or wine steward.

St-Emilion :

(Sahnt Ay-meel-YOHN): A district in the Bordeaux

St-Estephe :

(Sahnt Ay-STEFF): A district in Bordeaux .

St-Julien :

(Sahnt Zhoo-lee-EHN): A district in the Bordeaux .

St-Veran :

(Sahn Vay-RAHN): A white Maconnais wine one level higher than Macon-Villages in quality.

Syrah :

(See-RAH): A red grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley region of France.

Tavel :

A rose wine from the southern Rhone Valley

Village wine :

A wine that comes from a particular village in Burgundy.

Vin de Pays :

(Van deh Pay-EE): A French classification one notch below V.D.Q.S.

Vins de Table :

(Van deh TAH-bluh): Ordinary French table wine

Viognier :

(Vee-owN-YAY): A white grape from Rhone Valley

Volnay :

(Vohl-NAY): A village in the Cote d’Or region of Burgundy, France.

Vosne Romanee :

(Vohn Roh-mah-NAY): A village in the Cote d’Or region of Burgundy, France.

Vougeot :

(Voo-ZHOH): A village in the Cote d’Or region of Burgundy, France.

Vouvray :

(Voo-VRAY): The white “chameleon” wine from the Loire Valley region of France; it can be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.