The common abbreviation for the University faculty at Davis, California renouned for its research in viticulture and eonology as well as for its degrees in the same fields.

The winemaking practice of reducing the acidity of overly acidic wines. This practice, like chaptalization and acidification are highly regulated in most wine regions.

The term for opening and pouring a bottle of wine into a specially shaped glass container designed for the purpose of aerating a wine.

Technique used when making sparkling wine. The champagne bottle is turned neck down into a cold solution thus freezing the lees which have accumulated at the cap of the bottle. The cap is quickly removed, expelling the unwanted frozen sediment and the bottle is resealed.

A system whereby a region's climate is categorized based on the number of days in the year when the temperature permits vine growth. This systems helps individuals decide where they want to plant which variety of vine.

French for wine tasting.

Tasting term for the pleasant quality found in many great Rieslings and Pinot Noirs where the light body is complemented by vivid flavor profiles.

Descriptor developed in France to indicate a semi-sweet white wine or champagne.

Tasting term used to indicate how many layers of flavors are present in a particular wine. The more complex the wine's flavor profile, the greater the depth.

One of the initial winemaking processes which transpires as the grapes are brought into the cellar from the harvest. Involves removing all branches, stems, and leaves from the grape bunches so as to prevent them from going into the fermentation tanks, as they would impart undesirably harsh, green tannins to the juice.

Viticultural practice of removing the unwanted shoots from the vines at budbreak to control yields.

Pejorative tasting term which implies poor winemaking.

Tasting term which describes an unbalanced and unharmonious wine.

The disparity between day and nighttime temperatures at a given vineyard.

As with Italy's DOC, this used to be Spain's highest appelation category until it too liberally awarded.

The Italian system for defining wine regions and wine names. In addition, the D.O.C.G. (Denominazione d'Origine Controllata Garantita) covers regions willing to submit their wines to tougher requirements, including tasting approval.

Spanish term equivalent to the French AOC (see above) which indicates the highest controlled quality category of wine.

Italian for "sweet".

The tertiary grape of the northeastern Piedmont region of Italy in terms of prestige, but what is consumed by locals. It's name means "little sweet one" and is loved for its perceptibly sweet fruit flavors and low tannins which make it so quaffable. It is blended with Nebbiolo and Barolo to make them more drinkable young.

Winemaking technique for the dose of wine (usually with some cane or beet sugar) added to a bottle of sparkling wine to replace lost volume from the dégorgement, and to adjust the level of residual sugar in the final product. The difference between Brut, Extra-Dry and Demi-Sec sparkling wines is determined by the amount of sugar in the dosage.

French for "sweet". Used to designate sweet wines or Champagnes as in Vins Doux Naturels.

The viticultural technique of irrigation where water is released evenly throughout the vineyard in a slow and controlled drip system.

Descriptor for a wine with no sensation of sweetness or sugar in the mouth.

The point at which a wine has passed its prime and is beginning to decrease in quality.

Tasting term for the period when a young wine's initial freshness is lost and the next period of character development in the bottle has not yet occured. See closed.