V
Glossary
of Viticultural Terms:
Viticulture
(from the Latin word for vine) is the science,
production and study of grapes which deals
with the series of events that occur in
the vineyard. When the grapes are used for
winemaking, it is also known as viniculture.
It is one branch of the science of horticulture.
While the native territory
of Vitis vinifera, the common grape vine,
is a band of area from Western Europe to
the Persian shores of the Caspian Sea, the
vine has demonstrated high levels of adaptability
and will sometimes mutate to accommodate
a new environment after its introduction.
Because of this Viticulture can be found
on every continent except Antarctica.
Duties of the viticulturist
include: monitoring and controlling pests
and diseases, fertilizing, irrigation, canopy
management, monitoring fruit development
and characteristics, deciding when to harvest
and vine pruning during the winter months.
Viticulturists are often intimately involved
with winemakers, because vineyard management
and the resulting grape characteristics
provide the basis from which winemaking
can begin.
Varietal
describes wines made primarily from a single
named grape variety, and which typically
displays the name of that variety on the
wine label. Examples of grape varieties
commonly used in varietal wines are Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot. Wines
that display the name of two or more varieties
on their label, such as a Chardonnay-Viognier,
are blends and not varietal wines. The term
is frequently misused in place of vine variety;
the term variety refers to the vine or grape
while varietal refers to the wine produced
by a variety
Wines made from a single grape variety.
VC
Abbreviation for the Spanish term vino comarcal
denoting a local wine similar to a vin de
pays in France.
VDL
Abbreviation for the French term vin de
liqueur denoting a wine that has been fortified
prior to fermentation
VDLT
Abbreviation for the Spanish term vino de
la tierra denoting a "country wine"
similar to the VDQS system of France.
VDN
Abbreviation for the French term vin doux
naturel denoting a wine that has been fortified
during fermentation.
VDQS
Abbreviation for the the French Vin Délimité
de Qualité Supérieure system that ranks
below Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
but above Vin de pays (country wine).
VDT
Abbreviation for the Italian term vino da
tavola denoting a table wine.
Vendange tardive
French term denoting a late harvest wine.
Vermouth
An aromatized wine that is made with wormwood
and potentially other ingredients.
Vertical and horizontal wine tasting
In a vertical tasting, different vintages
of the same wine type from the same winery
are tasted. This emphasizes differences
between various vintages. In a horizontal
tasting, the wines are all from the same
vintage but are from different wineries.
Keeping wine variety or type and wine region
the same helps emphasize differences in
winery styles.
Vigneron
French for vine grower.
Vignoble
French term for a "vineyard"
Vin
French for wine.
Viña
Spanish for vines.
Vin de garde
French term for a wine with the potential
to improvement with age.
Vin de glace
French term for an ice wine.
Vin de pays
French classification system denoting wines
that are above vin de table but below VDQS.
Vin de table
French term denoting a table wine, the lowest
classification of the French AOC system.
Viñedo
Spanish for vineyard
Vinho
Portuguese for wine.
Vinho regional
The lowest level of the Portuguese classification
system. Similar to a vin de pays.
Vin mousseux
Generic French term for a sparkling wine.
Vin nouveau
French term similar to Vin primeur denoting
a very young wine meant to be consumed within
the same vintage year it was produced. Example:
Beaujolais nouveau.
Vin ordinaire
French term used to denote an "ordinary
wine" as opposed to a premium quality
wine.
Vino
Italian and Spanish, Originally derived
from Latin, for wine.
Vino da tavola
Italian term for "table wine"
Vino de mesa
Spanish term for "table wine"
Vino novello
Italian term for a Vin primeur
Vinous
A term used to denoting anything relating
to wine. |
