Acetic Acid
Acetic acid in wine is a vinegary substance produced during the fermentation process by yeasts and bacteria, and contributes to the creation of more complex, desirable flavors. It may also result from the wine spoiling due to bacteria. At low levels this volatile acid complements and heightens aroma and flavor. In excess it creates a vinegary taste.

Acidity
Acids occur in all wines, and in good wines they are properly balanced with fruit and other components. Important for wines to age properly, sufficient acids are also necessary for a lively, crisp wine. In excess they create a sour wine.

Aftertaste
As the word implies, aftertaste is the flavor effect that remains after wine is swallowed. Fine wines have a pleasurable and long-lasting aftertaste. Also called the "finish" of a wine.

Alsace
A province in France that makes world renowned dry white wines from grape varieties (Riesling and Gewurztraminer, among them) that in other wine growing regions are used to make sweet wines. Alsace also is >known for Late Harvest wine, a rare sweet wine valued highly among connoisseurs.

Amarone
An Italian dry red wine, the name of which translates as "big bitter." The name is misleading - typically Amarone is a big-bodied rich, ripe, raisined, wine with little acid.

American Viticultural Area
American Viticultural Area (AVA) refers to a set of U.S. laws pertaining to the use of place names on wines. An AVA is a specific and legally delineated area for producing wine. Though modeled on similar laws in Europe, an AVA doesn't regulate grape varieties, yields or vinification practices as do the appellation laws of Europe. As of this writing, the U.S. has more than 140 AVAs.

Appellation
A legally protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific vineyard or region.

Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) (ah-pel-ah-s'yawn daw-ree-jeen cawn-trohl-lay)
AOCs are France's laws governing wines. AOCs help consumers determine the origins and quality of wines. They also set rules for minimum alcohol requirements, grape varieties in specific wines, and other factors that determine the quality of wines from various regions. Generally, the rules pertaining to wines from a single vineyard are stricter than those for a wine-growing region. Higher quality wines are allowed to state they come from a specific vineyard. Lesser wines from the same area may be required to use more generic regional names.

Astringent
Term describing a sharpness, harshness and/or dryness in a wine due to a high tannin content. Young red wines are often astringent, sometimes causing the lips to pucker involuntarily.

Auslese (ouse'-lay-zuh)
A German word for "selected" - loosely translated as "cream of the crop." Auslese wines are made from hand selected, very ripe bunches of grapes and are usually intense in bouquet and taste. Dry Auslese wines are higher in alcohol than most dry wines and go with many main courses. Auslese dessert wines are often light and sweet, but they can be dry to medium-dry as well.

Ausone, Chateau (oh-zon)
A renowned French wine made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes in St. Emilion, a distinct region in Bordeaux. This elegant wine is given short shrift by some because of better known peers such as Latour and Margaux made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the Haut-Medoc region just across the river.

Austere
A wine-tasting term describing a wine that is less than satisfying usually because it's a young wine with excess tannins. As tannic wines age, they typically improve. The tannins begin to decompose and the wine mellows, becoming less austere.

Baden (bah-d'n)
Bordered by Switzerland on the south and France to the west, Baden is a fairly large wine region in Germany where grapes are planted along the edge of the Black Forest. This is where you'll find the majority of German vines for the red wine grape Pinot Noir (Spatburgunder, as it is called locally) and the white grapes Pinot Gris (also known as Rulander) and Muller-Thurgau. The latter was developed in Switzerland in 1882 and is probably the most successful newly-created varietal of the last 125 years.

Balance
A wine tasting term referring to harmony among the components of a wine: alcohol, fruit, acidity, and tannins. The ideal is for these components to be in perfect proportion to one another, making for a well-balanced wine.

Barolo (bah-roh'-lo)
This is one of of Italy's finest and most expensive wines so, not surprisingly, it's also Italy's most collected wine. Often called "the king of wines, and the wine of kings," this full-bodied red, made in the Piedmont region from Nebbiolo grapes, ages wonderfully for one or two decades.

Bead
Refers to the size of the bubbles in Champagne, Cremant, Cava, or other types of sparkling wine. Some experts say the smaller and more persistent the bead in the glass, the finer the bubbly. The bead's appearance may be affected by temperature; a colder wine will be less effervescent than a warmer one.

Beaujolais (bo-jo-lay)
A wine producing district in southern France with ten Grand Cru villages that produce a red wine by the same name. The wines from the region are made from the Gamay grape and are typically light and fruity. Beaujolais Nouveau is an even more lightweight, early version of the red wine. It is released each year with much celebration on the third Thursday of November. Wines from this region age for as many as five years, though Beaujolais Nouveau should be consumed generally within a year.

Beaune (bone)
Beaune is the unofficial wine capital of Burgundy, France. The Cote de Beaune includes this interesting walled city and the surrounding wine area - the south portion of Burgundy's famous Cote d'Or.

Bernkastel (bairn'-cast'l)
Located on the banks of the Mosel River in Germany, Bernkastel is another of Europe's quaint wine villages. One of Germany's most famous wines, Bernkastler Doctor, is produced there. Its vines blanket the steep hills above the Mosel, capturing a perfect south-facing exposure - an advantage in an otherwise cool northern clime.

Big
A tasting term describing a full-bodied wine with an intense flavor and concentrated feel on the palate. A big wine has a commanding flavor and aroma.

Bitter
If a bitter taste dominates in the finish of a wine, it's a fault. The term refers to a taste as opposed to astringency which is a dry feeling in the mouth.