Midpalate
A word used when tasting wine to describe how a wine develops within the mouth. The wine's entry is the description of its first impression, while the wine's length and finish can be described after swallowing.

Mis en Bouteille (France)
In French: "put in the bottle". In other words, "bottled". Often appearing on French wine labels, the phrase "mis en bouteille au chateaux" or "mis en bouteille au domaine" indicates the wine is estate-bottled and the grapes were grown on location. The phrase "mis en bouteille dans nos caves" generally indicates the grapes were grown at a vineyard separate from the winery bottling the wine.

Moelleux (France)
A French term used to describe wines that are medium-sweet to sweet.

Moldy
A scent you hope not to detect in a wine. It means the wine was either made from moldy grapes or stored in deteriorating casks afflicted by mold.

Morgon (mor-gawn)
One of the best of the 10 Grand Cru villages that produce wine in France's Beaujolais appellation. The red wines, all made from the Gamay varietal, are full-bodied, more complex, and are not as fruity as those of other Beaujolais villages. They are usually bottled later than most Beaujolais and, unlike most, can benefit from two to five years of bottle aging.

Moscato (moss-cah'-to)
Moscato is the name given to the Muscat varietal in Italy, which is used for Asti Spumante, their well-known bubbly. Unfortunately the best (and drier) examples of this sparkling wine are not the ones that are exported, so don't hesitate to try them in Italy if you have the chance. An extensive variety of Moscato wines, from sparkling to fortified, are produced throughout Italy.

Mosel / Moselle (mo'-zl / mo-zell')
Mosel is the German spelling for one of the most important wine regions in Germany and the river of the same name which winds through the region known as Mosel-Saar-Ruwer (incorporating the name of two of the Mosel's tributaries as well). The Mosel River starts in France and runs along the border of Luxembourg and on into western Germany. There are vineyards all along the river's route, but the wines made from the Riesling grapes along the beautifully terraced hills overlooking the river in Mosel-Saar-Ruwer are the most renowned. Many laud the wines of the Bernkastler Doctor vineyard as their favorite from Germany.

Mousse (France)
French for "froth" or "foam"; think of the head on a glass of beer. It's a descriptor used when tasting for the foam that forms on the surface of a glass of sparkling wine when it's first poured, as well as the nature of the wine's effervescent quality. Mousse can further be described as "soft," meaning not too fizzy, or "harsh" meaning too fizzy - overcarbonated.

Mousseux (France)
A French term for "frothy" or "sparkling," mousseux refers generically to sparkling wine made through the Charmat Method of bottling the wine under pressure instead of the more elaborate and higher-quality Méthode Champenoise (aka Méthode Traditionnelle).

Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau (moo-tohn rot-sheeld)
This First Growth Bordeaux property is located in the Pauillac commune along the south bank of the Gironde River, and it has been owned by the Barons de Rothschild for over a century. Assigned Second Growth status in the 1855 Bordeaux classification, Baron Philippe de Rothschild worked tirelessly in the 20th century to reverse the "monstrous injustice" and get the chateau upgraded to a First Growth (Premier Cru). He was successful in 1973, an unprecedented event and one unlikely to be repeated. Baron de Rothschild also had a flair for marketing and in 1946 he started commissioning original artwork for the labels. Now many wine enthusiasts know Mouton as the wine with the Chagall, Dali, Miro, Warhol, etc. labels. In 1953, for their 100th anniversary, the label was an homage to Picasso who died the same year. Big and full-bodied, the Cabernet Sauvignon based wines are as famous as the labels.

Muller-Thurgau (mew'-lair toor'-gau)
A grape type that is a cross between a Riesling and a Sylvaner and is now the most widely grown variety in Germany. It's also widely grown in New Zealand. The grapes produce low-acid, smooth, medium sweet wines, but in Germany they're not as flavorful as Riesling. In New Zealand wines from this grape are known as Riesling-Sylvane. They're higher in acid and pack more flavor than most of their German counterparts.

Muscadet (mus-cah-day)
A popular dry and light white wine produced in the western portion of France's Loire region where the Loire River empties into the Atlantic. Muscadet draws its name from the French word musqué, meaning musky or perfumed, which refers to the scent of the appellation's primary grape variety - Melon de Bourgogne. The wine is often considered to be perfect with seafood, particularly oysters, which is understandable given the vineyards' proximity to the ocean and the gustatory preferences of the locals.

Muscat (moos-cat or muss-cat)
Believed by some to be the father of all modern wine grapes of the Vitis vinifera species, the Muscat grape family includes many sub-varieties and colors. This category of grape goes back to the ancient world, and is now used for raisins, table grapes, and wine production. It is grown in temperate climates worldwide, and almost all wine-making regions in the world have Muscat based wines, so there are too many to name. Almost without exception, they can be somewhat, if not very, sweet. Look for Muscat or Moscato on a label. The grape often has a distinct aroma of musk.

Muscular
A descriptor for a wine, almost always red, that's vigorous, full-bodied and powerful.

Must
The juice of crushed grapes that will be made into wine. Must can include pulp and seeds as well as juice.

Musty
An undesirable, stale, damp smell in a wine that has probably been stored in an unclean wooden cask. It's not unlike the smell of mold that could be attributed to a moldy or defective cork. If that's the case, aerating should help. To discern whether the smell is musty and due to improper storage during the making of the wine, or a "corked" smell due to a moldy cork, pop open another bottle of the very same wine. If it smells too, then chances are great you have a musty wine.