|
|
|
|
Racking
Racking is the process after
fermentation of siphoning the wine to several containers (vats,
barrels) off the
lees
to allow
clarification and aid in stabilization. See also
filtered. |
|
|
Raisiny
Tasting term describing a flavour close to dried grapes. It is
generally due to excessive heat which dries out grapes still on the
vine.
|
|
|
Refined
Tasting term for elegant
and well
balanced
wines. |
|
|
Rehoboam
A bottle of 4.5
litres, or six 0.75
litre
bottles. |
|
|
Reserve
Non official term indicating that a wine is of higher quality than
usual. |
|
TOP |
Residual sugar
The residual sugar is the percentage, by weight or volume, of the grape
sugar
that remains unfermented in the wine after the
alcoholic fermentation stops.
|
|
|
Reverse osmosis
This process is known for its use to concentrate wine and to remove
taints such as water,
acetic acid,
brettanomyces and excess
alcohol
by pushing it through a filter that traps the solute on one side and
allows the pure solvent to be obtained from the other side. |
|
TOP |
Rich
Tasting term referring to an opulent flavour on the
palate supplied by
glycerin,
alcohol and
oak nuances. |
|
|
Right Bank
A term designating the communes of the right bank of the Gironde
estuary
in Bordeaux. For more information, see the
Regions pages. |
|
|
Rim
Refers to edge of wine surface as seen through a wineglass.
The colour of the rim is an indicator of wine's age. |
|
|
Ripe
Perfectly
fruity
and
well
balanced
wines made out of fully developed mature grapes. |
|
|
Robust
Tasting term describing
brawny and vigorous scaled wines. |
|
|
Rootstock
The lower portion of a root and its corresponding growth buds, used
for vine propagation.
The use of separate rootstock onto
which the vines are grafted was made necessary in the beginning of
the 20the Century by the arrival of
phylloxera. |
|
|
Rotten egg
The smell of rotten eggs (Hydrogen Sulphide gas) in wine is a decided flaw. |
|
|
Rough
Describes an
astringent
wine where
acidity or
tannin are
predominant and give no pleasure. . |
|
|
Round
Describes a tactile feeling of
fatness on the
palate with no dominating characteristic. |
|
|
Rustic
Tasting term quite similar for
rough |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More about the
grape varietals
and
the Bordeaux wine region
Winemega's
tasting notes by chateau
Tasting tips: a sommeliere writes about
advanced wine topics
|
|
|
