Smoky

A smoky smell and taste found in both white and red wines. Though wines can take on smoky characters from the barrels in which they are aged, certain wines just have a naturally smoky character as a result of their TERROIR (see the French glossary). Many Pouilly-Fumés and Sancerres from France’s Loire Valley are smoky, for example.

The wire cage that holds a sparkling wine cork onto the neck of the bottle is called a:

A. Birdcage

B. Stall

C. Helmet

D. Muzzle

Known in French as a muselet or muzzle, the wire cage that holds a Champagne or sparkling wine cork in place is very important in opening a bottle of bubbly safely. The muzzle should not be removed before the cork is eased out. Rather, the muzzle should be loosened (about 6 turns will loosen it), and then the wire removed with the cork at the same time.

V.A.

Volatile Acidity. All wines have a tiny amount of V.A., usually, with any luck, imperceptible. In excess, V.A. causes a wine to have an unpleasantly sharp, vinegary aroma. Volatile acidity occurs because unwanted bacteria have… Continue reading

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