Topping Up

To add more wine to a barrel or container to replace any wine lost through evaporation and thereby prevent the wine from experiencing OXIDATION. The term is also used in more general circumstances to mean adding wine to a glass in which there’s only a sip or two left.

A United States wine labeled “reserve” must:

A. Come from a special selection of lots

B. Come from a superior vineyard site

C. Have been aged a minimum of two years in barrel

D. There is no legal definition of the word reserve

In the U.S., the word “reserve” doesn’t have an agreed-upon definition— at least not a legal definition. Some winemakers set aside their best lots of wine or allow wines to age for an extended period then sell them as higher-end bottlings. But, for other wine companies, the word “reserve” is just a marketing term. In Europe, both Spain and Italy define the terms legally and enforce the labeling of reserve wines.

Viscosity

Viscosity is the character some wines possess of being somewhat syrupy and slow to move around in the mouth. Honey, for example, is more viscous than water, and alcohol, by its nature, is viscous. Thus,… Continue reading

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