Vendange Tardive

In Alsace, the term for wines made from late-picked, very ripe grapes. VT wines, as they are called, are not as sweet as selection de Grains Nobles nor are they botrytized.

Tartrates in wine are both tasteless and harmless.

Answer: True.

Tartrates, which are potassium bitartrate crystals, are sometimes found floating in white wine or sticking to the bottom of the cork. These crystals, which are the same as cream of tartar, are bits of natural tartaric acid that have precipitated out of the wine, usually because of a quick extreme drop in temperature. (As when you take a wine out of a warm car and plunger it into a bucket full of ice.) Winemakers often remove them before bottling, but don’t worry if you find them in a bottle of white wine. They are harmless and won’t affect the taste of your wine at all.

Chewy

A term for mouthfilling, full-bodied wines, chunky and viscous enough to seem almost chewable. Certain grape varieties, such as zinfandel, produced in very warm areas often take on a chewy character.

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