Vin gris is not the same as pinot gris, the name of a white grape variety. The French term vin gris (literally, “gray wine”) refers to any number of slightly pinkish-tinted white wines made from… Continue reading

A very sweet, syrupy white wine, generally made from grapes affected by BOTRYTIS CINEREA.

Sparkling wine, made either by SECONDARY FERMENTATION in bottle or in tank, or for inexpensive wines, the addition of carbon dioxide.

Literally ordinary wine—a plain wine with no regional or VARIETAL characteristics. An everyday drinking wine, vin ordinaire is the opposite of VIN DE GARDE, a wine to save, that is, a wine with aging potential

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.

Literally “vine grower.” Many French winemakers refer to themselves as vignerons.

A wine to save—in other words, a wine that can and should receive AGING.

Country wine—an everyday wine from a specific region, but less rigorously controlled than a wine with an APPELLATION D’ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE.

Table wine. Generally used to indicate a simple wine without APPELLATION D’ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE status.