A small vineyard and wine glossary

A.O.C. Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée: A denomination defined by the “Institut National des Appellations d’Origine” (INAO) which attests to the origin of a wine. For the consumer, it is a guarantee of typicity and quality. In Burgundy, the entire Burgundy wine region is ranked as Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, which is an exception in France.

Aroma: An aroma is an odour perceived through olfaction (the nose) or retro-olfaction (the mouth). A wine gives off several aromas. A wine’s aromas are mainly determined by the grape variety and the soils in which the vines are grown.

Bouquet: A wine that has reached maturity is said to have a bouquet when it gives off several aromas.

Buttage (Earthing-up): An action carried out by the winegrower to protect his vines against frost. It consists of taking earth from between the rows of vines and placing it around the vine-stocks.

“Cabiote”: Little limestone huts, typical of Burgundy, where winegrowers used to store their tools.

“Cave cooperative”: Cellars that vinify grapes brought in by different winegrowers, all of whom are members, and therefore owners, of the cooperative.

Cru: used to describe a vineyard or precise ‘terroir’ and the wine that has come from it. In Burgundy, we tend to use the word “climat”.

“Cep”: Vine-stock

Grape variety: the name for the type of vine producing the grape (e.g. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir…).

“Climat”: In the Burgundy vineyards the word “climat” is used to describe a limited ‘terroir’: a parcel of vines or a particular place marked on the land register.

“Clos”: A parcel of vines bordered on at least three sides by a wall, hedge or river.

Débourrement (Budburst): The first stage in the vine’s annual growing cycle, in which the buds burst open and the first leaves appear, usually in March or April.

Dégustation horizontale (Horizontal tasting) : Horizontal tasting is used to assess several different wines from the same vintage. .

Dégustation verticale (Vertical tasting): Vertical tasting is used to assess the same wine (e.g. Beaune 1er Cru Les Marconnets) over several vintages (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006…).

Elevage (Maturing): A range of actions carried out by the winegrower, “cave cooperative” or wine merchant-maturer after vinification to ensure that the wine ages well. This may take a few weeks for a “primeur” wine and up to two years for a wine for laying down.

Fermentation: During vinification, alcoholic fermentation turns the grape must into wine. The yeasts turn the sugar into ethanol. A second fermentation then takes place, known as malolactic fermentation. This helps to reduce the acidity of the wine.

Floraison (Flowering): During this growing phase, which only lasts a few days, generally in June, we can see little white blossom appear on the vines.