Glossary

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B

 

 

Backbone:
Refers to big, full-bodied red wines with evident tannin and/or acidity (see also body).

Backward:
Describes a wine that retains youthful characteristics despite considerable aging. This usually indicates that it will take longer to reach maturity and requires even more aging in the bottle or barrel. Opposite of forward.

Balance:
Denotes harmonious balance of wine elements - (ie: no individual part is dominant). Acid balances the sweetness; fruit balances against oak and tannin content; alcohol is balanced against acidity and flavor. Wine not in balance may be acidic, cloying, flat or harshetc.

Beery:
Tasting term indicating the malty smell or taste of beer, usually considered a fault in wine.

Berrylike:
Equates with the ripe, sweet, fruity quality of blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and cherries. The aroma and taste of red wines, particularly Zinfandel, are often partly described with this adjective (see also herbaceous).

Big:
The overall flavor of a wine, white or red, that has full, rich flavors. "Big" red wines are often tannic. "Big" white wines are generally high in alcohol and glycerin. Sometimes implies clumsiness, the opposite of elegance. Generally positive, but context is essential.

Bite:
Tasting term used to indicate a powerful initial sensation of acidity or tannin, which grabs attention immediately the wine is tasted.

Bitter:
One of the four basic tastes. A major source of bitterness is the tannin content of a wine. Some grapes - (Gewurztraminer, Muscat) - have a distinct bitter edge to their flavor. If the bitter component dominates in the aroma or taste of a wine it is considered a fault. Sweet dessert wines may have an enhanced bitter component that complements the other flavors making for a successful overall taste balance (see also salty, sour and sweet).

Blackcurrant:
Tasting term used to indicate the often pungent aroma of blackcurrant fruit and leaf, particularly in wines of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

Body:
The effect on the taster's palate usually experienced from a combination of alcohol, glycerin and sugar content. Often described as "full", "meaty" or "weighty".

Botrytis:
"Botrytis Cinerea", a mold or fungus that attacks grapes in humid climate conditions, causing the concentration of sugar and acid content by making grapes at a certain level of maturity shrivel. On the Riesling grape it allows a uniquely aromatic and flavorful wine to be made, resulting in the extraordinary "Beerenauslese" style of wine.

Bouquet:
Near synonym for "aroma". Term generally restricted to description of odors from poured bottled wines (see nose).

Brawny:
Term used mainly to describe young red wines with high alcohol and tannin levels. The mild epithet "tooth-stainers" is sometimes applied to this style of wine, denoting respect for strength.

Breathe / Breathing:
Denotes the act of allowing the wine to "breathe"; ie: when wine is poured into another container, such as a wineglass, the admixture of air seems to release pent-up aromas which then become more pronounced, in many cases, as minutes/hours pass (see also open-up).

Breed:
Term reserved for wines from the best grape varieties, the so-called "noble grapes". Denotes wines judged to have reached classical expectations of aroma, balance, structure and varietal character (see also complex, elegant).

Briary:
Denotes a wine having an aggressive, prickly taste best described as "peppery". Sometimes combined with the adjective "brawny" to characterize a young red wine with high alcohol and tannincontent.

Brilliant:
Very clear (and transparent in white wines) appearance with no visible particulates or suspensions. May be sign of flavor deficiency in heavily filtered wines (see also cloudy, hazy, unfiltered).

Brix:
Measurement system used for sugar content of grapes, wine and related products.

Browning:
Denotes aging in a wine. Young wine color tints show no sign of such "browning". If possessed of good character and depth, a wine can still be very enjoyable even with a pronounced "brown" tint. In average wines this tint, seen along the wine surface edge in a tilted glass goblet, normally signals a wine is "past its peak", although still very drinkable (see also maderized, oxidized, rim).

Buttery:
Describes taste sensation found in better white wines, particularly Chardonnay (see also creamy, malolactic fermentation).