Harvest Vocabulary for Wine Lovers

                                                                                                                                            September in the Northern Hemisphere is a pivotal month for winemakers. These terms will help in understanding the wine-making process. 

• Alcoholic fermentation — the conversion of grape sugar into alcohol.

• Bâtonnage — stirring the wine during fermentation to keep it in contact with the lees (the solids).

• Brettanomyces — a spoilage yeast that produces off‑aromas in wine.

• Brix — a measurement of sugar content in grapes.

• Carbonic maceration — fermenting whole, uncrushed grape clusters.

• Fining — a clarification process; many winemakers use egg whites.

• Free‑run juice — juice released naturally by the weight of the grapes, without pressing.

• Malolactic fermentation — often called “ML”; converts sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid.

• Must — unfermented grape juice.

• Lees — sediment from fermentation, including spent yeast, seeds, and other solids.

• Racking — transferring wine from one vessel to another to separate it from sediment.

• Green harvest:  removing unripe grapes in early summer so the remaining grapes can achieve a greater quality. 

Harvest Terms You Need to Know

September in the Northern Hemisphere is a huge month for winemakers.  Wine lovers should be aware of the following vocabulary, especially if you’re visiting a winery:

• Alcoholic fermentation:   the conversion of grape sugar to alcohol

• Battonage:  stirring the wine during fermentation so that the liquid has contact with the lees (the solids)

• Brettanomyces:  bad yeast that causes wines to spoil

• Brix:  measurement of the amount of sugar in the grape

• Carbonic maceration: fermenting whole clusters of grapes that have not been crushed

• Fining:  process used to clarify the wine (egg whites are used by many)

• Free-run juice:  juice that has not been pressed but obtained simply by the weight of the grapes themselves

• Malo-lactic Fermention:  Known also as “ML,” this is the conversion of harsh malic acid to softer lactic acid

• Must:  unfermented grape juice

• Lees:  sediment that occurs during fermentation (includes spent yeasts, seeds & other solids)

• Racking:  process of separating the wine from the sediment by moving the liquid to another barrel

• Saignee:  French term which literally means “to bleed,” this is the process of removing some of the unfermented grape juice to increase the wine/skin ratio

• Sulfites:  chemicals that prevent spoilage of wine

• Tannin:  compound found in the seeds, skins and stalks of grapes

• TCA:  abbreviation for the destructive chemical that causes cork taint

• Topping-off:  process of filling a wine barrel that has lost wine due to evaporation