Wine terminology, F - J

                  Wine terminology
                                 F-J

FEMININE : Said of wines that are tender and light rather than high in tannins and robust.

FILTRATION : Clarification of a wine using filters or other processes.

FINE : Said of a high quality wine with great balance and complexity.

FINESSE : Quality of a wine that is delicate and elegant and well balanced, offering a velvety, soft structure and subtle aromas.

FINING : Procedure to render wine clear. Aside from the natural clarification that occurs as the lees and other particles settle out of the wine, fining and filtering processes can also be used. Fining involves the addition of proteins (such as beaten egg white) to the wine, that then bind with the proteins that are still in suspension. These become heavier and fall to the bottom of the vat or barrel. Gentle mechanical filtering can also be conducted after barrel aging to accomplish the same goal.

FINISH : The perception of some aspects of wine (flavor and aromas) after it has left the palate. A long finish is an indication of the wine’s aromatic power.

FLAT : Said of a wine that lacks both a bouquet and acidity.

FLAVOR : Former synonym for bouquet that is no longer used to describe wines.

FLESHY : Said of a wine that is full on the palate, with a chewy consistency.

FOLLE BLANCHE : A white grape variety that produces a very lively wine (Gros-Plant and Armagnac).

FRAGRANCE : Perceived directly by the nose, as opposed to flavors detected through the mouth, there are a wide variety of odors that can appear in wine, including everything from fruits and flowers to spices, herbs, and roasted or gamy notes.

FRANK : Said of a wine that is straightforward and well constructed.

FREE RUN JUICE: during red wine production, the wine that runs freely from the vat by the force of gravity alone.

FRESH : Said of a wine that is slightly acidic, but not excessively so, and produces a fresh sensation that is sought-after for its thirst-quenching properties.

FRUIT SET : Appearance of the grape berries as the blossom transforms into fruit.

FRUITY : Said of a wine that has fruity aromas. All young wines are fruity, but some varieties are fruitier (such as Syrah) and some more floral (Viognier).

FULL-BODIED: Said of a wine that has all of the qualities desired in a good wine and provides a sensation of fullness on the palate.

FUMÉ BLANC : Name used for Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley and specifically in Pouilly-sur-Loire, hence the Pouilly-Fumé appellation. This should not be confused with the Pouilly-sur-Loire and Pouilly-Fuissé appellations in Burgundy).

GAMAY NOIR : An early-ripening red variety that is slightly acidic and very pleasant due to its fruity aromas (strawberry, gooseberry and raspberry) and well-balanced flavors. This tasty wine is found primarily in Beaujolais where it thrives on the granite soils, but also in Auvergne and in the Loire Valley.

GAMY : A name for the series of aromas that evoke the animal kingdom, including musk, venison and leather that are frequently found in older red wines. These aromas are created in the bottle and appear only after a wine has been aged.

GARDE : Vin de garde. This term refers to a wine that is well suited for aging due to its aromatic power, tannic structure and acidity.

GENEROUS : Said of a wine that is high in alcohol but not unpleasant (as opposed to a heady wine).

GEWÜRZTRAMINER : This Alsatian variety is highly aromatic with powerful, elegant aromas of litchi and boxwood and notes of ginger and cardamom. It produces dry, off-dry and sweet white wines, especially the late harvest and “noble grapes” varieties.

GLYCEROL : An alcohol that is very smooth on the palate and is created during fermentation. It imparts a sweet flavor and smoothness to the wine.

GRAFTING : Technique employed since the Phylloxera epidemic that consists of attaching a cutting from a local grapevine to phylloxera-resistant rootstock. It is then the grafted grapevine that gives the wine its personality, while the rootstock just provides water and nutrients.

GRAND VIN : Term to denote “fine wine” used on French bottle labels that has no legal significance.

GRASSY : Term for odors or aromas that evoke freshly cut grass or hay (this terms often has a negative connotation as it usually applies to grapes that have not attained an optimum level of maturity before being harvested).

GRAVES : Soil that consists of smooth stones and gravel with a low pH. It provides excellent drainage and is well suited for the quality wines produced in Médoc and Graves.

GREEN : Said of a wine that is overly acidic.

GRENACHE :A red grape variety that is powerful and high in alcohol. It is cultivated in parts of Midi, such as Banyuls and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, producing a fragrant, warm wine with aromas of plum and fruit preserves.

GRIS : Vin Gris, French for “gray wine”. This refers to a white wine produced from red grapes that is not pigmented enough to be considered a rosé.

GROLLEAU :. A Loire Valley variety used to make the rosés of Anjou and other rosés in the region

GROS PLANT : Name for the Folle Blanche variety that is used in Nantes. It is also a VDQS appellation near Nantes, not far from the Atlantic Ocean.

GUNFLINT : A flavor in wine that is reminiscent of the flint used to produce sparks in guns. It is particularly noticeable in wines produced on limestone soils such as those of Sancerre. These mineral notes then later evolve into the kerosene or diesel aromas that can be found in aged Alsatian Rieslings.

GUYOT : Method of pruning grapevines used in Bordeaux and elsewhere that preserves a single horizontal branch called the courson.

HARD : Said of a wine with excess astringency and acidity that overpowers its smoothness and alcohol. Such a wine can soften over time as the tannins become less robust.

HARMONIOUS : Said of a wine that has a particularly good blend of characteristics, beyond just being well balanced.

HARSH : Said of a highly astringent wine with an overwhelmingly strong tannic structure. On the astringency scale, “harsh” is stronger than “rough” and less strong than “inky”.

HEADY : Said of a wine that is very high in alcohol.

HEAVY : Said of a wine that is overly thick and generally high in alcohol.

HECTARE : 10,000 sq. meters, or a land parcel that measures 100 meters by 100 meters.

HECTOLITER : 100 liters.

HOLLOW : Said of a wine that lacks substance.

HYBRIDS : Term for varieties that are obtained from two different species of grapevine. These are illegal under French law.

I.N.A.O. : Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (National Institute for Appellations of Origin) is a public institution that is responsible for establishing and enforcing production requirements for AOC and VDQS wines.

I.T.V.: Institut Technique de la Vigne et du Vin (Technical Institute of Grapevines and Wine) is a professional technical institute that conducts research and testing on grapevines and wine.

INSIPID : Said of a wine that is unpleasantly sweet with low acidity.

JACQUERE : White variety produced in Savoie and in Dauphiné that yields a delicious wine that should be consumed when young.

JEROBOAM : Large bottle equivalent to four 750 ml bottles or two magnums.