The Basics - Wine Tasting Vocabulary

Wine tasting at a winery, you are bound to come across some common wine terminology, and while you do not need to be a sommelier by any means, learning a few key terms will make your wine tasting experience more enjoyable: 

• Varietal - The type of grape (or grapes) used to make the wine. Common examples include Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. Due to climate differences and taste preferences, different regions will grow different varietals and this will lead to very different wines.   
• Vintage - The year the wine was bottled. This will appear on the label of ‘vintaged’ wines. When a wine does not contain a vintage, this can mean the wine was blended with grapes grown in different years. This is commonly seen in Champagne.
• Vertical -  Tasting different vintages of the same varietal. This is a great way to learn the nuances of the growing conditions year to year, especially if the wines are from the same winery.
• Reserve Labels - Wine makers can give a small selection of their wines year to year a reserve title. These are thought to be higher quality wines and generally come at a higher price to buy or taste. Some wineries will offer a reserve tasting option at a slightly higher tasting fee. Other wines may list one or two reserve wines to taste on their listed tasting menu. I personally like to taste a reserve and a non-reserve of the same vintage and varietal from the same winery - it offers a great comparison.
• Estate Grown - Wine made from grapes that are grown and bottled on the winery estate. These are generally more prodigious, and can be a great way to taste the nuances of the soil and climate.
• AVA - In the US, AVAs are the official grape growing regions. While ‘Sonoma’ or ‘Napa’ may be known, there are many AVAs within each. AVAs tend to be drawn to highlight commonality in wine such as height of the vines (e.g., Reds Hills AVA is a high altitude AVA in Lake County) or specifics of the soil (e.g., Russian River Valley is an AVA in Sonoma influenced by the Russian River that runs through it).
• Cuvee - Simply a blend of varietals. Generally used to describe sparkling wines.
• Terrior - French word translating to ground or soil, but meaning so much more. It can be used to describe everything that makes a given wine unique - the soil, climate, growing conditions, even the skill of the wine maker.