Find out more information about our wines.What's New at Almaden Vineyards, including press releases, recent innovations and current promotions.Inside Almaden includes our story, our vineyards and the art of winemaking.Check out our Wine Basics section for featured recipes, and a glossary of wine terms.Have a question or comment?   Check out our frequently asked questions (FAQs), find out how to contact us, or submit your own question or comment.Back to Almaden Vineyards home page.










 

Acidity:   The level of natural acids found in wine.  The term also refers to the tartness or sourness in a wine.
 
Appellation:      A recognized wine-growing region, such as California.  Almaden wines are all produced from grapes grown in the California Appellation.
 
Aroma: The way a wine smells.  Almaden Mountain Chablis Rosé displays hints of fresh floral aromas.
 
Balance:      The relationship between sugar, alcohol, acid and tannin in a wine.  A “well-balanced” wine is when each of these components shares the same strength and no single component takes over the others.
 
Blend:            More than one variety of grapes combined to make a wine.  The name of a blend may be taken from its color or the wine region from which it originated, such as Mountain Chablis or Mountain Burgundy. 
 
Blush Wine:   A wine with a pinkish hue that results from the contact the red grape skins have with the juice during crushing.  Popular blush wines from Almaden includeMountain Blush Chablis and White Zinfandel.
 
Body:         A term describing the wine’s weight in your mouth.  A wine’s body can range from light to full.
 
Bright:    A wine that is appealing to the senses such as sight, taste and feel in the mouth.  Almaden White Grenache is a bright wine.
 
Complex:       A wine that displays an abundance of various aromas and flavors.  Almaden Cabernet Sauvignon is an example of a complex wine.
 
Concentrated:          A term that refers to the intensity of an aroma or a flavor in wine.  Almaden Chardonnay contains concentrated flavors of apple and pear.
 
Crisp:          A wine that is light-bodied, has a bit more acidity, and feels “clean” in the mouth.  Almaden Mountain Rhine is a crisp wine.
 
Dry:         When a wine has no residual (remaining) sugar in it after it ferments.  Dry is the opposite of sweet.

Fermentation:      The way grape juice becomes wine, as the natural fruit sugars transform into alcohol through the action of yeasts present in the grapes.
 
Finish:        The way a wine feels in the mouth once it has been swallowed.
  
Fruity:  A wine that contains flavors and aromas similar to fruits.  Fruity characteristics can be found in Almaden Mountain Chablis and Mountain Burgundy.
 
New World:      Winemaking regions that lie outside Europe.
 
Oak:             A flavor found in many wines that resembles vanilla and butter.

Old World:     Winemaking regions within Europe.
 
Red Wine:     Wine made from fermented grapes with red skins.  Some popular red wines are Almaden Mountain Burgundy and Merlot. 
 
Residual Sugar:   The amount of sugar that remains in the wine once fermentation is complete. Dry wines such as Almaden Cabernet Sauvignon or Mountain Burgundy.

Steel Fermented:  Many wines are fermented in steel tanks to bring out their fresh fruit flavors.
 
Sweetness:        A description of wine referring to the taste of sugar, either resulting from the residual sugar or alcohol present in the wine.  Almaden wine such as White Zinfandel is known for its sweetness. 

Table Wine:    A general term used to refer to a blend or specific varietal of wine containing 7-14% alcohol.
 
Tannin:               A component of red wine that comes from the grape skins, stems and seeds.  Wines such as Almaden Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot contain tannins.  Tannins can impart a “tannic” characteristic (a distinct heavier texture and taste) to the wine.
 
Varietal Wine:          A specific type of wine, named after a grape variety such as Merlot or Chardonnay.  According to U.S. law, varietal wines must consist of 75% of the named grape variety.

Vintage:      The year in which the grapes in a wine (at least 95% of them) were harvested.  Almaden wines are non-vintage dated.  Almaden’s winemaking team selects the best quality grapes from each vintage and combines them to create the same great taste, year after year.
 
White Wine:      Wine made from fermented grapes with white skins such as Almaden Golden Chablis. 
 
Wine:      An alcoholic beverage resulting from the fermentation by yeasts of the juice of the grape with appropriate processing and additions.
 
Yeasts:       Very small organisms that play a crucial role in the winemaking process as they change natural sugars into alcohol.