Apr 15 2009
Wine Terminology - From “D” Through “E”
Wine is divine or so the saying goes. To understand the divinity of the drink of the gods, you need to speak the language of wine. In this article, we look at unique and helpful terms beginning with D and E.
Decanter - If you enjoy red wine, a decanter is something you should make every attempt to acquire. A decanter is used to let a wine breathe. Red wine evolves when exposed to air. Many people mistakenly pop the cork on the bottle and think this is enough to let it breathe. It is not. A larger surface area needs to be exposed to the air. A decanter is a device for doing this. It is usually glass and looks like an elegant pitcher angled at 45 degrees. This angle creates the maximum air/wine surface area. Just pour the bottle in and let the breathing begin.
Delicate - A delicate wine is light and has very subtle flavors. This is important to know if you are serving the wine with food. Food that has strong flavors will overwhelm any flavor you might notice from the wine, so make sure you are not eating or restrict consumption to light foods with very mild tastes.
DOCG - This refers only to Italian wines. It is the abbreviation for Denominazione de Origine Controllata. DOCG is the highest rating for Italian wines, so you know you are getting something good if it has this rating. There are four additional lower tiers below the DOCG rating.
Dickey - Remember, we are talking wine here. A dickey is a device that slides up and over the top of an open wine bottle. It keeps the wine from dripping down the side after pouring. It is often called a “drip dickey.” A good, practical thing to own.
Earthy - As soon as you start drinking wine regularly, you will hear someone refer to a wine as “earthy”. Does this mean it tastes like dirt? Sometimes! The more common meaning, however, is it has an aroma or taste that reminds one of wet leaves, vegetation and, yes, dirt. Some wine enthusiasts find dirt to be an attractive characteristic. I must admit that I do not.
Entry Level Wine - This is a phrase that refers to cost, but not always quality. An entry level wine is the lowest cost wine produced by a winery. That does not mean that the wine is of poor quality. There is a general overall correlation between price and wine, but not an exact one. There have been many, many tests where a $8 wine has been admired more by “gurus” than an $80 bottle. Put another way, there are many quality entry level wines. If you are just getting into wine, entry level wines can be a good place to start when developing your personal preferences.
Whether you are an old pro or a newbie, wine drinking is a good time for just about everyone. Grab some cheese and crackers, invite some friends over and have a good time doing a few tastings.
Xavier Modini is with http://www.NomadJournals.com - makers of leather wine journals.
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