Amabile
Medium sweet.
Amaro
Bitter.
Annata
Year of the vintage
Appassimento
Process and period of drying grapes.
Azienda agricola
Estate or farm. The agricola bit usually means they use only their own grapes
Barrique
225-litre oak cask ... gives distinct oak / vanilla taste and degree of scent.
Bicchiere
Glass.
Botte
Large cask for maturation and storage.
Cantina
Cellar / winery.
Cascina
Farm / estate; usually in northern areas.
Chianti
There are seven zones ... Classico (the top zone, between Florence and Siena);
Colli Aretini (around Arezzo);
Colli Fiorentini (hills around Florence, bordering Classico zone);
Colli Senesi (hills around Siena, south of the Classico zone and stretching down to Montepulciano);
Colline Pisane (round and south east of Pisa);
Montalbano (west of Florence, south of Pistoia);
Rufina (Sieve valley, north east of Florence).
Colli / Colline
Hills / small hills.
Contadino
Strictly countryman, usually refers to farmer / grower.
DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata. More than 300 round the country. The industry standard with rules stipulating grape varieties, yield, area of production, and minimum alcohol.
DOCG
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. Just 21 of these, though standard and standing varies. Same rules as DOC but stricter ... wine is also analysed and tasted by special panel before getting accolade. Top quality level.
Enoteca
One not to forget ... means wine library, in practice a wine bar or shop, usually with excellent range of wine to taste in the glass and take away by the bottle. Often first-class place for lunch or snack.
Ettaro (hectare)
Standard vineyard unit of measure ... 2.471 acres.
Fattoria
Farm (definitely NOT a factory).
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Frizzante
Lightly sparkling (usually around half the level of sparkling wine).
Frizzantino
Very slightly sparkling (minor, less fizzy version of frizzante)
IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)
Higher than vino da tavola. Set up in mid-90s in part to pull in the Super Tuscans that sold as simple vdt at more than DOCG prices. Classifies wines with particular regional style.
Imbottigliato all’origine ...
Estate bottled ...
Imbottigliata da
Bottled by.
Invecchiato
Aged
Millesimato
Sparkling wine, vintage year.
Nebbiolo
Great grape of Piemonte (Barolo etc etc). So named after the nebbia (fog) that envelops the hillsides particularly in autumn.
Passito
Made from grapes semi-dried, either on mats inside or left for an extended period of time on the vine outside.
Podere
Farm (usually smallish).
Riserva
Wine from DOC or DOCG aged longer than the normal.
Riserva speciale
Riserva has extra ageing; the speciale even longer.
Stravecchio
Literally extra old.
Super Tuscan
Name for Chianti-area wines - dating back to 1980s - that didn’t stick to DOC / DOCG rules about grape varieties. Usually Cabernet had sneaked in there to some degree. As a result they were classified as simple vino da tavola (selling at soaraway prices).
Tappo
Cork.
Uvaggio
Wine blended from different grape varieties.
Vendemmia tardiva
Late harvested ... grapes are left for around three weeks longer on vine to reach maturity, producing wine along passito lines.
Vendita diretta
Watch for the sign in villages you visit. Means the grower sells direct to the public.
Vigna / Vigneto
Vineyard. Often seen on single-vineyard wine.
Vignaiolo
Producer / grower.
Viticoltore
Grower / producer.
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