Chablis

Glossary

Ample: A wine with a good, noble substance, with a strong character: rich and robust.

AOC: The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée is based on the recognition of the quality of a terroir, the typical expression of a grape variety, tried and tested cultivation practices and a specific microclimate on a given territory.

Aroma: Sensation of odour, captured and identified in the nose. In the mouth, only the tactile sensations are identified (acidity, astringency, sweet, savoury, mellow etc.), whilst the fragrant molecules are identified in the nose (known as “retro-olfaction”). The aromas are ranked according to their origin. The primary or varietal aromas are present in the grape and are typical of a grape variety. Secondary aromas are produced by the yeast during the fermentation process and are present in young wines. Tertiary aromas, or ageing aromas, are produced during the maturing process, sometimes over many years (the “bouquet”).

Aspect: This covers all of the visual aspects of a wine, its colour, its brilliance, its clarity and its intensity.

Body: A wine with a good tannin structure, balanced by a round, unctuous impression on the palate, due to its alcohol content. Such wines are known as full-bodied.

Brilliant: This term is used to describe a wine which is crystal clear.

Cap: Casing which covers the neck of the bottle of wine. There are several types. The cap must be easily cut using a knife, leaving a non-sharp edge and must be able to receive a tax stamp. The cap is an important element in the casing of the bottle.

Character: A specific aroma of a grape variety, present in the grape, and which is clearly expressed in the wine.

Chardonnay: The world's most well-known white grape variety. For several centuries, it has been the only grape used for Burgundy white wine. The Chardonnay grape is brilliant and golden.

Clear: Wine that is perfectly brilliant and translucent and which shines like crystal.

Colour: There are several colours of wine. There are 3 main categories: red, white or rosé, but there are also nuances within each category.

Feuillette: A French unit of volume, representing a small barrel. In Chablis, all wine transactions were long established on the basis of a feuillette, which measured 132 litres.

Fine: Character of a quality, balanced and delicate wine. A wine with a certain subtlety, often giving the impression of lightness, unlike a more powerful, rich, full-bodied wine.

Floral: Used to describe a wine with floral expressions. Describes a wine under a yeast veil, which remains for a minimum of six years and three months.

Fruity: A wine with aromas and flavours recalling those of grapes or other fruits.

Golden: The colour of gold with sometimes grey or green nuances.

Grape variety: The variety of vine seedling of the Vitis family. Most varieties grown in the world and intended for wine production belong to the Vitis vinifiera family.

High-clearance tractor: A three-wheeled tractor which can span one or two rows of vines.

Light: A wine which is generally not very coloured, with a lower alcohol content, a low level of tannins and a light aromatic intensity. Nevertheless, this wine can be well balanced and very pleasant to drink.

Nose: All of the olfactory characteristics of a wine. Burgundy is characterized by very aromatic wines: we talk of a rich nose, a complex nose, a floral or fruity nose etc.

Palate: This designates all of the sensations experienced by the mouth during a tasting, i.e. all the impressions other than the aromatic sensations. The palate describes the physical sensations: the texture of a wine, its touch, its density, its delicacy. The palate is analysed at three levels: the attack, the mid-palate and the finish.

Round: A rich, unctuous wine without sharp tannins. A round wine is characterised less by its tannins; it creates balance through its unctuous, mellow aspect.

Vintage: Designates the year of harvest of the grapes which produced the wine. The notion of vintage is of particular importance in Burgundy. Indeed, the changes in climate from one year to the next result in real differences in Burgundy wines. These differences affect not only the style, but also the potential for development and storing.

Volume on the palate: A wine has volume when it is full-bodied and fills the mouth with its aromas and its structure.

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(JL. BERNURY, E. DE BLAY, A. DROUIN D GADENNE J. GESVRES D. GILLET , M. JOLY H. MONNIER JP MUZARD, Image & Associés DR)