A viral vine disease.
Glossary of F
Fan leaf
Farm winery
A United States winery license allowing farms to produce and sell wine on-site.
Fault
An unpleasant characteristic of wine resulting from a flaw with the winemaking process or storage conditions.
Federweisser
In Switzerland, Federweisser refers to a white wine made from red grapes. This is different from the German “Federweiße”, which is from white grapes in any stage of fermentation, from just started to almost finished, but still unfiltered. This unfinished “wine” is called Sauser in Switzerland.
Fiasco
The straw-covered flask historically associated with Chianti.
Fighting varietal
A term that originated in California during the mid 1980s to refer to any inexpensive cork-finished varietal wine in a 1.5 liter bottle.
Filtration
The removal of solid particles from the juice or wine.
Fining
A clarification process where flocculants, such as bentonite or egg white, are added to the wine to remove suspended solids.
Finish
A tasting term for the lingering aftertaste after a wine has been swallowed.
Firm
Term referring to a taste sensation caused by tannins - usually noticeable at the back of the mouth.
Flabby
Tasting term used to indicate a wine lacking in structure, often marked by low acidity.
Flagon
A glass bottle that holds two litres of (usually inexpensive) table wine.
Flétri
Flétri, French: Withered. In the context of wine, it refers to wine made from semi-dried grapes, which concentrates sugar, making dessert wine.
Flinty
Term usually applied to austere, dry and crisp whites.
Flor
Flowery
An attractive scent reminiscent of flowers. Floral and fragrant are similar descriptors often applied to young, fresh white wines.
Fortified wine
Wine to which alcohol has been added, generally to increase the concentration to a high enough level to prevent fermentation.
Foxy
A tasting term for the musty odor and flavor of wines made from Vitis labrusca grapes native to North America.
Free run
Juice obtained from grapes that have not been pressed, resulting in less tannin from skin, stalk and seed.
Frizzante
See Crackling.
Fruit
The main component of the wine, usually grape but other fruits are also used to make wine, such as pear, plum, etc. Often mentioned when the fruit isn’t grown in the same site as the winery (as in “the wine is produced here on-site”) but the fruit is purchased from a vineyard upstate.
Fruit set
After flowering the fertilized flowers are set to form berries.
Fruit wine
A fermented alcoholic beverage made from non-grape fruit juice which may or may not include the addition of sugar or honey. Fruit wines are always called something wines (e.g., plum wine), since the word wine alone is often legally defined as a beverage made only from grapes.
Glossary by Letter
The Wine Grapes of Switzerland
Auxerrois blanc
A clone of the prolific Pinot Noir, Auxerrois blanc is a close cousin of Pinot blanc. It comes from the county of Auxerrois, and is best known from Alsace.
Sauvignon blanc
One of the classic grapes of France, Sauvignon blanc is planted in most wine regions of the world. It produces a wide range of wine styles.
Garanoir
A new variety (Gamay x Reichensteiner), developed in 1970 at Pully (Vaud), Garanoir ripens early. Can give interesting blends with Gamay, Gamaret or sometimes Pinot Noir.
Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by the gods to man.
Plato
