Wine has its own language! That's certainly how it seems to many people! 

Especially if you are just a beginner in the world of wine, you are often attacked with many foreign words. 

Therefore, we want to shed some light on the subject and give you the 26 most important basic terms! 

Astringent comes from the Latin word “adstringere” and means “to contract”. It describes the mouthfeel when the mucous membranes in the mouth contract. This usually happens when the wine has a lot of acid and tannins. 

Barriques are oak barrels in which the wine is stored. They have a capacity of only 225 liters. The barrels give the wine a distinctive vanilla flavor and have a higher content of tannins. They are usually replaced every 3 years so that the barrels can release their aromas again. 

A blind tasting is the blind tasting of a wine. Either the wine tasters are blindfolded or the wine is served from black bottles. However, a blind tasting is only suitable for wine experts who can easily distinguish the different aromas of the wine. 

Refers to the totality of all aromas in the wine. 

When a wine has a "good character", this usually means nothing other than a "good wine". In general, this means the overall impression of the wine with its smell and taste characteristics. 

Is a wine that has been made from different grape varieties. In German it is also called “Verschnitt”. 

Noble rot is a mold that forms on very ripe grapes. It is a desirable fungus for winemakers because it causes the water in the berries to decrease and the sugar content to increase. This makes the mold perfect for making sweet wine. 

De-stemming is the process of separating the berry from the grape stalk. If this is not done, undesirable bitter substances get into the juice. 

This refers to all substances in wine that do not evaporate when the wine is heated (water and alcohol evaporate). These include aromatic substances, sugar, acid, polyphenols, minerals, vitamins and nitrogen compounds. 

A barrel tasting is when you drink a young wine that has not been bottled, directly from the barrel. 

When the grapes are ripe, we do not speak of a harvest, but of a harvest. Hand-picking therefore means nothing other than picking the grapes by hand. In contrast, there is machine reading , which is used much more frequently nowadays. 

Young wines are those wines that have only recently completed their fermentation but still contain wine yeast. The yeast makes them appear very cloudy and they still need to be "beautified". The precursor to young wine is Federweißer . Here, fermentation has not yet been completed. 

Cellar master is a job title. He oversees all work processes from pressing, fermentation and aging to storage. He is therefore largely responsible for the quality and character of the wine.

Describes the process by which the berries are pressed. In the past, this process was done with the feet. Nowadays, this is done by mechanical devices.

The stained glass windows, also known as wine tears , provide information about the alcohol content of the wine. When you swirl your wine in the glass, streaks (tears) form on the inside and flow down the edge of the glass. Depending on how large the distance between the "tears" is, you can determine the alcohol content. If the wine has a high alcohol content, the distance between the tears is very small. If the alcohol content is low, the distance is correspondingly larger. 

When you describe your wine as full-bodied, you mean a very strong, voluminous, full-bodied and powerful wine. They usually have a high proportion of total extract and alcohol content. 

A wine that has little body tastes very slim, light, powerless and watery. These have very few aromatic substances. 

In short, body describes the overall impression a wine leaves in the mouth. 

“Sweet” is another way of describing a sweet wine. The residual sugar content in the wine must exceed that of a semi-dry wine. 

When making wine, the berries are crushed. This mixture of pulp, juice, skin and seeds is called mash. 

Beautification is a process in wine production in which young wine is "improved" and "cleaned". The wine is stabilized by removing turbidity such as yeast or other bacteria. To do this, substances such as egg white or gelatine are added to the wine. 

Sommelier is a term for a wine waiter. The profession of sommelier originates from the medieval office of cupbearer He advises his guests especially on choosing the perfect wine to accompany the meal. 

A wine made from only one grape variety. It is the opposite of a cuvée .

Chemical substances that are found mainly in the skins, seeds and stems of red wine grapes. Their main function is to protect the grape from predators. In wine, tannins cause a very dry and contracted mouth. 

When a wine has turned over, it means that it has passed the peak of its development. Its development will only deteriorate, which will be reflected in the unpleasant taste and body. The wine is spoiled and undrinkable.

Is a form of wine tasting in which the different vintages of a wine from the same producer are compared to determine the influence of the vintage on the quality.

Winemaker, comes from the Latin word "vinitor" and means "grape harvester". He is responsible for everything that has to do with growing grapes. This includes sowing the young plants, pruning the vines and fighting off predators. The cellar master, on the other hand, takes care of the wine production.