WSET Wine Term Glossary

Anjor

Anjor is a wine areas within the Loire Valley wine region in France particular famous for their Rose de Loire with their highest quality of Cabernet d'Anjou which is always made in a medium-sweet style in a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Rose d'Anjou is less sweet and is made predominantly of Grolleau (a local high yielding black grape) blended with Cabernet Franc and other local varieties. Anjor is also known for their dry high acidity Chenin Blanc that are often matured in new oak.

Bourgogne

A wine region in France, which is also known as Burgundy in English.

Detail information here: Wine Region - Burgundy

Clos de Vougeot

A Burgundy Grand Cru "Climat" (term only used in Burgundy to define a parcel of land, usually a vineyard where each “Climat” has it’s down distinctive terroir) and it’s own Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine due to it’s Grand Cru designation. Clos de Vougeot is the largest Grand Cru Climat in Burgundy.

The Clos de Vougeot climat is located in the town (commune) of Vougeot and the vines are fully enclosed by a wall (clos in French), distinctively inside the enclosed wall sits the castle Château du Clos de Vougeot which was a functioning winery but now serves as the headquarters of The Climats de Bourgogne.

Échezeaux

A Burgundy Grand Cru "Climat" (term only used in Burgundy to define a parcel of land, usually a vineyard where each “Climat” has it’s down distinctive terroir) and it’s own Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine due to it’s Grand Cru designation.

The Échezeaux Climat is next to the Clos de Vougeot Climat, between the towns (communes) of Vougeot and Vosne-Romanée.

Liqueur d'expédition

After the disgorgement, not only the sediment from the dead yeast is ejected from the bottle but some liquid will as well. A mixture of wine (usually the same base wine as the sparkling wine, but not always as other liquids can be used) and sugar is added back into the bottle before corking to refill the bottle, this mixture is called Liqueur d'expédition.

This Liqueur d'expédition is also known as dosage, as the mixture (sugar level) added will determine the final sweetness level of the sparkling wine. In Champagne, the following are the dosage levels and are shown prominently on the label such that the consumer will know the sweetness level of the Champagne; from driest to sweetest, the dosage categories are the following (with the sugar in grams per litre)

  • Brut Nature (0-3 g/l) - Usually there is no residual sugar, but by law there can be some
  • Extra Brut (0-6 g/l)
  • Brut (0-12 g/l)
  • Extra Dry (12-17 g/l)
  • Dry (17-32 g/l) - Dry in still wines denotes no residual sugar, but for sparkling there is sweetness
  • Demi-Sec (32-50 g/l)
  • Doux (50+ g/l)

Loire Valley

A wine region in France named after the The Loire, the longest river in France. There are four sub regions that make up the Loire Valley wine region, which itself only has an Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) - Val de Loire; the four sub regions from west (the Atlantic Ocean) to the east (inland) are

  • Nantais
  • Anjou-Saumur
  • Touraine
  • Central Vineyards

Pessac-Léognan

An Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the northern part of the Grave wine region in Bordeaux, France; south of the city of Bordeaux itself and on the left bank of the river Garonne. Pessac-Léognan unlike other Bordeaux appellations is famous for both red and dry white wines. Also it is home to the only Premier Grand Cru Classé (First Growth in the 1855 classification) château (Château Haut-Brion) outside of the Haut-Médoc wine region.

Pouilly-Fumé

An Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France located in the Central Vineyards sub region. It is well known for its Sauvignon Blanc which is dry and high in acidity with subtle smoky notes.

Sancerre

An Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France located in the Central Vineyards sub region. Known for their dry and high in acidity Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Saumur

An Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France located in the Anjor-Saumur sub region. Famous for their sparkling Chenin Blanc made using the traditional method.

Vouvray

An Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France located in the Touraine sub region. Particularly unique that it produces both still and sparkling Chenin Blanc wines. The still wines range in style from dry to lusciously sweet depending on the vintage, usually in a light to medium body with more fresh and floral notes without oak maturation.

Touraine

An Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in the Loire Valley wine region in France; where the Loire Valley sub regions bears the same name that is located between the sub regions of Anjou-Saumur and the Central Vineyards. The Touraine sub region produces a majority of the Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley.