Know before you go
Wine words
The words you'll hear across a tasting bar, in plain English. No need to know any of them to enjoy the day, but they make the conversation more fun.
- AVA
- American Viticultural Area: a grape-growing region defined in federal regulations by its geography and climate. Santa Barbara County has seven. See: The seven AVAs
- Appellation
- Where the grapes came from, as named on the label: a county, a state or an AVA.
- Estate
- On a US label, “estate bottled” means the winery grew the grapes on land it owns or controls, in the same AVA as the winery, and made and bottled the wine there.
- Varietal
- A wine named after one grape. In the US, a wine labelled with a grape name must be at least 75% that grape. See: Grapes of SB County
- Blend
- A wine made from more than one grape, such as a Rhône-style mix of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
- Vintage
- The year the grapes were picked. Each year's weather makes each vintage a little different.
- Rhône varieties
- Grapes first known in France's Rhône Valley: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Roussanne and more. See: Syrah
- Bordeaux varieties
- Grapes first known in Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc. See: Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cool climate
- Vineyards with cool days, often from ocean fog and wind. Grapes ripen slowly and keep fresh acidity.
- Clone
- A particular strain of a grape, propagated from cuttings. Growers choose clones for flavor, yield or ripening time.
- Terroir
- Everything about a place that shapes its wine: soil, slope, sun, wind, fog and the people farming it.
- Dry
- Not sweet: nearly all the grape sugar has turned into alcohol.
- Tannin
- The drying, grippy feel in red wine, from grape skins, seeds and oak.
- Acidity
- The fresh, mouthwatering quality in wine. Higher acidity tastes brighter and pairs well with food.
- Body
- How heavy a wine feels in the mouth: light like skim milk, full like cream.
- Oak
- Barrels that can add vanilla, toast or spice and soften a wine. “Neutral oak” means older barrels that add little flavor.
- Méthode traditionnelle
- The Champagne way of making bubbles: a second fermentation happens inside each bottle.
- Flight
- The set of wines poured in a tasting, usually a few small pours from light to bold. See: Plan your wine day
- Tasting fee
- What a tasting costs. Some places waive it when you buy wine or join the club; each winery sets its own rules.
- By appointment
- You book a time before you go. Often a smaller, more personal tasting.
- Walk-in
- No booking needed: come during opening hours. We mark places that say so. See: Walk-ins welcome
- Wine club
- A membership with a winery: regular shipments, member-only wines and events.
- Library wine
- An older vintage the winery has kept back, sometimes poured or sold in small amounts.
- Allocation
- Wine offered in limited amounts, often first to a mailing list or club.
- Reserve
- A name wineries use for wines they consider special. In the US the word has no legal definition.
- Spit and dump
- Totally fine to do. The spit bucket lets you taste everything and still enjoy the whole day.