Glossary of Terms

Adstringens: The feeling of the mouth tightening. Previously, it was believed that astringency was one of the basic taste elements, such as sweetness and bitterness. However, it is now thought that this reaction has nothing to do with taste buds and therefore is not considered a taste element. Tannins are the primary substance in wine that makes it astringent, especially pronounced in young red wines. However, a certain degree of astringency has a positive effect on the texture.

Aquadente: Grape spirit (77%) added early in the fermentation process, about 2-4 days after.

Ao alto: The planting method where the vines are arranged in straight, vertical rows.

Baixo Corgo: One of the three wine regions in Douro, located closest to Porto.

Balseiro: A large wooden vat or cask used for aging port wine, with the largest ones holding up to 100,000 liters.

Barcos Rabelos: The ships formerly used to transport port wine barrels along the Douro River. Now, they are mainly used for decoration and once a year for the regatta.

Beneficio: The Portuguese term for distribution, referring to the total volume of grape juice allowed to be made into port wine in a given year. After the total amount is determined, IVPD distributes it to individual vineyards. Only vineyards classified to produce port wine receive beneficio. Vineyards are classified from "A" (the highest class) to "F" (the lowest). The higher the class, the greater the share of a vineyard's production eligible for beneficio. Any excess production becomes table wine.

Cima Corgo: One of the three wine regions in Douro, located in the middle of the three regions.

Colheita: "Colheita" means harvest and is also a designation for a type of port wine – a Tawny with a specific vintage. Pronounced Col-jei-ta.

Confraria do Vinho do Porto: The Port Wine Brotherhood in Porto.

Dekantering: The process of decanting, which means pouring the wine into a decanter, filtering out the sediment and aerating the wine.

Depot: The sediment or lees at the bottom of the bottle.

Douro: The river that originates in Spain (Duero) and was for a long time the only "route" to transport port wine.

Douro Superior: One of the three wine regions in Douro, located closest to the Spanish border.

Enologo: A winemaker.

Fedme/fed: A tasting term for a wine with a full body and noticeable viscosity. A "fat" wine that is unbalanced is called "overly rich" or "heavy."

Garrafeira: A Colheita type of port wine that has aged for a minimum of 8 years in large glass containers.

IVPD: IVPD (Instituto do Vinho do Porto e Douro) stands for the Port Wine Institute.

Klaring/at klare vin: The process of clarifying wine, which involves removing dead yeast cells, tartrate crystals, and other residues created during fermentation and aging before the wine is bottled or placed in a barrel. Ideally, wine is clarified naturally, but this requires time and a cold winter. Today, many wines are clarified and filtered, especially lower-quality wines, to ensure that no sediment remains in the bottle.

Korksyge: See "propsmag."

Lagar: A granite trough where grapes are still foot-trodden (only the best port wines, typically Vintage).

LBV: The designation for the port wine type Late Bottled Vintage.

Lodge: A warehouse in Vila Nova de Gaia where large quantities of port wine are stored.

OWC: Original wooden case.

Patamar: A planting method in vineyards.

Pipe/Pipas: A wine cask, port wine is still measured and sold in pipes (535-560 liters).

Pinhao: The center of the Douro Valley.

Portvinstang: A port wine tool that is heated and placed around the neck of the bottle for about one minute before cold water is poured over it, causing the bottle to break and allowing access to the port wine.

Propsmag: Also known as TCA, it is one of the most common faults in wine and can be recognized by an unpleasant, musty smell. TCA stands for 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole and usually comes from corks made from bark that have been infected. Recent research suggests that the disease may have other origins. It is believed that up to 2% of all wine bottles – some even more – are affected by this fault, which has led many to consider alternative closures, such as screw caps, including Stelvin.

Quinta: A vineyard.

RDD: An abbreviation for "Região Demarcada do Douro" – the demarcated region of Douro, also known as DOC, but there are actually two DOC regions in the same area: Douro DOC and Porto DOC, for regular wine and port wine respectively. So when referring to port wine, it corresponds to Porto DOC.

Sulfitter: See below.

Tawny: A designation for a type of port wine.

Terrasser: A planting method where the vines are typically arranged in 2-5 horizontal rows.

Vila Nova De Gaia: A district in Porto, south of the Douro River. It is often referred to simply as Gaia. Many port wine houses have showrooms here.

Vinifikation: Refers to the work in the cellar. Once the work in the vineyard is done and the grapes are ready for harvest, the actual wine production can begin. The process from grape harvest to bottling is known as vinification. 70% of all wine worldwide has substances like acid, sugar, etc., added, but port wine must not have anything added.

Vintage: A designation for a type of port wine.

Tanniner: Tannins or tannic acid give wine an astringent taste, but they are important for ensuring the wine’s longevity and the length of its flavor. It is a substance naturally present in red grape skins, seeds, and stems. The effect is a well-known drying sensation, and tannins act differently than acids. Tannins in wine mainly come from grape skins, less frequently from seeds. Therefore, wine generally contains more tannin the darker the color. Rosé has less tannin than red wine, and white wine has less than rosé. Red wine without tannins does not exist. Aging in new oak barrels can also add some tannin to the wine. Tannins soften with age and give wine length on the palate.

SQVP: Single Quinta Vintage Port (SQVP) is a port wine made according to the same rules as Vintage Port, but with the exception that the grapes come from a single Quinta (vineyard). Normally, a Vintage Port is made from a blend of grapes from several Quintas. If a producer believes they have a port wine with vintage-class quality, but IVDP does not approve it, they will make Single Quinta Port and name it after the vineyard where the grapes come from, such as Graham’s Quinta Dos Malvedos, Croft’s Quinta da Roeda, or Warre’s Quinta da Cavadinha.