Bacchus
The Roman god of wine. Also the name of a grape variety grown in Germany that is a crossing of silvaner, riesling and müller-thurgau.
Backward
A tasting term. Wines described as backward are undeveloped and not ready to drink. They are often young and tannic, and may also be described as austere. The opposite, unsurprisingly, of forward!
Balance
The relationship between a wine's acids, sugars, tannins and alcohol. When all are in harmony, a wine is well-balanced.
Balthazar
A large format Champagne bottle, equivalent to sixteen standard bottles. See my advisory page on Champagne bottle sizes for more information.
Bandol
Bandol wine comes from Provence in southern France. It’s most famous for its red wines that are full-bodied and made from the mourvèdre grape. This robust wine has aromas and flavors of spice and black fruit that marry well with beef and other hearty meat dishes.
Barbaresco
Barbaresco is made from the nebbiolo grape in Piedmont, in the northern region of Italy. This medium- to full-bodied red wine can be sweet or dry and usually has low acidity. Its berry and ripe red fruit aromas, coupled with the flavors of tar and licorice, make it a lovely match for deeply flavored meat dishes such as beef, game, venison and chicken.
Barbera
Barbera is both the name of a grape and the red wine it produces. Its ancestral home is in Italy’s Piedmont region from the vineyards around the towns of Asti, Alexandria and Casale Monferrato. It is Italy’s most common red grape. Barbera is a fairly light-bodied wine with mouth-watering acidity, a bit of tannin and is best consumed young. It has enticing aromas of tar, plum, cherry and vanilla. Barbera pairs well with antipasto, beef stroganoff, fried chicken, pasta with cream-based sauce, pizza, pepperoni, pork, salami, spicy sauces, spices, herbs, bagna cauda marinara, meaty tomato-based sauces, veal agnolotti, vegetables and salads, chanterelle mushrooms and ratatouille tomatoes.
Bardolino
Bardolino is a light ruby red wine from Veneto in northeast Italy and made from the grapes Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. The wine is not as full-bodied as valpolicella, made from the same grapes, and has a pleasant grassy flavor with tangy red currants. Bardolino can be dry or sweet and is well-balanced. This light, easy-drinking wine pairs well with artichokes, white meat, game, vegetable soup, pork or sausages.
Barolo
Barolo is often referred to as the "king of Italian wines" because of its complexity and longevity. This dry, full-bodied wine is produced in the Piedmont region of Italy southwest of Alba and is made from the grape nebbiolo. Signature aromas include violets, tar, truffles, licorice, chocolate and earth. This wine needs at least three to five years to age and soften because it is high in tannins, acidity and alcohol. Many of these wines last for ten to twenty or more years.
Barrique (France)
The barrique is a wooden barrel, the design of which originated in Bordeaux, France. It has a capacity of 225 litres. It can now be found in the cellars of winemakers worldwide, especially those involved in producing Bordeaux-style blends of quality. The longer a wine spends in barrel the more of the oak flavour it will take on. Strong flavours also result when the alcoholic fermentation takes place en barrique. There are dozens of other barrel shapes and sizes - one commonly found in the New World is the hogshead.
Barsac
Barsac is a fruity, sweet, dessert wine made from the sauvignon, semillon and muscadelle grapes in the southern region of Bordeaux. The wine's aromas and flavors include honey, dried figs and acacia. Barsac pairs well with blue cheeses.
Bâtonnage (France)
The term for stirring of the lees which is employed to impart body and flavour to the wine.
Baumé (France)
A scale for must weight. This is a hydrometric method - meaning that the sugar concentration (and therefore potential alcohol) is calculated from measuring the density of the must. Other scales include Brix, Oechsle and KMW. My article on must weight in my Sweet Wine series gives more information.
Bead
A tasting term used to describe the size of the bubbles in a glass of sparkling wine or Champagne. Some people say that the smaller and more persistent the bead, the finer the wine. Serving temperature may affect it's appearance - a colder wine will effervesce less vigorously.
Beaujolais (Gamay)
Beaujolais is a light red wine made from the gamay grape in Beaujolais, France, the southern region of Burgundy. It has soft tannins and refreshing acidity with flavors of cherries, strawberries, raspberries and bananas. The most famous type is Beaujolais Nouveau, released annually on the third Thursday of November. It should be consumed within three to six months of purchase. However, cru beaujolais, which has more depth and complexity, may age well for five to ten years, sometimes longer. Serve beaujolais with turkey, salmon paté, chicken, pork, baguette, soft cheeses, Tandori dishes.
Beaujolais Brouilly
Beaujolais Brouilly (BREW-yee) comes from the Brouilly area of Beaujolais, France, in the southern region of Burgundy. It is a robust and full-flavored red wine with aromas of cherries, strawberries and raspberries. Winemakers are allowed to add up to 15% of pinot noir, chardonnay, aligoté or melon grapes to the blend with the gamay grape. Serve with chicken and other poultry, cold meats, vegetables, salads and stuffed peppers.
Beaujolais Chiroubles
This Beaujolais comes from the Chiroubles area of Beaujolais, France. Beaujolais is a light red wine made from the gamay grape in Beaujolais, the southern region of Burgundy. It has soft tannins and refreshing acidity with flavors of cherries, strawberries, raspberries and bananas. The most famous type is Beaujolais Nouveau, released annually on the third Thursday of November. It should be consumed within three to six months of purchase. However, cru beaujolais, which has more depth and complexity, may age well for five to ten years, sometimes longer. Serve Beaujolais Chiroubles with carpaccio, beef tartare, brie cheese, and rabbit.
Beaujolais Morgon
This Beaujolais comes from the Morgon area of Beaujolais, France. Beaujolais is a light red wine made from the gamay grape in Beaujolais, the southern region of Burgundy. It has soft tannins and refreshing acidity with flavors of cherries, strawberries, raspberries and bananas. The most famous type is Beaujolais Nouveau, released annually on the third Thursday of November. It should be consumed within three to six months of purchase. However, cru Beaujolais, which has more depth and complexity, may age well for five to ten years, sometimes longer. Serve Beaujolais Morgon with cassoulet, braised beef with olives, coq au vin, beef casseroles & stews, vegetable salads, casseroles & stews.
Beerenauslese (Germany, Austria)
A Prädikat category for sweet wines. A Beerenauslese is made from individually harvested nobly rotten grapes. See also Trockenbeerenauslese and Eiswein.
Bentonite
A clay that can be used as a fining agent.
Bergerac
Bergerac is a robust wine made near the town of the same name east of Bordeaux along the Dordogne River in the southwest of France. White Bergerac wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle grapes, while red Bergerac wines are made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes. The wine is fresh and fruity with the flavours of ripe tree fruit for the whites and berries and red fruit for the reds. Both reds and whites are often oaked, which gives aromas of vanilla, toast and smoke. Pair with laguiole cheese, roast chicken, and lamb chops and steaks.
Bianco (Italian)
White.
Big
A wine powerful in aroma and flavor; full-bodied.
Bin number (Australia)
A bin is a storage area in a wine cellar. With each successive harvest, wines were allocated the same bin year after year. With time the bin number became associated with the wine - the Shiraz was stored in bin 50, the Chardonnay in bin 65, for example. Subsequently, It is often the case that bin numbers became brand names depicting a style of wine, and frequently have nothing to do with the origin of the grapes or where the wine has been stored!
Biodynamic vitulture
An extension of organic viticulture, taking into account the effect of the moon and planets on the health of the vines. Based on the principles of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Read more about biodynamics in my profile of one of it's most ardent exponents Nicolas Joly at Clos de la Coulée de Serrant.
Black rot
A fungal vine disease common in North America. It results in small, hard berries.
Blanc
The French word for white.
Blanc de Blancs (France)
This describes a white wine made entirely from white grapes. If this sounds like stating the obvious, it is necessary because black grapes can be used to make white wine, as only the skins impart colour - the juice and pulp are clear. This is especia
