Nebuchadnezzar
A large format Champagne bottle, equivalent to twenty standard bottles. See my advisory page on Champagne bottle sizes for more information.

Négociant
One who buys grapes and grape juice from different vineyards throughout the region. They make wine from these grapes and sell it.

Négociant-Éleveur (France)
A négociant equipped to perform all the tasks involved in taking an unfinished wine through to the bottling process, including ageing in barrel if desired.

Neutral
A neutral wine is void of any notable characteristics. However, this ordinary wine is not necessarily a bad wine.

New World Wine
Broadly the world of wine is divided into Old World and New. The New World includes North and South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The New World countries have seen explosions in quality and quantity of wine within the last few decades, although some have been producing wine for centuries.

Noble
Great; of perfect balance and harmonious expression. Noble grapes are those that produce the world's finest wines, such as cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, riesling and so on.

Noble Rot
A fungal infection caused by Botrytis cinerea. Under the right conditions - damp, misty mornings followed by warm, sunny afternoons - the result is Noble Rot, which leaves grapes shrivelled, dehydrated, and thus rich in sugar and also unique Botrytis-derived flavours. It is an essential ingredient in Sauternes, Tokay and other sweet wines of Germany and Austria. Under the wrong conditions the result of infection is Grey Rot. See my feature on Noble Rot for more detailed information.

Nose
The way a wine smells.

Nouveau
Young, immediately drinkable wine.

Nutty
The nutlike aromas that develop in certain wines, such as sherry.