Wine Glossary

Glossary Page: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Glossary Page F

Fault
This is an unpleasant characteristic of a wine that due to a flaw with the wine making process or storage conditions.

Fermentation
This is the process where the sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action of enzymes and yeast. See Wine Making for more details.

Filtration
The wine is filtered before bottling in order to remove solid impurities e.g. dead yeast cells. Although it helps to clarify the wine, it can also strip wine of flavour and character. Filtration differs from fining which removes soluble materials. See Wine Making Equipment for more information.

Filtering
Filtering is a quick and efficient method of removing haze in wines.
It ensures the wine is more stable, far less likely to re-ferment when bottled and is always the quickest way to clear wines. The brilliance of filtered wine excites the taste buds and makes it irresistible. See Wine Making Equipment for more information.

Filtering Apparatus
Equipment used to clear a wine. See Wine Making Equipment for more information.

Finish
This is a tasting term that describes how the wine tastes at the point of, and just after, swallowing. The tasting order is entry, midpalate, finish and length.

Fining
This is a finishing process that is carried before bottling. A coagulant is added to the wine to filter out proteins and other undesirable compounds. See Wine Making Equipment for more details.

Finings
These are reagents used to clear wines by prompting the haze particles to grow, become heavier, and sink as a sediment. Proven fining substances are isinglass, gelatine, chitin and bentonite and a few others. See Wine Making Equipment for more details.

Flabby
A tasting term that is used to describe a wine lacking in structure, often marked by low acidity.

Flagon
A glass bottle that holds two litres of usually inexpensive table wine.

Flogger
This is a wooden tool for banging corks home

Flor
The yeast responsible for the character of dry Sherries.

Fortification
This is the process of adding spirit to a wine. If this is done before completion of the fermentation, as happens with Port, the unfermented sugars will cause the wine to be sweeter than they would be otherwise be the case. If added later, as happens with Sherry, the wine will remain dry. In all cases the final alcohol content is increased. The process is also used in the production of vin doux naturel.

Fortified Wine
A wine that has had alcohol added to it. The amount of alcohol added is generally to a high enough concentration level to prevent further fermentation.

Forward
A tasting term. This denotes a wine which is felt by the taster to be developing quickly, and is ready to drink before it might otherwise be expected. It is the opposite of backward.

Free Run
Juice obtained from grapes that have not been pressed.

Fructose
One of the two sugars (the other glucose) formed when ordinary sugar is broken down by yeast enzyme action. Normally the yeast makes its own.

Fruit Wine
A wine fermented from non-grape fruit juice which may or may not include the addition of sugar or honey. Fruit wines are always called "something" wines (e.g., plum wine), since the word wine alone is often legally defined as a drink made only from grapes. See Wine Making for more details.