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Wine Glossary: G

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Geneva double curtain
A vine training method. More details may be found in my advice page on vine training techniques.

Germany
See my German wine guide.

Glycerol
Also known as glycerine. A sweet, syrupy compound which is an essential part of all fats and oils. It is produced in small quantities by alcoholic fermentation, especially when there is botrytis, and increases the sweetness of the finished wine.

Gobelet
A method of vine training. The vines are cultivated as bushes. For more see my advisory article on vine training.

Gönc (Hungary)
A barrel used for making Tokay.

Grafting
The process of growing a cutting of Vitis vinifera on American or hybrid, phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

Gran Reserva (Spain)
This is the top category for Spanish wine. Such wines have received a minimum five years ageing, of which at least two are in cask and three in bottle. Related categories include Reserva and Crianza.

Grand Cru
A confusing term. In Burgundy Grand Cru refers to the best vineyard sites, which are on the slopes of the Côte d'Or. In St Emilion, however, the majority of interesting estates are classified as Grand Cru and thus here the term means very little.

Grande Marques
A term frequently used to describe the top Champagne houses.

Green harvest
The practice of removing unripe bunches of grapes in midsummer in order to reduce the yield per plant and increase the quality. Unlike other plants which will abort excess fruit, such as the peach, the vine will try and ripen the whole crop - which if large will increase the likelihood of producing a dilute wine.

Grey Rot
A vine affliction caused by the same fungus, Botrytis cinerea, that is responsible for Noble Rot. Grey Rot is the result of the action of the fungus in persistently damp, humid conditions.

Gutsabfüllung (Germany)
Means estate-bottled. Related terms include abfüllung and erzeugerabfüllung.

Guyot
A vine training method. More details may be found in my advisory feature on vine training.

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