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Wine Glossary: N

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

Négociant (France)
Term to describe a winemaker that buys in grapes or juice (fermented or unfermented) and then completes the winemaking process. The wine will then be bottled under their own label, but may sometimes make reference to the source of the grapes. Many négociants also own some vineyards as another source of grapes. Although the system does not sound as though it will result in great wine, many négociants - who operate extensively in Burgundy - produce benchmark examples and perform a very important role.

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.

New World
Broadly the world of wine is divided into Old World and New. The New World includes North and South America, 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. The dividing line between New and Old, however, is not as clear-cut as you might think. Where, for instance, does South Africa lie - with it's Old World heritage but it's wonderful New World approach? And what about England - Old or New?

New Zealand
See my New Zealand wine guide.

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
A tasting term. The 'nose' of a wine describes how a wine smells.

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