Wine Glossary: U

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

Ullage
The small pocket of air in the bottle between the top of the wine and the cork. Most wines are bottled for immediate consumption and the ullage should be small, and of no concern. When purchasing older bottles, however, knowing the ullage can be an indicator of the quality of the wine. It is certainly an indicator of price - wines with a lot of ullage will fetch a much lower price than those with wine up to top-shoulder or into the neck of the bottle. A large ullage may suggest deterioration of the wine through oxidation.

USA
See my North American wine guide.

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