Taste Decoder

Wine words, in plain English.

Somebody said the wine is “flabby”? The label says “sur lie”? Look it up — 200+ terms decoded, no jargon in the definitions.

Styles

Pétillant-Naturel

What it means in wine

Pét-nat can vary widely in sweetness, pressure, clarity, and flavor. It is commonly bottled before primary fermentation is complete.

Why it matters

The term is informal in many markets, so avoid assuming a single legal standard.

Want it explained for your bottle? Ask Scott about “Pétillant-Naturel”.

All Bottle formats Classification terms Faults and storage Geography Label terms Sparkling wine Storage and service Styles Tasting Tasting terms Vineyard Wine basics Wine faults Wine-specific Winemaking

Amontillado A style of Sherry that begins under flor and then ages oxidatively. Ancestral Method A sparkling wine method in which fermentation finishes in bottle, trapping carbo… Brut Nature A very dry sparkling wine category with little or no dosage. Demi-Sec A sweetness category commonly used for sparkling wines and some still wines. Fino A pale, dry Sherry style aged biologically under flor. Flor A film-forming yeast layer that develops on some wines, especially certain Sherr… Icewine A sweet wine made from grapes frozen naturally on the vine and pressed while fro… Late Harvest Wine made from grapes picked later than normal, often with higher sugar concentr… Madeira A fortified wine from Madeira, known for styles shaped by heat and oxygen exposu… Natural Wine An informal term for wines made with minimal intervention, often emphasizing org… Noble Rot Beneficial Botrytis cinerea infection that concentrates grapes for certain sweet… Orange Wine White wine made with extended skin contact, giving deeper color and added textur… Passito An Italian term for wines made from dried or partially dried grapes. Port A fortified wine associated with Portugal’s Douro region. Pétillant-Naturel A lightly sparkling wine often associated with ancestral-method production. Rosé Pink wine usually made from red grapes with limited skin contact. Ruby Port A fruit-driven Port style usually aged to preserve youthful color and fruit. Sec A term meaning dry in French, but also a sweetness category in sparkling wine. Sparkling Wine Wine containing significant carbon dioxide bubbles. Tank Method A sparkling wine method in which secondary fermentation occurs in a sealed tank. Tawny A Port style aged to develop oxidative, nutty, caramel, and dried-fruit notes. Traditional Method A sparkling wine method in which secondary fermentation takes place in the bottl… Vin Doux Naturel A French fortified sweet wine style made by mutage, adding spirit to stop fermen…