The name of a wine almost invariably is derived from one of three sources: the name of the principal grape from which it was made, the geographical area from which it comes, or—in the case of the traditionally finest wines—from a particular vineyard or parcel of soil. The year in which a wine is made is only printed on bottles that have aged for two or more years; those aged less are not considered worthy of a date. Wine years are known as "vintages" or "vintage years." While certain wines are considered good or bad depending on the year they were produced, this can vary by locality.
In general, red wines are supposed to age from seven to ten years before being sold. Because white and rose wines are not enhanced by additional ageing, they are usually aged from only one to four years before being sold. And, since the quality of wine can depend on proper ageing, older wines are generally more expensive than younger ones. Other factors, however, can affect the quality of wine, and proper ageing does not always ensure quality. Other factors affecting quality include the grapes themselves, when the grapes are picked, proper care of the grapes, the fermentation process, as well as other aspects of wine production.
Most wineries bottle wine in different size bottles and have different product and graphic designs on their labels. The most common bottle sizes are the half bottle, the imperial pint, the standard bottle, and the gallon bottle or jug. Most red and rose wine bottles are colored to keep light from ageing the wine further after they are on the market.
Fruit, Country and Something Wines
Non-grape wines are called fruit wines or country wines. Country wines are always called "something wines", since the word "wine" alone is often legally defined as a beverage made only from grapes. They include a number of fruits, berries, flowers and herbs - such as apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cherry, gooseberry, pear, raspberry, redcurrant, rowan, persimmon, pineapple, plum, rose hip, strawberry, watermelon, mangosteen, mango, sweetsop, dandelion, and elderberry.
These wines however, are not naturally chemically balanced like grapes to normally ferment completely without requiring extra sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Many fruit wines are home-fermented products, but some are manufactured commercially as well. Fruit wines contain about 12 percent alcohol. When they are fortified with brandy, the alcohol content is increased to about 20 percent.
Other products made from starch based materials, such as barley wine, rice wine (sake), are more similar to beers. The English word wine and its equivalents in other languages are protected by law in many jurisdictions.
Organic Wines
Organic wines are produced using organically grown grapes. No pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic chemicals of any kind are allowed on the vines or in the soil. Strict rules govern the winemaking process and storage conditions of all imported and domestic wines that acquire certification. Moreover, organic winemakers often avoid many of the chemical substances used to stabilize conventional wines. Nothing is required with regards to the use of animal-derived ingredients.
Sulfites
 The FDA says only about .4% of the population, or about a million people, are considered highly allergic to sulfites. Even for moderate wine drinkers, the average level of sulfites found in many commercial wines can cause heartburns or other side effects. Unpleasant reactions include burning sensations, hives, cramps, and flushing of the skin. For them, organic wines are an especially good choice since they contain minimal amounts of sulfites that will in most cases lie below their threshold level.
Many equate organic wines with "sulfite-free" wines. This is inaccurate. Sulfites are a natural byproduct of the fermentation process. Fermenting yeasts present on all grape skins generate naturally occurring sulfites in amounts ranging from 6 to 40 parts per million (ppm).
According to Professor Roger Boulton, Ph.D., University of California at Davis, Department of Viticulture and Enology, even if no sulfur dioxide is added to wine, fermenting yeasts will produce SO2 from the naturally occurring inorganic sulfates in all grape juices. Thus, says Boulton, it is impossible for any wine to be completely free of sulfur dioxide.
A mistelle (wine made of unfermented grape-juice blended with alcohol) is to be drunk rather fresh as aperitif. The name of the cartagène comes from the verb "cartager" that meant to plough the land 4 times. Indeed, the cartagène has to be prepared with a mix of 4 volumes of grapes for one volume of alcohol.
Vegan Wines
 Vegan wine is wine made without animal products. As such it can be part of a vegan diet. Wineries might use animal-derived products as finings. To remove proteins, yeasts, and other organic particles which are in suspension during the making of the wine, a fining agent is added to the top of the vat. As it sinks down, the particles adhere to the agent, and are carried out of suspension. None of the fining agent remains in the finished product sold in the bottle, and not all wines are fined.
Examples of animal products used as finings are gelatin, isinglass, chitosan, casein and egg albumen. Bull's blood is also used in some Mediterranean countries but is not allowed in the U.S. or France.
As an alternative to the animal products Bentonite, a natural, inert clay powder, can be used to clarify the wine. There are even some very patient vintners who let the wine's sediments settle naturally.
Winemakers are not required to put on their label which clarifier is used, since it is removed from the final product. However, some wine makers will boast on the wine label that their wine is unfiltered, because some wine connaisseurs prefer wine to be unfiltered.
Vegan Wine Guide
Vegan & Vegetarian Pocket Guide to Wine
Kosher Wines
Kosher wine results only when wine is produced according to Judaism's religious law, specifically, the Jewish dietary laws of (kashrut), and then is known as "kosher wine".
In general, kashrut deals with avoiding specific forbidden foods, none of which are normally used in winemaking, so it might seem that all wines are automatically "kosher". However, because of wine's special role in many non-Jewish religions, the kashrut laws specify that wine cannot be considered kosher if it might have been used for "idolatry".
Also, non-kosher ingredients commonly used in wine manufacture are bull's blood and isinglass.
Get Kosher Wine
Conservative Judaism
In the 1960s the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards approved a responsum ( "legal ruling") by Rabbi Israel Silverman on this subject. Silverman notes that most classical Jewish authorities agree that Christians are not considered idolators, and that their products cannot be considered forbidden in this regard. He also noted that most wine-making in the United States is fully automated. Based on 15th-19th century precedents in the responsa literature, he concluded that wines manufactured by this automated process may not be classified as wine "manufactured by gentiles", and thus are not prohibited by Jewish law.
However, this is a lenient view. Some Conservative rabbis disagree with it, e.g. Isaac Klein. As such Dorff's teshuvah states that synagogues should hold themselves to a stricter standard so that all in the Jewish community will view the synagogue's kitchen as fully kosher. As such, Conservative synagogues are encouraged to use only wines with a heksher, and preferably wines from the State of Israel.
Industry Related Wine Terms
ampelography - the science of description and identification of grape cultivars from the genus Vitis.
viticulture - the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard.
Oenology or enology - the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking from the grape harvest to bottle. An expert in the field of oenology is known as an oenologist.
viniculture - the study or science of winemaking. Synonymous with enology. One who does so is called a viniculturist, enologist, or simply a winemaker.
vinification - the process of wine production, from the selection of grapes to the bottling of finished wine.
Professions Relating to Wine
Cooper - Someone who makes wooden barrels, casks, and other similar wooden objects.
Négociant - a wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers, and sells them under his own name.
Vintner - a wine merchant or producer.
Sommelier - a person in a restaurant who specializes in wine. They are usually in charge of assembling the wine list, staff education and making wine suggestions to customers.
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