Q

Qualitätswein
A designation of better quality German wines.
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete
A designation of better quality German wines from recognized viticultural areas.
Qualitätswein mit Pradikat
A designation of best quality German wines that must conform to specific requirements of origin and composition.

R

Racking
The process of drawing wine off the sediment, such as lees, after fermentation and moving it into another vessel.
Rehoboam
A large bottle holding 4.5 litres, the equivalent of six regular wine bottles.
Rémuage
See “riddling”.
Reserva
Spanish and Portuguese term for a reserve wine.
Reserve
A term given to wine to indicate that it is of higher quality than usual.
Residual sugar
Also known as RS, the level of sugar that remains unfermented in a wine. See also sweetness of wine.
Reverse osmosis
A process used to remove excess alcohol from wine made from intentionally overripe grapes.
Riddling
Also known as “Rémuage” in French, part of the Méthode Champenoise process whereby bottles of sparkling wine are successively turned and gradually tilted upside down so that sediment settles into the necks of the bottles in preparation for degorgement. Part of the Méthode Champenoise process.
Riesling
Also known as White Riesling in countries outside of Germany. Riesling is a variety of grape used to make white wine. It is grown mainly in Germany, where the relatively cold climate enables it to produce grapes for some of the best white wines in the world. Riesling, however, is used for high quality wines also in Austria and can be found in countries like Australia, South Africa and Canada as well. Riesling is famous for its vivid acidity and fruitiness both in the nose and on the palate.
Rosé wines
Pink wines that are produced from the shortened contact of red wine juice with its skins, reducing the red colour of the wine. These wines can also be made by blending a small amount of red wine with white wine.
Ruby
A style of Port wine that is generally sweet.

S

Sack
An early English term for what is now called Sherry.
Salmanazar
A large bottle holding nine litres, the equivalent of 12 regular wine bottles.
Sangria
A tart punch made from red wine along with orange, lemon and apricot juice with added sugar.
Screwcap
An alternative to cork for sealing wine bottles, comprising a metal cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a bottle. Also called a “Stelvin“.
Sec
French for dry, except in the case of Champagne, where it means sweet.
Sekt
German sparkling wine.
Semi-generic
Wines made in the United States but named after places that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau requires be modified by a US name of geographic origin. Examples would be New York Chablis, Napa Valley Burgundy or California Champagne.
Sherry
A fortified wine that has been subjected to controlled oxidation to produce a distinctive flavor.
Shiraz
Shiraz or Syrah is a variety of grape used to make red wine.
Solera system
A process used to systematically blend various vintages of Sherry.
Sommelier
A trained wine expert that often works in fine restaurants.
Sparkling wine
Effervescent wine containing significant levels of carbon dioxide.
Spätlese
German for “select“. Generally applied to German late harvest wines.
Split
A wine bottle that holds approximately 6 oz (175-187 mL) or one-fourth the equivalent of a typical 750 mL bottle; a single-serving.
Spumante
Italian for “sparkling“. Generally any sparkling wine from Italy, although producers of Franciacorta (wine) have recently started stating that Franciacorta is not a “spumante”.
Stelvin
A brand of screwcap.
Still wine
Wine that is not sparkling wine.
Stoving wine
A production method of artificially mellowing wine by exposing it to heat.
Sulfites
Compounds (typically: potassium metabisulfite or sodium metabisulfite) which are added to wine to prevent oxidation and microbial spoilage.
Sulphur dioxide
A substance used in winemaking as a preservative.
Syndicat des Vins de Bordeaux et Bordeaux Superieur
An organisation representing the economic interests of wine producers in Bordeaux.
Sweetness of wine
Defined by the level of residual sugar in the final liquid after the fermentation has ceased. However, how sweet the wine will actually taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling.