Glossary

Chocolate

/CHOK-lit/

Rich, dark, cocoa-like flavor in full-bodied red wines.

Full Definition

Chocolate describes rich, cocoa-like flavors found in full-bodied red wines, often from warm climates or heavily toasted oak barrels. Dark chocolate notes are common in ripe Merlot, Shiraz, and Zinfandel. The character comes from various compounds including lactones and volatile phenols. Generally a positive descriptor.

Related Terms

cocoa mocha dark fruit

See Also

Chianti Back to Glossary Cigar Box

Reference

More terms starting with C

Canopy Management

Techniques to control vine leaf and shoot growth.

Capsule

The foil or plastic covering over a wine bottle's cork.

Carbonic Maceration

Whole-grape fermentation in CO2, producing fruity wines.

Cava

Spanish sparkling wine made by traditional method.

Cellaring

Storing wine under proper conditions for aging.

Chai

French term for an above-ground wine storage building.