Glossary

Flat

/FLAT/

Wine lacking acidity, or sparkling wine that has lost bubbles.

Full Definition

Flat has two meanings: for still wines, it indicates insufficient acidity, making wine dull and lifeless (similar to flabby). For sparkling wines, flat means the wine has lost its carbon dioxide, becoming still. Both usages are negative descriptors.

Related Terms

flabby dull mousse

More terms starting with F

Fermentation

The conversion of sugar to alcohol by yeast.

Field Blend

Multiple grape varieties planted and harvested together.

Filtration

Removing particles from wine by passing through a filter.

Finish

The taste and sensations that linger after swallowing.

Fining

Clarifying wine by adding substances that bind with particles.

First Growth

The top-ranked estates in Bordeaux's 1855 Classification.