An Interesting Glossary

WSJ has put together a moderately informative glossary of commonly used the terms, places, and people of wine culture. A few that were news to me:

Botrytis Cinerea. “Noble rot” fungus responsible for making some great dessert wines in Sauternes and elsewhere by shriveling grapes and concentrating juice.

Disgorge. Process in Champagne in which the sediment is popped out of the bottle before the final cork is inserted.

Gewurztraminer. Peppery white wine that’s a specialty of the Alsace region of France. (I totally thought this was a strictly German varietal)

Meritage. Name for red and white blends in the U.S. made from classic Bordeaux varieties. Rhymes with heritage. (I've been pronouncing it incorrectly?)

Sur Lie. Allowing a white wine to sit on its dead yeast for a while, often giving it extra complexity and mouthfeel.

Check out the whole gloss here.

Also, let me apologize for sleeping on the job. I promise more reviews soon.