V

VIN DE PAYS (FRENCH)

Essentially, ‘country wines’ are numerous good wines in this category. The category lies below Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée and the rapidly disappearing Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure but is distinctly superior to the usually unpleasant Vin de Table.

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VIN DE TABLE (FRENCH)

The lowest category of French wine. Such wines may not even declare grape varieties or vintage on the label by law.​

VINTAGE

The term ‘vintage’ refers to the year the grapes were grown. For instance, we might describe the year 2000 as a great vintage for Bordeaux as the weather that year was excellent, and many superlative wines were made. When it comes to Champagne, a vintage wine is one that is made from grapes all grown in the year declared on the label, whereas a non-vintage wine is a blend of wines from several years.​

VITICULTURE

The science, cultivation, and study of grape growing.​

VITIS VINIFERA

The vinifera species includes some of the best wines – Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Mourvèdre, Gewurztraminer, etc. The species from which all the world’s fine wines are made – even if they have to be grafted onto other rootstock in order to survive.