Wine Terms – What They Really Mean
or
Wine Terms Without the Pooh-Pooh
(Or as we say in Texas – Without the Horse Pucky)

Aging – The only reason you age a wine is because something is wrong with it. Often times you will hear such terms as “enhancing a wine” or “allowing the flavors to marry” – bottom line the wine is not ready to sell – something is wrong with it. Some wines are not ready to sell when they have finished fermentation, others on the other hand are and it is not determined by variety and/or year.

Vineyard – A farm where you grow a crop called grapes. The primary elements include dirt and grapevines, other possible components could include a trellis system, an irrigation system. There may be a winery (see definition below) on the same parcel of land even though the majority of vineyards do not include a winery. Few commercial vineyards let individuals tour the actual vineyard. Individuals may see vineyards, may dive past vineyards or even dive through vineyards - but actually tour a vineyard? Not normally - unless it is a very structured tour or where there is a demonstration vineyard.

Winery – A physical building(s) where wine is produced. The facility may contain tanks, processing equipment, storage areas, tasting and retail areas. Wineries may be adjacent to, located on, or in the vicinity of a vineyard (see vineyard above).