Gamay
An old, black, French grape. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. Commonly grown in Beaujolais and the Loire Valley.
Gamey
Wine with a tangy flavour reminiscent of wild fowl or rabbit meat.
Garagiste
One of the tiny Bordeaux wine producers of the late 20th century who made wines in modern styles.
Garrafeira
Portuguese term for a high-quality red or white wine.
Garrigue
French term for the herbs which grow on limestone slopes in the south of the country, like rosemary and thyme.
Gemeind
A German community that makes wine.
Geographical Indication
Wines from specified geographical regions.
Gewürztraminer
Red-skinned grape used to make aromatic white wines.
Gin
Alcoholic drink flavoured with Juniper berries and other botanicals.
Glycerine
Compound producing during the fermtation process which creates a full, rich mouth feel and is responsible for the legs on a wine glass.
Goliath
A large wine bottle with a capacity of 27 litres, the equivalent of 36 normal bottles.
Gönc
Hungarian term for an oak cask using the aging of Tokaji wine.
Goon
Australian term for cheap wine sold in a box.
Graft
Marrying the top part of a grape vine to a root stock of a different variety.
Grains nobles
French term for wine made from botrytis-affected grapes.
Grande Marque
French term for a well-known wine brand, particularly one of the large Champagne brands.
Grand Cru
French term for wine from the best terroirs.
Grand Vin
French term for an estate's best wine.
Granite soil
Granite soils are alkaline, so reduce acidity in wine.
Gran Reserva
Spanish term for high quality wines matured for at least four years.
Granvas
Spanish term for a sparkling wine made by secondary fermentation in a tank rather than in the bottle.
Gravity cellar
Method of moving wine during production using gravity rather than mechanical pumps.
Green
Wines made from unripe grapes.
Green harvest
Picking unripe grapes to improve the quality of the grapes remaining on the vine.
Grenache
Red wine grape which makes fruity, spicy wines. Also known as Garnacha.
Grip
Wine tasting term referring to wines with strong tannins.
Grosses Gewächs
Dry German wine from a top vineyard.
Grosslage
German term for a group of vineyards.
Growth
Bordeaux wine rankings - the chateaux of the First Growth are considered the best.
Grüner Veltliner
A white wine grape, the most commonly grown grape in Austria.
