Ice wine
Wine made from grapes harvested after the grapes have been frozen on the vines. The grapes must be picked and processed very soon quickly and yields are small, making ice wine expensive. Canada is the world's largest producer.
IGT
Short for Indicazione Geografica Tipica.
Imbottigliato all'origine
Italian term for wine bottled on the estate.
Imperial
A large wine bottle with a capacity of 6 litres, equivalent to eight normal bottles.
Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
Italian wine classification, created to recognised quality wines produced outside the established DOC regions.
Indigenous
Grape varieties specific to a winemaking locale. There are hundreds of grape varieties, only a few dozen of which are well known. There are many wine producers making good wines from blends of local grapes, so don't assume that if you haven't heard of the grape variety - or the label doesn't say what it is - then the wine can't be any good.
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO)
French body which oversees the AOC system.
Integrated
A wine where each flavour flows seamlessly into the next.
Intense
Said of wine with strong, dominant flavours.
Intricate
Wine which has complex aromas and flavours. Compare simple.
Invecchiato
Italian word for a wine aged in oak barrels or in the bottle.
Irrigation
Watering of vines. In Europe this is allowed for young vines, but not for vines over three years old.
Isinglass
A fining made using fish bladders.
