Nebbiolo
Red wine grape from the Piedmont region of Italy.
Nebuchadnezzar
A large wine bottle with a capacity of 15 litres, equivalent to 20 standard bottles.
Négociant
A wine merchant who buys grapes, must or wines, makes or blends wine and sells on to wholesalers, exporters and retailers.
Nervous, nervy
Fresh-flavoured wines with high acidity. Sometimes described as racy.
New oak
Oak barrels which have not been previously used.
New World
Winemaking areas outside Europe, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States.
Noble Rot
Botrytis, a fungal disease which affects grapes, though in a potentially beneficial way. Wines made from Botrytis-affected grapes have concentrated, sweet flavours.
Non-filtré
French for unfiltered.
Nose
The aroma of a wine. A wine with "violets on the nose" smells like violets.
Notes
Tasting qualities, for example a wine with "citrus notes" has aromas and flavours of citrus fruit.
Nutty
A term for oxidised wines, but can also apply to wines which actually do have nut-like flavours.
