Glossary of Wine Terms - S

S

Sack

An early English term for what is now called Sherry.

Salmanazar

A large bottle holding nine litres, the equivalent of 12 regular wine bottles.

Sangria

A tart punch made from red wine along with orange, lemon and apricot juice with added sugar.

Sekt

A sparkling wine manufactured in Germany.

Selection de grains nobles

A sweet botrytized wine made in the French region of Alsace

Semi-generic

Wines made in the United States but named after places that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau requires be modified by a US name of geographic origin. Examples would be New York Chablis, Napa Valley Burgundy or California Champagne.

Sherry

A fortified wine that has been subjected to controlled oxidation to produce a distinctive flavor.

Sommelier

A wine expert who often works in restaurants.

Soutirage

French term for racking.

Sparkling wine

Effervescent wine containing significant levels of carbon dioxide.

Spätlese

German for "late harvest". A Prädikat in Germany and Austria.

Split

A wine bottle that holds approximately 6 oz (175-187 mL) or one-fourth the equivalent of a typical 750 mL bottle; a single-serving.

Spritzig

German term for a light sparkling wine.

Spumante

Italian for "sparkling".

Stickies

An Australian term for a broad category of sweet wines included fortified and botrytized wines.

Strohwein

A German word for "straw wine", same as the French term vin de paille. Refers to a dried grape wine. A Prädikat in Austria.

Super Seconds

A term used in relation to lower classified Bordeaux wine estates that come close in quality to the First Growth Bordeaux estates.

Super Tuscans

A style of Italian wine that became popular in Tuscany in the late 20th century where premium quality wines were produced outside of DOC regulations and sold for high prices with the low level vino da tavola designation.