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- Fall bright
- The point when a wine becomes limpid, or clear, after all the cloudy sediments falls to the bottom of container. The wine is then usually racked over the sediment or, in the case of sparkling wine, disgorged.
- Fatty acids
- Another term used in winemaking to describe volatile acids such as butyric or propionic acids
- Fault
- An unpleasant characteristic of wine resulting from a flaw with the winemaking process or storage conditions.
- Fermentation
- The conversion of sugars to alcohol by yeast.
- Feuillette
- A French wine barrel with the capacity to hold 30 gallons (114 liters) in Burgundy and 35 gallons (132 liters) in Chablis.
- Filtration
- The removal of unwanted particles suspended in wine or grape juice.
- Fining
- A clarification process where flocculants, such as bentonite or egg white, are added to the wine to remove suspended solids. Fining is considered a more gentle method of clarifying a wine than filtering.
- First pressing
- The first press, after the free run juice has been collected, that contains the clearest and cleanest juice that will come out of pressing.
- Fixed acidity
- A measurement of "total acidity" (TA) of a wine minus the volatile acids.
- Fixed sulfur
- The molecules of sulfur dioxide that binds with sugar and acids in the wine. This leaves the unbound "free sulfur" to combine with molecules of oxygen in order to prevent oxidation.
- Flash Pasteurization
- A procedure different than full pasteurization where the wine is subjected to high temperatures around 176°F (80°C) for intervals of 30-60 seconds.
- Flor
- The yeast responsible for the character of dry Sherries.
- Fortification
- The process of adding pure alcohol or very strong (77 to 98 proof) grape spirit to a wine. Depending on when the alcohol is added, either before, during or after fermentation, this can result in a wine with a high alcohol content and noticeable sweetness.
- Foudre
- A generic French term for a large wooden vat between 20 and 120 hectoliters.
- Free sulfur
- The active element of sulfur dioxide that combined with molecules of oxygen to prevent oxidation. For more details see fixed sulfur above.
- Free run juice
- Juice obtained from grapes that have not been pressed.
- Fruit wine
- A fermented alcoholic beverage made from non-grape fruit juice which may or may not include the addition of sugar or honey. Fruit wines are always called "something" wines (e.g., plum wine), since the word wine alone is often legally defined as a beverage made only from grapes.
- Fuder
- A German oak barrel with the capacity to hold 265 gallons (1000 liters)
- Fully fermented
- A wine that was allowed to complete the process of fermentation without interruption to produce a wine that is completely dry.
- Fût
- Generic French term for an oak cask where wines are fermented and/or aged.
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Winemaking Terms