Glossary of Winemaking Terms - S

S

Saccharometer

A winemaking tool that uses specific gravity to measure the sugar content of grape juice.

Screwcap

An alternative to cork for sealing wine bottles, comprising a metal cap that screws onto threads on the neck of a bottle. Also called a "Stelvin".

Sec

French for dry, except in the case of Champagne, where it means semi-sweet.

Secondary fermentation

Most commonly the term is used to refer to the continuation of fermentation in a second vessel – e.g. moving the wine from a stainless steel tank to an oak barrel. The Australian meaning of this term is malo lactic fermentation MLF, as distinct from primary fermentation, the conversion of sugar to alcohol.

Skin contact

Another term to describe maceration.l

Solera system

A process used to systematically blend various vintages of Sherry.

Sorbic acid

An acid that can be added to wine in order to halt yeast activity and alcohol production – such as in the production of some sweet wines. If a wine goes through malolactic fermentation when there is a significant amount of sorbic acid present, the wine can develop a fault characterized by a strong odor of crushed geraniums.

Souped up

A wine that starts out as a lighter bodied and perhaps weaker flavor that is blended with a stronger, more robust wine.

Sparging

A process of adding carbonic gas to a wine just before bottling in order to add some slight effervescence to the wine.

Spinning cone column

Used to reduce the amount of alcohol in a wine.

Stabilization

The process of decreasing the volatility of a wine by removing particles that may cause unwanted chemical changes after the wine has been bottled. In winemaking wines are stabilized by fining, filtration, adding sulfur dioxide or techniques such as cold stabilization where tartrate chemicals are precipitated out.

Stabilizer

An additive such as potassium sorbate which is added to wines before they are sweetened. Unlike sulfites, these products do not stop fermentation by killing the yeast, rather they prevent re-fermentation by disrupting the reproductive cycle of yeast.

Stretching

Cutting or diluting a wine with water, often used to lower the alcohol level of the wine. In many wine regions this practice is illegal.

Still wine

Wine that is not sparkling wine.

Stoving wine

A production method of artificially mellowing wine by exposing it to heat.

Stück

A large German oak barrel with the capacity of 317 gallons (1,200 liters)

Stuck fermentation

A fermentation that has been halted due to yeast prematurely becoming dormant or dying. There are a variety of causes for a stuck fermentation including high fermentation temperatures, yeast nutrient deficiency, or an excessively high sugar content.

Sulfites

Compounds (typically: potassium metabisulfite or sodium metabisulfite) which are added to wine to prevent oxidation, microbial spoilage, and further fermentation by the yeast.

Sulphur dioxide

A substance used in winemaking as a preservative.

Sur lie

A winemaking practice that involves prolonged aging on the dead yeast cells (the lees).

Süssreserve

A reserve of unfermented grape juice that is added to wines as a sweetening device.

Sweetness of wine

Defined by the level of residual sugar in the final liquid after the fermentation has ceased. However, how sweet the wine will actually taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling.