During the winter, winegrowers repair and replace the acacia stakes (known as caraçons) which support the trunks of the vines, and tighten up the metal wires which structure the branches.

Derived from the Latin word for tail (caudum), this unit of measurement is used to assess the time for which a wine’s aromas linger on the palate. One Caudalie is equivalent to one second. Truly great wines can achieve scores of up to 8 Caudalies.

An antiquated English name for the wines of Bordeaux.

Creating new vine plants using material from a single ‘mother’ source, via grafting or cutting.

A phenomenon where the vine flowers fail to mature correctly, as a result of poor weather conditions, with negative effects on the quality (regularity) and quantity of the fruit produced. Certain grape varieties are very susceptible to this problem (e.g. Merlot), while others are less affected.

The solid parts of the grapes (seeds, stalks, skins) which form a crust on the surface of the wine as it ferments in the vat.

A wine of poor quality.

A phenomenon where the vine flowers fail to mature correctly, as a result of poor weather conditions, with negative effects on the quality (regularity) and quantity of the fruit produced. Certain grape varieties are very susceptible to this problem (e.g. Merlot), while others are less affected.