Wine Glossary

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Maceration- During fermentation, the steeping of the grape skins and solids in the wine, where alcohol acts as a solvent to extract color, tannin and aroma from the skins.

Made And Bottled By- Indicates only that the winery crushed, fermented and bottled a minimum of 10 percent of the wine in the bottle. Very misleading.

Maderized- Describes the brownish color and slightly sweet, somewhat caramelized and often nutty character found in mature dessert-style wines.

Magnum- An oversized bottle that holds 1.5 liters.

Malic- Describes the green apple-like flavor found in young grapes which diminishes as they ripen and mature.

Malolactic Fermentation- A secondary fermentation occurring in most wines, this natural process converts malic acid into softer lactic acid and carbon dioxide, thus reducing the wine's total acidity. Adds complexity to whites such as Chardonnay and softens reds such as Cabernet and Merlot.

Mature- Ready to drink. Meaty: Describes red wines that show plenty of concentration and a chewy quality. They may even have an aroma of cooked meat.

Mercaptans- An unpleasant, rubbery smell of old sulfur; encountered mainly in very old white wines.

Meritage- An invented term, used by California wineries, for Bordeaux-style red and white blended wines. Combines "merit" with "heritage." The term arose out of the need to name wines that didn't meet minimal labeling requirements for varietals (i.e., 75 percent of the named grape variety). For reds, the grapes allowed are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec; for whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Joseph Phelps Insignia and Flora Springs Trilogy are examples of wines whose blends vary each year, with no one grape dominating.

Methode Champenoise- The labor-intensive and costly process whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles. All Champagne and most high-quality sparkling wine is made by this process. See also charmat.

Methuselah- An extra-large bottle holding 6 liters; the equivalent of eight standard bottles.

Murky- More than deeply colored; lacking brightness, turbid and sometimes a bit swampy. Mainly a fault of red wines.

Must- The unfermented juice of grapes extracted by crushing or pressing; grape juice in the cask or vat before it is converted into wine.

Musty- Having an off-putting moldy or mildewy smell. The result of a wine being made from moldy grapes, stored in improperly cleaned tanks and barrels, or contaminated by a poor cork.