Words of wines

FAT - Term used for an unctuous wine.

FAULT (OF SANCERRE) - Caused by a seismic movement, this north-south oriented fault that goes through the village of Sancerre, created the bed of the river Loire. The great diversity of terroirs (in Sancerre and the Coteaux du Giennois) is due to this fault.

FERMENTATION IN A VAT - Time during which the must of red grapes remains in contact with the grape skins in order to get the desired colour by diffusion and maceration.

FILTRATION - One of the last operations carried out before the bottling of wines. Generally made on "terre d'infusoire" it eliminates the last solid particles that could remain in suspension in the wine.

FINING - Clarification, stabilization and maturation of a wine by using a fining agent (white egg, bentonite, milk).

FLAVOUR - = Taste. Term often used to indicate the sensations exclusively perceived in the mouth.

FLAVOURS / FLAVORS - Aromatic and gustative sensations (smelled and tasted).

FLESHY - Tasting term which refers to a full-bodied and round wine.

FLINT - Mineral aroma present in some of the white wines of the Centre-Loire region.

FLINT - Type of soil combined with clay, found on the fault of Sancerre. The wines produced on these soils are generally long-term cellaring wines.

FLORAL - Family of aromas found in wine. A distinction between white flowers (jasmine, acacia, hawthorn), rose, violet, orange blossom is made.

FLOWER - Part of the vine that will produce the grape. The flowers appear in June.

FLOWERING / BLOSSOMING - Stage of the vine growth cycle that determines the quantity of grapes. The date of the blossoming may indicate the date of grape harvest.

FOSSILS - The remains or imprints of a plant or an animal, found in the soils and that permit the determination of their geological age.

FREE-RUN WINE - Red wine resulting from devatting (contrary to press wine).

FRESHNESS - Feeling perceived in the mouth brought by the acidity present in the wine. White wines from Centre-Loire often have a balance that is quite fresh.

FRUITY - Character of a wine reminiscent of the smell of grape or another fruit.

FULL - Term used for a wine that gives a mouth-filling sensation..

FULL-BODIED - Term used for a very tannic wine.