Gallo of Sonoma - Glossary

50-50 Formula: Half the acreage of Gallo of Sonoma vineyards is planted in vines, while the other half is returned to a natural state to provide a natural watershed and habitat for native wildlife.
Acidity: A natural component of wine, acidity should balance with other natural components such as sugar and alcohol. Lack of acid makes a wine flabby or flat. There are multiple acids in wine — the three most important types are tartaric, malic, and citric.
Aging: Aging allows flavors and aromas of the wine to develop and mature prior to bottling. Examples of types of aging include: sur lie, barrel aging, and steel tank aging.
American Viticultural Area (AVA): A delimited grape-growing region, distinguished by geographical features, the boundaries of which have been recognized and defined. There are now more than 140 AVAs in the United States. AVAs are granted appellation status by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Examples: Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley. See Viticultural area.
Appellation: Generally, the area where grapes are grown and made into wine. Examples: Bordeaux, Sonoma. In the U.S., an appellation is a state, county, or other legal geographic area. To be labeled with a specific U.S. appellation, 75% of the wine’s grapes must come from the area. California law requires 100% of the grapes to be grown in the state for a wine to be labeled “California” or any subdivision thereof.
Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée (AOC): The French system of appellations begun in the 1930s and considered the wine world’s benchmark.
Aroma: Smells that are directly related to the odor of the fresh wine grape. See Nose.