E - Jargon Buster

Early Harvest: Not what you would guess; early harvest refers to time of year, not time of day. These wines are produced from grapes that haven't achieved full maturity. They are low in alcohol, light and easy to drink despite having high natural acidity.

Earthy: Sensory evaluation term for wine with a taste or smell reminiscent of soil, mushrooms or mustiness.

Èpernay: City on the Marne River in the Champagne region of northern France. The city is located very near the centre of all the vineyards of the Champagne region and it is a major centre for the business of Champagne production.

Estate Bottled: Label phrase (implying quality) meaning that the wine was produced and bottled at the winery from grapes owned (and farmed) by the winery owner. The term has lost importance recently because of many relaxations of the rules.

Esters: Aromatic flavour compounds which give fruits, juices and wines much of their "fruitiness."

Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol): The type of alcohol produced by yeast fermentation of sugar under ordinary conditions. Chemically, it is written C2H5OH. The alcohol in alcoholic beverages is always ethanol.

Extra Dry: used on the labels of sparkling wines to indicate that the wine is slightly sweet, sweeter than wines labelled brut.

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