Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Glossary S
Saignée
‘Bleeding’ off juice after a short period of skin maceration in order to produce a rose’ wine or to concentrate the remaining must to produce a more intense red wine. (French)
Scion
The part of the vine that grows above ground and produces fruit, leaves, etc., typically grafted to a phylloxera resistant rootstock.
Sec
Signifies a wine that is medium dry with a residual sugar of 17 – 32 grams per liter. Also called dry. (French)
Secondary fermentation
Fermentation that occurs in the bottle after the primary fermentation for traditional method sparkling wine.
Sparkling wine
Wine that has Carbonic gas dissolved in the bottled wine. When opened the gas causes effervescent bubbling or fizzing.
Structure
The impression given in wine by the various structural elements such as acidity, alcohol, tannin, sugar, etc.
Style
The primary attributes of the champagne. Champagne styles include the following: basic champagne, blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, or rose’, along with vintage or non-vintage and house style, or prestige cuvee.
Sweetness level
In champagne sweetness levels are defined by the amount of residual sugar in the final wine. The levels are Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Sec (or Extra Dry), Sec (or Dry), Demi-Sec and Doux. Most countries use a similar scale as that of champagne. See individual levels for information on the specific residual sugar allowed. Also see the webpage Sweetness Levels in the Champagne Details section.
Sulphur Dioxide
Common preservative, antioxidant, disinfectant, antiseptic used throughout the production of wine as well as many other food and beverage products. Uses include addition to freshly harvested grapes to stop early fermentation and kill wild yeast allowing a controlled and fresh fermentation, prevention of oxidation, destruction of bacteria, etc. Over use or improper use can result in unpleasant odors. (Also referred to as SO2 and sometimes just called Sulfur)
Sur Lattes
Bottles of champagne stored on their sides during extended aging sur lie prior to riddling. The original term referred to the wooden lathes placed between the horizontal bottles. (French)
Sur Lie
Champagne aging on the lees (sediment composed primarily of dead yeast cells. (French)
Sur Pointe
After completion of the riddling process, champagne bottles are in a vertical position with their necks pointing down and the lees settled in the neck prior to disgorgement. (French)
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