Sack Archaic term for sherry and similar strong wines.

Salmanazar The third largest size of champagne bottle, holding 12 normal bottles.

Schaumwein German for sparkling wine. No implication of quality.

Schillerwien A type of German rosé wine, made from a mixture of black and white grapes. The name comes from the word Schiller meaning luster and has nothing to do with the poet Schiller.

Schoppenwein The 'open' wine sold in a German Weinstube or tavern.

Sec In French this word means dry or fermented out, but in relation to champagne it is used in a somewhat specialized way. A very dry champagne is described as 'brut'. 'Sec' means containing some added sweetness. 'Demi-sec' means decidedly sweet. With other wines the word sec is an indication of relative rather than absolute dryness. The same applies to the Italian word secco.

Secco See Sec.

Sediment Solid matter deposited in a bottle in the course of the maturing process. Nearly always a good sign.

Sekt The German word for a sparkling wine.

Solera The name for a system of blending and maturing sherry, also applied to the storage building where the process takes place. The sherry is arranged in different casks according to age and character, and the contents of the casks are transferred and blended according to complex permutations that vary from one firm to another.

Sommelier French term for a wine waiter.

Sparkling Containing bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. This condition can be brought about in three

Spätlese German term for a wine made from late-harvested grapes.

Spritzer A drink made with white wine diluted with soda or mineral water.

Spritzig German adjective to describe a wine possessing a light, natural sparkle.

Spumante Italian for fully sparkling.

Stuck Of fermentation: the point where, owing to an uncontrolled rise in temperature, the yeasts are overcome by the heat and the fermentation stops.

Stück The traditional 1,200-liter cask of the Rhine.

Sulfur The most common disinfectant for wine. It is dusted on to the vines to prevent fungus, burnt inside casks to fumigate them and added to the must, usually in the form of sulfur dioxide, to destroy harmful bacteria. Unless it has been carelessly used the flavor of the sulfur will not be transmitted to the wine.

Süss German for sweet.

Süssreserve Unfermented, and therefore naturally sweet, grape juice. Used in Germany to blend with dry wines to balance them.