Glossary

panna

Italian for cream.

pappardelle

Italian wide ribbon noodles.

parker

Robert M. Parker jun. (born 1947) from Maryland/USA is probably the most influential wine taster in the world. Whatever he says, writes or publishes in his magazine "Wine Advocate", it is accepted almost without contradiction by a huge fan community all over the world!

Robert Parker's rating system uses a rating scale of 50-100 points. Parker says that the various 20-point systems do not have enough flexibility and thus often lead to results in compressed and bloated wine ratings. Parker takes a hard, very critical look at wine by his own definition, as he would prefer to underestimate rather than overestimate the quality of the wine.

Numerical evaluations are used only to supplement the complete tasting notes which still constitute for him the most important statement. The fact that in the final analysis everything is reduced to its points is another issue, and is probably due to those who do that, and much more to those who only want to know that and only make their purchase decision dependent on it.

Anyway, that's how Parker defines his ratings:

96 - 100 points: An exceptional wine, with a profound and complex character, which more than fulfils all the expected characteristics of a classic wine type. Wines of this calibre are therefore worth making a great effort to find, buy and enjoy them.

90 - 95 points: An exceptional wine with above-average complexity and character. Short and sweet: Such wines are exceptionally good!

80 - 89 points: A wine that is noticeably above average, offering various elements of finesse and aroma, as well as unmistakable character, without noticeable flaws.

70 - 79 points: Well made, but not very exciting wines, rather one-dimensional and inconspicuous.

60 - 69 points: Wines which are well below average, which already have noticeable weaknesses, even faults, such as disturbing acidity or tannins, show little to no or even false aromas.

50 - 59 points: Wines that are actually unacceptable.

In principle, each wine receives 50 points as a basis.

For the color there can be up to 5 points. Parker says there's only more exceptional cases where there's less than four. For the aroma level there can be up to 15 points. Robert Parker awards a maximum of 20 points for the expression on the palate and the finish. Finally, there can be up to 10 points for development potential and potential. One can stand by Parker's importance and undisputed influence as one pleases, his statement on the subject of wine evaluation is reassuring as follows: "However, there can never be any substitute for your own palate nor any better education than tasting the wine yourself."

parmesan

Probably Italy's most famous cheese from Emilia-Romagna. Young Parmesan has matured less than 18 months, Middle Ages is 18 to 24 months old and very old matured 24 to 36 months.

Parmigiano reggiano

The best known Italian hard cheese is Parmesan cheese from the region of Emilia-Romagna. Parmigiano" can only be called the cheese produced around the city of Parma.

passito

Wine with increased alcohol and sugar content made from grapes that have been dried after harvesting in the sun or in well-ventilated rooms.

pasta

Italian for noodles.

pastoso

Italian name for a mild sweet wine.

pebble

Soil type - Produces low acid wines.

pecorino

The white grape variety is cultivated in the regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche and Umbria. It produces fruity wines with beautiful acidity.

peel

Pouring a wine into another container. The wine is simultaneously aerated and separated from its sediment and turbidity.

Pelati

Italian for peeled tomatoes.

Penne

Italian short noodles.

peperonata

Italian pepperragou.

peperoncini

Green or red pods, fresh, dried, pickled in oil or vinegar, season everything that should be very hot.

peperoncino

Italian for chili.

perfume

Synonym for the fragrance, the bouquet of a wine.

perlage

The production of carbon dioxide bubbles which form in sparkling wine after pouring into the glass. The finer and more consistent the perlage, the better the wine.

persistence

The sustainability of the flavours and aromas that a wine leaves on the palate after swallowing. This aftertaste is an important indication of the quality of a wine; the more persistent, the better.

If it decays quickly, it is called a "short finish"; if it persists, it is called a "long finish". The duration of this sensation is measured in Caudalie. One second of sustainability equals one caudalie.

pesce

Italian for fish.

pesto

Italian paste made from olive oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan.

Petit Verdot

Petit Verdot was one of the classic grape varieties in the Bordelais. After the phylloxera disaster, however, the variety was hardly cultivated due to its late ripening and was further reduced in the cool decades of the last century until it was almost extinct. This changed significantly with the onset of climate warming, as varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon reach ever higher sugar levels and thus alcohol, and have an increasingly broad effect, losing freshness and flow.

So they were looking for varieties that would ripen later and retain freshness and acidity. Thus one came increasingly again on Cabernet Franc, Malbec and even on Petit Verdot, of which often only few per cent are enough in the Cuvée, in order to improve wines clearly in the direction of a "cool", fresh style.

The "little green" probably got his name because he rarely matured and then brought immature "green" acid notes with him. The grape variety probably comes from a wild vine of the Pyrenees. The thick-shelled grapes are very resistant to botrytis and produce tannin-rich, dark, velvety red wines with crisp acidity. When the grapes ripen, the green notes disappear. Then the wines have spicy "cool" and dark fruit, which reminds of fresh blueberries, juniper berries and often also fresh laurel. The alcohol is always quite moderate. The tannin structure is powerful but elegant, and the ageing potential is great.

In times of climate change, the disadvantage of late ripening is increasingly becoming an advantage, which is why more and more wineries around the world are experimenting with Petit Verdot. Also in Italy. Especially in Tuscany, here in many Bordeaux-like cuvées from Bolgheri and the Maremma. Some wineries try themselves also with sort-pure variants, and even if such a 100% Petit Verdot is somewhat habituation needy, find straight these rightly ever more trailers.

phenolic

Term for a heavy and rough white wine.

piacere

Italian name for pleasant/pleasure.

piccante

Italian for tasteful.

picolite

The autochthonous white vine is cultivated in Friuli. In the 18th century it was used to make a famous wine that was enjoyed in all European ports. Recently there have been attempts to produce this excellent wine again.

Piedmont

The name Piedmont means foot of the mountains. In the north and west, surrounded by the Alps, in the south by the Apennines, the country gradually becomes a plain towards the east. Piedmont plays a leading role in Italy in several respects. On the one hand, the region has the most DOC areas of all cultivation areas in the country. On the other hand, far more than one hundred thousand winegrowing enterprises and more than seventy winegrowers' cooperatives cultivate the vineyards of Piedmont. Most of these are located in the hilly area north and south of the upper Po plain - especially near Monferrato - and northwest of Novara and Vercelli. Each area has an individual microclimate and specific floors. The wines therefore differ clearly from each other in their characteristics - and this despite the fact that the often very small growing areas are very close to each other. (superiore.de)

Capital: Turin
Provinces: Turin, Asti, Biella, Alessandria, Novara, Cuneo, Vercelli, Verbania
Vineyard area: 53,200 hectares
Total production/year: 285.80 million litres
of which red/roséwine: 178.60 million litres
of which white wine: 107.20 million litres
Share of wine-growing in Italy: 6.40%.

pignoletto

The white grape variety is cultivated exclusively in the Emilia-Romagna region. It is suspected that this is an autochthonous variety. It is used to make fresh, finely acidic and aromatic wines.

Pignolo

The red grape variety is cultivated in the Friuli region. The variety produces dark red, fruity and fragrant wines. In Lombardy there is a grape variety of the same name. They're not related.

Pinot Bianco

White Burgundy is a high-quality grape variety that originates from the Pinot family. It is most widespread in Italy, where it is known as Pinot Bianco. With 7000 hectares under cultivation, mainly in northern Italy and in some areas of Tuscany, it even surpasses Chardonnay. The white Burgundy prefers warm, deepest possible soils as well as particularly protected, dry and warm locations.

Pinot Bianco is often marketed as a mass wine in Italy. In Veneto, Trentino and Lombardy, however, products of astonishing quality are produced. In Friuli, wines from this variety are particularly independent in character. In the glass the wines present themselves from pale to light yellow up to dark golden colouring (with higher ripeness). In the fragrance they are usually tender and behave. Occasionally the white wines also reveal a typical almond aroma. Mature wines of higher quality are also reminiscent of exotic fruit aromas and banana scents.

Pinot Grigio

The Pinot Grigio (grey Burgundy) - also called Ruländer, Pinot Gris, Malvoisie - is a mutation of the blue Spätburgunder. The Pinot Grigio variety, with 3500 hectares, is very widespread in northern Italy, especially in South Tyrol, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and to a lesser extent in Lombardy.

The white grapes there are traditionally harvested earlier than north of the Alps, so that fresher, more fruity wines with more acidity are produced. The Pinot Grigio is a rather undemanding grape variety that delivers good yields and grapes with high must weights. It is not susceptible to disease and hardly sensitive to frost. The vines thrive particularly well on loess terraces, but also on calcareous soils and stony subsoils.

Depending on the ageing method and quality level, the colour palette of the wines ranges from pale yellow to golden yellow to deep amber. The range of aromas is generally compared with those of green nuts, almonds, fresh butter to fruity notes such as pear, dried fruit, pineapple, citrus fruits and - in particularly mature wines - banana and exotic fruits.

Harvested early, the Pinot Grigio produces harmonious, fruity wines with crisp acidity. With fully ripened grapes, rapid acid degradation sets in. Dry late vintages, which can reach up to 14.5 percent alcohol by volume, are then usually mild in acidity and rich in acidity to lig in the body. The best of these wines are often aged in barriques and exude an almost wasteful richness.

Pinot Nero

Pinot Nero is one of the finest red wine grapes and is probably one of the oldest grape varieties still cultivated in the world. In Italy, Pinot Noir is cultivated in South Tyrol under the name Pinot Noir and in the north of the country under the name Pinot Nero - in Trentino, Lombardy, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. There are also smaller vineyards in Tuscany, for example for the Pomino Rosso. The best Pinot Nero usually comes from Franciacorta, where it is only approved for the DOCG sparkling wine. Still wine, on the other hand, may only be marketed as IGT or VdT table wine. Also outstanding are some wines from Oltrepò Pavese, although here too most of the harvest is delivered to the sparkling wine factories in Franciacorta.

The Pinot Noir is ideal for cooler wine-growing regions, where the grapes can undergo a slow ripening process. For comparison: wines from areas that are too hot and where this process takes place too quickly sometimes turn out to be inharmonic and uncharming. A peculiarity of Pinot Noir is its genetic instability. Due to his pronounced tendency towards mutation, he has produced such high-quality grape varieties as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier and probably also St. Laurent. In the vineyard and in the cellar the Pinot Noir proves to be moody and difficult. The variety sprouts early and is therefore always endangered by late frosts. It also shows a pronounced tendency to trickle away. The Pinot Noir is also quite susceptible to fungal, rotting and viral diseases. While the best wines are produced on calcareous soils, deep, humid and cool soils do not produce particularly good results.

In the wine cellar, the greatest art is to extract the dyes and tannins from the thin skins. There have already been countless trials here - from cold maceration with long holding times to flash pasteurisation. If the colour extraction for red wine is not sufficient, Pinot Noir can also be used to produce characterful, delicate and elegant rosé wines.

Successful red wines from the Pinot Noir present themselves deep-coloured, although not as dark and tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon. In old age orange and brown tones are added. Pinot Noir wines have a lavishly rich aroma, usually associated with fresh strawberries, wild berries, cherries or plums, but also with spices and herbs. In mature wines, the smell is also reminiscent of undergrowth, mushrooms or leather. The wines also reveal a sweet, melty fruit. Pinot Noir wines were generally available earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah wines, but they are just as long-lasting as these.

Pinot Noir

Pisello

Italian for pea.

Plastic corks

A closure for wine vessels made of a rubber or Teflon mixture. Their big advantage is that no cork tasters are produced.

Critics of the plastic cork fear that the proven reactions between sulphur dioxide and plastic lead to a negative influence on the smell and taste of the wine.

Pomodoro

Italian for tomato.

porphyry

Soil type - effusive rock, produces low acid wines.

pouring of liquids

Pouring a wine into another container. The wine is simultaneously aerated and separated from its sediment and turbidity.

preach

A measure to remove floating particles from the wine and to preserve it.

prehistoric rock

Soil type - solidification rock, produces fruity and spicy wines.

Primitivo

Primitivo is found mainly in Puglia, south of Bari. The red grape variety produces a deep dark, characteristic and spicy wine with a strong alcohol content. It came into the international limelight at the end of the 1970s through a discussion about the tin trade. In the meantime, DNA has proven that this Californian grape variety originates from Primitivo. In Apulia, fine spicy and individual wines of very appealing quality are made from this variety.

prosciutto

Italian for ham.

proteins

In wine, the proteins contained in the grapes serve as food for the yeasts during fermentation.

Provolone

Italian cheese that tastes very spicy and is also available smoked. Especially the well matured 4-6 months is good for rubbing. It is produced in various shapes, as a roll or pear shape.

ProWein

Leading international trade fair for wines and spirits, since 1994, in Düsseldorf (Germany).

Puglia

The region of Apulia is an excellent wine-growing region because of its location in the deep southeast of the country, with a consistently friendly climate and fertile plains. Since the winegrowers produce the largest amount of wine there, this area is also called the "wine cellar of Italy". To the west of the capital Bari lies the Castel del Monte wine-growing region, which extends around the famous hunting lodge of the Staufer Emperor Frederick II. It is one of the best-known areas in Puglia. The Salento peninsula forms the "boot heel". Italy. To the west of the port city of Brindisi lies the DOC of the same name, which produces juicy and deep-coloured concentrated wines from Negroamaro. Further south are the powerful Salice Salentino DOC wines. (superiore.de)

Capital: Bari
Provinces: Foggia, Bari, Brindisi, Taranto, Lecce, Barletta-Andria-Trani
Area under vines: 110,000 hectares
Total production/year: 589.00 million litres
of which red/roséwine: 332.00 million litres
of which white wine: 257.00 million litres
Share of viticulture in Italy: 13.20%.

Punte Mes

One of the best-known brands for Italian vermouth.

pupitre

A wooden frame, also known as a vibrating desk, in which the sediment is driven to the closure by vibrating and tilting the bottles in the classic method of sparkling wine production.

pure

A wine is considered pure when the taste of the original fruit is clean and fresh. The more precise and rapid the processing, the purer the wine will be.

purity

A wine is considered pure when the taste of the original fruit is clean and fresh. Like balance, purity contributes to the quality of perceived impressions.