"D" in Wine glossary

Decanting

The process of pouring wine from its bottle into a decanter to separate the sediment from the wine.

Dégorgement

The disgorging or removal of sediment from bottles that results from secondary fermentation.

Delamotte

Delamotte Founded in 1760. is the sixth oldest house of Champagne.

Demi-sec

Moderately sweet to medium sweet sparkling wines.

Devatting

The process of separeting red must from pomace, which can happen before or after fermentation.

Dessert wine

Varies by region. In the UK, a very sweet, low alcohol wine. In the US by law, any wine containing over 15% alcohol.

Diurnal temperature variation

The degree of temperature variation that occurs in a wine region from daytime to night.

DO

1. The abbreviation for Denominación de Origen, or "place name." This is Spain's designation for wines whose name, origin of grapes, grape varieties and other important factors are regulated by law.

2. The abbreviation for dissolved oxygen, the degree of oxygen saturation in a wine, which strongly affects oxidation of the wine and its ageing properties.

DOC

The abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or "controlled place name." This is Italy's designation for wine whose name, origin of grapes, grape varieties and other important factors are regulated by law. It is also the abbreviation for Portugal's highest wine category, which has the same meaning in that country.

DOCG

The abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, or controlled and guaranteed place name, which is the category for the highest-ranking wine in Italy.

Doux

The French word for sweet. Usually refers to the sweetest category of sparkling wines.

Drawing off

see Devatting.

Drip dickey

A wine accessory that slips over the neck of a wine bottle and absorbs any drips that may run down the bottle after pouring - preventing stains to table cloths, counter tops or other surfaces.

Dry

Wines with zero or very low levels of residual sugar. The opposite of sweet, except in sparkling wines, where dry means sweet.