How to Pronounce Wine Names
Nothing will set a wine snob on your case more quickly than a mispronounced name of a famous wine or wine region. The pronunciations of dozens of wines and wine regions appear in the table below, for easy reference.
The stressed syllable in each word is capitalized; if no syllable is capitalized, all syllables carry equal weight.
| Wine Name or Term |
Pronunciation |
| Alsace |
al zass |
| Anjou |
ahn jhew |
| Arneis |
ahr NASE |
| Au Bon Climat |
oh bone klee maht |
| Auslese |
OUSE lay seh |
| Auxerrois |
aus ser whah |
| Auxey-Duresses |
awk say deh ress |
| Barbera |
bar BEAR ah |
| Barolo |
bah RO lo |
| Beaujolais |
boh jhoe lay |
| Beaulieu (Vineyards) |
bo l’yuh |
| Bougros |
boo groh |
| Bourgogne |
boor guh nyuh |
| Bourgueil |
bor guh’y |
| Brouilly |
broo yee |
| Brut |
broot |
| Cabernet Sauvignon |
cab er nay saw vee nyon |
| Canaiolo |
cahn eye OH loh |
| Carmignano |
car mee NYAH no |
| Chablis |
shah blee |
| Chardonnay |
shar doh nay |
| Chassagne-Montrachet |
shah san yuh mon rah shay |
| (Château de) Fieuzal |
fee oo zahl |
| (Château) Grillet |
gree yay |
| (Château) Haut-Brion |
oh bree ohn |
| (Château) Lafite-Rothschild |
lah feet roth sheeld |
| (Château) Mouton-Rothschild |
moo tohn roth sheeld |
| (Château) Petrus |
peh troos |
| (Château) Trotanoy |
trot ahn wah |
| Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
shah toe nuf dew pahp |
| Chénas |
shay nahs |
| Chenin Blanc |
shen in blahnk |
| Chianti |
key AHN tee |
| Chinon |
she nohn |
| Colheita |
col YAI tah |
| Condrieu |
cohn dree uh |
| Côte de Beaune |
coat deh bone |
| Côte Chalonnaise |
coat shal oh naze |
| Côte d’Or |
coat dor |
| Côte de Nuits |
coat deh nwee |
| Côte Rôtie |
coat roe tee |
| Côtes du Ventoux |
coat due vahn too |
| Cuvée |
coo vay |
| Dolcetto |
dohl CHET oh |
| (Domaine) Leroy |
lay wah |
| Eisele (Vineyard) |
EYE seh lee |
| Fleurie |
fluh ree |
| Friuli-Venezia Giulia |
free OO lee veh NETZ ee ah JOO lee ah |
| Galicia |
gah LEETH ee ah |
| Garrafeira |
gar ah FAIR ah |
| Gavi |
GAH vee |
| Genevrières |
jen ev ree aire |
| Gewürztraminer |
geh VAIRTZ trah mee ner |
| Gigondas |
jhee gohn dahs |
| Givry |
jee vree |
| Graves |
grahv |
| Grenouilles |
greh n’wee |
| Grüner Veltliner |
GREW ner VELT lee ner |
| Haut-Brion |
oh bree ohn |
| Haut-Médoc |
oh may doc |
| Hermitage |
er mee tahj |
| Les Clos |
lay cloh |
| Les Forêts |
lay for ay |
| Les Preuses |
lay preuhz |
| Liebfraumilch |
LEEB frow milsh |
| Listrac |
lee strahk |
| Loire |
lwahr |
| Mâcon-Villages |
mac cawn vee lahj |
| Margaux |
mahr go |
| Médoc |
meh doc |
| Menetou-Salon |
meh neh too sah lohn |
| Mercurey |
mer cure ay |
| Merlot |
mer loh |
| Meursault |
muhr so |
| Moët |
moh ett |
| Mont de Milieu |
mon deh meh lyew |
| Montagny |
mon tah nyee |
| Montepulciano d’Abruzzo |
mon tae pul chee AH noh dah BRUTE so |
| Monthélie |
mohn teh lee |
| Montlouis |
mon loo wee |
| Montrachet |
mon rah shay |
| Moschofilero |
mos cho FEEL eh roe |
| Mosel-Saar-Ruwer |
MOH zel-zar-ROO ver |
| Moulis |
moo lees |
| Müller-Thurgau |
MOO lair TOOR gow |
| Muscadet |
moos cah day |
| Nahe |
NAH heh |
| Nantais |
nahn tay |
| Neuchatel |
NOI sha tel |
| Niederosterreich |
nee der OZ ter ryke |
| Orvieto |
or vee AE toh |
| Pauillac |
poy yac |
| Penedés |
pen eh DAIS |
| Perrier-Jouët |
per ree yay joo ett |
| Pfalz |
fallz |
| Pinot Bianco |
pee noh bee AHN coh |
| Pinot Blanc |
pee noh blahnk |
| Pinot Grigio |
pee noh GREE joe |
| Pinot Gris |
pee noh gree |
| Pinot Noir |
pee noh nwahr |
| Pinotage |
pee noh TAHJ |
| Pouilly-Fuissé |
pwee fwee say |
| Pouilly-Fumé |
pwee foo may |
| Priorato |
pree oh RAH to |
| Qualitätswein |
KAL ee tates vine |
| Quincy |
can see |
| Quinta |
KEEN ta |
| Regnie |
ray nyay |
| Reuilly |
reuh yee |
| Rheinhessen |
RYNE hess ehn |
| Ribera del Duero |
ree BEAR ah del doo AIR oh |
| Ribolla Gialla |
ree BOHL lah JAHL lah |
| Riesling |
REESE ling |
| Rioja |
ree OH hah |
| Rueda |
roo AE dah |
| Rully |
rouh yee |
| Saint-Amour |
sant ah more |
| Saint-Aubin |
sant oh ban |
| Saint-Romain |
san ro man |
| Saint-Véran |
san veh rahn |
| Sancerre |
sahn sair |
| Sangiovese |
san joe VAE sae |
| Saumur |
soh muhr |
| Sauvignon Blanc |
saw vee nyon blahnk |
| Savennieres |
sah ven nyair |
| Scheurebe |
SHOY reb beh |
| Semillon |
SEM eh lon (Australian) |
| Sémillon |
seh mee yohn (French) |
| Spätlese |
SHPATE lay seh |
| spumante |
spoo MAHN tay |
| St-Estèphe |
sant eh steff |
| St-Julien |
sant jhoo lee ehn |
| Steiermark |
STY er mark |
| Tempranillo |
tem prah NEE yoh |
| Tinto |
TEEN toe |
| Tre Venezie |
trae veh NETZ ee ae |
| Vacqueyras |
vah keh rahs |
| Vaillons |
vye yon |
| Valmur |
vahl moor |
| Valpolicella |
val po lee CHEL lah |
| Vaudésir |
voh deh zeer |
| Vendange Tardive |
vahn dahnj tahr deev |
| Veneto |
VEN eh toh |
| Verdejo |
ver DAY ho |
| Verdicchio |
ver DEE key oh |
| Vernaccia di San Gimignano |
ver NOTCH cha dee san jee mee NYAH noh |
| Vinho |
VEEN yo |
| Vinho Verde |
VEEN yo VAIRD |
| (Vino) Nobile di Montepulciano |
NO be lay dee mon tay pul chee AH no |
| Viognier |
vee oh nyay |
| Vosne-Romanée |
vone roh mah nay |
| Vouvray |
voo vray |
| Wachau |
va COW |
| Weissburgunder |
VICE boor gun der |
| Wien |
vee EN |
| Xinomavro |
ksee NO mav roe |
Wine Glossary
American Viticultural Area; AVA
In the United States, a term that defines the geographical boundaries of a specific wine zone or region. For example, Napa Valley is the name of the AVA within Napa County.
Wine Glossary
AOC
An acronym for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (the shortened form is Appellation Contrôlée, or AC). AOC is a classification relating to the quality of a wine produced in the European Union (EU).
Wine Glossary
AOQS
An acronym for Appellation d’Origine de Qualité Supérieure. AOQS is a classification relating to the quality of a wine produced in the European Union (EU); in this case, refers to a wine of superior quality.
Wine Glossary
appellation
In the European Union, a registered place name listed on a wine label that indicates the origin of the wine. Sometimes called appellation of origin.
Wine Glossary
aroma
A wine descriptor that refers to how a wine smells.
Wine Glossary
balance
A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; the relationship of four components (acidity, sweetness, tannin, and alcohol) to each other.
Wine Glossary
body
A wine descriptor that explains how heavy a wine feels in your mouth (often related to the alcohol content). Wines are often described as light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied.
Wine Glossary
bouquet
A wine descriptor that refers to how a (typically well-aged) wine smells.
Wine Glossary
complexity
A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; refers to a characteristic of a wine that has multiple flavors and aromas (usually a better quality wine).
Wine Glossary
crisp
A wine descriptor that refers to a wine with refreshing (typically high) acidity.
Wine Glossary
decanter
A glass container that can hold the contents of an entire bottle of wine; often used to aerate the wine (let it breathe before consuming).
Wine Glossary
depth
A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; indicates a wine that gives the impression of having many layers (rather than being "flat" tasting).
Wine Glossary
DO
An acronym for Denominação de Origen. DO is Portugal’s highest quality ranking for their wines.
Wine Glossary
DOC
An acronym for Denominazione di Origine Controllata. DOC is a classification referring to a quality wine produced in Italy.
Wine Glossary
DOCG
An acronym for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. DOCG is a classification relating to a small group of elite (high-quality) wines produced in Italy.
Wine Glossary
dry
A wine descriptor that refers to a wine that is not sweet. Wines can be classified as dry, off-dry (or semi-sweet), or sweet.
Wine Glossary
fermentation
The process (during winemaking) in which yeasts convert the sugars in a grape juice to alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Wine Glossary
finish
A wine descriptor that refers to the impression a wine leaves in your mouth after you taste and swallow it (the aftertaste). A standard used to judge wine quality.
Wine Glossary
flavor intensity
A wine descriptor that refers to how strong or weak a wine's flavors are.
Wine Glossary
fruity
A wine descriptor that refers to a wine that has aromas and flavors that suggest fruit.
Wine Glossary
IGT
An acronym for Indicazione di Geografica Tipica. IGT is a table wine classification for Italian wines that list a geographic location on the wine label.
Wine Glossary
length
A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; indicates a wine that you can taste on the full length of your tongue, rather than just the front of your tongue.
Wine Glossary
oaky
A wine descriptor that refers to a wine that has flavors of oak, usually due to storage in oak barrels.
Wine Glossary
palate
A term that wine tasters use synonymously for mouth.
Wine Glossary
QbA
An acronym for Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiet. QbA is a classification referring to a quality wine from a special region in Germany.
Wine Glossary
QmP
An acronym for Qualitätswein mit Prädikat. QmP is a classification referring to a quality wine with special attributes produced in Germany.
Wine Glossary
QWPSR
An acronym for Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region. QWPSR is a classification referring to quality European wines that have official place names.
Wine Glossary
sediment
Refers to solids (tannin and other matter) that develop in some red wines over time.
Wine Glossary
soft
A wine descriptor that refers to a wine with a smooth feel in the palate; usually refers to wines with low acidity.
Wine Glossary
sommelier
An expert wine specialist who typically assembles a wine list and recommends wines that pair with specific foods.
Wine Glossary
tannic
A wine descriptor that refers to a firm, red wine that leaves a dry feel in the palate.
Wine Glossary
tannin
A substance in grape skins that contributes to how a red wine tastes.
Wine Glossary
terroir
A French word (pronounced ter wahr) that refers to the unique combination of topsoil, climate, altitude, and other natural factors that a particular vineyard or wine region has.
Wine Glossary
typicity
A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; refers to whether a particular wine is true to its type (for the specific grape variety).
Wine Glossary
varietal
A wine that is named after the principal (or sole) grape variety used to produce the wine.
Wine Glossary
vintage
The year in which the grapes for a specific wine were grown and harvested.
Wine Glossary
VR
An acronym for Vinho Regional. VR indicates a table wine classification for Portuguese wines.
