Photo by Kateryna Hliznitsova on UnsplashSome wines don’t fit neatly into the main categories above, and some wine terms you’ll encounter — on a menu, in a shop, or in conversation — deserve a plain-language explanation of their own. Here is a collection of those topics:
What is a Table Wine? — Table wine is an everyday term for a straightforward, unpretentious wine meant to be enjoyed with a meal rather than saved for a special occasion. The term has no strict legal definition in the United States, but in Europe it carries a specific classification indicating a wine that falls outside the regulated regional designation system.
What is Jug Wine? — Jug wine refers to inexpensive wine sold in large-format containers, typically 1.5 liters or larger. The term dates back to an era when wine was literally sold in ceramic jugs, though today it most often comes in glass magnums or boxed wine formats. It’s produced in large volumes with consistency and affordability as the primary goals.
What is a Picnic Wine? — A picnic wine is less a formal category than a practical one — it refers to any wine that travels well, doesn’t require a glass to appreciate, and suits casual outdoor settings. Think light reds served slightly chilled, crisp whites, rosés, and sparkling wines that are easy to enjoy without ceremony.
What is Cooking Wine? — Cooking wine is wine that has been specifically processed for use in the kitchen, typically with added salt and preservatives that extend its shelf life. Most culinary experts recommend cooking with a wine you’d actually drink, since the flavors concentrate as the liquid reduces — a wine you wouldn’t enjoy in a glass rarely improves a dish.
What is a House Wine? — A house wine is the wine a restaurant or bar offers as its default option, typically served by the glass at an accessible price point. It’s chosen by the establishment to be broadly appealing and reliably consistent, and while it rarely represents the most interesting option on the menu, a good house wine is always a dependable choice.
Sacramental Wine— Wine specifically intended for use in religious services, such as Church Altar wine or Kosher for Passover wine.
What is an Orange Wine? — Despite the name, orange wine contains no oranges. It is made from white wine grapes that have been fermented with extended skin contact — the same process used to make red wine — which gives it an amber or orange hue and a distinctly different character from standard white wine: fuller bodied, more tannic, and often with earthy, nutty flavors alongside the fruit.
What is a Pétillant Naturel (Pet Nat)? — Pétillant Naturel, commonly known as Pet Nat, is one of the oldest methods of making sparkling wine. The wine is bottled before fermentation is complete, and the naturally occurring carbon dioxide produced by the remaining fermentation creates the bubbles inside the bottle. The result is typically a lightly sparkling, cloudy wine with a rustic, fresh character that has made it a favorite among natural wine enthusiasts.
What is a Non-Alcoholic Wine? — Non-alcoholic wine is wine from which the alcohol has been removed after fermentation, typically through a process of vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis that preserves as much of the wine’s original flavor as possible. Low-alcohol wines — generally under 6% ABV — are also included in this growing category, which has expanded significantly as more consumers seek alternatives to full-strength wine.
What is an Organic Wine vs a Wine Made with Organic Grapes? — These two terms sound similar but mean different things. A wine made with organic grapes simply means the fruit was grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. An organic wine goes further — it must also be produced without certain additives in the winery, most notably added sulfites, which are commonly used as a preservative in conventional winemaking.
What are Natural, Bio-Dynamic and Sustainably Produced Wines? — These three terms reflect different philosophies around how wine is grown and made. Natural wine takes a minimal-intervention approach both in the vineyard and the winery. Biodynamic farming treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining ecosystem, following a specific calendar and using organic preparations. Sustainable viticulture focuses on environmental responsibility and long-term land stewardship without necessarily adhering to the strict standards of organic or biodynamic certification.
Why Most Wines are not Vegan — Wine might seem like a naturally vegan product, but many winemakers use animal-derived fining agents — such as egg whites, milk protein (casein), or fish-derived isinglass — to clarify the wine and remove unwanted particles before bottling. While these agents are filtered out before the wine reaches the consumer, their use in the production process means the wine is not considered vegan.
How Vegan Wines are Made — Vegan wines achieve the same clarity and stability as conventionally made wines but use plant-based or mineral fining agents instead of animal-derived ones. Common alternatives include bentonite clay, activated charcoal, and pea protein. Some winemakers skip the fining process altogether, allowing the wine to clarify naturally over time.