Mind your language! À la cave (In the cellar)

Winemaker Tom McCarthy of Quealy in the cellar during vintage

We’re back for another dose of language, unlocking terms from Europe that help us navigate the fascinating world of wine.

In part one of this series, we looked at some French terms that have crept into English when we describe features and activities in the vineyard.

In this second instalment, we look at French vocabulary as it crops up in the cellar.

There's a crossover here from parts of the vinification process (la vinification) and maturation (l'élevage).

Once again, knowing a few of these terms will help you navigate discussions around winemaking (and a little bit beyond!).

The footage was mostly shot around the harvests of 2022 and 2023 in Victoria, Australia, and features the likes of Yeringberg, Garagiste, Bannockburn, Lethbridge, Quealy, Scorpo and Onannon.