Above: if I were a rich man, I’d spend my days in the reference/reading room of the British Library in London, one of my favorite places on earth (image via Wiki Commons).
Last week, a client of mine asked me to prepare a shortlist of “challenging” Italian wine terms in translation.
I was unavailable for a consecutive interpreting gig for one of said client’s high-profile clients and so they ended up contracting an interpreter who, however accomplished, didn’t have a lot of experience in wine-trade interpreting.
The following list of terms and translations by no means represents a complete bilingual glossary.
Instead, it’s populated by “challenging” words that are often mistranslated.
Like the Italian Grape Name and Appellation Pronunciation Project and the Italian Winery Designations Project, I’ll continue to update it: please send me your queries (by leaving a comment)!
|
ITALIAN |
ENGLISH |
| acciaio [inossidabile] | stainless-steel [vat/tank] |
| affinamento | aging |
| alberello | head-trained [vines] |
| allevamento | training |
| argilla | clay |
| arresto di fermentazione/fementazione arrestata | stuck fermentation |
| assemblaggio | blend |
| barrique | barrique [small French oak cask] |
| bâtonnage | stirring on the lees |
| biodinamica | biodynamics/biodynamic |
| biologico | organic |
| botte | traditional large cask |
| bucce | skins |
| Cabernet [Sauvignon] | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Cabernet Franc | Cabernet Franc |
| calcareo | limestone [limestone-rich] |
| cappello sommerso | submerged cap maceration |
| cordone speronato | pruned-spur cordon-trained [vines] |
| cru | vineyard designation/single vineyard |
| cuvée | blend |
| délestage | rack and return |
| deraspare/deraspatrice | de-stemm/de-stemmer |
| DOC | DOC [designation of controlled origin] |
| DOCG | DOCG [designation of controlled and guaranteed origin] |
| DOP | PDO [Protected Designation of Origin] |
| doppio capovolto | double-arched cane [training] |
| fementazione arrestata/arresto di fermentazione | stuck fermentation |
| follatura | punching down |
| galestro | galestro [a marl- and limestone-rich subsoil unique to Tuscany] |
| grappa | grappa |
| grappolo | cluster/bunch |
| Guyot | Guyot |
| IGP | PGI [Protected Geographical Indication] |
| IGT | IGT [typical geographical indication] |
| lievito naturale | native/ambient/indigenous/wild yeast |
| lievito selezionato | cultured yeast |
| limo | silt |
| macchia [mediterranea] | maquis shrubland |
| malolactica | malolactic fermentation |
| marna/marne | marl |
| monovitigno | single-grape variety [wine] |
| mosto | must |
| pied de cuve | pied de cuve [native yeast starter] |
| pigiatura | pressing |
| rimontaggio | pumping over |
| sabbia | sandy soil |
| Sauvignon [Blanc] | Sauvignon Blanc |
| siccità/stress idrico | hydric stress |
| sistema di allevamento | training |
| sottosuolo | subsoil |
| stress idrico/siccità | hydric stress |
| sulle bucce | skin contact [macerated on the skins] |
| sulle fecce nobili | lees aged [aged on its lees] |
| sur lie | lees aged [aged on its lees] |
| terreno/terreni | subsoil |
| tufo | tufaceous subsoil [porous limestone] |
| vasca | vat/tank |
| vigna/vigne | vine/vineyards |
| vigneto | vineyard |
| vinaccia/vinacce | pomace |
| vite | vine |
| vitigno | grape variety |
Dr. P – As always, an interesting and educational post. IMHO, a few others to consider: per cent (as in “is this 100 percent Sangiovese?”) vintage, winemaker (always handy to know); and importer (also handy when writing about wines).
And, naturalmente – “Posso visitare la vostra azienda?”
Grazie per tutti.
“grazie a tutti”, non “grazie per tutti”
In the early days, back in 1995, I used to use this book backwards (so to speak) : “Speaking of WIne Inglese per Professionisti del Vino” by Mia Farone Rosso, Patricia Guy & Josephine Taylor. It’s a great resource with agricultural, vinification and commercial terms… but I have a feeling I will be coming back to this post! Grazie J.
ps. you need to try the Radcliffe Camera…
David and Laura, thanks for being here and for the insights and suggestions. It will be an expanding and continuing project and I hope more people will contribute. :)
Laura, my Anglophilia only grows richer at the thought of a visit to the Bodleian Library! So many wonderful incunabula!
Whistle the tune: if I were a rich man… deedle deedle… ;)
Jeremy-
Nice list. I think delestage is actually more about oxgenating the juice during fermentation but not necessary in a rack and return way. I think you left that out in your definition or at least it wasn’t clear to me. Otherwise, super utile sicuramente per quelli che non parlino italiano. Will point out the post to those who ask for shortcuts.
Cheers,
Susannah
PS Great shot of the macaroons in your other post, very cool.
Good stuff 2B. The Bodleian Library is great (all of Oxford is) isn’t it?
I’ve also been told, by an editor,that marc is also a workable translation for vinaccia/vinacce.
thanks for sharing all this…
Thanks for the note on _marc_, Alfonso. I have so many entries to add and update in the index. Thanks for giving me a nudge to get it back on track and thanks for the kind words of encouragement! :)
Please add “Scheletro” in there. The most sensible translation I found is “Rock fragments”.
Thank you for your work.