Here are some basic terms that might be useful while reading a Chilean wine label, deciphering a Chilean producer’s website in Spanish or visiting wineries in Chile. I excluded obvious translations that are basically the same in both languages like the names of common varieties.
acero inoxidable: stainless steel
alto: high/upper, indicating higher elevation
añada: vintage
año: year
añejo: aged/old; vino añejo = aged wine
Asoleado: a traditional sun-dried sweet wine from the Maule & Itata Valley; read about its history
bodega: cellar
botella: bottle
catar/degustar: to taste; cata/degustación = a tasting
cepa: normally used as “grape variety” or variedad; can also mean “vine”
Chacoli: a traditional wine, most famous in the Cachapoal Valley; read more here.
Chicha: an ancient South American fermented drink made from fruits or vegetables; In Chile, it’s normally made of grapes and especially drunk for the national holiday Fiestas Patrias. Read more here.
copa: glass (for wine)
corchado: corked (wine with tainted cork)
cordillera: mountain range; entrecordillera is the area between the Andes and coastal mountain range
cosecha: harvest or vintage
costa: coast
cuerpo: body; cuerpo ligero (light-bodied), cuerpo medio (medium-bodied), cuerpo completo (full-bodied)
D.O.: denominación de origen OR official designation of a wine region
descorchar: to uncork; descorche gratis = free corkage fee; tarifa de descorche (corkage fee)
despalillado: destemmed
dulzura/dulce: sweetness/sweet
ensamblaje/mezcla: blend
equilibrado: balanced
escobajos/raspones: stems
escupir: to spit
espumante/vino espumoso: sparkling wine
frescor/acidez: freshness/acidity
guarda: keep, i.e. how long you can keep a wine
icono: a wineries’ top level wine
levaduras nativas: native yeasts
madera: wood
maduro/a: ripe
maridaje: pairing
Mistela: a sweet liquor made from the unfermented must of grapes and alcohol
MOVI: Chile’s Independent Winemakers Movement
Pajarete: a traditional sun-dried sweet wine from the Huasco Valley region
parra: vines; also vides
piel: skin
Pintatani: a traditional sun-dried sweet wine from the Codpa region
Pipeño: a traditional wine made from field blends in the countryside of Maule & Itata; they can be red or white. The reds are mostly made from Pais. Traditionally aged in pipas (wooden containers) of Rauli (a type of local tree). Read more here.
Pisco: a distilled liquor made from grapes in Peru and Chile
pisoneos: punch downs; pisoneo de uvas can also be grape-stomping done by feet in the winery or for harvest festivals.
racimo=whole bunch (of grapes)
remontaje: pumping over
roble: oak
secano: dry-farmed
seco: dry; i.e. vino seco = dry wine
taninos: tannins
tinaja: traditional clay amphorae
uva: grape
vendimia: harvest
vendimia tardia: late harvest
VIGNO: association of old-vine Carignan producers
viña/viñedos: vineyard
viñas viejas: old vines
vino blanco: white wine
vino de autor: wine from a boutique independent wine producer
vino generoso: a sweet wine above a certain alcohol level; unlike in Spain, this doesn’t mean it’s necessarily fortified. A fortified wine is usually labeled: vino fortificado
vino rosado: rosé
vino tinto: red wine
zaranda: a traditional mat used to press grapes; typical in Pais/Pipeño production
More Vocabulary for Wine Tasting Description:
aceitunas=olives
ahumado=smoky
aji=chile pepper
algo=somewhat/some
amargor=bitterness
amarillo=yellow
arándano=blueberries
cebollin=green onions
cerezas=cherries
champiñón/seta=mushroom
chirimoya=tropical fruit which tastes like pineapple, banana and kiwi combined.
ciruela=plum
cuero=leather
damasco=apricot
dorado=golden
durazno=peach
frambuesas=raspberries
fresas/frutillas=strawberries
frutas del bosque (silvestres)= forest berries (wild)
frutas negras=dark/black fruit
frutas rojas=red fruit
grosella=currant
guindas=a sour cherry
jugoso=juicy
largo=long
leve/levemente=slight/slightly
manjar=Chilean dulce de leche/caramel
mantequilla=butter
manzana=apple
manzanilla=chamomile
mermelada=jam
miel=honey
mora=blackberry
naranajas=orange
pan tostado = toasted bread
parafina=petrol
pepino=cucumber
pimenton verde= bell pepper
pimienta (negra/blanca)=pepper (black/white)
piña=pineapple
platano=banana
pomelo=grapefruit
rasposo=gritty, astringent
redondo=round
regaliz=licorice
retrogusto=aftertaste
sabroso=tasty
terroso=earthy
tierra húmeda=wet earth
tocino=bacon
suave/tersa=smooth
verdoso/verde=greenish/green