Here are the definitions for the letter "d"

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Direct (see also Easy, Simple)

Everything present in this wine is immediately obvious.

Dirty (see also Yeasty/Yeastlike Below)

Describes any of the undesirable odours that can be present in a wine that that was poorly vinified. A characteristic imparted by improperly cleaned barrels or various other processes performed incorrectly. Usually detected first in a wine by the smell of the cork stopper or from a barrel sample.

Distinctive

Elegant, refined character that sets the wine apart on its own.

DOBRICIC

Variety indigenous to Croatia (former province of Yugoslavia). Recent DNA analysis (late 2001) has found that it is one of the parents of Plavac Mali. No other details as yet.

Dolce (Italy)

Sweet.

DOLCETTO

Well-known grape widely grown in Piedmont region of Italy. Has synonym name Nera Dolce, meaning "Sweet Black" in english. The latter name also translates to "Douce Noire" in french, thought to be the reason for the unrelated Charbono variety found in Cali

Domaine (France)

A wine estate.

DOMINA

Variety developed by the Geilweilerhof Research Institute of Germany from a Portugieser x Spätburgunder cross. Has synonym name Geiweilerhof 4-25-7. No other details as yet other than it is recommended for use as a red wine producing cultivar in the Franken region of Germany.

DON MUSCAT

V.amurensis hybrid variety. (No other details other than it is reported to have early budbreak, low vigor and a short growth cycle. Somewhat less sensitive to the mildew diseases and phylloxera than V.vinifera).

DOÑA BLANCO

White-wine variety grown in N.W Spain. Found in the El Bierzo region between Leon and Galicia. Known as Doña Branca where grown in Portugal. Is reported by some to be a clone, or synonym name, of the Tamares variety. Is one of the varieties grown on the island of Madeira under the alias name of Boal. (No clarifying details available as yet).

DORADILLO

Australian alias name for the Jaén Blanco variety used for white wine production in Portugal. The grape is also confusingly known as the Blanquette in the Hunter Valley of Australia.

DORAL

Variety resulting from a Chasselas x Chardonnay cross. No other details as yet other than it is used to create white wines in Switzerland.

DORNFELDER

Recent vine resulting from a Helfensteiner x Heroldrebe cross gaining wide popularity in Germany and England. Has synonym name Weinsberg S 341. Creates red wines from grapes that have every important red-wine variety suitable for central Europe in their genealogy, ie. one parent is the hybrid cross result of Trollinger and Früburgunder and the other parent hybrid was the result from crossing Portugieser and Lemberger. Mainly grown in the Rheinhessen and Pfalz regions, it is increasingly available as a bottled varietal with aging potential.

Dosage (France)

When making a sparkling wine, after dégorgement the wine can be topped up with sugar and wine to reach the desired level of sweetness and flavour. This is dosage. The entire process is documented here: Methode Champenoise.

Double magnum

A large format Bordeaux bottle, equivalent to four standard bottles. In Burgundy and Champagne this size is called a Jeroboam. See our advisory page on wine bottle sizes for more information.