L

lactic acid - One of the acids that occur naturally in wine. Some winemakers employ a malolactic fermentation which converts strong-tasting malic acid into this milder acid.

lagar - Portuguese - The traditional open, low-sided rectangular stone vessel in which grapes are crushed by means of barefoot treading. Associated chiefly with port and madeira, this quaint and colourful, if unhygienic, practice has been in decline for many years due to rising labour costs and the availability of modern vinification alternatives.

Landwein - German - A subcategory of Deutscher Tafelwein roughly equating to the French vin de pays, though not nearly as prevalent. Landwein is a somewhat more important category among Austrian wines.

late harvest - Refers to wine, usually dessert wine, made from grapes left on the vines until late in the fall or into the winter when the grapes become overripe and their sugars more concentrated. Some such wines are botrytis affected. These wines are typically golden yellow in colour with a rich, honeyed sweetness and high level of acidity. Frequently they are more suitable for ageing than their drier counterparts.

lees - The residue that forms in wine during fermentation. Made up of dead yeast cells, grape seeds and skins and tartrates, it is usually separated from the wine, typically by means of racking, as soon as possible, but some wines are deliberately left in contact with the lees (see sur lie and autolysis) to gain complexity and/or to encourage malolactic fermentation.

legs - Also called tears, these are the streaky, viscous traces that, with certain wines, will cling to the sides of a glass. Frequently mistaken as a sign of high sugar content, they are more an indication of a higher level of alcohol.

length - The persistance of a wine's finish.

light wine - Wine that is lower in calories, lower in alcohol and, all too frequently, lower in quality.

lively - Describes a wine, usually white, that is youthful and fresh, usually with good acidity and possibly with a small amount of carbon dioxide.