WINE Content
lIntroduction,
History
lWine Producing
Region
lVinification,
Grape variety, diseases, stages
lClassification
of wine, types, reading wine labels
lFrench wines
lWines of the
world
lWine Glasses,
Equipments
lParing wines
with foods
lService of wines
WINE
Definition:
“Wine is the alcoholic beverage obtained
from the fermentation of the juice of freshly gathered grapes, the fermentation
taking place in the district of origin according to local tradition and
practice”
lWine is an alcoholic beverage made
from fermentation of grape juice
lThe natural
chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition
of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients.
lAlthough other
fruits such as apples and berries can also be fermented, the resultant
"wines" are normally named after the fruit from which they are
produced (for example, apple wine or elderberry wine) and are generically known
as fruit or country wine.
lAny liquid that
contain sugar can be fermented with the addition of yeast, but grape wine makes
itself, as the outer skin of the grape contains yeast molds.
lThe sugar in the
grape juice is turned into alcohol and so the higher the grapes sugar content
the higher will be the wines alcohol content.
History
lWine is one of
the God’s choicest gift to man.
lWine is probably
the earliest of the alcoholic beverages, simply because it could be made
without the maker’s having to understand the chemical changes that turned the
sugar in grapes
lWine may have
been made as long as ten thousand years ago. Wine is mentioned in documents
which are three thousand years old, as well as in the BIBLE and in the
literature of the Greeks and Romans.
lBefore wines
were stored in “Amphorae”.
Muscat
Winemaking or Vinification
Types of grapes
White grapes Black
grapes
Aligote’
Cabernet sauvignon
Chardonnay
Carignon (B&W)
Chasselas
Gammay (B&W)
Chenin Blanc
Merlot
Gewürztraminer Temprenillo
Muller thurgan Zinfandel
Palomino
Pinot noir
Pedroximenz
Pinot Blanc
Pinot grist
Riesling
Semillon
Sylvaner
Syrah
Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking or Vinification
Vinification is the process of wine production, from the selection of
grapes to the bottling of finished wine. Wine production can be generally
classified into two categories: still wine production (without carbonation) and
sparkling wine production (with carbonation). The science of wine and
winemaking is known as oenology.
Viticulture (from the Latin word for vine) is the science, production and
study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the
vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as
viniculture.
Climate
lOnly a
relatively small area of the world is wine producing. This is because the grape
will only provide juice of the quality necessary for conversation into a
drinkable wine when where two climatic condition prevail:
There must be enough sun
to ripen the grape.
The winter must be
moderate, yet sufficient cool to give the vine a chance to rest and restore its
strength for the growing and fruiting season.
lThese climatic
condition prevail in two main wine producing zones which lie between latitudes
50 & 30 degree north & south of the equator.
FACTORS AFFECTING WINE QUALITY
lGrape variety
lGrape yield per
acre
lSoil
lClimate
lSkill of wine
maker
lLuck of the year
lMethod of
shipping or transportation
lStorage
temperature
Grape Varieties
Wine Diseases
lOidium Tuckerii:
A powdery mildew which covers the grapes, splitting & rotting them
lPhylloxera
Vastatribe: A louse like almost invisible, attacks the root
lGrey Rot: A
fungus which attacks leaves and grapes, looks like grey mold. This gives
unpleasant flavours to wines
lNoble Rot: This
fungus dries the grapes and helps in preparing natural sweet wines.
lCoulure:
Unsuitable weather during flowing results in poor pollination, yielding less
grape bunches and poor development.
Harvesting and de-stemming
lHarvest is the
picking of the grapes and in many ways the first step in wine production.
Grapes are either harvested mechanically or by hand. The decision to harvest
grapes is typically made by the winemaker
lDestemming is
the process of separating stems from the grapes. Depending on the winemaking
procedure, this process may be undertaken before crushing with the purpose of
lowering the development of tannins and vegetal flavors in the resulting wine.
FERMENTATION
Now that the juice has been separated from the stalks and skins the
winemaker can now begin the process known as FERMENTATION. Put simply,
fermentation is the process whereby the grape sugars are converted into
alcohol. This is achieved by adding yeast to the juice. The role of the yeast is to eat up all the
sugar in the juice and produce alcohol.
Gas in the form of carbon dioxide is also produced, as is heat. After converting the sugar to alcohol the
yeast cells die and their job is complete.
After Fermentation we now have something resembling WINE.
lFor white wine,
Fermentation is normally undertaken in large stainless steel tanks, and the
grape skins are removed before the process begins. Some full bodied white wine varieties, such
as Chardonnay can also be fermented in oak barrels to allow greater flavour and
complexity. It is important to ensure that the temperature is kept at a
suitable level throughout the process, as undesirable organisms can creep into
the wine if it is fermented too hot.
Likewise if it is too cold the yeast cannot function.
lRed wine can
either be fermented in stainless steel tanks, oak barrels or traditional open
concrete fermenters. The type of fermentation selected is determined by what
type of wine the winemaker intends to make.
If the winemaker wants to produce a big red wine full of flavour then
he/she will keep the fermenting wine in contact with the grape skins for a
longer period. This will impart lots of
flavour and colour to the wine.
Likewise if the winemaker wants to produce a lighter style red such as a
rose or Pinot Noir then lesser skin contact is required
lMalolactic conversion is a
process of a change in wine where tart malic acid is converted to
softer-tasting lactic acid.
lIt is
accomplished by lactic acid bacteria, which consume malic acid to produce
energy. Depending on the bacteria present, it can occur naturally. However, in
commercial wine making, malolactic conversion typically is initiated by an
inoculation of desirable bacteria.
lAlso called as
Secondary fermentation. It also adds flavors and complexity to both red &
white wines and avoids the danger of malolactic fermentation in the bottle.
lUndesirable for
wines to be bottled and sold young
lRacking which means the
clear wine is separated from the sediment of "lees", occurs every
three months. In the first year, the wine is aerated during racking to soften
the tannins. In the second year in the cellar, the wine is usually not aerated
during racking.
lBlending is done in the
winter following harvest. In their second year the wines are fined with fresh
egg whites to resolve excess tannins. After up to 20 months in French oak
barrels, the wines are racked for a final time and bottled - usually without
filtration.
AGING: The process of maturing a wine to improve flavor, palate feel and
overall experience. Aging is most noticeably the process of the tannins in the
wine reacting with other components until they are unable to stay in solution,
where upon they become sediment. While this is happening, the aromas of the grape
are replaced by the bouquet of the aged wine. At the same time, the color in
the wine either lightens if it is a red wine or in white wine the color turns
brown. Most wines are ready to be enjoyed upon release; however, there are
varietals that do tend to improve with age. For example, dessert wines,
full-bodied reds (Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz
The white wine making process
lHarvesting
lCrushing &
De stemming
lAddition of Sulphur
lDraining
lPressing
lFree run juice
lAddition of
Yeast
lFermentation
lLees Stirring
lRacking
lBlending
lStabilizing
& Fining
lFiltration
lBottling –
Bottle Aging
Rose Wine
A rosé wine has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough
to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid
near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.
There are 2 major ways to produce rosé wine.
Skin contact: Red-skinned grapes are crushed and the skins are allowed to
remain in contact with the juice for a short period, typically two or three
days. The grapes are then pressed, and the skins are discarded rather than left
in contact throughout fermentation (as with red wine making). The skins contain
much of the strongly flavored tannin and other compounds, which leaves the
taste more similar to a white wine. The longer that the skins are left in
contact with the juice, the more intense the color of the final wine.
Blending: the simple mixing of red wine to a white to impart color, is
uncommon.
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it
making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation,
(either in a bottle, as with the method champ noise, or in a large tank
designed to withstand the pressures involved, as in the Charm at process) or as
a result of carbon dioxide injection.
Methods of making sparkling wine
l Champagne
method (Methode Champenoise)
l Transversage
Method (Transfer to another bottle)
l Transfer Method
(Decanting)
l Continuous
Method (5 reticulated tank)
l Charmat Process
(Cuve close / Tank / Bulk method)
l Carbonation
(Injection method)
Classification of wine
Wines may be classified according to their
lCOLOUR (Red,
White, Rose)
lTASTE ( Dry,
Semi dry, Sweet)
lNATURE ( Table
wines, Sparkling, Aromatic,
Fortified)
Table wines
are further classified by color, as WHITE, RED AND ROSE
lWhite wine
White vs. Red
lWhite wines use
both red and white grapes, but the skins are removed after a short time of
fermentation. White wines are usually not aged -- generally, they are sold
after five months.
lRed wines are
made from red grapes only, and the skin is kept in the fermentation mixture for
longer times before being removed. Red wines undergo several years of aging in
barrels before being bottled and sold.
Types of Wines
lTable wines-
They are served on the table with food Red, White or Rose wines
lSparkling wines
– Caused by secondary fermentation in the bottle. Gas produces a sparkling
effect e.g Champagne
lAromatized Wines
– Still wines flavoured with a herb or botanicals. E.g Campari, Dubonnet
lFortified Wines
– Still wines to which brandy is added during or after fermentation .e.g
Sherry, Port, Madeira , Marsala
Vintage
A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown
in a single specified year, and are accordingly dated as such. Variations in a
wine's character from year to year can include subtle differences in color,
palate, nose, body and development. Good quality red table wines in particular
can improve in flavor with age if properly stored. Consequently, it is not
uncommon for wine enthusiasts and traders to save bottles of an especially good
vintage wine for future consumption. Most countries allow a vintage wine to
include a portion of wine that is not from the labeled vintage.
Vintage wines are generally bottled in a single batch so that each bottle
will have a similar taste
Wine-serving
Temperatures
åWhite and Rosé
wines chilled to 45-55 °F (7-13°C)
åSparkling wines
45 °F (7°C)
åMost Red wines
served 60-65 °F (16-19°C)
åVery good Red
wines 70 °F (21 °C)
Wine
Wine Tasting
lColor/Clarity
lBody - “legs”
lAroma - Bouquet
lTaste - Sweet,
Sour, Bitter or Salty
READING WINE LABELS
lWine maker or
winery: The company or firm that made the wine or, in some cases, the wine's
trademark name.
lAppellation: The
country or region where the grapes for this wine were grown.
lVintage: This is
the year in which the grapes were harvested, not the year in which the wine was
bottled
lVariety: The
specific kind of grapes from which the wine was made.
lGerman wine
labels will also show "Trocken" ("Dry") or
"Halbtrocken" ("Half Dry") to denote wines vinified to less
natural sweetness.
lEstate bottling
and winery information
lOther required
information: This may vary widely depending on national regulations. Alcoholic
percentages/ Bottle capacity etc.
WINE REGIONS OF FRANCE
French Wines
French wines are graded as
lA.O.C
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée – Wines come from a defined area, governed by
rules in production process, quality checked by French Govt body.
lVDQS Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure
the second highest ranking of wine,
after AOC under the French ranking system.
lVin de Table –
Ordinary table wines
lVin de pays –
Regional wines for local consumption.
French Wines
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France France
Divisions in Wine regions in France
Country
Region
District
Sub District
Commune / Village
Chateau
France
Bordeaux
Medoc
Haut Medoc
Paulliac
Chateau
1. Alsace
2. Bordeaux
The Bordeaux Medoc ,
Graves , Libournais, Bourg & Blanye and Entre Deux Mers.
The 4 wines that carry first growths in Medoc are:
lChâteau
Lafite-Rothschild, in the appellation Pauillac
lChâteau Margaux, in the appellation (Commune) Margaux
lChâteau Latour, in the appellation Pauillac
lChâteau Mouton
Rothschild, in the appellation Pauillac, promoted from second to first growth
in 1973.
lGRAVES , SAUTERNES
& BARSAC
Graves Wines have a deep ruby colour and well developed bouquet but not
as fine as Medoc wines
Wines from Graves- Chateau Bouscaut, Chateau Carbonnieux, Chateau Haut-Bailly, Chateau La
Tour (Haut Brion) & Chateau Olivier
Sauternes is famous for naturally sweet white wines.
Wines from sauternes – Chateau d’Yquem, Chateau Coutet, Chateau Climens, Chateau La Tour
& Chateau Guiraud
Barsac is a commune within Sauternes
lLIBOURNAIS
This district is divided into 2 sections
St Emilion & Pomerol
St Emilion – Wines are
characterized by their fullness & higher alcoholic content. Chateau Ausone, Chateau Belair, Chateau Canon, Chateau Cheval Blanc &
Chateau Corbin
Pomerol – Referred to
as Burgandies of Bordeaux
3. Burgundy
Chablis halfway between Côte d'Or and Paris, where white wines are
produced on chalky soil giving a more crisp and steely style than the rest of Burgundy
The main Burgundy classifications, in
descending order of quality, are: Grand crus, Premier crus, Commune or Village,
and village wines.
5 Burgundy Region wine districts
lCote d’Or –
subdivided into Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune e.g Le Coton (Red) Montrachet
(White)
lChalonnais eg.
Mercurey (Red) and Montagny (white)
lMaconnais eg.
Morgan (Red) and Pouilly Fuisse (white)
lBeaujolais eg. Morgeot
(Red) and Les Caillerets (white)
lChablis eg. Chapelot, Monts de Milieu.
4. Champagne
Popular Brands are Dom
Perignon, Moet et Chandon, Lanson, Pol Roger, Pommery and Greno.
Méthode Champenoise is the
traditional method by which Champagne
During this time liqueur de tirage is added to the
wine and the champagne bottle is capped with a crown cap. The bottle is then
riddled, so that the lees settles in the neck of the bottle by a process called
remuage. The neck is then frozen, and the cap removed (degorgment). The pressure in
the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees, and the bottle is quickly
corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in solution. Some dosage (wine & sugar syrup) is added to maintain the
level within the bottle, stoppered with a proper champagne cork on a wire
muzzle (agrafe) and prepared for labelling.
Wine Characteristics
lBrut Natural or
Brut Zéro (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter)
lExtra Brut (less
than 6 grams of sugar per liter)
lBrut (less than
15 grams of sugar per liter)
lExtra Sec or
Extra Dry (12 to 20 grams of sugar per liter)
lSec (17 to 35
grams of sugar per liter)
lDemi-Sec (33 to
50 grams of sugar per liter)
lDoux (more than
50 grams of sugar per liter)
Serving Champagne
lChampagne
lChampagne
lTo reduce the
risk of spilling Champagne Champagne
bottle can be opened by holding the cork and rotating the bottle (rather than
the cork)
lGlasses should
not be overfilled: flutes should be filled only to ⅔ of the glass
lProduction of
champagne involves a final in-bottle fermentation, that generates the carbon
dioxide in the final solution. The yeasts that settle in the long neck of the
bottle, which is inverted during this process, are frozen and removed. A small
amount of sugar is added, and the bottle is tightly corked.
lIn sparkling
wines, carbon dioxide is injected. Consequently, sparkling wines lack the
flavors from having the yeasts do the final fermentation, as in champagne.
5. Loire Valley
lUpper
Loire is known as Sauvignon Blanc land, producing wines such as Sancerre AOC,
but also consists of several VDQS areas.
lTouraine
lAnjou-Saumur is
similar to the Tourain wines with respect to varieties, but the dry Savennières
AOC and sweet Coteaux du Layon AOC are often more powerful than their upstream
neighbours. Saumur AOC and Saumur-Champigny AOC provides reds.
lPays Nantais is
situated closest to the Atlantic , and Muscadet
AOC produces white wines from the Melon de Bourgogne grape.
6. Cote du Rhone
The region is generally divided into two sub-regions with distinct
vinicultural traditions, the Northern Rhône
and the Southern Rhône . The northern
sub-region produces red wines from the syrah grape, sometimes blended with
white wine grapes, and white wines from viognier grapes. The southern
sub-region produces a variety of both red and white wines, often blends of
several grapes such as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The famous wines are Chateau Grillet, St. Joseph
Rose wines are plentiful. Popular are Lirac And Tavel.
7. Jura and Savoie
lJura lies to the
east of Burgandy and has a fairly low production. Jura can boast of the rare,
sweet Vin-de-Paille (Straw wines), the long lived Vin Jaune (Yellow wines) and
Macvin.
lWhite wines
dominate the production of the vineyards of Savoie.
1. The Midi –
2. Languedoc &
Rousillon
lThis is the
largest wine producing region in France
lThe region has
97 vin de pays and 20 VDQS wines.
lThe wines from
this region are normally used for making Vermouths. This region is also famous
for its Vin Doux Naturels (natural sweet wine) e.g. Grand Roussillon
Wines
German Wine Producing
Regions
lClimate – cold winters, short warm summers
lGrapes – Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Silvaner,
Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) Spätburgunder (Pinot
Noir) and a host of German sounding grapes (most of which were crosses created
at viticultural research stations)
lThe best grapes grow on SE facing schist slopes
along the Rhein and the Mosel
lThe issue in Germany
sugar levels – it becomes a
pre-occupation
sugar levels – it becomes a
pre-occupation
German Wine Classifications
lTafelwein (table wine) and Landwein (equivalent to French vin du
pays)
Quality in Germany
lQualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete" (QbA).
Enrichment is allowed for QbA's.
lQualitätswein mit Prädikat" (QmP), Special
Category. (no chaptalisation) The extreme must weights of BA's and TBA's (and
some Auslesen) are achieved by using botrytised grapes. Eiswein is made from
naturally frozen grapes.
The Style of German Wines
Riesling – the queen of grapes
lFlowery and fruity aromas (citrus, peach, pear,
apricot, apple, mango)
lHerbal, spicy, and earthy or mineral notes (often
slate) are common.
lPetrol can develop
lHigh Acidity
lDifficult to make balanced wines with low alcohol
and high acidity
lSo Germans tend to make them slightly sweet (either
by stopping the ferment or by adding “Süssreserve”)
lProduces excellent dessert wines from botrysised
grapes
lMost Rieslings improve with age
Muller-Thurgau - one of the
vices of the German wine industry
lMakes Liebraumilch and Hock
lEarly ripening, high yielding, and much planted
since the 60's,
lProduces tanker loads of rubbish, rarely rising to
the dizzy heights of mediocrity
lMedium sweet fruity light bodied wines without the
necessary acidity to balance the sweetness
German Wine Labels
•Region
•On of the 13 Anbaugebites
•Vintage
•Village and vineyard
•-er and often –berg
•Or could be village and Grosslage
•c.f. Piesporter Goldtropchen and Piesporter Michelsberg
•Or sometimes just a brand name
•Grape variety
•Prädikat or Level of dryness
•Trocken =dry, Halbtrocken = Off dry
•If none then assume typical for Prädikat or medium
•Category
•AP Number
•ends in year of bottling
•Producer or Bottler
+ Alcohol level
and volume
Climate
lMediterranean varying from hot to cooler up
mountains and Alps
Soil
lEnormously varied. Volcanic soils rich in minerals
Grapes
lUp the Alps – Pinot
Grigio (Gris)
lPiedmont – Nebiolo and Barbera
lVeneto
lTuscany
lAbbruzzi – Montepulciano
lThe South – Primitivo, Aglianico and Negroamora
lCastelli di Jesi – Verdicchio
lTrebbiano (=Ugni Blanc) makes bulk whites
lInternational varieties - everywhere
Italian Label Terms
lVino da
Tavola – table wine (some of these are VERY expensive!)
lIndicazione
Geografica Tipica (IGT) equivalent to VDP
lDenominazione
di Origine Controllatta (DOC) – guarantees
that the wine comes from where it says it does and that some methods of
production have been specified – there are 250 DOCs
lDenominazione
di Origine Controllatta et Guarantita (DOCG) – has the seal on the top – as with DOC but they guarantee that the
have really have done it ;-)
l
Actually stricter controls for certain special areas such as Chianti and
Barolo. There were 14 DOCGs in 1998
lClassico
– The original area (generally higher quality)
lRiserva
– indicates some aging time in Oak and bottle – varies by region
Italian Labels
Climate
lMediterranean , hot continental (centre) and temperate (NW)
Grapes
lTempranillo – All over but Rioja and Ribero del Duero
in particular
lGranacha (=Grenache)
lCariñena (= Carignan)
lMonastrell (=Mouvedre)
lViura (white Rioja)
lAirén (La Mancha –
only fit for distillation)
lAlbariño (Rias Baixas, NW)
lPalomino (Jerez
lParellada,, Macabeo and Xarel-lo (Cava)
lInternational Varieties grown all over, particularly
in Penedes (the Torres effect)
Spanish Wine Quality
Vino de Mesa
lTable Wine.-many emerging “super
Vino de Mesas”
Vino de Mesas”
Vino de la Tierra
lEquivalent to VDP
Denominación de Origen (DO)
lEquivalent to AOC and Italian DOC. There are more
than 50.
Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOC) or (DOCa)
lSuper category (1991) for wines prepared to undergo
rigorous scrutiny. (how many??)
Joven – Young
unoaked wine for immediate drinking
Crianza – Aged
e.g. 2 years, partly in oak
Reserva – Aged
e.g. 3 years, partly in oak
Gran Reserva – Aged e.g. 5 years, 3 in oak
Solera System
Climate
lTemperate on coast – rapidly becoming hot
continental inland – cooler up mountains
Grapes
lAlbarinho in Vinho Verde region (60% white)
lThe Port Grapes are
lTouriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (=Tempranillo), Tinta
Barocca, Touriga Francesa, Tinta da Barca and Tinto Cão and Malvasia Fina
lThese grapes also occur in light wines of Dao and Douro
Quality Terms
lVinho de Mesa =Table wine
lVinho Regional
= VDP equivalent
lIndicação de
Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR) - On their way to being DOCs = VDQS equivalent
lDenominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) = AOC
equivalent. Recent. There are now about 50.
lVQPRD =
Portuguese for QWSPR: Found on IPR and DOC wines
lNot to be confused with “British Wine”
l>51oN - At the limit of viable
viticulture
lGlobal warming + new varieties + more suitable
clones and rootstock have all lead to recent improvements
lWines can be QWSPR (but not if they have Hybrid
grapes such as Seyval Blanc) or English or Welsh) Table Wine.
lGrapes Seyval Blanc, Reichensteiner, Müller-thurgau,
and Bacchus. Reichensteiner, Scönburger, Huxelrebe, Madelaine Angevine, Pinot
Noir, Dornfelder and Rondo
lMostly white, aromatic, with low alcohol and high
acidity – similar to German style
lTraditional Method Sparkling Wines have been of the
highest quality - Ridgeview and Nyetimber (Sussex
lCamel Valley Cornwall Devon ), Three Choirs (Glos),
Tenterden + Curious Grape + New Wave Wines + Chapel Down (Kent
lThe Australian
wine industry is the fourth-largest exporter in the world
lMajor grape
varieties are
White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc
Sweet White: Muscat
Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir and Merlot & Shiraz
l South Australia
Australian Wines (Brands)
lAustralia
Other red wines to garner international attention include Henschke,
Clarendon Hills, D'Arenberg, Torbreck, St Henri shiraz
lThe Yarra Valley Margaret River
Wines from India
Historically, grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is grown mostly for wine
making in the world over. In India India
The biggest consumption up to 80% is confined to major cities like Mumbai
(39%), Delhi(23%), Bangalore (9%) and
the foreign tourist dominated state of Goa (9%), where as Rest of India has
only 20% consumption. Some Indian wine makers have also started importing
foreign made wine and bottling and selling it here in India
Indian Wine Regions
lNasik Region(Maharastra State India Nasik
lSangali Region (Maharastra State
lBangalore Region
(Karnataka State Bangalore
lHimachal Region:
It is located at Northern India . It is
upcoming state for the wine production. Temperature varies from 20 C to 40 C.
Unique Climate of this region attacts the wine make to produce delicate wine
grapes.
Indian wine varieties
lBosca Sherry:
Somewhat sweet United Breweries)
lBosca Reisling:
Popular white
lGrovers white:
Made in Bangalore France
lRiviera
lGolconda
lMarque de
pompadour
Fortified wines
Fortified wine is wine to which additional alcohol has been added, the
most common additive being brandy. The original reason for fortification was to
preserve wines, as the higher alcohol level and additional sweetness help to
preserve the wine. The most popular include Sherry, Port, Marsala Madeira ,
Vermouth, Malaga
Fortified wines are legally called dessert wines in the U.S but are
called liqueur wines in Europe .
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine, made in and around the town of Jerez , Spain
The Palomino grapes are harvested, and pressed lightly to extract the
must. The must from the first pressing is then fermented in stainless steel
vats producing a dry white wine with 11-12% alcohol content. The sherry is
fortified using destillado, made by distilling wine. Sherry is then aged in the
solera system for a minimum of 3 years.
Sherry is traditionally drunk from a copita, a special sherry glass that
is tulip shaped.
Styles of Sherry
lFino ('fine' in
Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of Sherry.
lManzanilla is a
variety of fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de
Barrameda
lAmontillado is a
variety of Sherry that has been aged first under a cap of flor yeast, and then
is exposed to oxygen, which produces a result darker than fino but lighter than
oloroso.
lOloroso
('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer
time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine.
lPalo Cortado is
a rare variety of Sherry that is initially aged under flor like an amontillado,
but develops a character similar to oloroso, with some of the richness of
oloroso and some of the crispness of amontillado.
lSweet Sherry
(Jerez Dulce in Spanish) is created when one of the preceding varieties of dry
Sherry is sweetened with Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel wine. Cream sherry is a
common variety of sweet sherry made from oloroso, with other varieties
including pale cream sherry (made from fino) and medium sherry (made from
amontillado).
Port
lPort wine (also
known as Vinho do Porto , Oporto Porto ,
and often simply Port) is a Portuguese, fortified wine from the Douro Valley northern provinces Portugal
lPort is produced
from grapes grown and processed in the Douro
region. The wine produced is then fortified with the addition of a Brandy
(distilled grape spirits), in order to stop the fermentation leaving some rest
sugar in the wine and to boost the alcohol content. The wine is then stored and
aged, often in barrels stored in cellers
Port styles
lTawny ports with
an indication of age is a blend of several vintages, with the average years
"in wood" stated on the label.
lRuby port is the
cheapest and most extensively produced type of port.
lWhite port is
made from white grapes, and should always be served cool or cold
lVintage port is
made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year.
lLate Bottled
Vintage (often referred to simply as LBV) was originally wine that had been
destined for bottling as Vintage Port, but due to lack of demand was left in
the barrel for rather longer than had been planned.
lCrusted Port may
be considered a 'poor man's vintage port'. It is a blend of port wine from
several vintages,
Wine Glasses
lRecommended for Bordeaux
lRecommended for:
Fumé Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cortese, Gewürztraminer, Melon de Bourgogne
(Muscadet), Müller-Thurgau, Palomino (except sherry), Pedro Ximénez, Pinot
(blanc, grigio, gris), Sauvignon Blanc, Soave, Trebbiano,
Excellent for full-bodied red wines (more than 12.5 percent alcohol) with
high acidity and moderate tannin. The large bowl captures all the nuances of
the wine's aroma.
lRecommended for:
Barbaresco, Barbera, Barolo, Burgundy
lMeasurement:
Height: 210mm 8 1/4in.
Capacity: 700ccm 24 3/4oz
Cabernet, Merlot
lRecommended for Bordeaux
Champagne Tulips and Flutes
This classically shaped glass was developed for light, fresh, dry
champagnes.It is designed so that the wonderful tingle of delicate bubbles for
which champagne is famous is experienced on the tip of the tongue.
The Chardonnay glass
lThe Chardonnay
glass shape allows young wines to express all their invigorating freshness,
while more mature wines are encouraged to deliver the nutty spicy, mineral
flavours so typical of the variety.
lRecommended for:
Rose wine
lThis glass is
shaped to direct the flow of wine onto tip of the tongue, emphasising the
wine’s fresh fruitiness while tempering its high acidity and bringing out its
characteristic red berry and pinewood aromas. This is the ideal glass from
which to enjoy typically tart, dry rosé wines.
Equipments
lWine Openers
lWine Buckets
lPunch Bowl
Pairing Wines with Foods
Customers should be given complete freedom to select their wines, a few
general pointers:
Aperitif: Dry, medium dry sherries, dry vermouth
Starters: Dry white or dry rose wines
Fish and shellfish: dry white wine
White meats: Medium white wines
Red meats: Red wine
Games: heavier red wines
Sweets and desserts: Champagne
Cheese: Port and other dry robust red wines
Coffee: Grain & fruit brandies and liqueurs
A few general guidelines:
lChampagne
lRed wines with
red meats, white wine with white meats
lServe white wine
before red
lServe dry wines
before sweet
lServe wines at the
appropriate temperatures
Opening Wine Bottle
lBefore you open
and serve a bottle of wine, make sure it has been stored at the proper
temperature.
lUsing a
traditional waiter's corkscrew
lRest the blade
of the corkscrew on the capsule or foil, just below the rim of the bottle.
Rotate the bottle to cut the capsule, completing a full circle around the rim
of the bottle. Remove the capsule and throw it away.
lInsert the metal
point of the corkscrew into the center of the cork and begin twisting downward.
As you twist, the corkscrew will continue to center itself in the cork.
lContinue
twisting until one loop of the corkscrew remains exposed.
lPlace the notch
of the corkscrew's lever onto the lip of the bottle. To avoid chipping the
glass, make sure the whole notch is touching the lip of the bottle. Use your
free hand to stabilize the bottle and keep the lever in place.
lLift the lever
and slowly extract the cork about two-thirds of the way out of the bottle. To
prevent the cork from breaking, leave a portion of it in the bottle.
lHold the cork
with your thumb and forefinger, and gently remove the remaining portion from
the neck of the bottle.
lUse a napkin to
wipe off the top of the bottle. Remove any cork residue.
Wine Service
lServing Size
Guidelines
l1/2 Bottle - 2
people
lSplit
lBottle - 2 to 6
people
lMagnum (2
bottles) 7 to 12 people
lCorkage
lServing (from
the right)
lWhite before Red
lDecanting Red
lDifferent
Glasses for each wine
lBring new before
taking old glass
Decanting Wine
Three Reasons for Decanting Wine
lOld wines that
have been cellared properly will contain sediment due to the aging process. By
properly decanting the wine, the sediment will remain in the bottle.
lYoung
full-bodied red wines can benefit from decanting. When the wine comes in
contact with oxygen, the aromas present in the wine are released. The decanter
in this case should be a wide bottomed decanter. Wide body decanters provide
more surface area for oxygen to allow aromas from the wine to be released.
lThe presentation
of wine in a beautiful crystal decanter adds to the ambience of a beautifully
set table and prepared dinner.
Decanting Wine
How to Decant Aged Wine
lFor old wines
with sediment one needs to be very diligent about pouring the wine into a
decanter. First, stand the bottle up for several hours to allow the sediment to
settle at the bottom. Fine sediment will take longer to settle to the bottom of
the bottle.
lUse a lit candle
or lamp. Hold the bottle of wine so that the area just below the neck of the
wine bottle can be seen through the light while pouring. Ever so slowly begin
pouring the aged wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as
possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is
poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in
the neck of the bottle.
Service of wine
lPresentation:
The wine waiter should present the opened bottle
lTasting: Pour a
little wine for the host for the approval
lService: If the
host approves after tasting the wine, the wine waiter has to serve the guest
first and then the host. Serve the wine to the right side of the guest gently
and fill less than half of a glass, so that they have enough room to swirl the
wine around.
lAfter pouring
the wine bottle should be returned to the bucket (white) or on the Table /
Cradle (red) and an eye is kept on the table for refills.
Service of wine
Serving Champagne
lChampagne
lChampagne
lTo reduce the
risk of spilling Champagne Champagne
bottle can be opened by holding the cork and rotating the bottle (rather than
the cork)
lGlasses should
not be overfilled: flutes should be filled only to ⅔ of the glass
WINE CAN BE CLASSIFIED –as per colour taste &, nature,
A.
STUDY OF WINES AND THEIR CLASSIFICATION
The
study of wine and wine making is called Enology.
Wine
can be simply defined as an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation
of freshly gathered grapes
There
are various ways of categorizing wines.
1. Based on color: Based on color there are
three types Red, White & Rose
2. Based on Nature: Still-Wines without fizz,
otherwise called table wines or natural wines, Sparkling- wines with fizz or
induced with CO2 gas, Aromatized- flavored and sweetened wines,
Fortified Wines- Wine to which alcohol is induced in the form of grape brandy
during or after fermentation.
3. Based on sweetness: It can be Dry (very little
sugar), Medium or Sweet
4. Based on Grape Variety: Depending upon which
grapes are used in production like in case of Whites: Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc, Semillon etc. and in case of Reds: like Merlot, Shiraz
5. Based on Countries: France, Italy, Spain,
Portugal and other European countries form the old world countries where strict
traditional methods are employed and the New World in which countries like
Australia, US, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, China and India
where modern techniques are used in wine production with various styles.
Besides
these, there are some other classification like Light and Full Bodied; Vintage
and Non- Vintage etc.
There are four types of wines
namely: 1. Table wine
2.
Sparkling wine
3. Fortified wine
4. Aromatized wine
Table wine- These include Red,
white & rose’ wine & are referred to as still wine as they lack
carbonation. These wines are further classified into dry & sweet wines. Dry
would mean that there is little or no sugar content.
These are wines which
normally accompany a meal. The alcoholic content of these wines is between 14
to 16%.
Example- Red - Bordeaux claret,
Chateaux latour, Chateaux latif
White- Chablis, Chateaux neuf
de pape
Rose’- Matius rose’ tavel rose,
vin rose
2. Sparkling wine- wines which have carbon dioxide to make it fizzy. Champagne
Example- Moet et chandon, Dom perignon, Lanson black label, mums, Krug,
chares hiedsick, Piper hiedsick, Asti
3. Fortified wine- These are wines fortified by the addition of alcohol
either during or after fermentation. This increase the alcoholic content from
15 to 21%.These wines is drunk either before or after a meal.
Example - Sherry, Port, Madeira , Marsala Malaga
Viticulture
& viticulture methods
Winemaking continues to be a fascinating art,
tried by many but mastered by few. As modern technology expands, so does our
knowledge of the intricacies involved in winemaking. We have come a long way
since the days of uncontrolled fermentations producing mostly harsh, highly
alcoholic, coarse wines, often resembling vinegar; but with all the modern
advances we are really just scratching the surface of what is left to be known.
Grape Growing; The descriptive study,
identification, and classification of grapevines is known as ampelography,
from the Greek word ampelidacedes. The word Vitis, which precedes the terms
vinifera, labrusca, and rotundifolia, is Latin for vine.
The earliest known variety of vine species, Vitis
sezannensis, was probably growing some 60 million years ago.
Although there are more than 8,000 grape
varieties.in the world, most of them are not suitable for the production of
fine wine, nor are their parent vine species highly regarded. For the
production of fine wine, the most prominent grapevine species are Vitis
vinifera, Vitis labrusca, and French-American hybrids.)
Terroir: French for
"soil", the physical and geographical characteristics of a particular
vineyard site that give the resultant wine its unique properties.
Vinification: The process of making grape juice into wine.
Vintage: The year in which a particular wine's grapes were
harvested. When a vintage year is indicated on a label, it signifies that all
the grapes used to make the wine in the bottle were harvested in that year.
Yeast: A microscopic unicellular fungi responsible for the
conversion of sugars in must to alcohol. This process is known as alcoholic
fermentation.
Vitis Vinifera
Also referred to as the European or California grapevine
species the
Vitis vinifera grapevines produce the grapes whose
names most consumers are familiar with. Some examples of Vitis
SOME COMMON RED GRAPE
VARIETIES
·
MERLOT: Mair-
Lo
·
SHIRAZ
·
CABERNET SAUVIGNON: Cab-
Air- Nay So-veen -yawn
·
PINOT NOIR: Pee-
No- Nwahr
·
MALBEC: Mahl-
Beck
·
ZINFANDEL: Zin-
Fan- Dell
SOME COMMON WHITE GRAPE
VARIETALS
·
CHENIN BLANC: Sheh-Neen-Blawn
·
CHARDONNAY: Shar-
Doe- Nay
·
SEMILLION: Say-
Me- Yawn
·
VIOGNIER: Vee-
Ohn- Yerr
·
SAUVIGNON BLANC: So-
Veen- Yawn BLawn
·
MUSCAT
B. WINE PRODUCTION
White
wine: Grape
juice is normally colorless. The color of the red wine is obtained by soaking
the skins of black grapes in the fermenting juice. If the skins are removed at
an early stage, the juice will remain colorless. Therefore white wines may be
made from either black or white grapes.
The
grapes of white wine are first crushed and then pressed. The skins are then
discarded and do not form part of the fermentation. The pressed juice is called
must. The must is pumped into the vat, which are made of either stainless
steel, cement lined with glass or oak wood. To this must cultured yeast are
added to initiate the fermentation process. The fermentation process last
between two to three weeks, at a temperature range of 15- 20°C. The temperature
is strictly controlled during fermentation so that the aromas are not vaporized
and yeasts are not killed. The resultant liquid is wine, which will then be
matured for a further period of 6-12 months to allow the wine to develop
essential characteristics. The matured wine is then filtered and treated to
remove the solid particles and unstable colloids. Thereafter the wine is
bottled and final resting period is given called aging before it can be
released in the market.
Red
Wines: Red
wine is made from the juice and the skins of black grapes. The color comes from
the pigments in the skins. When the grapes reach the winery, the stalks are
removed in a destalking machine and the grapes are crushed to break the skins.
For red wines, both the must and the skins are transferred into the vat for
fermentation between 25-30° C for a period of 1-2 weeks. As fermentation
creates alcohol, the alcohol itself extracts first color and then tannin from
the skins.
The
amount of color and tannin in the finished wine will depend on how long the new
wine is kept in contact with the skins. This can be as little as 5 days for
light wines. For mature and richly flavored reds it can last a few weeks. When
color and tannin are sufficient the “free run” wine is drawn from the skins in
to a clean vat. The skins are then pressed, yielding a further quantity of wine
know as the “ press wine”. Press wine contains a high level of tannin and is
blended all or in part with the free run juice to produce the character
required. Then follows maturation, filtration, bottling and ageing
Rose
Wines: Rose
wines are made from black grapes, which are crushed and fermented with the
skins until a pinkish color is extracted. This could take place between three
hours to 12 hours. The rose is then drawn off the skins and completes its
fermentation at low temperatures.
Sparkling
Wines- Champagne: Champagne Champagne Champagne Champagne region of
France
In
the traditional method of making champagne, a second fermentation is created by
adding yeast and sugar to a dry wine, which is then bottled. This dry wine
called a cuvee´ and is made from a blend of three different wines from three
different grapes.
The
secondary fermentation produces Carbon- dioxide, which gets infused with the
wine in the bottle leaving a sediment, which is subsequently removed by a
process of Riddling and Degorgement. The bottles of wine are then topped up
with a mixture of similar wine and sugar syrup- a process called dosage. Voila!
You have a bubbly that’s waiting for celebration.
Manufacturing of wine
Wine making begins with growing with vine. There are two distinct type of grape family.
The vitis labrusca
The vitis vinifera
The
grapes of vitis labrusca types produces wild flavor of wine.
Most wines are manufactured
from vitis vinifera type.
Vinification
Harvesting: Grapes are plucked when the density of the
bloom on the skin taken from a number of bunches is constant so that the grapes
are fully ripened & has nothing more to gain from the plant.
Mechanical
harvesting
Hand picked
(Manual system)
Mechanical
Procedure
Grading - Grapes
are graded according to the quality.
Weighing-
Grapes are weighed according to determine the quantity required for
fermentation. The ripe grapes are produced from a stalk. The stalk has a bitter
taste due to presence of tannin.
Weighing of
grapes
Crushing-
Grapes are crushed by feet in some region or by mechanical process to extract
the juice called ‘Must’. The specific gravity of the must is measured. Which
indicates the sugar content & thus the alcoholic content. If the quantity
of the material yeast is less then cultural yeast is added, and in some cases
if the sugar is less then extra sugar is added. The procedure is necessary as
there is laws in most countries which specify the minimum alcoholic strength of
wine. This process of enrichment is called “capitalization’’.
At
this stage if red wine has to be made the skins of the grapes are allowed to
come in contact with the juice, which gets the color from the skin. In the case
of white wine the skin is separated immediately from the must.
Rose’ wines are
made by the allowing the skins of black grapes to come in contact with the
juice for a short while to get the desired color. Sulfuring is added early in
the fermented process to prevent air from oxidizing the juice, thereby converting
alcohol into vinegar. The air contents the bacteria ‘acetobactor’ which is
aerobic in nature. This acetobactor can convert alcohol into vinegar, so2 being
hungry for O2 takes up the O2 from the must & allows the wine yeast which
is anaerobic to convert the grape sugar into alcohol. SO2 also form a coating
in the surface of the juice to prevent the air
from entering the juice & thereby allowing the yeast in the process
of fermentation to do its work.
Crushing by feet
Early system by Crushing by feet in the New
Year
Basket Press
The Juice
Fermentation- It
is the process of adding wine yeast (saccharomyces Elipsoideus) to the must to
convert the natural sugar in the grape to ethyl alcohol. In this process CO2 is
simultaneously released making fermentation violent at first then slow. The
yeast added is 3.5% of the volume of the juice. The process takes two days to
two weeks according to the tradition of the house. The temperature maintained
during the process is 64F to 77 F. Some water is added to this stage to control
the acidity caused by the grape acids.
NATURAL SUGAR + YEAST + WATER = ETHYL ALCOHOL
+ CO2
Fermenting Vats
Work on progress
Cellaring & Second pressing- Once the fermentation is complete, the running wine “vin de goutte’’
is run off into cask for maturing. The casks are filled to the top to exclude
air. In some cases SO2 is also added. The filled casks are put in cellars for
the wine to mature. This is called cellaring. The residue of skins (mare) left
into the fermenting vats is sent for further pressing & the resultant juice
is called “ vin de press’’ is rich in tannin. The wine maker may decide whether
to add vin de press to vin de goutte.the skin left are sent for third pressing &
the juice fermented & distilled to produce “ eau de vie de mare” a ‘water
of life’(pure alcohol). In this way the
whole sugar is used up. The pure alcohol has no color, taste or smell & is
used in compounding other beverages such as liqueurs.
Second pressing of the leftover grapes skins
Third pressing
Racking- At this
stage wine are separated from the dead yeast which decompose giving an odd
flavor to the wine. The dead yeasts settle at the bottom of the casks. The wine
is carefully pumped into another casks without disturbing the dead yeast
leaving some wine at the bottom called ‘Lees’ which is sent for distillation
with “ eau de vie de mare”.
FINNING & FILTERATION:
At
this stage a gelatinous substance such as ‘Ising glass’ (bladder of sturgeon
fish) or white opaque is added to collects the pigments present in the wine
during the process to the bottom of the cask. The wine is then passed through
fine filters. By this process the cloudy wine is converted into clear wine.
The Dead yeast separation
Machine filtration
Blending- This is the process by which different wines from
wine yards & different years are mixed to give the wine a consistency in
quality.
Experiment blending of wine
Oenologists blending of wine
Maturation- The
wine is transferred to oak barrels & allowed to rest for one or two years
to mature and pickup a soft and mellow character from the oak wood.
Oakwood Barrels
Wine maturation in the cellar
Bottling- This is done before the wine
losses for Bouquet, quality and color, bottles are cleared & dried with hot
air. Cool & dry weather is chosen for bottling. Bottles are closed with a
soft cork applying the pressure with the fingers and are finally sealed
Bottling machine
Pasteurization -It is the process to age the wine & prevent it
from further fermentation, the wine in bottle is immersed upright in double
boilers with water, heated to temperatures between 180F-190F. The immersion is
for 1-2 minutes.
Boiler
Aging- Before marketing the bottles is aged so that the
wine can stabilize. The period of aging dependents on the tradition of the
house.
Bottle aging
Vine Diseases
Phylloxera Vastatrix
A louse like, almost invisible aphid, which
attacks the roots of the vine. Phylloxera arrived in Europe
in the mid 1800s by accident from the eastern states of North
America . It ravaged many of the vineyards of Europe
at this
Time.
Grey rot or Pourriture Gris
This fungus attacks the leaves and fruit of
the vine during warm damp weather. It is recognized by a grey mould. The fungus
imparts an unpleasant flavor to the wine.
Noble rot or Pourriture noble (Botrytis
cinerea)
This is the same fungus in its beneficial
form, which may occur when humid conditions are followed by hot weather. The
fungus punctures the grape skin, the water content evaporates and the grape
shrivels, thus concentrating the sugar inside. This process gives the luscious
flavors characteristics of sauternes, German trockenbeerenauslese and Hungarian
Tokay Aszu.
The fungus attacked grapes
Faults in wine – Faults occasionally develop in wine as it
matures in bottles. Through improved techniques and attention to detail
regarding bottling and storage, faulty wine is a rarity. Some of the common
causes of faulty wine are:
Corked
wines
These are wines affected by a diseased cork
caused through bacterial action or excessive bottle age. TCA (trichloroanisole)
causes the wine to taste and smell foul. This is not to be confused with cork
residue in wine, which is harmless.
Maderisation or oxidation
This is caused by bad storage leading to too
much exposure to air, often because the cork is dried out. The color of the
wines browns or darkens and the taste very slightly resembles Madeira ,
hence the name. The wines taste ‘spoilt’.
Acetification
This is caused when the wine is over exposed
to air. The vinegar microbes develop a film on the surface of the wine and
acetic acid is produced, making the wine tastes sour, resembling wine vinegar.
Tartare flake
This is the crystallization of potassium
bitartrate. These crystal-like flakes, sometimes seen in white wine, may cause
anxiety to some customers as they spoil the appearance of the wine, which is
otherwise perfect to drink. If the wine is established before bottling, this
condition shouldn’t occur.
Excess SO2
Secondary fermentation
This happens when traces of sugar and yeast
are left in the wine in the bottle. It leaves the wine with an unpleasant,
prickly taste.
Foreign contamination
Examples include splintered or powdered glass
caused by faulty bottling machinery or re-used bottles which previously held
some kind of disinfectant.
Hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
The wines smells and tastes rotten eggs and
shouldn’t be thrown away.
Sediment, lees, crust or dregs
This is organic matter discarded by the wine
as it matures in the cask or bottle. It can be removed by racking, fining or,
in the case of bottled wine, by decanting.
Cloudiness
This is caused by suspended matter in the
wine, which disguises its true color. It may also be caused by extremes in
storage temperatures.
D.
WINE ETIQUETTE FOR THE TABLE
Temperature
Wine always tastes better at the right temperature. For the
wine to be appreciated, it is essential that it should produce a sense of
freshness in the mouth. This will be depending on the color and type of the
wine.
Lighter White, Rose Wines
& Champagne :
7-10
°C
Heavier White Wines: 10-13 °C
Heavier Sweet Wines: 6-8
°C
Light bodied Red wine: 13
°C
Full bodied Red wine: 15
-18 °C
Dry Sherry, Dry Madeira : 10-13º C
Sweet Sherry, Ruby &
Vintage Ports: 18-20ºC.
Tawny Ports: 12-16
ºC
There is no rigid set of rules for serving wine. Some people
take them too literally. However a Logical order of progression through
a meal is
ü White
before Red
ü Dry
before sweet
ü Light-bodied
before full-bodied
ü Young
before old
ü Good
wine before a great wine
GLASSWARE
ü A
good wine deserves a good glass.
ü Ideally
wine should be served in a goblet with a bowl, stem and a base. The sides of
the glass should be thin, uncolored and transparent without any designs to show
off the color and general aspects.
ü In
form, the glass should have bulging sides with its top curving slightly inward
so that the aromas are concentrated, while swirling and the bouquet can be
appreciated.
ü The
size of the glass should be rather large for reds so as to allow serving a
reasonable quantity without filling the glass more than two third full.
ü The
standard measure of wine served in a glass is 125-150 ml. For fortified wines
it is 50-60 ml as the alcohol content is very high.
ü Champagne is better
appreciated in and elegant tulip glasses, which has a long stem and a narrow
bowl.
ü Fortified
wines are served in much smaller and fancy glasses.
STORAGE
- The temperature should be maintained in between 10° & 15°C, as extremes in temperature can cause instability.
- Store wine horizontally on a rack so that the cork remains in contact with the wine- this prevents the cork from not drying out resulting in air entering and oxidizing the wine.
- Away from strong light both natural and artificial as this may heat the wine causing a chemical reaction.
- Keep wine away from vibrations, in order for it to lie undisturbed.
- A bottle once opened should be consumed within a period of 3-4 days.
How
to Pour Wine
Still wines should be poured towards the centre of
the glass, while sparkling wines should be poured against the side to preserve
bubbles. To control drips, twist the bottle slightly as you tilt it upright.
When pouring wine, fill the glass no more than
two-thirds (about 5-6 oz). This will allow your guests to swirl the wine, smell
the bouquet and check out the wine's "legs." A glass can always be
refilled if desired. Finish pouring the wine tilting the tip of the bottle
upwards and slightly rotating your hand, so that the wine doesn’t drip.
At a dinner party, serve wine to the women and older
guests first, then the men and end with your own glass.
HOW SHOULD I ORDER WINE IN A RESTAURANT?
v Make use of the advice of
the wine waiter, if there is one. First, choose your food and then decide on
your wines.
v When the bottle arrives,
check the following; vintage (often changed without warning), name of the wine,
producer.
v Check that the temperature
is satisfactory. It is better for both reds and whites to be too cold than too
warm. Don't be embarrassed to ask for an ice bucket to chill both whites and
reds.
v Make sure that each bottle
is opened in front of you and that red wines are decanted at the table if
required.
v When invited to taste the
wine, do so. Don't be rushed, do the following: look at it (it should be clear
and bright), smell it (it should smell clean and fresh), taste it (it should
have no off-flavors).
v If there is anything wrong,
don't hesitate in saying so immediately.
Restaurants (especially good ones) are in the habit
of pouring a small glass of wine to the 'head' of the table or the host to test
it. Usually what follows is an embarrassing charade in which the tester takes a
sip of the wine, nods meekly to the waiter or waitress and says 'That's lovely,
Thanks.'
Many people think that it is to give you a
chance to check that you like the wine and send it back if you don't. But this
has nothing to do with it No restaurant is going to open an expensive bottle
only for you to say it's not to your taste and can they open another for you!
In fact, it is to give you a chance to confirm that the wine has not been
corked. It is estimated that one in twenty bottles of wine (throughout the
price range) are corked, and it effectively ruins a wine. The other reason is
to check if the wine is maintained at the correct temperature.
What is a corked wine?
A corked wine is not one that has bits of cork floating in it - that is
just due to a crumbly cork and won't affect the flavor. Corked wine has been
stopped with a moldy cork, which leaves a musty, dank smell and flavor in the
wine. It cannot be predicted, and it is not the fault of the grower - it is
simply due to the unreliability of cork, one of the reasons behind the move
toward screw caps.
How do you tell if a wine is corked?
This is pretty easy. A fully corked wine will smell pretty awful and
taste bad. A mild case of corking will flatten and deaden the fruity qualities
of the wine. If you're not sure if a wine is corked, swish it around the glass,
as contact with the air oxidizes the wine and exaggerates the corking effect.
Wine can also be over-oxidized if it has been exposed to air or stored in a
warm location. As a result it will smell nutty and look faded and brown.
How do you know if a wine is good or not?
A good wine is one that you enjoy. Please do not let others dictate
taste to you.
E. SEDIMENTS IN WINE
Sedimentation in wine bottles is a natural process
and is quite harmless and unavoidable sometimes. Sediments are a result of the
maturing process.
When red wines age, their coloring pigments combine
with their tannins and fall to the bottom of the bottle.
Sediments are separated from wine by a process
called “Decanting”. Decanting is the simple process of transferring
clear wine into another container. Prior to decanting, bottles are made to
stand upright for a day or two before consumption.
Use a lit candle or lamp if
you can't see where the sediment is in the bottle. Hold the bottle at the base
and bring it over the decanter so that the area just below the neck of the wine
bottle can be seen through the candlelight while pouring. Ever so slowly begin
pouring the wine into the decanter. Be patient. Hold the bottle as much as
possible perpendicular to the candle. As the last one-third of the wine is
poured, carefully watch for sediment. Stop pouring when any sediment appears in
the neck of the bottle
F.
WINE AND HEALTH
G.
SOME COMMON WINE TERMS
Acidity:
The quality of wine that gives it its crispiness and vitality.
Ageing:
As wine ages, one of the natural chemical components in it, called tannin,
binds together and makes the wine taste smoother
Alcohol:
Generally
refers to ethanol, a chemical compound found in alcoholic beverages. It is also
commonly used to refer to alcoholic beverages in general
Aroma:
The smell of a wine. The term is generally applied to younger wines, while the
term Bouquet is reserved for more aged wines.
Barrel:
A
hollow cylindrical container, traditionally made of wood staves, used for
fermenting and aging wine. Sometimes called a cask.
Blanc
de Blanc:
A white wine, usually sparkling, made exclusively from white grapes,
often Chardonnay.
Blanc
de Noirs:
A white wine, usually sparkling, made from red grapes.
Body:
The sense of weight imparted by a wine to the mouth of a taster. A wine may be
light bodied or full-bodied.
Brut:
A French term for a very dry champagne or sparkling wine. It is drier than
extra dry.
Corked:
A tasting term for a wine that is off and has cork taint.
Crisp:
A wine with fresh, brisk character, usually with high acidity.
Complex Wines
with a combination of flavors and aromas.
Cuve:
A
large vat used for fermentation.
Cuvee
The
pressing or a blending of several wines
Dry:
Wines with zero or very low levels of residual sugar. The opposite of sweet,
except in sparkling wines, where dry means sweet.
Fermentation:
The conversion of grape sugars to alcohol by yeast.
Fortified
wine: A wine to which alcohol has been
added, generally to increase the concentration to a high enough level to
prevent fermentation.
Hearty:
Robust, zestful, warm and alcoholic
Herbaceous: Between grass like and flowery. Pleasant,
open, fresh, appealing usually found in younger white wines.
Light: Wines
light in alcohol but also in texture and weight. It also describes how the wine
feels in the mouth.
Mature: The
wine is fully developed and ready to drink.
Medium
Dry: Containing some residual sugar, but not dry.
Oak: The
number one choice of wood for wine barrels. It imparts toasty, vanilla, and
smoky aromas to the wine.
Oxidation: The
destructive action of oxygen on a wine.
Palate:
A tasting term for the feel and taste of a wine in the mouth.
Rich:
High flavor concentration with balanced astringency, alcohol and fruit.
Round: Smooth
and well-developed flavor, without angularity or rough edges.
Still
wine: Wine that is not sparkling wine.
Tannin:
Poly-phenolic compounds that give wine a bitter, dry, or puckery feeling in the
mouth.
H.
WINE & FOOD PAIRINGS
When pairing food and wine, the goal is synergy and balance. With
modern fusion cuisine and wines from new regions around the world, the choices
– and confusion – are great.
When the marriage of food and wine works well, each enhances the other,
making the meal greater than if you had consumed them separately. Always the
aim should be to pair the wine and food, that neither overpowers each other.
Think that wine is a condiment and it should compliment the food.
Wine drunk by itself taste different than wine with food, because wine
acts on food similar to the way a spice does. The acids, tannins and sugars in
the wine interact with the food to provide different taste sensations.
Remember that there are no perfect food and wine pairing. The best
pairing is good food, good wine and good company.
Here are some guidelines to
ensure that your meal is not a disaster.
v Follow the logical order of
progression when you are serving more than one wine at a meal, its customary to
serve
·
White before Red
·
Dry before sweet
·
Light-bodied before full-bodied
·
Young before old
·
Good wine before a great wine
v If you are taking wines as a
gift to a dinner party, don’t worry about matching the food unless you have
been requested to do so.
v Balance flavor and
intensity. Pair light bodied wines with lighter food and fuller bodied wines
with heartier, more flavorful, richer and fatty dishes.
v Consider the food
preparation.
Cooking Methods
·
Fried and Oily food also needs to be cut by the sharpness of acidity. Example Vinaigrette
·
Steamed foods need a lighter bodied wine example. Chenin Blanc
·
Fried foods will need good acidic wines. Example Sauvignon blanc
· Braised or steamed slow cooked dishes
will need full -bodied wines as the flavors are intensified by the method of
cooking. Example Chardonnay and Shiraz etc.
·
Smoked
food should be paired with wines of character example Smoked salmon with Champagne
·
Tandoori food accompanies Bubbly, and Zinfandel Rose etc.
v Match by geographic
location. Regional foods and wines, having developed together over time,
often have a natural affinity for each other.
v Consider pairing
opposites. Very hot or spicy foods — some Thai dishes, or hot curries for
example — often work best with sweet desert wines. Opposing flavors can play
off each other, creating new flavor sensations and cleansing the palate.
v Spicy Asian foods like Thai,
Curry go well with acidic wines with a hint of sweetness like Sauvignon Blanc,
Zinfandel, Bubbly or a Merlot
v Salty food like Olives, Oysters,
Shellfish go with dry crisp, acidic, light bodied wines like Sauvignon Blanc or
Champagne
v Acidity in food is to be matched
with acidity in wines.
v Sauces- Pair Chardonnays with
butter and cream sauces to marry similar textures and flavors.
v Remember: “ a meal without
wine is like a day without sunshine.
v Some Don’ts
·
Tannic wines with oily food
·
Tannin wines with salt
·
Dry Acidic wines with sweet foods
J.
WINE QUOTES
v "Wine
improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." - Anonymous
v "Men are
like wine - some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age." - Pope
John XXIII
v "Wine cheers
the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his
toil." - Lord Byron
v "Wine...
the intellectual part of the meal." -Alexander Dumas, 1873
v When it comes to
wine, I tell people to throw away the vintage charts and invest in a corkscrew.
The best way to learn about wine is the drinking. - Alexis Lichine
v "If food is
the body of good living, wine is its soul." - Clifton
v A man, fallen on
hard times, sold his art collection but kept his wine cellar. When asked why he
did not sell his wine, he said, “A man can live without art, but not without
culture.” --- Anonymous
v "Anyone who
tries to make you believe that he knows all about wines is obviously a fake.”
-Leon Adams, The Commonsense Book of Wine
v Making good wine
is a skill; making fine wine is an art. - Robert Mondavi
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