Wine Study Notes

WINE

Fermented Beverage

WHY STUDY WINES?

  • Learning Objectives:
    • Identify the different types of wine and their country of origins
    • Discuss and describe wine and its styles
    • Know how to evaluate wines

USES OF WINES

  • As a complement to a meal
  • To enhance the flavour of cooked foods
  • To highlight a celebration
  • Some serve as medicine
  • Ideal for cold weather as it heats up the body temperature

WHAT IS WINE?

  • Fermented juice of ripe grapes or other fruits
  • Yeast converts the sugar of the fruit into alcohol and carbon dioxide
  • The CO2 escapes into the air and the remaining solution (juice and alcohol) = Wine

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF WINES?

  • TABLE WINES / STILL WINES
  • SPARKLING WINES
  • FORTIFIED WINES

TABLE WINES/ STILL WINES

  • Have alcohol content of not more than 14% by volume (usual range 10%-14%)
  • Also called natural wines
  • Wines that do not bubble

KINDS OF TABLES WINES OR STILL WINES

RED WINE

  • Suitable accompaniment to hearty meat courses
  • Served at a cool temperature (65-70˚F)
  • Color ranging to orange red- ruby red - deep purple

GENERIC STYLES OF RED WINE

1. CLARET/BORDEAUX

  • From the Bordeaux region in south west France
  • The main grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon, usually blended with Merlot or sometimes Malbec

2. BURGUNDY

  • Wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France
  • Most French burgundies are made from pinot noir -variety of grape
  • Lighter than clarets and they have a fruitier bouquet.

3. BEAUJOLAIS(BOH-JOH-LAY)

  • Made from a variety of grape called gamay
  • Beaujolais is an important region of eastern France located at the south of burgundy
  • It is a generic description for a type of red wine

4. ROSĒ(ROSE-AY)

  • A French word meaning rosy and it is used to described light red or pink wines
  • The word does not refer either to a place famous for a type of wine or to a variety of grape.
  • Are more like white wines in character and taste

WHITE WINES

  • Suitable accompaniment of fish, light meats and other foods
  • Pale straw – bright yellow – gold in color
  • Always served lightly chilled

GENERIC STYLES OF WHITE WINES

1. CHABLIS (SHAB-LEE)

  • Wine that is made from chardonnay grape
  • Very pale in color, delicate bouquet and dry acidic finish
  • Northern most wine district of the burgundy region in France

2. MOSELLE/MOSEL(GERMANY)

  • Pale gold in color with a flowery, mildly fruity bouquet and a fresh slightly sweet palate
  • Produce in three countries along Mosel river France, Luxembourg and Germany

3. RIESLING(REECE-LING)

  • Made from Riesling grapes
  • Originated at Rhine region of Germany
  • Clear light bodied wine slightly sweet fruity and acidic with a fresh flavor

4. HOCK WINE/ HOCKAMORE

  • Mostly cheaper white wine sold in united kingdom
  • Still known as the main ingredient of an old – fashioned summer drink called “hock” lime and lemon
  • Made from Riesling grape

5. WHITE BURGUNDY

  • One of the two most famous wine growing regions of the world
  • Made from Chardonnay grape and has a light – brilliant color

6. SAUTERNES(SOH-TAIRN)

  • Is a district of the Bordeaux region famous for its sweet white wines
  • Best known Sauternes are made from grapes mostly semillon and muscadelle grapes

TRADITIONAL RULES IN SERVING TABLE WINES

  • white wine - white meat - the finer the wine
  • red wine - red meat - the simpler the food
  • light wine - before heavy
  • young wine - before old
  • dry wine - before sweet

SPARKLING WINES

  • Are considered the king of all beverages.
  • Sparkling and carbonated wines get their sparkle from the carbon dioxide
  • It is made through the so called Methode champenoise

CHAMPAGNE

  • Most famous types of sparkling wines
  • Derived from the small area east of Paris called "Champagne"

FAMOUS NAMES ASSOCIATED IN THE DEV’T OF CHAMPAGNE

  • Dom Perignon (1639- 1715)
    • Was a monk and a cellar master who is credited with the development of the art of blending wines from different varieties, years and vine yards
  • Nicole-Barbe Clicquot Ponsardin (1777-1866)
    • The veuve (means widow) invented the technique of remuage or riddling which is an essential part of the champagne method

REMUAGE OR RIDDLING

  • Is the term used to describe the process whereby the bottles were moved or shaken and slowly turned upside down to shift the sediment gradually to the neck of the bottle so that it can be removed.
  • (Shaking and twisting is done by skilled workers called Remuers, the process takes 6 to 8 weeks. Now a days mechanical frames called Gyropalletes turn them upside down).

OTHER TYPES OF SPARKLING WINES

  • MOUSSEUX
    • can be used to describe any fully sparkling wines
  • CRĒMANTS
    • not fully sparkling have less pressure in the bottle (except for alsace cremants
  • SPUMANTE
    • sparkling wines of Italy
  • SEKT
    • sparkling wine of Germany
  • CAVA
    • sparkling wine in Spain
  • SPARKLING RED WINE
    • also known as Sparkling Burgundy

DEGREES OF SWEETNESS OR DRYNESS IN CHAMPAGNE

  • NATUR BRUT - BONE DRY
  • BRUT - EXTRA DRY
  • EXTRA SEC - DRY
  • DEMI SEC - SWEET
  • DOUX(RICH) - VERY SWEET

CHAMPAGNE BOTLLES

  • Measure - Size Equivalent - Servings - Popular Name
  • 187 ml - quarter bottle - 1 - split
  • 375 ml - half bottle - 2 - half
  • 750 ml - standard - 4 - fifth
  • 1.5 L - 2 bottles - 8 - magnum
  • 3 L - 4 bottles - 17 - jeroboam
  • 6 L - 8 bottles - 34 - methuselah
  • 9 L - 12 bottles (1 case) - 50 - salmanazar
  • 12 L - 16 bottles - 68 - balthazar
  • 15 L - 20 bottles - 112 - nebuchadnezzar

FORTIFIED WINES

  • These are called fortified because the wines are Made stronger or fortified by adding sugar in order to increase their sugar content (as in the case of port wine) or by adding alcohol to increase their alcoholic content as in the case of Sherries.
  • Are sparked with brandy or neutral spirits.
  • They last longer in as much as they contain brandy which is a popular stabilizing preservative.
  • Because of their long life, these wines are referred for travel in long sea journeys during the oldest time.
  • The method of making fortified wine is called Solera system.
    • Which means adding an old wine.
  • Fortified wines usually served as an aperitif or as a dessert wine.
  • Some are used to enhance the flavour of food during cooking.

TWO TYPES OF FORTIFIED WINES

  • APERITIF WINES - DRUNK BEFORE A MEAL
    • EXAMPLE: SHERRY, VERMOUTH, WHITE PORT
  • DESSERT WINES - DRUNK AFTER MEAL
    • EXAMPLE: SHERRY(SWEET AND CREAMY),PORT,MADEIRA,MALAGA, MARSALA,MUSCAT, TOKAY

SERVICE OF FORTIFIED WINES (maybe done as follows):

  • On the rock ( in a rock glass)
  • Neat ( using sherry glass)
  • Straight up ( in a cocktail glass)
  • Mixed ( in a highball glass)

A. SHERRY WINES

  • IS AN ENGLISH VERSION OF THE NAME OF THE JEREZ DISTRICT IN SOUTHERN SPAIN
  • IS MADE FROM GRAPES (IN SPAIN ALMOST THE PALOMINO VARIETY)
STYLES OF SHERRY
  • A. FINO
    • PALE LIGHT DRY
    • “REFINED” IN SPANISH
    • IS THE DRIEST AND PALEST OF THE TRADITIONAL VARIETIES OF SHERRY AND MONTILLA- MORILES FORTIFIED WINE
  • B. MANZANILLA
    • RATHER DARKER, USUALLY DRY LIKE FINO BUT LIGHTER AND CRISPER
    • IS A VARIETY OF FINO SHERRY MADE AROUND THE PORT OF SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA IN CADIZ, SPAIN
  • C. AMONTILLADO
    • MEDIUM DRY, WITH FULLER BODY AND DEEPER COLOR
    • DARKER THAN FINO BUT LIGHTER THAN OLOROSO
    • NAMED FOR THE MONTILLA REGION OF SPAIN
  • D. OLOROSO
    • FULL BODIED GOLDEN COLORED AND USUALLY RELATIVE SWEET
    • NORMALLY DARKER THAN AMONTILLADO AND USUALLY NUTTY
    • “SCENTED” IN SPANISH
  • E. AMOROSO
    • SIMILAR TO OLOROSO
    • VERY SWEET DARK SHERRY
  • F. CREAM
    • VERY SWEET WITH A LIGHT COLOR AND THICK RICH CREAMY PALATE
  • G. BROWN
    • VERY SWEET BUT DARK IN COLOR

B. MALAGA

  • IS NOT SHERRY BUT LIKE SHERRY IT COMES FROM THE SOUTHERN SPAIN
  • IT IS MADE USING SOLERA SYSTEM
  • THEY ARE SERVED BETWEEN MEALS / WITH THE DESSERT FRUIT AFTER DINNER

C. PORT

  • TAKES ITS NAME FROM OPORTO, THE TOWN AT THE MOUTH OF THE DOURO NORTH PORTUGAL W/C PORT WINE IS SNIPPED SWEET RED WINE FORTIFIED W/ BRANDY
STYLES OF PORT
  • A. VINTAGE PORT
    • Blended, but 80% of the blend must be from the wine of single exceptionally good year
    • Its best about 20 years
  • B. RUBY PORT
    • Blended young port with only limited maturation
    • It has rich ruby color
    • Fruity bouquet and sweet grape flavor
    • It has aged in wood 3-5 years
  • C. TAWNY PORT
    • Well matured in the wood
    • Its color changes from ruby to tawny
    • Has at least 5 years aged in wood but sometimes as long as 30 years
  • D. LIQUEUR PORT
    • It is usually used to indicate an Australian tawny port aged for an exceptionally long time
  • E. WHITE PORT
    • It is made from white grapes
    • It is sometimes fairly dry fortified wine which is usually served as an aperitif

D. MADEIRA

  • The name comes from the Portuguese island of the Madeira out in the Atlantic of Morocco and where Madeira is made
  • With distinctive “BURNT” flavor
STYLES OF MADEIRA
  • A. SERCIAL
    • a pale dry style, slightly almond flavor
  • B. VERDELHO
    • A golden, medium dry- dry wine with smoky flavor
  • C. BUAL (BOAL)
    • A DARK RICH DESSERT WINE
  • D. MALMSEY
    • SWEETEST STYLE OF MADEIRA
    • A RICH DARK DESSERT WINE WITH A POWERFUL BOUQUET AND TANGY FINISH
    • MADE FROM MALVASIA GRAPES

E. MARSALA

  • Takes its name from a port in the extreme west of Sicily which the wine was snipped
  • It is a walnut-brown fortified dessert wine and was popular in English speaking country

F. AROMATIZED WINE

  • Made the same way as the natural wines, but During fermentation, aromatics are added.
  • These types of wines have no production and no vintage, they are usually served as aperitif (Before dinner drink) they are believed to have medical value.
  • The alcohol content ranges between 18 % to 20%.

VERMOUTH

  • The name of wine comes from the German word ”Wermut“
  • Is an aromatized wine.
  • Made by infusing distilled herbs into a bland wine
STYLES OF VERMOUTH
  • RED (ROSSO IN ITALIAN)
    • Is a sweet full bodied vermouth with strong herbal flavor
    • The color is a light reddish tint not a rich red wine
  • BIANCO
    • Medium sweet vermouth with a spicy flavor and a light golden color
    • “Bianco” is an Italian for white
  • DRY/ FRENCH VERMOUTH
    • A dry and a very pale vermouth it has a light style and with delicate flavor

Definition of terms

  • BODEGA
    • IS THE FARM/ VINEYARD WHERE SHERRY IS MADE
  • BREATHING
    • IS THE PRACTICE OF ALLOWING AIR TO REACH WINE BY UNCORKING AND POURING IT
  • DECANT
    • MEANS TO TRANSFER WINE FROM A BOTTLE TO REMOVE ANY SEDIMENT
  • FORTIFICATION
    • IS THE ADDITION OF DISTILLED SPIRITS OF WINE
  • Solera system
    • is the Spanish system of progressively blending sherries of small-casks to blend sherries of the same type but varying ages (young and old)
  • VINTAGE WINE
    • Is a wine from a single year stated on the label, rather than a blend of several years

GRAPES

  • Provide the liquid, the sugar to be fermented, the color , the acids vital to the wines taste and balance, and the tannins that give red wines their nuances of taste and their structure and longevity.
  • Viticulture
    • Is the science or study of growing grapes for wine making

MAJOR GRAPES VARIETY

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

  • CAN BE SEEN IN FRANCE, CALIFIORNIA AND AUSTRALIA
  • FAMOUS AS THE PREDOMINANT OF THE RED WINES OF BORDEAUX
  • ALSO PRODUCES THE BEST CALIFORNIA RED AND THE BEST RED WINES OF AUSTRALIA

Pinot noir

  • IS THE GRAPE OF THE GREAT BURGUNDY RED OF FRANCE
  • ALSO USED IN CHAMPAGNE (WHERE JUICES IS SEPARATED FROM SKIN

chardonnay

  • PRODUCES EXCELLENT WINES OF STRONG BODY AND CHARACTER ALL OVER THE WORLD
  • IS THE SOURCE OF THE FAMOUS WHITE BURGUNDIES AND IS THE GRAPE OF THE FRENCH CHABLIS

RIESLING

  • GERMANY AND CALIFORNIA (WHITE)
  • CLASSIC GRAPE OF GERMAN WINE
  • PRODUCES FRAGRANT, LIGTH, DELICATELY FLAVORED WINES W/ A TOUCH OF SWEETNESS
  • CALLED WHITE / VAHANNISBERG WHITE IN CALIFORNIA

OTHER RED GRAPE VARIETIES

MERLOT

  • AN IMPORTANT RED WINE GRAPE IN BORDEAUX, ITALY AND CALIFORNIA
  • USED BOTH TO MAKE VARIELTAL AND TO BLEND WITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON IN SOME OF THE OUTSTANDING WINES OF FRANCE AND CALIFORNIA

GAMAY

  • THE GRAPE OF THE FAMOUS BEAUJOLAIS WINE IN FRANCE
  • DOESN’T GROW WELL IN FRANCE BUT GROWS WELL IN CALIFORNIA WRERE IT CALLED NAPA GAMAY

ZINFANDEL

  • RED GARPE GROWN ONLY IN CALIFORNIA
  • MAKES A FULL BODIED, FULL FFLAVORED, LIVELY RED VARIETAL AND FLAVORFULL SLIGTHLY SWEET ROSE WINE KNOWN AS WHITE ZINFANDEL

SYRAH/SHIRAZ

  • MAKES A VERY DARK, FULL BODIED, INTENSELY FLAVORED RED WINE IN THE RHONE VALLEY OF FRANCE

GRENACHE/G ARNACHA

  • IS A SWEET RED GARPE THAT MAKES A VERY LIGTH COLORED ORANGE PINK WINE
  • PREDOMINANT GRAPE USED TO MAKE CHATEAUNEAUF DU PAPE AND IS OFTEN USED TO MAKE RED WINE

SANGIOVESE

  • ITALIAN RED WINE GRAPE OF TUSCANY
  • MAKES THE WELL KNOWN CHIANTI

NEBBIOLO AND BARBERA

  • Italian Red Wine in Piedmont
  • Both make big, full- bodied and full flavored wines.

LAMBRUSCO

  • Northern Italy
  • Makes a very fruity, rather sweet fizzy red wine.

OTHER WHITE GRAPE VARIETIES

SAUVIGNON BLANC

  • France
  • chief grape variety of the White Bordeaux wines, used in making the fresh , dry, fruity wines of the Graves(Grahv) district and the sweet , rich golden wines of Sauternes.

SEMILLON

  • France, Australia
  • Shares with Sauvignon Blanc in producing the dry white Graves and the sweet Sauternes.
  • Also an important white grape in Australia

CHENIN BLANC

  • France California
  • Make tasty white wines in the Loire region , some of them are sparkling
  • White grape Variety in California

GEWURZTRAMINER

  • France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand
  • spicy white grape of Alsace in France and parts of Germany
  • Typically, makes flavorful, dry white wine but like Riesling , can produce late-harvest sweet wines.
  • Also grown in Australia and New Zealand.

PINOT BLANC

  • France, Italy , California
  • Grown in Alsace, Northern Italy and California
  • A good grape for making sparkling wines
  • Produce varietal wine from California

MUSCAT

  • Either Red or white
  • White Muscat produces Italy's most popular sparkling wines in Po Valley

TREBBIANO

  • ITALY
  • Make light, dry Soave in Northern Italy and sparkling wines in PO VALLEY

MULLER - THURGAU

  • GERMANY
  • Is the most widely grown grape in Germany
  • Make many soft , aromatic wines of varying degrees of sweetness.