Food and drink

Wine

An overview of wines and wine tasting
Articles on wine, wine making, wine tasting, and vineyard tours

An overview of wines and wine tasting

For many people, a glass of wine is a means of promoting hospitality and goodwill. The right bottle of wine can make an ordinary dinner extraordinary because the wine has the capacity to complement the flavors in foods, thereby enhancing the joy of eating. Wine also sparks conversation.

It really is a shame that many people are terrified of making a mistake when it comes to choosing the type of wine they will serve or about the comments they may make about the wine served by someone else. The choice of wine is largely a matter of personal taste. You are the one to decide which wine to serve with which food. Wine is a pleasant beverage with many possibilities and beautiful colors. You should never feel afraid to make a mistake with wine.

At its most basic, wine is the fermented juice of ripe grapes which are crushed after harvesting. Wine can range in color from deep red to light pink to nearly colorless. A wine's color depends on the color of the grape skins which themselves may be red, black or green, and the length of time the grapes were allowed to stay in the winemaking vat.

Wines may be made from other fruits, but the term "wine" used alone is nearly always used to denote an alcoholic drink made from grapes. What transforms grapes into wine is yeast. Yeast is present on grape skins, and when the grapes are crushed, the yeast begins to feed on the fruit sugars in the mash, converting it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. When the yeast has sufficient food, it produces more yeast to finish the process of fermentation. Bubbles of carbon dioxide carry the yeast through the mash helping to stir and mix it.

Table wines may be dry or sec, semi-dry or demi-sec, sweet or doux. In dry wines, all of the grape sugar is converted into alcohol. In sweeter wines, there is more grape sugar than yeast and as a result, some sugar remains to sweeten the wine.

The world's most famous wine regions are Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne in France, although California, Australia, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Canada, Hungary and South Africa produce remarkably good wines as well. Other famous wine regions include the Rhône and Loire valleys and Alsace in France, as well as the Rhine and Moselle regions of Germany.

Wine growers in France have been established for centuries and consequently, French wines must be labeled according to very strict standards. No other country has the classification system that exists in France. To refer to a wine as a Chianti or a Shiraz offers a general idea about the wine and its character, but to refer to a Burgundy as merely a Burgundy or to a Bordeaux as simply a Bordeaux offers far less information about the wine's true character. In relation to French wines, the difference between the best and the simply mediocre is tremendous. Wines marketed under the name of the region are rarely impressive. However, wines marketed as being from a specific area within the region are generally produced with far greater care. Wines marked with the name of a specific town or vineyard and which are identified with appellation contrôllée are wines produced in accordance with very high standards. In France, appellation contrôllée is a mark of authenticity.

The above should not be taken to mean that a wine is particularly good. Rather, experience, weather and area of production are the factors that ultimately determine whether a wine is good.

There are wines produced in Chile, the United States and South Africa that use names such as Burgundy, Bordeaux, Riesling and Champagne. Truth be known, these wines have no real right to use regional names. However, you should take comfort in knowing that the wine producer intends to sell you a wine of that particular type. It is more common to name wines are the principal grape used in making them; Cabernet Sauvignon for red and Chardonnay for white, for example.

In wine tasting, there is always a delicate balance between acidity and sweetness. As mentioned earlier, this balance depends on the grape and the growing conditions of the year in which it was produced. This in turn determines the wine's ability to improve with age. In truly exceptional wine, this balance is just right. You may also hear experienced wine tasters refer to bouquet (aroma and fragrance), breed (character or finesse), and body—or substance—of the wine. Such characteristics vary not only from wine to wine but from vineyard to vineyard. Generally speaking, if you are particularly pleased with a wine, take note of the label. The joy in serving wine comes from discovering what your friends and guests enjoy and what best complements the flavors of the foods you are serving. Every type of wine gives a different taste sensation. It is only by tasting various types of wines that you will develop preferences.

Wines in corked bottles should be stored lying on their sides. When the bottle is lying down, the cork is moistened by the wine, allowing it to remain wet and swollen. In this way, the bottle remains airtight. This doesn't mean that you cannot store corked bottles upright, but in doing so, you are taking a risk that air may enter the bottle and spoil the wine.

Be sure to store wine at the correct temperature. Excess heat or cold will adversely affect wine. Never allow a bottle to remain in the sun or in an overheated place. Similarly, never store wine in the freezer. If you have one or two bottles you plan to serve within a few days, simply keep them cool; under 60°F (16°C) is best. It's recommended that you store wine in a dark place, particularly if you plan to store wine for weeks or months. Ensure the storage place you select is free of vibration, is not damp or musty, and that it has a constant temperature of 55° to 60°F (12° to 16°C). If you cannot find a suitable storage place, make arrangement with your wine dealer or merchant to leave the wine in storage and to take a few bottles home as you need them. Wine continues to age while in the bottle; if you chill wine for a long time, this process stops. Similarly, if you store wine at too high a temperature, the maturation process is accelerated and the wine may spoil.

Articles on wine, wine making, wine tasting, and vineyard tours

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