Wine Education - Learning about Wine

What is Wine?

Wine is the result of the fermentation of crushed grapes. The natural sugars in the grapes are converted into alcohol but yeast. Winemakers can control this process with the combination of grape characteristics and fermentation processes to produce many different variations of color and taste.

Since the primary ingredient in wine is grapes it will probably help to learn a little about them. Grapes are either greenish yellow (white grapes) or a reddish purple which are called (red grapes). The juice from either is fairly clear which is why you can produce a white wine from a red grape. However, to produce a red wine you must use the skin of the red grapes. The skin of the red grape also houses the tannins. This is the substance that feels harsh in the month when the wine is young. As red wines are aged the tannins drop out as sediment, which is why some wines will get smoother with age.

Some wines are produced from a single varietal of grape and others are a blend of varietals. Blending is not necessarily bad. It is a winemaker tool to produce the best wine possible. Next we will look at several styles of wine and their characteristics:

Dry White Wine
Winemaker uses juice from white or red and allows all sugar to turn to alcohol leaving no residual sugar. This will result in a dry wine that is not sweet. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc would usually fall into this category.

Semi-Sweet White Wine
Winemaker stops the fermentation before all sugar has been converted to alcohol, which will result in the wine retaining some sugar making it slightly sweet. Riesling and Gewurztraminer will fit into this category.

Pink Wine
A pink wine is produced in one of two ways. One production method uses red grapes and allows the juice to come in contact with the skins overnight to slightly color the wine. The other method is to blend a white and red wine. Rose and Blush will fit into that category.

Dry Red Wine
Winemaker will use juice and skins of red grapes and convert all sugar into alcohol. Merlot and Syrah will fit into this category.

Sparkling Wine
Fermentation also produces carbon dioxide. If this CO2 is trapped in the wine, it will release bubbles when the bottle is un corked. Sparkling wines can be white, red, or pink. They can also be sweet or dry. Champagne is the most popular, which comes from the Champagne region of France. Only sparkling wines from this region can be called Champagne.

Sweet Wine
Winemaker does not let all the sugar to convert to alcohol. In addition the grapes are left on the vines for a longer period of time. The sugars will continue to build up in the grapes. Some of the grapes will suffer from botrytis which will dehydrate them causing the sugar to concentrate in a smaller quantity of juice. These are often labeled “Late Harvest” or “Botrytis.”

Another method to concentrate the sugars is to leave the grapes on the vine until the temperature drops below freezing. The sugars will remain unfrozen and concentrated when the frozen grapes are pressed. There are usually more expensive because frozen grapes yield less juice.

Fortified Wine (Port)
Wine maker will add alcohol to the wine. If it is added during the fermentation it will stop sugar conversion and result in a sweet wine (Port), but if the alcohol is added after the fermentation the resulting wine will be dry (Sherry) The alcohol content when finished usually ranges between 17 to 21 percent.


Wine Tasting

There are several basic considerations to simplify wine tasting. These will help you to assess what it is in front of you that makes you like or dislike it:

-How does the wine look?
-What does it smell like?
-What texture, taste, essence, or flavors are noticeable in the mouth?
-Do you like the taste?
-What is memorable from this wine?

As a wine consumer you need to figure out what you like so you can communicate with your server for suggestions. As a server or bartender you need to be able to take customers preferences and suggest the correct wine.

Words to describe wine

Aromas and Flavors
Woody, Earthy, Green, Full, Light, Subdeued, Fruity

Body and Weight
Big, Robust, Full, Light, Delicate

Taste
Sweet, Dry, Bitter, Acidic, Tart

Texture
Smooth, Buttery, Round, Crisp, Sharp

Swine Flu and Bartending - Prevention Behind the Wood

A lot of talk has been stirred up in regards to the near pandemic swine flu outbreak that is sweeping our globe. As bartenders, you need to take some steps to help prevent catching and spreading this mysterious disease. You are in close quarters with many people from all walks of life, and who knows who might have just gotten off a plane from Mexico.

A couple things you can do to help prevent contracting the disease are:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Wash your hands.

3. Wash your hands, hopefully you get the point by now. This is the best way to kill the germs you may come in contact with.

4. Do not touch your eyes, mouth or nose during your shift. This is etiquette anytime behind the wood, but especially important now. This is the main way the disease is transferred human to human.

5. Cover your mouth when you cough. Swine flu victims are contagious before they have any symptoms so respect others around you.

6. Quarantine yourself if you have flu like symptoms. Now is not the time to be a hero and show up to work sick. They will survive without you. The problem is they might not survive with you...

7. Don't touch any area of glassware that the mouth touches. Be careful while clearing glasses and wash you hands frequently.

Together with a little smart prevention we can stay safe and heathly behind the wood...