National Council for Hotel
Management & Catering Technology’s
B.Sc.H&HA- IV Semester Syllabus
PRE-MODULE
GUIDED READING
INTRODUCTION TO WINES
A. THE
VINE
The vine belongs to the ampelidaceae
family, as does the virginia creeper and other climbing berry-bearing growths
(but not common ivy). It is only the genus vitis (vine) that interests the
wine-maker. There are five families of wine-producing vines: vitis vinifera,
vitis riparia, vitis rupestris,vitis labrusca and vitis berlandieri. Of those,
vitis-vinifera(wine-bearing vine) produces all the noble grapes associated with
the production of classic wines. The vinifera vines are once only associated
with European vineyards but are now used throughout the world, with just a few
exceptions. These are in the east coast of America and Canada where other
species are cultivated because they are more suited to the terrain and climatic
conditions.
The vine grows most successfully between
the latitudes 30-50 degree north and south of the equator. Some of the greatest
wines, like Champagne, come from the extremities of these wine belts where,
because of the intense cold or extreme heat, the vine has a permanent struggle
to survive. The vine usually produces good quality grapes when it is five years
old and will continue to yield healthy grapes up to the age of 35 years.
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B. COMPOSITION
OF THE VINE
The vine consists of:
ROOTS- These are for anchorage and for
absorbing nutrients and moisture from the earth. The root system is large and
can reach to a depth of about 12m (13 yards).
LEAVES- Chlorophyll is the green matter
in the leaves and is necessary for photosynthesis. When sunlight falls on them,
carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere through the leaves into the
plant where it combines with water, absorbed through the roots, to make sugar.
The sap which is circulating in the vine takes the sugar and stores it within
the grape. Leaves also shade the grapes in the very hot climates.
FLOWERS-Vine flowers are very small.
They self-pollinate from May to June in the northern hemisphere and from November
to December in the southern hemisphere. Flowering lasts about ten days when,
hopefully, the weather remains warm and dry. Frost is the great enemy-if it
arrives during the flowering, unprotected vines will not bear grapes. Frosts
can be combated
by smoke and heat devices and by spraying the vines with water.
GRAPES-The grapes form after
pollination. At first they are small, hard and green, but as they ripen, they
swell out
and change color in August and September. They should be fully ripe 100 days
after flowering. A ton of grapes produces 675 litres (148 gallons), equivalent
to 960 bottles of wine.
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C. COMPOSITION
OF THE GRAPE
The grape is made up of a stalk, skin,
pips and pulp.
STALK- When the stalk is used it imparts
tannic acid to wine. It is mostly used in the making of big, flavorsome red
wine and is not used when making white and light wines. Tannin is a necessary
ingredient as it acts as a preservatives and antioxidant. If over-used, it
makes the wine astringent and nasty. It is recognized on the palate by its tongue-furring
properties.
SKIN- The outer skin or cuticle has a
whitish downy or cloudy coat known as bloom. This waxy substance contains wild
yeasts and wine yeasts. Millions of minute enzymes which contribute to the
fermentation process. It also contains other micro-organisms such as bacteria,
principally the acetobacter which is a potential danger to wine. If uncontrolled,
it can turn wine into vinegar. The inside of the skin imparts color which is
extracted during fermentation.
PIPS- Crushed pips impart tannic acid, oils
and water. If left uncrushed, they do not contribute to vinification.
PULP-The flesh of the grape provides the
juice, also known as must, which is essential for fermentation. The must
contains:
-78%-80% water
-10-25% sugar
-5-6 % acids.
As we can see, water makes up the bulk.
Sugar is formed in the grape by sunlight
and is of two kinds: grape sugar and fruit juice. They are found in about equal
quantities.
Tartaric, malic, tannic and citric acids
in the must help to preserve wine and to keep it fresh, brilliant and give it
balance. Esters are formed when the acids come in contact with alcohol and it is
these that give wine its aroma or bouquet.
The must will also have trace elements
of nitrogeneous compounds such as albumen, peptones, amides, ammonium salts and
nitrates, as well as potassium, phosphoric acid and calcium, all of which have
an influence on the eventual taste of the wine.
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D. VINE
TRAINING AND PRUNING
Training will relate to type of pruning
employed. The main purpose of vine training is to ensure no cane goes into the
ground thereby avoiding the dangers of phylloxera. Pruning and training also
prevents hybrids forming and ensures the purity of the stock. Pruning
concentrates the vigor of the vine and controls yield and quality. The method
of training is influenced by conditions of soil, aspect and climate.
Some vines are trained high to escape
the hazard of ground frost. Others are trained low to maximize on the reflected
heat given by some soils such as stone and slate. Vines may also be trained in
the shape of a canopy or pergola so that the foliage prevents
too much sun getting to the grapes in very hot climates.
Vines are trained according to one or
other of three classical methods: the cordon, the goblet, the espalier, or by
variations of these, such as the pergola.
The cordon system, of which the Dr Guyot
method is a prime example, uses a permanent stump of vine. From this, one
horizontal and two vertical shoots are cultivated. At the end of each season
the horizontal shoot which has produced the crop is cut away and one of the
vertical shoots is bent over to replace it as the fruit yielding shoot for the
next year. The remaining vertical shoot is pruned to produce two vertical
replacement shoots. This system curtails the growth of unnecessary vegetation
and encourages a maximum yield of good fruit. These vines are normally trained
along wire strand supports.
There is also a double Dr Guyot training
system which will give two horizontal fruiting shoots and three vertical
shoots. This system increases quantity but is inclined to reproduce quality.
The Goblet system cultivates the vine in
one vertical trunk. The branches rise and spread from it to form the shape of a
goblet. Vines pruned by this system are normally self-supporting. The free-standing
bush system is a variation. The Espalier system grows the vine as a fan based
on vertical shoots rising upwards from two horizontal arms. The shoots are
usually trained on wire supports or on trellises.
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E. ANNUAL
CYCLE OF WORK IN VINEYARDS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
*JANUARY-The year with pruning the vines
and general maintenance to walls, posts and the wire used for vine training.
*FEBRUARY-Pruning, to regulate quality
continues and cuttings are taken for grafting. Machinery is cleaned, oiled and
put in good working order.
*MARCH-Pruning is completed and
ploughing begins to aerate the soil. This allows roots to breathe and
facilitates free drainage of water to the roots. Bench grafting takes place
.That means American root stock and vitis vinifera scions are joined together
in a nursery rather than a vineyard.
*APRIL-Ploughing is completed, weeding
continues and year-old cuttings are planted out.
*MAY-Vines are treated with copper
sulphate against mildew. Vines suckers are removed.
*JUNE-The vines flower and treatment (spraying)
continues.
*JULY-Weeding and spraying continues. Overlong
green shoots are pinched back.
*AUGUST-Weeding as before and trimming
of the vines to allow maximum sunshine to the grape bunches. Wine-making
aparatus is prepared. Grapes swell and begin to change color.
*SEPTEMBER-Grapes continues to swell and
color deepens. White grapes change to yellow-green. Black grapes change from
yellow-green to violet or deep purple. Sunshine is badly needed now to finish
the ripening .Refractometers are taken into the vineyards to gauge the sugar
level within the grapes. That, and the acidity level, will decide when the
harvest can begin. Traditonally, the grapes should be perfectly ripe and ready 100
days after flowering. Bands of pickers will be contracted and the
vintage usually starts about the third week in September, depending on
location.
*OCTOBER-The cellarmaster finshes making
the wine. Fermentation can take from six days to six weeks depending on the
style of wine. Vineyards are deep ploughed and fertilized with chemicals to
compensate for any deficiencies.
*NOVEMBER-More fertilizing. Long shoots
are cut off and the base of the vines are ‘hilled up’ with soil for protection
against snow and frost.
*DECEMBER-Wine equipment is cleaned and
stored away. Deep ploughing of soil continues. Minor pruning commences and the
cycle of work begins again.
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F. FACTORS
AFFECTING QUALITY
SOIL
Vineyards usually thrive where other
crops struggle. Poor soil rich in minerals are best for the vine as they
provide nutrients such as phosphate, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium-all
of which contribute to the final taste of wine. Favoured soils are chalk, limestone,
slate, sand, schist, gravel, pebbles, clay, aluvial and volcanic. These soils
have good drainage and moisture retention to keep the vine roots healthy. Drainage
is especially important, as the vine does not like having wet feet. Soil is
analyzed annually and any chemical deficiency is compensated for.
CLIMATE
The vine needs a good balance of
moisture and heat. Temperature should average 14-16 degree C. The lowest annual
average temperature necessary for the vine to flourish is 10 degree C. It is
estimated that the vine needs about 68cm of rain per year-mainly in winter and
spring - \and at least 1,400 hours of sunshine.
The main climatic types are as follows.
*ARID-Desert landscape, no rain for all
or most of the year. Very hot summers, mild winters.
*SEMI-ARID-No rain for more than half
the year; rivers dry in the summer. Very hot summers, cold winters.
*CONTINENTAL-Hot summers, cold winters, rain
for more than six months of the year.
*TEMPERATURE-Rain all the year round, hot
summers, cold winters, wet springs and autumn.
*MARITIME-Rain all the year round, high
humidity, cooling breezes.
MICRO-CLIMATE
A micro-climate is a particular and
usually beneficial weather pattern which prevails in a single vineyard or a
group of vineyards or within a small region. It could be to do with hills or
mountains protecting the vines from heavy winds, or even a break in the
mountain range allowing the air to freshen and fan the vines in very hot
weather. Sometimes the angle of the sun, especially the clear brilliant morning
sun, will strike one vineyard more favorably than another. The rise and fall of
the terrain will also have an effect, as will location beside water for ground
moisture and reflected heat. These subtle differences in atmospheric
conditions, allied to the quality of the soil and the grape variety used, are
the reason why some vineyards have such outstanding reputations.
BIO-CLIMATE
This is the relationship of soil and
climate in a specific vineyard. Such knowledge can be used to obtain stable
yields of high-quality grapes.
ASPECT
Vineyards are ideally planted on
south-facing slopes where they point at the sun and benefit from maximum
sunshine and good drainage. Siting is of prime importance to capture the
sunlight for photosynthesis and good ripening. Some vineyards are sited up to
243m or more on mountainsides, while many of the great vineyards are located in
river valleys and along lakesides benefitting from humidity and reflected heat.
GRAPE
The grape must be in harmony with the
soil, the location of the vineyards and local climate conditions. It, must also
be reasonably disease resistant, give a good yield and produce the best quality
wine possible. Wine produced from either varietal grapes,
usually a classic single grape like the
Riesling, or from hybrids which are a cross such as Riesling x Silvaner =
Muller-Thurgau. Grapes behave differently in different soils which is why, for example, Pinot Noir is classical
in Burgundy and a disaster in Bordeaux.
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G. VITICULTURE
Viticulture denotes how the vine is
cultivated. An overworked vineyard without compensatory treatment or a
neglected vineyard will only produce second rate wine, so the farming of the
vineyard is of prime importance. It involves:
*vine selection;
*keeping the vineyard healthy;
*ploughing to aerate the soil;
*weeding;
*fertilizing;
*pruning to regulate quality;
*training the vines;
*spraying to combat diseases;
*harvesting.
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H. VINIFICATION
The making of the wine encompasses:
*the pressing of the wine grapes:
*the treatment and fermentation of the
must;
*maturing the wine and occasionally
topping it up to keep the air out;
*racking, fining and filteration to make
the wine star bright;
Racking: running the clear wine off its
lees or sediment from one cask to another.
Fining: a further clarification of wine
usually before bottling. A fining agent such as isinglass is added and this
attracts the sediment suspended in the wine, causing it to coagulate and fall
to the bottom of the container.
Filteration: the final clarification
before bottling. It removes any remaining suspended matter and leaves the wine
healthy and star bright in appearance.
*blending-compensatory or otherwise;
*bottling for further maturing or for
sale.
LUCK OF THE YEAR
In some years, everything in the
vineyards and cellars go well, combining to produce a wine of excellence- a
vintage wine. In other years, there can be great disappointments brought on by
an excess of sun, rain, snow, frost and the dreaded hail, which will produce
either poor wine or worse. So the wine-grower can never be confident, but must
always be vigilant.
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I. ENEMIES
OF THE VINE
PHYLLOXERA: Unfortunately, vinifera vines have one great
weakness-they have no resistance to the aphid phylloxera. These small yellow
insects puncture the roots of the vine and form galls on the underside of the
leaves. The larvae sticks to the roots and sucks the sap which kills the vine
roots. Once it feeds on the sap, the aphid multiplies at lightning speed to
continue to lay waste the vineyards. The louse is native to North America and
it is thought it was brought to Europe on bunches of table grapes or on vines
imported from America for the purpose of experiment in the treatment of oidium.
It was first noticed in 1863 in the vinery at Kew Gardens and then in Provence
in the same year- Austria and Hungary 1868, Bordeaux 1869, Beaujolais and the
Rhone Valley 1870, Switzerland 1872, Germany and Australia 1874, Spain, Portugal
and Madeira 1876, Burgundy 1878, Italy 1879, South Africa 1886, Algeria 1887, Champagne
and California 1890.When almost all the vineyards were destroyed, it was found
that the vines on the east coast of America- Vitis rupestris, for example-were
immune to the ravaging aphids. The solution was to graft the European vinifera
scion(shoot cut for grafting) onto the American root stock. Phylloxera is still
prevalent in the soil and without the American root stock the native vine would
die within three years. There are, however, some pockets of vineyards resistant
to phylloxera, either due to geographical isolation or to the fact that vines
are planted on sandy soil which the louse finds impossible to penetrate.
OIDIUM: Known as powdery mildew, this forms patches of
dusty mould on the grapes and leaves, causing the grapes to split and shrivel. Treatment:
sulphur powder.
MILDEW: Mildew develops in damp areas. It
is very common vine disease which is noticeable when yellow patches appear on
leaves. When the leaves wither, the grapes become deprived of nourishment. Treatment:
spraying with copper sulphate.
GREY ROT (Pourriture Grise): This can be
malevolent or benevolent. In most regions, and at a certain time of year, it
produces, in humid conditions, a grey mould which destroys color pigmentation
in black grapes and gives an unpleasant taste to wine. Treatment: anti-rot
spraying. However, the very same fungus, known as Botrytis Cinerea (Noble Rot),
in certain areas produces wonderful sweet wines when conditions are favorable.
COULURE: This happens when there is a
soil deficiency or too much rain or uneven temperature. The flowers on the vine
are infertile, resulting in a disappointing yield of grapes. Treatment: Use
good fertilizers.
CHLOROSIS: Too much limestone in the
soil causes yellowing, even death of the plant. Treatment: iron sulphate.
PYRALIS, ENDEMIS AND COCHYLIS: These
tiny butterfly moths pierce the grapes and destroy the crop within hours. Treatment:
spray with insecticides.
FROST: Especially in spring, frost
stunts the formation of the buds which greatly reduces yield. Treatment: fire
heat, spraying with water.
HAIL: Hail is a particular danger, especially
just before the vintage when the grape skins are very thin and the grapes are
very vulnerable. Hail can easily puncture the skins and ruin the crop. Treatment:
pray it doesn’t happen.
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J. WINE
FAULTS
Because wine is a living thing, faults
or bottle sickness occasionally occur. Sometimes the faults are very obvious
and the wine tastes terrible, looks awful and smells worse. Sometimes, however,
there is only a hint or slight suspicion that something may be wrong. In all
these situations, and even if you doubt the complaint, it is best to remember
that the customer always gets the benefit of any doubt. Here are the more
obvious faults found in wines.
ACETIFICATION: the wine has been
affected by acetobacters through over-exposure to air. The vinegar microbe
develops a film on the surface of the wine which produces acetic acid. The wine
tastes sour, resembling vinegar (vin aigre = sour wine)
CLOUDINESS: This may be caused by
extremes in storage temperature, excess protein, contact with metal or
bacterial action or an unwanted continuation of fermentation.
CRYSTALLINE DEPOSITS: Tartaric acid is
soluble in water but not in alcohol, so an excess of potassium bitartrate may
precipitate in very cold temperatures as crystals. The sugar-like crystals, or
minute flakes, spoil the appearance of the wine although it is otherwise sound
to drink.
CORKED WINE: This is a wine affected by
a diseased cork. The wine will have a musty, rancid, fungal smell and taste.
The term should not be confused with cork residue- little harmless bits of cork
which may splinter into the wine on opening.
EXCESS SULPHUR DIOXIDE: Sulphur is added
to keep wine healthy. It must be used with restraint otherwise it will be
perceptible to nose and palate. If noticed on the nose, leave the wine for a
few minutes and the stink will disappear.
FERMENTATION: This may happen when the
wine is not fined or filtered properly. Traces of sugar and yeast remain in the
bottled wine. An unwanted fermentation occurs causing bubbles to appear,
usually accompanied by a nasty aroma and taste. This must not be confused with
the healthy and predetermined styles of refreshing wines such as those of
petillant and spritzig character.
FOREIGN CONTAMINATION: This may be
caused when wine has been put into previously used bottles which have not been
hygienically cleaned or sterilised- faulty bottling machinery may also cause
glass to splinter and get into the wine. Wines may also be adversely affected
if they are stored in a badly kept cellar at incorrect temperatures or stored
next to strong odours such as petrol, vinegar or fish.
OXIDATION OR MADERISATION: There are
degrees of oxidation ranging from an off-smell to a darkening or browning of
the color. It is caused by too much absorption of air either before bottling or
when bottled (loose cork). The wine may also have been stored in much too warm
conditions. The wine tastes flat and musty, having lost its fruit and
brilliance. It slightly resembles a badly made Madeira, hence the term.
WEEPING: This seeping of the wine from
the cork can be caused by a too small or faulty cork or when a secondary
fermentation pushes the cork loose.
WINE THAT ‘DOES NOT TRAVEL’: In the old days, this
was a fairly common occurrence. Sometimes the wine was not correctly balanced-
too much acidity and too little alcohol. The wine might also have been roughed
up by being badly handled or have undergone too many extremes of temperature on
the journey. Nowadays, all wines travel happily, mostly in refrigerated tanks,
without being noticeably impaired. Problems may arise if the wine is too young
or too old when shipped. In all cases, wine should be given an acclimatising or
resting period before being offered for sale.
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K. PRINCIPLES
OF TASTING
The Wine Taster’s ritual of peering into
a glass, swirling it around and sniffing suspiciously at it, before taking a mouthful
only to spit it out again looks like a highly mysterious and technical
procedure to the uninitiated. It is, however, a sequence of perfectly logical
steps that can immeasurably enhance the enjoyment of good wine. Once learned,
they become almost second nature to even the novice taster.
Don’t pour a full glass for tasting
because you’re going to need room for swirling, but allow a little more than
the wine waiter in a restaurant tends to offer. About a third full is the
optimum amount.
Firstly, have a good look at the wine by
holding it up to the daylight or other light source. Is it clear or cloudy?
Does it contain sediment or other solid matter? In the case of red wines, tilt
the glass away from you against a white surface and look at the colour of the
liquid at the far edge. Older wines start to fade at the rim, the deep red
taking on an autumnal brownish or tawny hue.
Now swirl the glass gently. The point of
this is to activate the aromatic compounds in the wine, so that when you come
to stick your nose in, the bouquet can be fully appreciated. Swirling takes a
bit of practice (start with a glass of water over the kitchen sink) but the aim
is to get a fairly vigorous wave circulating in the liquid. If you are nervous
about performing the swirl in mid-air, there is nothing wrong with doing it
while the glass is still on the table and then bringing it to your nose, but
beware of scraping your best crystal around on a rough wooden tabletop.
When sniffing, tilt the glass towards
your face and get your nose slightly inside it, keeping it within the lower
half of the opening of the glass. The head should be bent forward a little with
the glass tipped at a 45 degree angle to meet it. Inhale gently (as if you were
sniffing a flower, not filling your lungs on a blustery clifftop) and for a
good three or four seconds. The scents a wine offers may change during the
course of one sniff. Nosing a wine can reveal a great deal about its origins
and the way it was made, but don’t overdo it. The sense of smell is quickly
neutralized. Two or three sniffs should tell you as much as you need to know.
Grapes and their associated aromas
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GRAPE
|
ASSOCIATION
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Cabernet Sauvignon
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Blackcurrants
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Chardonnay
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Ripe Melon, fresh Pineapple
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Chenin Blanc
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Apples
|
Gewurztraminer
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Tropical fruits, such as Lychees
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Merlot
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Plums, Damsons
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Nebbiolo
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Prunes
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Pinot Noir
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Strawberries, Cherries, Plums
(depending on where grown)
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Riesling
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Apricots, Peaches
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Sauvignon Blanc
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Gooseberries
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Syrah
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Raspberries
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Zinfandel
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Blackberries, Bramble, spice
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Now comes the tricky part. The reason
that wine experts pull those ridiculous faces when they take a mouthful is that
they are trying o spread the wine around all the different taste sensitive
parts of the tongue. At its very tip are the receptors for sweetness. Just a
little back from those, saltiness is registered. Acidity or sourness is tasted
on the sides of the tongue, while bitterness is sensed at the very back. So
roll the wine around your mouth as thoroughly as you can.
It helps to maximise the flavour of a
wine if you take in air while it’s in your mouth. To reduce the risk of
dribbling, make sure the head is now back in an upright position. Using gentle
suction with the lips pursed, draw in some breath. It will only be necessary to
allow the tiniest opening- less that the width of a pencil- and to suck in
immediately. Again, practise over the sink. Close the lips again, and breath
downwards through the nose. In this way, the taste of the wine is transmitted
through the nasal passages as well as via the tongue, and the whole sensation
is more intense. And think about the taste. What messages is the wine giving
you? Do you like it or not?
When you have tasted the mouthful of
wine, you can either swallow it- much the best thing in polite company- or, if
you are tasting a number of wines at a time of day when you wouldn’t normally
be drinking, then spit it out. At public tastings, there will be buckets or
lined boxes for spitting into, or else at an outdoor fair or in a marquee at a
wine show, spit it out on the ground, taking care not to spray the shoes of
unsuspecting passers-by. Spit confidently, with the tongue behind the ejected
liquid, so as to avoid it trickling down your chin, but spit downwards. You are
not aiming to extinguish a fire.
There are five principal elements to
look for in the taste of a wine. Learn to concentrate on each one individually
while tasting, and you will start to put together a set of analytical tools
with which to evaluate the quality of any wine.
Dryness/Sweetness From bone-dry Chablis
at one end of the spectrum to the most luscious Liqueur Muscats at the other,
through a broad range of intermediary styles, the amount of natural sugar a
wine contains is perhaps its most easily noted attribute.
Acidity There are many different types
of acid in wine, the most important being tartaric, which is present in
unfermented grape juice. How sharp does the wine feel at the edges of the
tongue? Good acidity is necessary to contribute a feeling of freshness to a
young wine, and to help the best wines to age. In a poor vintage though, when
the grapes didn’t ripen properly, an excessive sourness or even bitterness can
spoil a wine. Don’t confuse dryness with acidity. A very dry wine like fino
sherry can actually be quite low in acid, while the sweetest Sauternes will
contain sufficient acidity to offset its sugar.
Tannin Tannins present in the stalks and
pips of fresh grapes, but also in the skins. Since the colour in red wine comes
from the skins (the juice of even black grapes being colourless), some tannin
is inevitably extracted along with it. In the mouth, it gives that fury, drying
feeling that makes very young reds hard to drink, but it disappears gradually
as they mature in the bottle.
Oak Many wines are matured in oak
barrels, and may even have gone through their initial fermentation in oak, and
the flavour imparted to them by contact with the the wood is an easy one to
appreciate, particularly in the case of whites. An aroma or taste of vanilla or
other sweet spice such as nutmeg or cinnamon is a strong indicator of the
presence of oak, as is an overall feeling of creamy smoothness on the palate in
the case of the richer reds. If the barrels a wine was kept in were heavily
charred (or “toasted”) on the insides, the wine will display a pronounced
smokiness like toast left under the grill a little too long or a match that has
just been blown out.
Fruit Anybody who has read a newspaper
or magazine wine column in which the writer describes wines as tasting of
raspberries, passion fruit, melon and glace (candied) cherries (often all at
once) will have wondered if there isn’t an element of kiddology in it all. In
fact, there are sound biochemical reasons for the resemblance of wines to the
flavours of other foods (and not just fruit, but vegetables, herbs and spices
too). Bright fruit flavours are among the most charming features a wine can
possess.
To help you analyse and make judgements
on what you are tasting, the following descriptive words may be helpful
Describing Colour
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Brilliant
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Showy with striking appearance
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Clear
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Well defined, no obscuration
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Cloudy
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Looks in a state of gloom; may be due
to the wine being badly made or badly stored or handled; perhaps it has been
affected by too drastic a change in temperature.
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Dull
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Lacks exciting tinges and interesting
contrasts
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Faded
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Rich appearance has disappeared due to
old age or bad storage
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Jolie robe
|
French term to describe a wine with an
attractive appearance; well turned out
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Impeccable
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Faultless appearance
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Legs
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Tears of wine on the inside of a glass
due to the viscosity of alcohol and glycerine
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Limpidity
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Cleanness and clarity of a wine
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Sumptuous
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Rich, opulent looking
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Describing
Aroma
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|
Acetic
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Smells of vinegar; beware, it will
probably taste the way it smells
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Clean
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The wine has no smells it should not
have
|
Deep
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Full, rich bouquet
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Dumb
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It does not tell anything
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Fruity
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Smells of a particular fruit, such as
apple, blackcurrant, strawberry
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Flowery
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Fragrance of flowers, such as roses,
violets, elderflowers
|
Green
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Young, even precocious, lacking
maturity with acidity predominant
|
Peppery
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Sharp, indicating that all the
components have not, as yet, harmonised; further maturing is necessary
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Piquant
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Agreeably pungent with a pleasing
acidity
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Sulphury
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A slight smell of bad eggs which may
result from stale air that has lodged between cork and wine during maturation
in the bottle
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Woody
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Associated with wines which have been
part or fully matured in unseasoned casks
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Volatile
|
A good word when you cannot think of
any other. Almost uncomplimentary but not quite so; mercurial
|
Describing
Taste
|
|
Acid
|
An acid taste is essential for the
‘bite’ of a wine but the degree varies from wine to wine and between the same
wine at different stages of maturity. The acid you do not want is acetic acid
which is vinegar
|
Bite
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A refinement of acid, acknowledging
the tannic acid of which too much is undesirable
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Clean
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No faults, straightforward flavour
|
Cloying
|
Hangs around in the mouth
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Delicate
|
Devoid of coarseness, light in flavour
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Depth
|
The tastes of the wine are discernible
but still they are thoroughly blended
|
Finish
|
The taste does not fade into lesser
flavours; personality remains right to the end
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Full-bodied
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A small sip fills the mouth with
flavour; shows wine is at optimum maturity
|
Green
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Still too young
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Harsh
|
Undesirable character of wood tannin
|
Heavy
|
Fuller than full bodied
|
Length
|
The flavours that remain after
swallowing; the longer they remain, the better the wine- usually
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Light
|
Light in body and in alcohol
|
Luscious
|
Sweet, creamy, soft, rich and fruity
|
Medium
|
Can be medium dry or medium sweet or
medium quality
|
Mellifluous
|
Smooth flowing, rich in flavour,
almost honey-sweet
|
Oaky
|
Slightly sweet vanilla flavour
resulting from the wine maturing in oak casks
|
Rich
|
Not necessarily sweet but splendid
|
Robust
|
A good honest mouthful, strong in
alcohol
|
Silky
|
Very smooth on the palate
|
Soft
|
Usually applied to red wines; lovely
balance of blending and maturity
|
Tannin
|
Acid derived from grapeskins, pips and
stalks; the mouth is inclined to screw up if there is too much of it but
tannin is essential in young red wines if they are to age well
|
Tart
|
Bitter, acid taste
|
Unctuous
|
Softly winning; it grows on you
|
Vinosity
|
Vinous strength of a wine as it
relates to its grape
|
Well-balanced
|
Has all the desirable constituents in
agreeable proportions
|
There
are three main considerations:
QUALITY:
Is the wine a good example of its style or is it disappointing?
MATURITY:
Is it ready to drink now, could it benefit by keeping longer or is it past its
best?
VALUE:
Is the wine priced right in terms of value? How does it compare with other
wines in the same price band.
Judgement
should be noted immediately when tasting wine seriously. A marking system is
well worthwhile. A sample tasting sheet often includes a column for the food
dishes the wine might best accompany.
Wine
Tasting Sheet
|
|||||||
Name,
Vintage & Shipper of Wine
|
Clarity
Max
ȝ
|
Colour
Max
3
|
Aroma
Max
5
|
Taste
Max
10
|
Total
|
Food
dishes
|
Conclusion
|
Date
|
Location
|
Time
of day
|
|||||
@ @ @ @ @
L.
LABELLING
The most prominent
detail on a Bordeaux label is the property at which the wine was made. A
classed growth always announces itself with the formula “cru classe en 1855”.
Lower down, the sub-region from which the wine hails is stated, in this case
St-Julien, which also forms the name of the appellation.
Burgundy labelling can
be a minefield. The merchant’s name (Drouhin) is followed by the appellation.
This label tells you this is a grand cru wine, but doesn’t have to state which
village it belongs to (Morey-St-Denis, in fact). Note that mis en bouteille is
not followed by au domaine, because it has not been bottled on an individual
estate, but by a negociant based elsewhere.
Reading down this
Italian label, we have the name of the vineyard (Vigna del Sorbo), then the
producer (Fontodi) and then the appellation or denominazione (Chianti
Classico). Then comes the quality level- Italy’s highest, DOCG. Reserva denotes
a wine aged for at least three years before release. Below is the information
that the wine was bottled at the estate by its producer.
In the sometimes
complex world of bottle labelling, what could be simpler than the information
on this varietal wine from an acclaimed South Australia producer? The
proprietor has given his own name to the estate, which appears prominently at
the top (Tim Adams), with the vintage (2001), grape variety (Semillon) and
region (Clare Valley) following on below it. In essence, this is pretty much
what that German label is also telling you, but notice how much more straightforward
the Australian label looks.
Above the vintage date
on this German label, we see the name of the proprietor, and below it the
vineyard tha wine comes from: Badstube in the village of Bernkastel. The grapes
were Spatlese (late picked), the grape variety is Riesling and the style of
this wine is Feinherb, literally “finely tart” or medium-dry. Gutsabfullung
means “bottled at the estate”.
This South African wine
simply tells us the name of the estate (Thelema), the vintage year (1994), the
grape variety (Chardonnay) and the region of the country in which it was grown
and produced (Stellenbosch). “Wine of Origin” is the rough equivalent of the
French appellation controlee.
@
@ @ @ @
M.
WINE MAKING COUNTRIES
The top 10 wine-
producing countries are:
1. Italy 6.
Argentina
2. France 7.
Germany
3. Spain 8.
Portugal
4. CIS 9.
South Africa
5. USA 10.
Romania
The top 10 wine consuming
countries (per capita consumption) are:
1. France 67.5 litres (14.8
gallons)
2. Portugal 66.5 litres (14.63
gallons)
3. Italy
62
litres (13.64 gallons)
4. Luxemburg
60.3 litres (13.27
gallons)
5. Argentina 45.8 litres (10
gallons)
6. Spain 45.5 litres (10
gallons)
7. Switzerland
44.5 litres (10
gallons)
8. Chile 41 litres (9
gallons)
9. Austria 39.2 litres (8.62
gallons)
10. Greece 31.8 litres (7
gallons)
As
a contrast, the United Kingdom consumes 12.5 litres (2.75 gallons) per capita.
Although Britain is traditionally regarded as a nation of beer drinkers, the
consumption of wine has now dramatically increased. One of the effects of the
recent recession is that more and more people are dining at home rather than
going out for a meal. For many people that means having a couple of glasses of
wine when they eat. It is now estimated that home consumption of wine makes up
75% of the market. A greater interest in television and the obvious deterrent
of the drink driving laws have also influenced this trend.
One
can now get good quality wine at a reasonable price in supermarkets and other
outlets. Wine has become socially acceptable and is perceived to be healthier
than other alcoholic drinks.
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very well written and explained.thank you
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