Bar Management: Intro to Wine

• Wine is the focus
• The course is Bar and Beverage Management with Lab

Learning Objectives

• To categorize and classify wines
• Identify the senses used in tasting and evaluating wines
• Know the wine service process

What is Wine?

• Name derived from the old English word "win" (pronounced "wean"), based on the Latin "vinum"
• EU Definition: product obtained exclusively from total or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes (crushed or uncrushed) or grape must.

History of Wine

• Earliest evidence: wine stain on a Persian amphora in Iran (circa 3500 BC).
• Mediterranean mention: circa 1500 BC by Greeks and Phoenicians
• Romans domesticated wine and expanded its production in Europe.
• Romans layed the foundations for modern French vineyards from the 5th century onward
• Middle Ages: Church monks preserved winemaking, developed hillside vineyards, and selected vine stock
• Benedictine Monk Dom Perignon (blind oenologist) perfected Champagne at Haut Villiers Abbey
• Aristocracy supported vine cultivation for economic stability during this period
• 17th century onward: wine faced competition from chocolate (Central America), coffee (Arabia), and tea (China)
• Quest for quality and innovation began in the early 20th century.
• Wine production grew from technological and scientific advancements
• Louis Pasteur invented Pasteurization in 1863

Wine Terminology

• Grape (Vitis Vinifera): vine species that produces 3,000 noble grape varieties
• V.V. is the only vine variety allowed for wines sold in the E.U.
• VV includes major red and white varieties
• Vinification: red and white grapes are used to produce wines
• Viticulture: winemaking practices (crops less than 8 years old are typically of lesser quality)
• Enology: the science of wine production

Wine Production Steps

• Destemming
• Extraction
• Racking
• Fermentation
• Fining
• Blending
• Filtration
• Bottling

Wine Classification

• By Color: White, Red, Rose, Blush
• By Taste: Dry, Medium, Sweet
• By Content: Still, Sparkling, Fortified, Aromatized, Tonic

Wine Service

• Involves how to serve wine, wine glass selection, service accessories, tasting, and pairing methods

Serving Wine

• Presenting the wine list
• Preparing the wine glasses
• Maintaining proper wine serving temperature
• Correctly opening the wine bottle
• Pouring the wine

Presenting the Wine List

• Hand wine lists to each guest
• Help guests with questions
• Take the order
• Offer wines by the glass and wine bottles

Preparing the Wine Glasses

• Select the appropriate wine glassware
• Inspect the glassware for cleanliness
• Polish the glassware
• Place the glassware on a tray
• Deliver the wine glasses

Temperature of Wine

• Whites and Rose often chilled between 50 and 60 degrees F
• Reds served at room temperature (62 to 68 degrees F)
• Sparkling Wine served chilled to 40 to 50 degrees F
• Store all bottles horizontally or upside-down to prevent oxygen exposure

Opening the Bottle

• Use a foil cutter to remove the foil over the cork
• Use a wine key to remove the cork

Pouring

• Before pouring, note how many guests will be drinking to adjust the pour amount
• An average 750 ml bottle provides five pours.
• Never fill a glass more than halfway
• Wrap the bottle in a clean white napkin or use white waiter's gloves to control temperature for chilled wines.
• Pouring Order: Start with the person to the left of the host, regardless of gender, and move clockwise.
• The guest who ordered is always served last.
• Always pour from the guest's right side.
• Finish each pour with a twisting motion and wipe the lip of the bottle to avoid dripping.

Wine Glass Parts

• Base
• Stem
• Bowl
• Rim

Wine Service Accessories

• Decanter
• Wine vacuum pump
• Preservation opener
• Wine chiller
• Polishing cloth

Wine Tasting: The Five S's

• See: Assess color and clarity by tilting the glass over a white background, noting the color and intensity at the core and rim, and checking opacity
• Swirl: Place glass on a flat surface and move the glass in circular motion, this releases aromas and reveals sheets or legs of glycerol
• Sniff: Hold glass in the middle of your chest for very aromatic wines, at your chin for moderately aromatic wines, put nose inside of glass for neutral wines. Take note of fruits, citrus, or stone fruits
• Sip: cleanse the palate and note the reaction of the wine on the tongue
• Savor: Determine the quality of the wine, the relationship between fruit, acid, residual sugar, alcohol, and tannin (velvety/drying sensation), length of flavor, and layers of flavor

Wine Pairing Methods

• Congruent Pairings: share numerous compounds or flavors
• Example: sweet wine with a sweet meal, or a red wine with a buttery pasta dish
• Ensure the wine is not overpowered by the tastes of the food
• Complementary Pairings: are based on food and wine combinations that share no flavors, but instead complement each other
• Their flavors remain balanced by their contrasting elements.