Introduction to Wine

What is Wine?

• Wine comes from the fermentation of grape juice
• Grapes must be crushed to release their juice
• The two principal types of grapes are black and white
• The skins of a black grape contain tannin
• The pulp of a grape contains acid, sugar, and water
• The color of grape pulp is the same for both white and black grapes
• Yeast is required for alcoholic fermentation
• Alcoholic fermentation of grape juice results in alcohol and carbon dioxide
• A wine with 10% ABV means 10% of the liquid is alcohol

Growing Grapes

• Grape vines don't need to be planted every year
• Grape vines flower in the spring
• Each flower on a grape vine becomes a grape
• Acid levels do not rise during grape ripening
• Oxygen, heat, sunlight and water are needed in correct balance for grape vines to grow
• Grape vines grow best in areas where winter is cold
• Cool climate regions are typically closer to the Poles
• An example of a cool climate region is Germany and Northern France
• Black grapes are not commonly grown in cool climates
• Warm climate regions are typically closer to the Equator
• An example of a warm climate region is California and Australia
• Grape flavors taste riper in warm climates

Making Wines

• The process for making still white wines is as follows: crushing, pressing, fermentation, and maturation
• Fermentation of still white wines takes place in oak barrels and/or stainless steel tanks
• White wines can be made from black grapes
• The process for making still red wines is as follows: crushing, fermentation, pressing, and maturation
• Winemakers use skins and yeast to produce still red wine
• Skins provide tannin to red wines
• Draining is used to produce both red and rosé wines
• To create their pink color, rosé wines spend a few hours in contact with their skins
• Rosé wines are rarely matured in oak
• Red wines do not only mature in oak

Types and Styles of Wine

• Most still wines range from 11.5%-14% alcohol
• Cava from Spain is not an example of still wine
• The bubbles in sparkling wine do not come from oxygen that becomes trapped in the wine during fermentation
• Prosecco is a sparkling wine from Italy
• Extra alcohol is added to wine to make fortified wines
• Sherry and Port are both examples of fortified wines
• Rioja from Spain is an example of a still red wine.

Wine Attributes and Pairing

• Chablis and Riesling are examples of white wines
• Rosé wines are made from black grapes
• To make a medium sweet wine, a winemaker can add unfermented grape juice to dry wine and remove yeast during fermentation
• Sauternes and Port are examples of sweet wines
• Acidity is important for sweet wines because it prevents the wine from being unpleasantly sweet
• Acidity can be perceived in wine because it has a mouth-watering effect
• Wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir typically have high acidity
• Beaujolais and Pinot Noir are generally low in tannin
• Still and sparkling wines do not have the same alcohol range
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an example of a still, high alcohol wine
• All aromas and flavors in wine do not come from the grapes themselves
• Oak can give a wine clove and vanilla flavors

Principle Grape Varietals

• Californian Cabernet Sauvignon is best described as full-bodied
• Chardonnay is used in Burgundy
• Chardonnay from a warm climate will typically show flavors of peach and pineapple
• Dry, intensely fruity wines with a light to medium body, refreshingly high acidity, and aromas of green fruits/herbaceous notes are best described as Sauvignon Blanc
• Sancerre is a wine made from Sauvignon Blanc
• Pinot Grigio is not a dry white wine that is often matured in oak
• Riesling is the classic grape of Germany
• Riesling is not always high in acidity
• The true statements for Cabernet Sauvignon are: black fruit/herbaceous flavors, high acidity, and high tannin
• Shiraz is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia
• Chile and Bordeaux produce good examples of Merlot-based wines
• Merlot is commonly blended with Cabernet Sauvignon
• It has flavors of blackberry and black pepper is not true when speaking of Pinot Noir
• Burgundy and Champagne produce wines made from Pinot Noir
• Australian Shiraz is full-bodied, high in tannins, with medium acidity, black pepper, and jammy black fruit flavors

Examples of Wines

• Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used to make Champagne
• Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are used to make red Bordeaux
• Chablis is a dry white wine made from Chardonnay
• Beaujolais, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Côtes du Rhône are dry red wines from France
• Cava and Rioja are not both still wines from Spain
• Beaujolais is not typically oaked
• Côtes du Rhône is a dry, medium-bodied red wine
• Sherry and Port are not fortified wines from Spain
• The following pairings are true: Rioja/Spain/Still
• Sherry is a fortified wine made to be dry, medium, or sweet
• Burgundy wines are not made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Storage and Service of Wine

• Wines with corks shouldn't be stored upright
• Beaujolais may be lightly chilled to 13°C
• The serving temperature range for Cava is 6-10°C / 43 - 50°F
• It is false that 6-10°C/ 43 - 50°F is the correct serving temperature range for an Oaked Chardonnay
• "Room temperature" is considered 15-18°C / 59-64°F
• Sauternes should be served well chilled
• Placing chilled wine next to a heat source, like a radiator, is not the best way to bring it to room temperature
• Detergent residue in a glass can spoil a wine
• Not all still wines need to be opened with a corkscrew, such as a "waiter's friend"
• Keeping your thumb on the neck of the bottle is not the correct way to opening a sparkling wine
• The best way to keep a wine fresh after opening is to reseal the bottle and store it in the fridge
• A blanket system does not preserve wine by removing oxygen from the bottle

An Introduction to Tasting

• Sweetness is not an aroma or flavor characteristic
• Using a glass with a wide top and a narrow bowl is not the most ideal way to prepare for a wine tasting
• Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to both short- and long-term health issues
• Governments issue low risk guidelines for alcohol consumption

Pairing Wine and Food

• A person's preference is the most important thing when pairing wine and food
• Umami foods make a wine seem dryer and more acidic
• Sweet foods make a wine seem more bitter and less sweet
• The statement that acidity in food increases the perception of acidity in wine is false
• Salt decreases the perception of acidity in wine
• Chili heat makes alcohol seem more noticeable in wine
• Oak and tannins contribute to bitterness in wine