Wine Appreciation 101

Introduction to Wine

• Introductory level to include everyone, regardless of prior knowledge
• Aim to make people comfortable with wines, especially in social situations
• Demystify wine and dispel myths surrounding it

Winemaking Process

• Grape juice is clear, can be chilled initially to preserve primary aromas
• In cool climates, chaptalization (addition of sugar) may be allowed to encourage fermentation
• In warm climates, acidification may be permitted to raise acidity levels
• Juice (must) is gently moved to fermentation tanks, where it is fermented without skins, stalks, and pips
• Yeast (natural or cultivated) converts sugars to dryness, taking up to three weeks
• At the end of fermentation, wine is removed from dead yeast cells (lees) and may be left on lees for added complexity and texture

Aging and Fining

• Winemakers can choose oak aging for more complex flavoring and richer texture
• Oak imparts flavor (vanilla, spice) and tannins
• Fining and/or filtration may be used, but can remove some of the wine's goodness
• Traditional fining agents include egg whites, gelatin, and isinglass

Grape Varieties and Regions

• Vitis Vinifera is the species of grape used for wine production
• Grape varieties can be blended or used alone
• Regions include Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, and the South and South-West
• Each region has its own unique characteristics, such as climate, soil, and labor costs

Wine Characteristics and Serving

• Ripe fruit flavors and higher alcohol can give the suggestion of sweetness
• Acidity gives wines essential freshness and crispness, but must be balanced
• Serving temperature depends on the type of wine, with the ideal temperature being around 12°C (54°F)
• Wines can be stored on their side to prevent the cork from drying out

Putting a Wine List Together

• High labor costs, low crop yields, and new oak barrels can affect wine prices
• Supply and demand, particularly for rare wines, can impact pricing
• Terroir, or the combination of climate, soil, and other environmental factors, can greatly impact the final product

Specific Wine Regions and Styles

• Bordeaux: known for its blended wines, with around 100 châteaux
• Burgundy: known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a cool climate and chalky soil
• Loire: known for its crisp and refreshing whites, with a focus on Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc
• Champagne: known for its sparkling wines, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier
• Germany: known for its Riesling, with a focus on dry and off-dry styles

Introduction to Wine

• Introductory level to include everyone, regardless of prior knowledge
• Aim to make people comfortable with wines, especially in social situations
• Demystify wine and dispel myths surrounding it

Winemaking Process

• Grape juice is clear, can be chilled initially to preserve primary aromas
• In cool climates, chaptalization (addition of sugar) may be allowed to encourage fermentation
• In warm climates, acidification may be permitted to raise acidity levels
• Juice (must) is gently moved to fermentation tanks, where it is fermented without skins, stalks, and pips
• Yeast (natural or cultivated) converts sugars to dryness, taking up to three weeks
• At the end of fermentation, wine is removed from dead yeast cells (lees) and may be left on lees for added complexity and texture

Aging and Fining

• Winemakers can choose oak aging for more complex flavoring and richer texture
• Oak imparts flavor (vanilla, spice) and tannins
• Fining and/or filtration may be used, but can remove some of the wine's goodness
• Traditional fining agents include egg whites, gelatin, and isinglass

Grape Varieties and Regions

• Vitis Vinifera is the species of grape used for wine production
• Grape varieties can be blended or used alone
• Regions include Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, and the South and South-West
• Each region has its own unique characteristics, such as climate, soil, and labor costs

Wine Characteristics and Serving

• Ripe fruit flavors and higher alcohol can give the suggestion of sweetness
• Acidity gives wines essential freshness and crispness, but must be balanced
• Serving temperature depends on the type of wine, with the ideal temperature being around 12°C (54°F)
• Wines can be stored on their side to prevent the cork from drying out

Putting a Wine List Together

• High labor costs, low crop yields, and new oak barrels can affect wine prices
• Supply and demand, particularly for rare wines, can impact pricing
• Terroir, or the combination of climate, soil, and other environmental factors, can greatly impact the final product

Specific Wine Regions and Styles

• Bordeaux: known for its blended wines, with around 100 châteaux
• Burgundy: known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a cool climate and chalky soil
• Loire: known for its crisp and refreshing whites, with a focus on Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc
• Champagne: known for its sparkling wines, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier
• Germany: known for its Riesling, with a focus on dry and off-dry styles

Introduction to Wine

• The goal is to make people comfortable with wine, especially in social situations, by demystifying it and dispelling myths.
• Looking at wine from both the consumer's and business perspectives.

Winemaking Process

• Grape juice is clear and can be chilled initially to preserve primary aromas and allow winemakers breathing space if needed.
• In cool climates, chaptalization (adding sugar during fermentation) is allowed to encourage fermentation and raise alcohol levels if required.
• In warm climates, acidification is permitted to raise acidity levels.
• Juice (must) is gently moved to fermentation tanks where it's fermented without skins, stalks, and pips to avoid bitterness and astringency in white wine.

Fermentation

• Yeast (natural or cultivated) converts natural sugars into dryness, which can last up to three weeks.
• At the end of fermentation, the wine is removed from dead yeast cells (lees), which can be left in contact with the wine to add complexity and texture.

Aging and Maturation

• Oak aging can add complexity and richness to the wine, imparting flavors like vanilla and spice, and tannins.
• Fining and filtration can remove impurities and sediment from the wine.
• Bottling can occur after aging and maturation.

Red Winemaking

• Grapes are crushed and fermented with skins to give color and tannins.
• Traditional treading by foot is a gentle way of pressing and extracting flavors.
• Pigeage (punching down) is a traditional method of submerging grape skins back into the juice.

Other Winemaking Techniques

• Aromatic maceration involves whole grape fermentation in carbon dioxide, giving a fruity and floral character.
• Red wine made like white wine involves a short contact time with skins, resulting in a pink color.
• White wine made like red wine involves extended contact time with skins, resulting in an orange color and tannins.

Fining and Filtering

• Fining agents like fresh egg whites or gelatin can remove impurities from wine.
• Filtration systems and processes can remove sediment and crystals from wine.

Grape Variety and Species

• Vitis Vinifera is the species of grape used for wine production.

Wine Characteristics

• Ripe fruit flavors and higher alcohol contents can give the impression of sweetness.
• Acidity provides essential freshness and crispness to wine.
• Tannins give wine structure and aging potential.

Serving Wine

• Temperature affects the taste of wine; the colder the wine, the less you can taste it.
• Ideal serving temperatures vary from 8°C to 12°C depending on the wine style.
• Wine should be stored on its side to prevent cork drying out.

Wine Regions and Terroir

• Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, and the South and South-West are notable wine regions.
• Terroir refers to the unique combination of soil, climate, and topography that affects wine flavor.

Wine Pricing and List Creation

• Factors affecting wine pricing include labor costs, crop yields, oak barrel costs, and supply and demand.
• Creating a wine list requires consideration of regional styles, grape varieties, and wine characteristics.

Introduction to Wine

• The goal is to demystify wine and make it comfortable for everyone, both consumers and those in the wine business
• Wine can be viewed from both a consumer and business perspective

Winemaking Process

• Grape juice is clear and can be chilled initially to preserve primary aromas
• In cool climates, chaptalization (adding sugar) is allowed to encourage fermentation
• In warm climates, acidification is permitted to raise acidity levels
• Juice (must) is gently moved to fermentation tanks, without skins, stalks, and pips, to prevent bitterness and astringency
• Yeast converts natural sugars into alcohol, which can take up to three weeks
• At the end of fermentation, the wine is removed from dead yeast cells (lees), which can add complexity and texture if left in contact

Oak Aging

• Winemakers can choose oak aging for a more complex flavor and richer texture
• Oak imparts flavors like vanilla and spice, and adds tannins
• Barrels can be used for aging, with different sizes and toasting levels affecting the wine

Fining and Filtration

• Fining and filtration can remove impurities, but also some of the wine's goodness
• Traditional fining agents, like egg whites or gelatin, are used to remove sediment
• Filtration methods, like chilling and precipitating crystals, are also employed

Grape Variety

• Vitis Vinifera is the species of grape used for wine production
• Grape variety and blending can affect the final wine style

Serving Wine

• Ripe fruit flavors and higher alcohol can give the impression of sweetness
• Acidity provides freshness and crispness, but must be balanced
• Serving temperature depends on the wine style, with the fullest bodied wines served at 8°C and champagne and sweet wines served chilled
• Ideal storage temperature is around 12°C, with corks kept moist to prevent drying out

Wine Regions

• Bordeaux has high labor costs and low yields, making wine production expensive
• Burgundy has a unique terroir, with a cool wind from the nearby Alps affecting the wine
• Loire, Champagne, and the South and South-West regions have their own characteristics and challenges
• German Riesling Trocken is a dry and crisp wine from the Pfalz region

Get comfortable with wine and dispel myths surrounding it. Learn about wine from both consumer and business perspectives. Perfect for introductory level wine enthusiasts.