Wine 101

Retsina Wine

grape table wine fermented or flavored with resin.

Imitation Wine

wine containing synthetic materials

Aperitif Wine

wine having an alcoholic content of not less than 15% volume, compounded from grape wine containing added brandy or alcohol, flavoured with herbs and other natural aromatic flavouring materials.

Nine classes of wine

Table Wine Sparkling Carbonated Grape Wine Citrus Wine Fruit Wine Wine from Other Agricultural Products Aperitif Wine Imitation Wine Retsina Wine

Table Wine

Any red, white or rose wine meant to be drunk before, during or after a meal. Defined as having an alcohol level of not less than 7% and not in excess of 14% by volume.

What is fermentation?

Fermentation is the chemical process whereby yeasts convert natural sugars in the grape into alcohol and carbon dioxide with heat as a by-product. Grapes (crushed) = natural sugar from grape juice, then add yeasts, and you get CO2 + alcohol and heat

Define Terroir

French for "soil" and used in the phrase gout de terroir ("taste of the soil") to refer to the EARTHY flavor of some wines. When French wine producers use the term terroir, it not only includes reference to the type of soil (chalky, claylike, gravelly, sandy), but also to other geographic factors that might influence the quality of the finished wine like altitude, position relative to the sun, angle of incline, and water drainage. In the United States, wine producers use the term MICROCLIMATE to encompass the same considerations.

Factors Affecting Quality and Taste

Grape Varietal Geographic Location Climate Soil Viticulture: Grape Grower Viniculture: Winemaker's Influence Vintage Terroir

Define Vintage

Term that describes both the year of the actual grape harvest and the wine made from those grapes. A vintage year may be used in the U.S. when 95% comes from the grapes harvested and fermented within that calendar year and which is labeled with an appellation more specific than a country name. In Australia and most of the EU countries, the minimum to qualify for vintage dating is only 85%. Only a few specific regions, such as Bordeaux, require the higher standard of 95%. If a blend of grapes from 2 years or more is used, the wine is called non-vintage or NV. Some champagne and sparkling wine producers are using the term multi-vintage to describe wines made from a blend of two or more years. The multi-vintage designation is to reflect the fact that the vintners are purposefully blending cuvees from different years to achieve a superior house style. Although it's often assumed that a vintage wine is one of superior quality, that's not necessarily true. Some vintages are simply considered better overall than others. That's because the quality of the harvest varies from one year to another. In addition, an individual wine may be better or worse than others of a particular vintage because of the originating vineyard's microclimate or because of the winemaking process it underwent. An excellent year for a growing region translates to a generally superior quality, which means there are more choices for fine wines of that vintage. So consumers should view a vintage year only as a general guideline. In the end, each wine must be judged on its own merit.

What is Wine?

Wine is the product of fermented grape juice.

Carbonated Grape Wine

Wine which is injected with Carbon Dioxide.

Sparkling

Wines made sparkling by any of the natural methods. One of the by-products of fermentation is carbon dioxide. In still wines, this gas is allowed to escape. When this gas is prevented from escaping by putting a lid on a vat or cork in a bottle, the gas remains dissolved in the wine (Secondary Fermentation). When the gas is released it rushes out in the form of bubbles. These bubbles are created by one of three main methods- methode champenoise, bottle fermented / transfer method, or charmat / bulk

Wine from Other Agricultural Products

wine made from sound agricultural products.

Citrus Wine

wine made primarily of sound, ripe citrus fruit.

Fruit Wine

wine made primarily of sound, ripe fruits other than grapes or citrus.