Overview To Sampling Wine
The fundamentals of tasting red wine are reasonably straightforward to find out. As soon as the basics are understood, the nuances and details can be enhanced over a lifetime. Like any kind of various other skill, More »
Red Wine Types
Red wine has a lot of different types, among which, the most popular include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Moreover, More »
History of Wine Making
The history of wine can be classified into four periods: the Ancient Times, the Dark Ages, the New World and the Modern Days.
Ancient Times
Mesopotamia. Evidence of grape cultivation and wine production were found dating as far back as 6000BC.
Egypt. Egyptians made first records of grape harvest and wine making. Wine was regarded a measurement of one’s social status and is used for religious rituals.
Greece. Wine played an important part in the religion of ancient Greece particularly attributed to the god Dionysus. It was also regarded as a social drink for the privileged upper class.
Rome. Wine making technology was considerably improved and wine became available even to the common people.
China. The Chinese initially used wild grapes for their wine, cultivation of grapes didn’t start until after Zhang Qian’s exploration to Western Kingdoms where he acquired vines. Wine from grapes was therefore considered exotic and were reserved only for the Emperor’s consumption.
Dark Ages
Following the decline of Rome, the Christian Church became a staunch supporter of wine necessary for celebration of the Catholic Mass while Muslim chemists pioneered the distillation of wine for medicinal purposes.
Middle East. Alcoholic drinks were prohibited, but alcohol production particularly wine, have thrived. Egyptian Jews leased vineyards from the Fatimid and Mamluk governments and produced wine for sacramental and medicinal use. Christian monasteries in Levant and Iraq cultivated grapes and distributed their vintages to taverns located inside monastery grounds. Zoroastrians in Persia and Central Asia also engaged in wine production, though not much is known regarding their wine trade. However, they are known for their taverns.
Medieval Europe. Benedictine monks were one of the largest producers of wine in France and Germany, followed closely by the Cistercians. The Templar, and Carmelite orders were also notable wine producers.
New World
New World wines came to a rise and challenged Old World wines in the 19th century.
The Americas. Grapes were brought to what is now known as Latin America by Spanish conquistadores. Succeeding waves of immigrants imported grapes from France, Italy and Germany.
American wine was generally looked upon as inferior to European product until the latter half of the 20th century; New World wine began to gain respect after a surprising showing at the 1976Paris Wine tasting.
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Until late in the 20th century, Australia exported mostly to the United Kingdom while New Zealand kept most of its wine internally and South Africa was closed off to much of the world market due to apartheid.
Modern Days
Wine making developed greatly in terms of scientific background therefore allowing a lot of things that were once impossible to be accomplished. Wine makers of this day are now able to gain total control of every stage in wine making. The challenge now for wine makers is to produce wine for a much larger market without losing the character and distinct flavor of their wines. More and more countries are now producing more varieties of wine and advances in technology will ensure that such trend will continue.
How to Attend a Wine Tasting
Of course, we’re talking about wine-tasting as something you go out and do, whether it’s on a winery tour, at a friend’s house, or some catered event.
If attending at a winery, do take the time first to find out about the winery’s history. This might involve a tour of the place, with the summer help giving you a little walk-around and five-minute speech. Read the brochures. Studying the history of a place is part of appreciating the romance and magic of wine; you’ll always learn something new and fascinating.
In the actual tasting, progress through the wines in order from lightest to heaviest. In fact, whenever you’ll be sampling several wines in a row (or even when you’re serving them), follow the general rule:
* Young wines before mature ones.
* Light wines before heavy ones.
* Chilled wines before chambered wines.
* Low alcohol before high alcohol.
* Dry wines before sweet wines.
If you don’t know which is which, ask the winery staff, who will only be too happy to point them out. They will understand that part of the purpose of wine-tasting is to learn more about wine, so don’t be shy if you want to ask questions.
Between wines, it is customary to either rinse with water or nibble on a piece of bread or pastry to cleanse the palate. Some wineries or events will give you a small sample – almost a “shot” – and others will let you have a glass or two of one wine if you fancy it. Do try to restrain yourself! Several wines in a row can build up alcohol levels unexpectedly fast. Sip small amounts of each one, and by all means take your time.
Now you get to find out one of the mysteries of wine: why do they use those funny-shaped glasses? Well, when you get a new glass of wine, swirl it around gently just like you see the aristocrats do. Now hold the glass still. Watch the edge of the liquid as it stops moving; do you see little tendrils of wine clinging to the sides of the glass? Those are called “legs”, and the more legs a wine has clinging to the sides of the glass after you swirl it, the more alcohol it contains.
A second purpose to the swirling motion is that this allows the wine to “breathe”. So after it’s settled a little, inhale with your nose over the glass. About half of how a wine tastes is tied up with how it smells, and the aroma of wine is an intended part of the experience.
And you thought they were doing that just to look like sophisticated show-offs!
Now you’re ready for a taste. Sip a little less than a mouthful, and roll it around on your tongue. Hit every taste bud you have with it, even under your tongue. Let the vapors from it permeate your sinuses. Now swallow – don’t spit, as that’s only something that judges do and even then they’d rather swallow if they think they can get by. Let the aftertaste come to your palate. Now’s the time to voice your reaction: how was it? Don’t be shy about your opinion; every taster can tell the staff something new about their wine.
If you’re tasting several wines, take a break every now and then and stroll around. The property of most wineries is worth a walk just to soak up the scenery and atmosphere. If it’s a social occasion, all the more reason to pace yourself as you socialize. At a winery, there will usually be a time at the end of the tasting where they give you the opportunity to buy something. By all means, feel free to fall in love with a bottle or two and adopt it!
By the way, would you believe that there are people who do this for a living? There are people blessed with “perfect pitch” in tasting, who take courses and get a diploma and everything, and then wineries hire them to give their expert opinion about the wine. How’s that for the life?
Types of Wine Glasses
Wine glasses come in many shapes and sizes. The structure of the glass is designed to enhance the flavor and aroma of the wine so it is important to choose the right glass for the wine you are drinking. The shape of the glass determines several things: how much surface area is exposed to the air, how much wine can be swilled in the glass, how close your nose can get to the wine, and where the wine falls on your palate as you drink.
If you are drinking champagne for instance, it is proper to use a champagne flute. The champagne flute’s tall, narrow design forces our nose outside of the glass and causes the wine to fall further back on the palate as we tip our head back. In addition to keeping the wine carbonated, the narrow opening at the top of the glass minimizes the surface area that is exposed to the air and keeps the flavor clean and crisp. Since we want to slow oxidization in champagne, there is no need to have a wide bowl for swirling the wine around.
With white wines, a bit more reaction with the air is desirable so the glass is wider and shorter than a champagne flute. A white wine glass is designed to allow a moderate rate of oxidization, enough to release the bouquet of the wine while retaining its crispness. White wine glasses vary as much as the white wines themselves so it cannot be said that there is one standard. In some cases, like with a buttery chardonnay, a wider bowl that you can get your nose into is preferable and may not look like a white wine glass at all. Generally speaking, the crisper the wine is to be kept, that narrower the glass.
Finally, red wine glasses are generally the biggest, having wide bowls and large mouths. These glasses are designed so that a large surface area is exposed to the air and so that the wine can be swilled around to infuse more air while drinking. Some red wine glasses can be quite tall, forcing the wine to sit further down in the glass, keeping the aromas in the glass but the mouth is always wide enough to get your nose in there while taking a sip.
These are the three basic types of glasses and are representative of the spectrum. Between these glasses though there is every size, shape, and style imaginable, each enhancing their own varieties of wine.
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Homemade Wine Making Facts
Wine is more popular than ever in the United States. There are almost 3000 vineyards in the US, with at least one winery in every state. Most US wine production occurs in the west, with the states of California, Washington and Oregon leading the way.
Here’s something you may not know. More and more people are discovering the fascinating hobby of making their own homemade wine. If you’ve ever thought about making your own wine at home, there’s no better time to start than right now. Let’s take a look at what’s involved to get started making your own wine.
First of all, you really don’t need a lot of space to get begin. All the wine I’ve made, a couple thousand bottles, has been produced in my 10 X 15 foot kitchen. And all the equipment you’ll need can be hidden away in a hall closet when it’s not in use. So for most folks space is not an issue.
Time is a factor for most people these days. Homemade wine making need not be labor intensive. When using wine making kits, the absolute easiest way to get started, the total time you’ll spend from starting a batch to carefully putting the last drop into the bottle will be approximately 4-5 hours, spread over a one month period.
Money is another factor for most folks these days. A basic wine making equipment kit will cost approximately $ 100 to $ 140 depending upon where you’re shopping. This equipment can be used over and over again, so the initial investment will eventually pay for itself.
Ingredient kits can cost $ 60 to $ 150, putting your cost per bottle in the $ 2 to $ 5 range. This is a bargain for the high quality, delicious wines that are being produced by homemade winemakers.
Wine making is a fun and fascinating hobby. You can begin with the basics and stay there, producing high-quality wines that you and your friends and family will enjoy. If you have a creative side and love to explore new things, you can take your wine making hobby as far as your creative desires will lead you.
Wine making is fun, economical, and easier to do than you think. Begin your wine making journey today!
Wine Tasting For the Novice
When it comes to wine appreciation, there’s so much involved. From wine flavors to aromas to tasting to educational information, it all contributes to the fun you have drinking it, right? No matter where you drink your wine-whether it be a winery, a dinner party, or your own living room-knowing how to taste your wine adds flavors and aromas you may have never enjoyed had you not tried it. If you aren’t sure how to best taste your wine, as opposed to just swig it like a beer-don’t worry, this article’s got you covered. Here’s all you need to know in order to conduct a simple wine tasting for social and your own purposes.
Color- First, when conducting a wine tasting, you want to check out the color. Aside from it being red or white, what shade is it? If it’s a white wine, it can be light yellow, light green, brown, amber, or clear. Depending on the color, you will find a quite a range of taste and aroma.
Opacity- Next, examine how clear it is- in the light. Look closely at your white or red wine to discover translucent or opaque it is dark or light, etc. Moreover, it’s always good to check for cork bits and sediment, as both of these factors will definitely affect your wine experience.
Swirl- It’s what you have all been waiting for: the classic wine swirl. Here it is. Why do people swirl their wine other than looking pretty sophisticated doing it? Because it releases more aroma, and this will take you more fluidly to your next step: smelling your wine.
Smell- Ok, so now that you have swirled your wine and released more aroma by doing so, if you want you can swirl it again-many enthusiasts do. Once you have refreshed its aroma, smell your wine by sniffing lightly over the glass.
Now, Really Smell- Now, that you got a first impression of the wine, take a deeper smell by putting your nose into the glass of wine. Inhale through your nose with your mouth closed. This is typically where a wine enthusiast will say something like, “my, doesn’t that have an oaky aroma?” or something to that effect, but you may or may not recognize an aroma if you are new to wine tasting and haven’t sniffed enough wines. What you are looking for is basically one of a few aromas: oak, vanilla, citrus, floral, or berry scents. If you don’t get it on the first try, certainly try swirling and smelling again.
Taste- Yes, it takes six steps in the average wine tasting to get to actually drink your wine, but if you are doing it properly, it should be well worth it. How do you taste it properly? Take a small sip and introduce it to your taste buds or palate. You should be able to pick up tannin amount, acidity, sugar, and alcohol content. As the wine approaches the middle of your palate, you should be able to pick up which flavors are involved. Then, once swallowed, consider the aftertaste, and how it affected your overall wine experience.