Return to flip book view

Wine Notes

What is Wine?Wine = Fermented Grape JuiceThat’s it! Don’t Overthink this Delicious Juice. There are only a few key aspects to get familiar with that will tell you everything you need to know

The Parts of a Grape• Black and White Grapes are the same (Except for the Skin)• Skins of Black Grapes give Red (and Rosé) wine its Color, Tannins, and Lots of its Flavor• Wine is about 85% Water. This is from the Pulp. The Pulp also contains the Sugar for Fermentation, and the Acidity that makes wine Refreshing.

The World of Wine can be Split in 2• Old World - wines are usually named after the Region they come from• New World - wines are usually named after the Grape Variety used **Old & New World regions use many of the same grape varieties

The Old WorldFrance• Champagne – Sparkling Chardonnay & Pinot Noir• Sancerre – Sauvignon Blanc• Burgundy – Chardonnay & Pinot Noir• Bordeaux – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc• Rhône Valley – Grenache, SyrahSpain• Rioja/Toro – TempranilloItaly:• Barolo – Nebbiolo• Tuscany - Sangiovese*By Law; to put these regional names on the label, producers must use these grapes.

The New World(Everywhere that makes wine, besides Europe)USA• California• Oregon• Washington State• New YorkChileArgentinaAustralia New ZealandSouth Africa**The New World is not restricted by regional law. Producers can use any grapes to make any style they like.

Terroir is what makes each wine unique in flavor, and able to shows a Sense of PlaceEvery wine’s unique flavor comes from a combination of:• The Grape Variety• The Region the Grapes were Grown• The Winemaking Techniques Used**Terroir also translates to:• Coffee • Tea• Chocolate• Tobacco• Fruit & Vegetables• Meat & Cheese

The Components of Wine• Sweetness• Acidity• Tannin• Alcohol• Body• Aromas & Flavors

Sweetness• Literally refers to the sugar content of the wine• Levels range from:Dry – Off-Dry – Medium-Sweet – Sweet • The Vast Majority of wines are Dry• Medium-Sweet & Sweet wines are usually Riesling, White Zinfandel, Moscato or PortThere are very few “sweet” red wines of the world. If a guest requests one, point them to a wine with; ripe, juicy, concentrated fruit flavors and soft tannins. These usually come from warm climates like California*Sweetness is perceived on the tip of your tongue

AcidityAdjectives to Describe Acidity:Soft, Refreshing, Crisp, Brisk, Tart, Sour• This is what makes wine refreshing!!!• Acidity makes your mouth water and is strongest on the sides of your tongue• High-Acidity in wine comes from the grape variety (Sauvignon Blanc) or a cool-climate growing region (Champagne)

Tannin• Found in red wine, and comes from the skins of the grape• Tannins give a drying / grippy sensation in the mouth and can taste bitter. Cabernet = High Tannin, Pinot Noir = Low-Moderate Tannins• Also found in Tea. Longer steep = More Tannin• Adjectives: Ripe, Firm, Round, Silky, Gritty, Dusty, ChewyAlcohol• Gives a warming sensation on palate and adds texture • Warmer Climate = More Ripeness = More Sugar = Higher ABVBody• Used to describe how the wine feels on the palate (how much weight the wine has)• Light = Pinot Grigio / Medium = Pinot Noir / Full = Cabernet

Aromas and Flavors in Wine• Fruit flavors come naturally from the grape variety and are also a product of fermentation• The ripeness of flavor depends on the grape and how warm/cool the growing area was

The 2 most common oak species are from France and the United States. USA barrels give more powerful flavors of coconut, dill and vanilla. French Oak is more delicate with flavors of vanilla bean, cardamom & nutmegAromas and Flavors in Wine• Wine can be Fermented and/or Matured in Oak Barrels (giving a baking spice quality)• The Impact of Oak flavors is determined by:• The Age of the Barrel (New gives more flavor)• How long the wine was in barrel• The toast level of the barrel• The Species of Oak

These can be described as: Floral, Vegetal, Earthy, Spicy, Nutty, Gamey, Herbal, or MineralAromas and Flavors in Wine• The Other flavors found in wines can be the X-Factor for what makes them unique and distinct• These can come naturally from the grape, be a result of the region the grapes were grown in, or develop during the ageing process

Tips for Tasting

Look• Least important step, but it can tell you a few things• Mostly checking that the wine is in good condition (brown and cloudy appearance should raise red flags)• Look at the depth of color. Is it what you expected?• Legs or Tears that form on the side of the glass do not indicate quality. Thicker Legs/Tears means higher Alcohol or Sugar Content• For Sparkling – Look how the bubbles are forming, how big they are, and how long they last in the glassTip: Hold the glass by the stem so your hand doesn’t warm up the wine or make smudges

SmellTip:Hold the stem like a pencil and draw tiny circles to get the perfect swirl going• The Nose can be the difference between a good wine and a great wine• Find as many aromas as you can and think about how intense they are. These will help you describe the style of the wine• Take short sniffs so the alcohol doesn’t burn out your nasal receptors• Open your mouth while you smell for heightened sensitivity

TasteTip:Try to reverse whistle while tasting. This will aerate the wine in your mouth• This is when you analyze the structural components of the wine• Sweetness – Is this Dry, Off-Dry or Sweet?• Acidity – How Tart is this? How much is my mouth watering?• Tannin – How dry does my mouth feel? Are the Tannins; Ripe, Course, Fine-Grained Soft, Dusty or Velvety?• Alcohol – How intense is this aspect? • Body – Light, Medium or Full?• Flavors – What is going on in this glass (Fruit, Floral, Spice, Oak, Earth?) How can I use these to describe the wine to guests?

ThinkTip: Combine the previous 3 steps to determine which guests would like this wine• Put all the pieces together and determine what this wine is all about• How can you sum it up in 1-2 sentences?• What is the quality of the wine? Use B.L.I.C to decide:• Balance (between structural components and flavors)• Length (of time you taste the wine after swallowing)• Intensity (determine the concentration of flavors)• Complexity (how much is going on in the glass?)

Grapes and Wines to Know

Chardonnay(shar-du-NAY)• One of the most popular and widely planted grape varieties• Quality can vary from best in the world to very basic. *Location is most important*• Able to produce many different styles• Style and Flavor depends on the growing area and winemaking techniques• Cool Climate (Burgundy) = High Acidity, Medium Body, Flavors of Green Apple, Citrus and Wet Stones• Warm Climate (California) = Medium Acidity, Full Body, Flavors of Peach, Pineapple, Mango and Banana• Very common to be aged in oak giving baking spice flavor• Can have buttery taste if MLF occurs

Pinot Grigio(pee·no gree·zhee·ow)• International grape variety that thrives in Northern Italy• Elevated, crisp acidity• Usually made in dry styles with no residual sugar• Usually fermented in stainless steel (no baking spice flavor imparted from oak)• Made to consume young while fresh fruit aromas and flavors are vibrant and full of energy• Usually fairly simple, straight-forward, and easy to consume wines with orchard and citrus flavors• Light/Fresh style makes a great aperitif, and pairs well with delicate dishes

Sauvignon Blanc(SOH-veenyohn-BLAHn)• Dry wines known for their intensity of aromas and flavors• Almost always high acid wines with a medium body• Most are made in stainless steel to preserve the intense citrus and herbaceous notes• Grown in many areas of the New and Old World with different climates, but always has a distinct citrus vibrancy• Sancerre, France usually makes the most elegant, mineral driven styles• New Zealand styles are bursting with ruby red grapefruit and fresh cut grass• California styles are usually the ripest with sharp tropical fruits, aromatic floral character and more weight on the palate

Rosé(row·zei)• Usually made from black grapes, allowing skin contact with the juice for a short period of time to create pink color• Most are dry (with the exception of White Zinfandel)• Have some delicate red fruit character similar to red wine, with the refreshing and bright pop of a chilled white• The grape variety used will determine the dominant flavors• Many different grape varieties used, from Pinot Noir to Grenache to Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese• Rosé is produced all over the world, but the majority of styles mimic the classic Provence examples• These are dry wines with delicate red fruit, a fresh rose petal character, and a touch of white pepper spice

Pinot Noir(PEA-no Nwahr)• Red Fruit dominant, dry wines. Black Cherry shows itself when grown in warmer vineyard sites• Usually Light to Medium Body with easy going, soft tannins• Cherry, Strawberry and Raspberry complimented nicely by Oak’s baking spices (vanilla, clove & cinnamon)• Produced all over the world in cooler climates (Russian River / Sonoma, CA)• Some of the best wine on the planet made in Burgundy, France with this grape• Blended with Chardonnay in Champagne and other Traditional Method Sparkling wines

Zinfandel(zin·fuhn·del)• Thrives in warm climates like in-land California (Lodi / Eastern Sonoma)• Always massive complexity of fruit flavors b/c grape bunches ripen unevenly • Flavors range from tart cherry, to strawberry jam, to dried fig. Fruit usually complimented by a spicy/herbal mid-palate and a toasty charred oak flavor• Always pairs perfectly with anything coming off the Grill• California has some of the oldest vines on the planet (100+ years.) These Old Vines give the wines massive depth, concentration, and complexity. That makes these wines a great value.

Malbec(maal·bek)• Argentina’s most important grape variety• Best vineyards in the high-altitude Mendoza region. Here the grapes develop thick skins leading to dark, fully flavored red wines• These wines are full bodied and have grippy, long-lasting tannins• Oak-ageing in new barrels will help to round these wines out and bring out a touch of smoke and cedar flavor• Great quality examples are intense, but have balanced flavors between fruit, black pepper, clove, and cured meat• Perfect pairing for any red meat-based, or highly-flavored dish

Merlot(mer·loh)• Usually Medium to Full Body• Easy going Tannins and Acidity• Shows mostly Red Fruits (Cherry,Strawberry, Plum)• Black Fruits come in when very ripe (Blackberry, Black Cherry)• Common to age in oak (gives vanillaflavor)• Can have a touch of Spice and Chocolate• Famous for being a great Blending grape• Mostly Blended with Cabernet andthe other Bordeaux Varieties• Grown all over the world

Cabernet Sauvignon(ka·br·nei sow·vuhn·yown)• The king of grapes is grown in almost every wine producing country• Always going to have high levels on Tannin and Acidity• Very common to see this grape blended with others (usually Merlot) to round out its intense structure and powerful flavors• Best examples of Cabernet will be full-bodied. Slightly more easy-going styles exist and make great sippers• Pure Cabernet will give dark fruit flavors with a sharp minty herbal character and a bit of bell pepper • Almost always aged in oak. This helps round out the tannins and gives a vanilla character to compliment the dark fruit• Hill-Side vineyards will produce a structured, firm style. Valley floor vineyards give a more juicy and opulent style

Blends• Blend will exist wherever wine does• The idea is to create something where the sum is greater than the individual parts• Blends can be in different percentages each year help to preserve a “house style” guests are familiar withCommon Blends Include:• Bordeaux Style• Red – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc• White – Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon • Rhône Style (GSM) – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvédre• Super Tuscan – Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot• Meritage – Bordeaux Style produced in California• Champagne – Most are a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Sparkling WineChampagne:• Best Quality sparkling wine in the world• Home of the “Traditional Method” that creates toasty brioche flavor• The most fine-grained, concentrated, elegant, and persistent bubbles of any Sparkling Wine• Complex Citrus and Orchard fruit combined with delicate Florals, toasty brioche and a distinct Mineral presence• The best examples will age in producer’s cellars for almost a decade before being released• Can pair with literally any dish because the combination of elegance, structure, complexity and laser-focused acidity

Sparkling WineProsecco:• Light and easy-going style of sparkling from Northern Italy• Big, Frothy Bubbles that are fun and full of energy• Very simple Apple and Pear flavors that usually has a touch of sweetness• Made to consume young while the bright fruit is at its bestCava:• Sparkling made in Spain using the Champagne Method• Riper and Rounder fruit compared to Champagne with less elegance and structure• More complex than Prosecco and a Great Champagne alternative when on a budget