2021 general info Flashcards
What is wine?
A hydro-alcoholic beverage
From the vitus vinifera plant comes grape juice which undergoes a process of alcoholic fermentation and human intervention
What minimum percentage of alcohol must there be in wine?
Minimum 9% alcohol in wine
Moscato = 5.5% - partially fermented grape juice
Is wine a natural product?
No, it is chemically and biochemically produced
1- What is the Golden Age of Wine
2- what brought it to an abrupt end?
3-Name dates of two biggest destructive events.
1- 16th century.
2-War, plague and planet cooling reduced vineyard areas of Europe to the core regions we know today.
3-
1847 MOLD took out whole vintages in France
1863 PHYLOXXERA reduced vineyards to 1/4
What is the biggest difference between total area of grapes planted in the 16th century and now?
Now there are 4 times less what was planted during the golden age of wine
Is alcoholic fermentation a natural or unnatural process?
It is a man made process.
What is a struggle with organic wine?
It is often unbalanced and spoils quickly
1- Birthplace of vitus vinifera plant
2- Birthplace of wine
1- Mesopotamia (present day Syria) the first grape seed discovered 60M years ago predating man
2- Georgia on east shore of Black Sea 6,000 BC
(Some evidence that a form of wine made in Neolithic times along Nile) between euphrates and Tigris
What is the most ancient wine?
Syrah - come from Syrians (ancient Mesopotamia)
How did wine get around the world from Syria?
By man. Nomads. They’d travel with vitus vinifera vines. Accustomed to Mediterranean climate.
Why is wine made from grapes rather than any other fruit?
1- This plant (leaves and vine) allows fruit to soak up everything in the environment and put it into the flavor.
Ex: wine from Mt. Aetna tastes like volcano
2- The grape’s juice contains 25% sugar which is available for fermentation
3- It is a survivor- a weed - a parasite
What is (has been historically) an interesting commonality of all the best winemakers?
They are spiritual.
Stewards of nature - wine is cyclical of earth and season
therefore sacred- even biblical
What is terroir?
Sense of place and tradition
Climate- soil - sun - man - culture
(See viticulture)
How old is the oldest known grape seed?
60 million years old- predating man
How was first wine made?
By accident. Grape juice was stored in pitchers or goat or camel skins. In the heat of Asia Minor the juice would naturally ferment. The grapes were quite sweet.
Eventually wine was ‘intentionally’ cultivated systematically during the rise of Ancient Greek civilization 1600 BC
1- what is viticulture?
2- what is viniculture? (Vinification)
3- what is oenology?
4- what is an oenophile?
1- the cultivation of grapevines
2- the conversion of grape juice or other vegetal extract into wine by fermentation
3- the science of winemaking
4- a connoisseur of wines
To where is the grapevine indigenous?
Europe and Asia Minor
What were 4 of the many uses of wine in the Roman Empire?
1- Status symbol
2- Medium of exchange
3- a form of medicine
4- ritual offering (ex: seal contractual agreements)
Who was responsible for high level of accomplishment and contribution to wine from Middle Ages to present day, and where?
1- Middle Ages
2- Renaissance
1- Middle Ages;
Benedictine monks and Cistercians (a split-off order) - Monasteries of Cluny and Citeau
2-Renaissance;
enlightened rulers and rich burghers
Two Italian families leading the movement= Antinori and Frescobaldi
What are Noble Grapes and name 18 of them
They are the most popular and widely planted varietals with most expressiveness
Red:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Syrah, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache
White:
Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Gewurtztraminer, Moscato
What are the wine expert’s standards for a good wine?
These elements are all key indicators of quality.
BALANCE = The relationship of components to one another- sett, acid, tannin, alcohol
LENGTH = Can taste across the length of tongue - ‘goes the distance’
DEPTH = Doesn’t taste flat and one dimensional - has complexity
What is in Enography. What is in Enology.
Enography is the study of wine regions.
Enology is the study of wine.
Describe the three major impact wine had in the rise of wine in 13th and 14th centuries
1- Religion
Western church was the last solid organization after the fall of Roman Empire
Benedictine and Cistercian monks founded
•Wine was central to the church
-religious sacrament
-wealth and power (churches owned the vineyards)
2- Social life
- Regulates social aspect of public relation through conveviality
- Used medicinally
3- Economy
-Wine trading between France and rest of Europe
What are five determining factors to identify quality of a wine?
Give examples.
1- DISTINCT VARIETAL CHARACTER= Presents it’s inherent Grape variety’s aromas and flavors in a straightforward clear and focused way
2-INTEGRATION = No one component stands out. The bedrock upon which all judgment rests.
Like a sphere- round and harmonious vs. points of a star. No concrete talking points like harsh tannin or low acid.
3-EXPRESSIVENESS = High definition aromas and flavors - clarity and focus - New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
4- COMPLEXITY = Multiplicity of flavors. A phenomenon - it draws you in for more. Keep experiencing something new.
5-CONNECTEDNESS = Cultural identity - bond between wine and a plot of land
Ex: Cote-Roti from Northern France or Riesling form Mosel
What is an organoleptic profile?
Aspects of grape and wine experienced by the senses of taste, smell, sight, and touch
What is an organoleptic profile?
Aspects of grape and wine experienced by the senses of taste, smell, sight, and touch
