Components of Winemaking and Tasting

Question 1

What are steps in the ritual of wine service in a restaurant and how should one proceed before accepting a wine?

Answer 1

• Look at the label and smell the cork
• Smell, swirl then taste
• After presentation, uncorking and poured taste, then serve table

Question 2

What are generally accepted reasons for sending a bottle of wine back in a restaurant?

Answer 2

• If it turns (if it smells like vinegar)
• If it’s brown
• Defection Odors:
  o Sulfur dioxide: Stinging sensation in the nasal passage
  o Hydrogen sulfide- Rotten eggs
  o Mercaptans- Essence of skunk and rotting cabbage
  o Oxidized- Bland, loss of flavor
  o Maderized- Cooked, sherry-like w/ nutty flavors
  o Corked- Musty, moldy
  o Dekkera/Brettanomyces- Horse like smell and bitter
  o Sorbate- Bubble gum smell
  o Pediococcus- Dirty socks

Question 3

When serving wine what is the proper sequence if more than one wine is being served?

Answer 3

• Lighter wine usually comes first (sauvignon blanc) for appetizer
• Heavier wine goes good next for main course (white meat and fish)

Question 4

How does the temperature of a wine affect its taste? What are the major differences between how white and red wines are made?

Answer 4

• Red wine stored too cold will inhibit taste (should be served at room temperature). Makes it taste not as flavorful (fruity red wines sometimes a little chilled)
• White wine should be served chilled. It can turn if too warm (the fruit will go bad). Will taste flat and unripe
• Affects crispness and acidity
• Red wine’s grape skins kept and incorporated, white wine not aged as long as red

Question 5

Which VITICULTURAL (grape growing) and VINICULTURAL (winemaking) practices effect a wine’s concentration, quality, flavor and price?

Answer 5

• The amount of sunshine and moisture the grapes get and how ripe the grapes are when harvested (microclimate, such as the rain, daily temperature and hours of daylight) are the viticultural practices
• Vinicultural- Wine making (science and skill), equipment and facilities, production capacity and demand

Question 6

What do the various grape components contribute to the finished wine?

Answer 6

• Growth of the vine, life of the grape, ripeness of the grape in harvest (contributes to residual sugar, alcohol content which ten contributes to body)

Question 7

What are the major components in wine and how do these influence taste, texture, and shelf life?

Answer 7

• Alcohol: Body, mouth-feel, and storage life
  o Light bodied- 7-10%; medium bodied- 10-12%; full bodied- 12-14.5%
  o Organic Acids: Crispness, structure and balance
  o Low acidity- Flabby, flat taste
  o Correct acidity- Crisp, fresh, lively taste
  o Too much acidity- Green, harsh, sour
  o Water: Body
  o Residual sugar: Taste; acidity

Question 8

How does the winemaker shape or adjust various components in wine? What is the definition of Viticulture?

Answer 8

• Through acidification, chaptalization, amelioration
  o Acidification- The addition of acid (usually tartaric) to the finished win (done in hot climates where the natural acidity in the grapes is low)
  o Chaptalization- The addition of sugar to the grape must to boost the natural sugar level and produce a slightly higher alcohol level in the finished wine (common in cooler regions)
  o Amelioration- The addition of water and sugar to the grape must to dilute acidity and boost the alcohol in the finished wine (used in New York’s cooler regions)

Question 9

What is Viniculture

Answer 9

• Viniculture is the study and production of grapes for wine

- Viticulture is grape culture

Question 10

How do we evaluate wines? What are the stages of taste?

Answer 10

• Evaluating wines:
  o Appearance: brilliant, clear, dull, cloudy, precipitated
  o Smell/bouquet
  o Taste: Sweet, sour, bitter
• Four stages of taste: Attack (introduction), evolution, finish, aftertaste

Question 11

What are the varietal (aroma & flavor) characteristics of the major grape varieties tasted in class?

Answer 11

• Chardonnay
  o Apple, toasty, vanilla, lemon, sweet clove, buttery/creamy, figs, melons, coconuts, tea, pear
  o Aged is peach, pineapple and sage honey
• Riesling
  o Fruity, apricot, peach, green apple, floral, lemon, tropical lushness
• Viognier
  o Lime, kiwi, guava, apricot, acacia
• Cabernet Sauvignon
  o Herbaceous, tea, green olives, bell peppers, spicy
• Merlot
  o Herbaceous, tea, floral, black pepper, cherry, bell pepper, chocolate
• Pinot Noir
  o Cherries, wild violets, strawberries, roast coffee, leathery, mushrooms, berries, pomegranate, caramelized sugar
• Syrah
  o Blackberries, peppery, smoky, spice, dry pepper, coffee, hickory, chestnuts, truffles, tar
• Zinfandel
  o Blackberry, raspberry, jam, herbaceous, mint, leather, dark chocolate, cherries, black pepper, raisins

Question 12

What defects might one find in a wine? What happens to wine as it ages? Which wines benefit from aging?

Answer 12

• Color defect: Changing from amber to brown
• White wines darken to dark yellow/amber and brown, red wine darken to brown
• Red wines benefit most from long aging