L2 & L3 - Class 1: Introduction, Wine Tasting Technique, Pairing Wine & Food

Question 1

What glass is suitable for tasting wine and why?

Answer 1

The ISO glass is suitable for evaluating wine because:

1) it has a rounded bowl which is good for swirling wine to release aromas and

2) the inward slopes capture aromas at the top of the glass

Question 2

How should you pour a wine sample for tasting?

Answer 2

-WSET suggests pouring a 1.7 US ounce of 5 cL

-This is sufficient to assess the appearance, nose and palate of the wine , but small enough to swirl the wine without spilling it

Question 3

What does intensity mean for the color of the wine and how do you assess it?

Answer 3

• Intensity is how much color the wine has
  -For White Wines: Hold the wine at a 45 degree angle & look through the liquid from above to see how far the color extends from the core to the rim.
  -All white wines appear colorless at the rim, but the intensity of color is assessed by how close to the rim the color reaches (broad watery rim is pale), almost reaching the rim is deep
  -For Reds: Do the same, but also look straight down into the wine and assess how easily you can see the stem. Intensity depends on how easily you see the stem

Question 4

What is the color scale for whites and reds?

Answer 4

White: Lemon, Gold (hint of orange or brown), Amber (noticeable browning)

Red: Ruby, Purple (noticeable blue or purple), garnet (more red than brown), tawny (more brown than red)

Pink: Pink Orange, Orange (Roses)

Question 5

Why and how do we assess the “nose” aroma of wine?

Answer 5

-The nose can be an indicator of basic versus high quality wines

-To assess, swirl the liquid in the glass to release the aroma, then place your nose over the rim of the glass and take a short sniff noting the intensity (light to pronounced) and specific characteristics

-Each aroma is divided into clusters (Citrus, black fruit, red fruit, herbaceous) which include specific descriptors (cherry, lemon, lime, earth etc…)

Question 6

What are the three types of aromas and what are they typically derived from?

Answer 6

-Primary - the aromas that come from the grapes themselves (typically the fruit or herbs smelled)

-Secondary - aromas created by post-fermentation winemaking. Oak barreling = vanilla/cloves/cinnamon, yeast (lees, flor) = bread, biscuit, cheese, malolactic conversion (butter, cream cheese)

-Tertiary -aromas created by aging process - aged in barrels = caramel/coffee notes, aged in bottle = mushroom, honey, petrol notes. Tertiary aromas change primary - fruit becomes less fresh and more like dried fruit

Question 7

What factors should be considered when assessing the “palate” or taste?

Answer 7

-Sweetness (dry, off-dry, medium, sweet)
-Acidity
-Tannin
-Alcohol
-Body
-Flavor intensity & characteristics
-Finish

Question 8

What does alcohol do to wine and what are the levels in regular and fortified wine?

Answer 8

-Alcohol adds body to wine

-low abv: 11%, med: 11-13.9%, high: 14% >

-(fortified) low: 15 -16.4%, med: 16.5-18.4%, high:18.5%>

Question 9

What are the 4 primary factors for assessing the quality of wine?

Answer 9

BLIC

-BALANCE (sugar to acidity, alcohol to fruit)
-LENGTH (how long pleasant sensations linger)
-INTENSITY (concentration, identifiable & well-defined flavors)
-COMPLEXITY (Can be based on primary, secondary & tertiary flavors)
Outstanding wines =all 4 categories, Very good =3, Good =2, Acceptable=1, Poor=0

Question 10

What two components typically make wine taste “harder” worse?

Answer 10

-Sweetness and umami flavors
(make wines more drying, bitter, more acidic, less sweet & less fruity)

Question 11

What two components make wine taste “softer”, & better?

Answer 11

–Salt and Acidity
(make wines less drying, less biter, less acidic, sweeter & more fruity)

Question 12

What does sweetness in food do to wine and how do you balance it?

Answer 12

-Sweetness make the wine taste less fruity and unpleasantly acidic
-A good rule is to pair sweet food with a wine with a higher sweetness level

Question 13

What is umami’s effect on wine?

What foods are examples of bad pairings? Which foods can work as pairings?

Which wines can pair? Which wines cannot?

Answer 13

–Makes the wine:
more drying
More astringent and bitter,
more acidic
less sweet and fruity

Foods like mushrooms, asparagus, eggs and ripe soft cheeses have this quality.

Foods that have a balance of salt such as hard cheeses (Parmesan), cured meat/seafood are high enough in salt to counteract negative effects of umami

Wines that can pair:
Balanced high tannin reds may be able to balance bitterness

Wines that increase bitterness & imbalance when paired w/ umami:
Low tannin reds, light in body OR white wines either heavily oaked or with skin contact

Question 14

What does acidity in food do to wine?

What types of foods pair well?

Answer 14

–Generally a good thing for a food and wine pairing
–it balances a wine with high acidity and brings out the fruitiness
-however if the wine acidity is low the high acid of the food will make the wine taste flat, flabby and lacking focus

-in addition to high acid foods which match or do not exceed acidity of wine- fatty and oily foods pair well with high acidic wines
- these wines are seen as “cutting through” the richness of food and cleansing the palate

Question 15

What does salt in food do to wine?

Answer 15

-Salt enhances the flavor in wine and can make wine seem fruitier & soften the tannins

Increases perception of body in the wine

Decreases astringency, bitterness, and acidity in wine

Question 16

What 3 points should be followed when storing wine?

Answer 16

1) Should be kept in constant & cool temperatures (avoid extreme heat or cold as it can damage wine)

2) Avoid strong sunlight or bright artificial light which can heat the wine & make it taste stale and old

3) Store wine on its side so that the wine is in constant contact w/ the cork to keep it from drying out and letting air in

Question 17

What steps should you take before serving wine?

Answer 17

1) Check the appearance of wine for haziness which can indicate the wine is faulty

2) Check there are no bits floating in the wine

3) Check the aroma of the wine for faults, the wine should not smell stale or have aromas of cardboard or vinegar

Question 18

What does a vine need?

Answer 18

Warmth, sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients

Question 19

What are the steps to grape formation and ripening?

Answer 19

–Flowering - each flower cluster becomes a cluster of grapes
–Fruit set - once pollinated the flower grows seeds and swells, newly formed grapes are small, hard, dark green & unpleasant
–Veraison- mid summer grapes that have grown large enough to start ripening. Grapes change colors from dark green to golden (for white) and red & purple for (red)
–Ripening- grapes swell w/ water & become soft & fleshy, acidity drops & sugar in the grape rises. As the grape ripens herbaceous notes lesson & signature, green/stone/red/black fruit flavors develop. Tannins develop in red grape skins

Question 20

What happens when grape are extra ripe?

Answer 20

-If grapes are left on the vine past the point they might normally be harvested they go into a state of “extra-ripeness”
-develop exaggerated ripe aromas & accumulate higher sugar levels
-This concentrates acids & sugars in the grape
-dried fruit aromas start to develop
-commonly used for sweet wines

Question 21

What is botrytis/noble rot?

Answer 21

-A fungus that can grow on ripe grapes causing noble rot
-it causes tiny holes in grapes which causes the water inside the grape to evaporate

-To be beneficial the fungus must:
(1) grow on ripe grapes and
(2)mornings must be damp/misty to allow growth & spread of fungus, while afternoons should be warm & dry to avoid destroying grapes

-used for sweet wines

Question 22

How is eiswein (icewine) made?

Answer 22

-In some regions healthy grapes are left on the vine from autumn into winter
-When the temperature drops sufficiently, the water in grapes freezes
-Grapes are picked frozen and pressed before they thaw
-Ice & skins are separated from the unfrozen juice
-the juice has high concentrations of acid, sugar & flavor

Question 23

When is the growing season in the Northern versus Southern hemispheres?

Answer 23

-Northern: April to October

-Southern: October to April

Question 24

What is a GI?

Answer 24

-Geographical indication
-The area where the grapes are grown which has an influence on the style of wine

Question 25

How do Geographical Indications (GIs) function in Europe?

Answer 25

-Not only where the grapes are grown
-Has extra regulations on what types of grapes may be grown
-How the wine should be made

-European GIs are reliable indicators of the style of wine a consumer can expect

-GIs in EU are divided into PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)

Question 26

What is the difference between PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication)?

Answer 26

–PDO: Cover relatively small areas & have tightly defined regulations. Many of Europe’s most famous & prestigious wines are PDO

–PGI: Cover a wider area & have less strict regulations compared to PDOs. Greater flexibility when it comes to grapes that can grow & styles of wine. Wines can be varied from high volume, inexpensive, acceptable wines to low volume outstanding

Question 27

What impact do old vines have on wine making?

Answer 27

–Typically produce smaller numbers of grapes
–Grapes are more concentrated & complex aromas
–Can result in higher quality wines
–Some winemakers will note “Old Vine” (in France Vieilles Vignes)

Question 28

What does Late Harvest mean on the bottle?

Answer 28

-Made from grapes harvested later in the season
-Grapes result in riper flavors & higher sugar levels
-They produce fuller-bodied & more concentrated in style compared w/ wines made from grapes harvested at the normal time
-Late harvest wines can be dry, off-dry, medium, or sweet
-In Alsace, France late-harvest wines are labelled Vendanges tardives

Question 29

What are the PDOs and PGIs in France?

Answer 29

Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs)
–Appellation d’origine protegee (AOP)
–Appellation d’origine controlee (AOC)

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
–Indication geographique protegee (IGP)
–Vin de pays (VdP)

Question 30

What are the PDOs and PGIs in Italy?

Answer 30

Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs)
–Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
–Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
–Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)

Question 31

What are the PDOs and PGIs in Spain?

Answer 31

Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs)
–Denominacion de Origen (DO)
–Denominacion de Origen Calcificada (DOCa)

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
–VIno de la Tierra

Question 32

What are the PDOs and PGIs in Germany?

Answer 32

Protected Designations of Origin (PDOs)
–Qualitatswein
–Pradikatswein

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
–Landwein

Question 33

What is the typical order for red winemaking?

Answer 33

-Crushing
-Alcoholic fermentation on skins
-Draining
-Pressing
-Storage or maturation
-Packagin

Question 34

How is tannin and color extracted from the winemaking process?

Answer 34

-Fermentation and heat from yeast helps with extracting color/tannins but is not enough on its own.
-Skins float to the top above fermenting juice forming the “cap”
-Other techniques that assist with:
–Punching down- A plunger is used to push down the cap into
fermenting liquid
–Pumping over- liquid from the bottom of fermentation vessel is
pumped up through a hose & sprayed over the cap

Question 35

How is rose wine made?

Answer 35

Two ways:
–Short Maceration: black grapes are fermented on the skins for a
shorter period of time, only a few hours

–Blending: Can be made by blending a white wine with a red
wine, but this is generally not permitted in Europe

Question 36

What is the typical order for white winemaking?

Answer 36

-Crushing
-Pressing
-Alcoholic Fermentation
-Storage or Maturation
-Packaging

Question 37

How can residual sugar be extracted to make sweet wine?

Answer 37

–Concentrated Grape Sugars: botrytis/noble rot & frozen grapes have such high levels of sugar that it is impossible for the yeast to eat all the sugars (Tokaji Aszu) is an example of this

–Removing the Yeast: Sophisticated filters make small enough holes to remove yeast from fermenting grape juice

–Killing the Yeast: Adding alcohol (fortification) which raises the abv between 15-20%. This level of alcohol kills the yeast before it ferments all the sugars

–Adding Sweetness to Dry Wine: can come from grape juice or blending a sweet wine with a dry wine

Question 38

What temperatures do red, white and rose ferment at?

Answer 38

–Red:
(68 - 90 degrees farenheit)/20-32 celsius

–White:
(54 -72 degrees farenheit)/12-22 celsius

–Rose (once drained off skins it is similar to white wine process)

Question 39

What vessels can be used for fermentation/storage?

Answer 39

–Stainless steel or concrete vessels:
-Inert and do not add flavor to the wine
-Can also be made airtight, preventing oxygen from interacting
changing flavors in the wine

–Oak vessels:
-Adds flavors directly to the wine
-Allows flavors to evolves a result of the interaction of oxygen
during maturation
-Oak is heated to form the barrel–the heat toasts the wood and
produces sweet-spice & charred wood aromas/flavors
-New barrels: vanilla, coconut, charred wood, spice

Question 40

What flavors does oxygen impart when wine is fermented/stored in oak?

Answer 40

–caramel, dried fruit, nut (hazelnut, almond, walnut)
–Can also soften tannins

Question 41

What is malolactic conversion?

Answer 41

–Occurs after alcoholic fermentation
–bacteria lowers the acidity of wine and gives buttery flavors
–almost always occurs in red wine where buttery flavors not noticeable
–it is a choice in white wines, like Chardonnay
–Stopped/avoided in wines meant to be acidic like riesling

Question 42

What does chili heat do to wine?

Answer 42

-increases perception of bitterness and astringency

-increases burning effect of alcohol

-decreases perception of body, richness, sweetness and fruitiness in wine

-higher alcohol content increases burning effects of chili

Question 43

What are the easiest “low risk” and most difficult “high risk” wines to pair?

Answer 43

Low risk
-simple, unoaked dry wines (w/ little residual sugar) are unlikely to be made unpleasant by a dish but can be less interesting since the wines tend to not change with the food

High risk
Higher structured (more tannic, oaked) wines can increase bitterness and astringency especially when combined with high alc levels, acidity and complex flavors. BUT they make for more interesting pairings when done right

Question 44

What are classic pairings for oysters and why do these pairings work?

Answer 44

-muscadet/champagne - work well with oysters because they are unoaked, light in flavor and high in acidity. This means no bitter flavors to spoil oyster’s umami flavor, relatively light in flavor so they don’t overwhelm delicate oyster, still vibrant and refreshing when oyster eaten with lemon juice

Consider also Rías Biaxas Albariño and Hunter Valley Semillon

Question 45

What is the basis for the notion: red meat = red wine / fish = white wine?

Answer 45

Red meat =
Tannins in red wine bind to meat proteins which softens tannins. But more likely salt content in meat dishes plays an important role in softening wine tannins

Fish=
-Can be high in umami which makes red wines appear more bitter/astringent which is why whites are typically recommended
-reaction can be counterbalanced by salt and acid
-oily fish with red wine can produce metallic taste which is difficult to counterbalance. Better to pair oily fish with whites

But always consider the structural components of the dish itself especially if there is a sauce involved- if structural elements match- you can pair with either red or white