Wine 101 Flashcards
What is wine?
Alcoholic beverage made with fermented grapes.
Vintage
Year when wine was made. Once a year, grapes are harvested to make wine. Each vintage has unique growing conditions that affect wine taste (rainfall, wind, frost, hair, fires, etc).
Wine grapes features
Smaller, sweeter, thicker skins and with seeds.
What is Vitis Vinifera?
Grape species to make wine. About 8,000 varieties, 1400 of them are for commercial wine, 100 of them make up about 75% of world’s vineyards.
Where did Vitis Vinifera originate?
Caucasus mountains in eastern Europe, wine has been made from it for about 10,000 years.
How many styles of wine exist?
9
Light bodied-medium bodied-full bodied RW
Light bodied-full bodied-Aromatic WW
Rose-Sparkling-Dessert/others
Sparkling wine
Carbonation from second fermentation.
Bready - yeasty aromas.
All styles (white-rose-red) and sweetness levels (sweet - dry).
Label terms denoting dryness
Brut, Extra Brut, Brut Nature
Light bodied WW
Dry, easy drinking, high acidity.
Pair with a wide variety of foods.
Aromas range: sweeter stone fruits - - savory, herby and peppery flavors.
Full bodied WW
Rich smooth taste and subtle creamy notes.
Age in oak barrels (usually 6-12 months) leading to several interactions that increase body.
Aromatic WW
One of the oldest wines in the world.
Explosive, perfumed aromas.
Can be dry or sweet.
Rose
Made by “dying” W for a short time with red grape skins
World’s largest Rose region: Provence, France
Light bodied RW
Translucent color, light tannin, increased acidity, delicate floral-herbal aromas.
Very versatile, match a wide variety of cuisines, perfect match with poultry.
Medium bodied RW
Moderate tannin (can age well).
Most with slightly higher acidity.
Can pair with most foods.
Full bodied RW
Deepest, darkest and highest in tannin
Pairs well with fatty, umami-driven foods bc of high tannin, and you can drink them solo
What is the role of tannin in wine?
Gives wine antioxidant properties
Ensures wine can age for decades
Dessert/other W
More rare wines.
Unique method.
From dry to sweet.
Age longer than bold red wines.
Notable sparkling W
American sparklers
Cap Classique - Cava - Champagne - Cremant
Lambrusco- Prosecco- Sekt
Notable light bodied WW (13)
Albariño, Assyrtiko
Chasselas, Chenin blanc
Garganega (Soave), Gruner Veltliner
Muscadet, Picpoul, Pinot grigio (aka Pinot gris), Sauvignon blanc
Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vinho verde
Muscadet?
French regional wine made with melon grapes
Notable full bodied WW
Aged rioja blanco - Chardonnay
Grenache blanc
Marsanne - Roussane
Semillon - Viognier
Notable aromatic WW (7)
Gewurztraminer
Moscatel - Moscato - Moschofilero - Muskateller
Riesling - Torrontes
Moscatel/Moscato/Muskateller?
Regional names for wines made with Muscat Blanc grapes
Notable Rose W
Beaujolais rose/Cabernet franc rose
Garnacha rose
Pinot noir rose/Provence rose
Sangiovese rose/Syrah rose
White Zinfandel
Notable light bodied RW
Beaujolais - Cinsault
Frappato - Gamay
Lambrusco
Nerello Mascalese - Pinot noir
Schiava - Zweigelt
Notable medium bodied RW (15)
Barbera - Blaufrankish
Cabernet franc - Carmenere
Dolcetto - Grenache
Mencia - Merlot - Montepulciano - Nebbiolo
Sangiovese - Tempranillo - Valpolicella blends
Xinomavro - Zinfandel
Notable full bodied RW
Bordeaux blend/Cabernet sauvignon
Malbec/Monastrell/Nero D’avola
Petite sirah/Pinotage
Syrah (aka Shiraz)/Sagrantino
Tannat/Touriga nacional
Notable dessert/other W
Ice wine
Madeira - Marsala
Moscatel de Setubal - Muscat of Alexandria
Port
Sauternais - Sherry
Vin Santo
Cabernet Sauvignon
Most planted wine variety in the world. Rich, red and robust. Grape originated in France around the region of Bordeaux.
Flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon?
Black cherry, black currant, cedar, baking spices, graphite.
Cabernet Sauvignon pairs with…
Seasoned grilled meats (steak), peppery sauces, and dishes with high flavor.
Merlot
Very closely related to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Usually slightly more fruity than CS.
Can age just as long as CS.
Flavors in Merlot?
Bay leaf, cherry, chocolate, plum, Vanilla.
Merlot pairing
Roasted pork.
Broiled mushrooms.
Braised short ribs.
Chimichurri sauce.
Tempranillo
Spain’s top variety, from the region of Rioja.
Classified by how long it ages in oak.
Flavors in Tempranillo?
Cedar, Cherry, dill, dried fig, tobacco.
Tempranillo pairing
Bolder styles:
aged steak.
Gourmet burgers.
Lamb.
Fresher styles:
Mexican street foods.
Tomato dishes.
Chardonnay
Originated in the Burgundy region of France. Wide range of styles: bold, buttery, oak-aged to lean, Blanc-de-Blancs sparkling wines.
Flavors in Chardonnay?
Vanilla, butter
yellow apple, pineapple, lemon, starfruit
Chardonnay pairs with…
Dishes with creamy, buttery flavors. Lobster.
Syrah
Aka Shiraz (Australia). Boisterous, rich and peppery. Originated close to the Northern Rhone of France.
Flavors in Syrah?
Tart blueberry.
Chocolate.
Green peppercorn.
Dark plum.
Tobacco.
Syrah pairs with…
Darker meats and exotic spices.
Ex: Lamb shawarma, gyros, asian five-spice pork, indian tandoori meats.
Grenache
From Spain (Garnacha). Medium body RW, spicy.
Red berry flavors.
High alcohol.
Flavors in Grenache?
Stewed strawberry.
Grilled plum.
Ruby red grapefruit.
Leather.
Dried herbs.
Grenache pairs with…
Roasted meats, spiced vegetables.
Sauvignon blanc
“Green” herbal flavors.
Sky high acidity.
Originated in France.
One of the parents of CS.
Flavors in Sauvignon blanc?
Gooseberry, grapefruit, honeydew melon, passion fruit, white peach.
Sauvignon blanc pairs with…
Herb-driven sauces over chicken, tofu, or fish.
Thai/Vietnamese cuisine.
Pinot noir
World’s most popular light bodied red.
Higher acidity + lower tannin.
Fruit and spice flavors.
Long, smooth finish.
Flavors in Pinot noir?
Allspice, cherry, hibiscus, mushroom, raspberry.
Pinot noir pairs with…
Duck, chicken, pork and mushrooms.
How to taste wine?
Look –> Smell –> Taste –> Think
Look
Visual inspection of the wine under neutral lighting.
Smell
ID aromas through orthonasal olfaction (e.g. breathing through your nose).
Taste
Assess:
structure (bitter, sweet, sour, salty).
Flavors from retronasal olfaction (breathing with the back of your nose).
Think
Take a pause to solidify the taste profile of the wine into your long term memory.
How to look
Hold a glass of wine over a white background under neutral lighting and observe. Check for hue, intensity (how opaque is it?) and viscosity (water or viscous?).
Hue
Variation of color and rim.
Nebbiolo/Grenache: Rim with translucent garnet or orange color.
Pinot noir: Color can be true-red or true-ruby.
Malbec: Rim is Magenta-pink color.
Intensity
How opaque is it? can you see sediment in the W?
Viscosity
Tears forming on the side of the glass: “wine legs”, tell you if W has high or low alcohol and/or residual sugar.
The thicker and + viscous, the + alcohol and/or residual sugar.
What happens when WW age?
They oxidize and gain color.
Deeper yellow to brown (fully oxidized).
What happens when RW age?
They lose color, getting more transparent and faded w/ a more orange or tawny-colored rim.
What happens if you see sediment in the W?
Not bad at all, sign of an unfiltered wine, many consider this a highly desirable trait.
What can aromas in wine reveal?
Almost everything, including grape variet(ies), aging, region, and even vintage.
What does the smell of vanilla indicate?
Higher presence of vanillin suggesting the W was likely aged in oak.
Where do aromas in W come from?
Chemical interactions btw grape juice, the yeast fermentation, and the aging method.
What are the categories of aromas?
Primary aromas, secondary aromas and tertiary aromas:
Primary aromas
From the interaction btw grape and yeast.
Can include fruit, flower, and herb-like.
Secondary aromas
Fermentation derived. Primarily from yeast and other microbes. Ex: yeast, cheese, cream, sourdough, or beer-like.
Tertiary aromas
From aging and oak.
Ex: browned butter, maple, nut-like and vanilla.
Tips to smell the wine
Hold glass right under your nose and slowly move it away while sniffing.
Swirl the W: Adds O2, which concentrates aromas.
Overloaded?: Smell your forearm, helps reset the nose.
What happens when you taste the W?
You are touching and feeling the W. Mostly focused on the texture of the W, which reveals its physical traits.
Physical traits of W
Acidity, alcohol, sweetness, tannin.
Body, finish, layers, length.
What happens the moment you taste the W?
Flavor evolves in the palate until wine is swallowed, but some W continue to deliver taste sensations long after they are swallowed.
Sweetness
1st thing to look for. Sweet or dry? You can taste sweetness towards the front of the tongue where you have the highest proportion of tastebuds.
Acidity
Sour taste. Makes mouth water. All W lie on the acidic side of the pH spectrum. A W w/ low pH (high acidity) will cause + salivation and tingling.
Tannins
Mostly on RW.
Feel them on the middle and sides of tongue.
Mouth-drying, bitter sensation (astringent).
Antioxidant properties.
Alcohol
warming or burning sensation in throat.
High alcohol gives burning sensation: wine is “hot”
Body
Weight and how “big” is the wine on the palate, either filling it with flavor and richness or being lean and light.
Finish
What flavor or taste does the W finish with? bitter? sweet? smoky? oily? salty?
Length
How long it takes until you can’t taste the W on the palate.
“layered” wine
Flavors and textures change over the course of a single taste
Think
Thinking carefully after tasting a new W helps develop a W palate. Goal: pick out key characteristics related to the way it looks, smells and tastes.
Wine repertoire
As big as you choose to make it. Trying: new W, new vintages and new W regions helps you create a diverse W repertoire.
Balance
Even distribution of acidity, alcohol, sweetness and tannin.
Complexity
Depends on # of flavors and textures identified.
Usually W w/ high complexity are considered higher quality.
Common rating scales
100-point system (by Robert Parker)
5-star system (Vivino)
20-point scale (mc in UK)
What does a good or high rating mean?
Quality.
Good quality-to-price ratio.
But no guarantee you’ll like the wine.
“Good” ratings in these scales?
85 and up
3.5 and up
17 and up
Serving sparkling W?
“Ice cold” (38-45 F/3-7 C)
Storing sparkling W?
Store open in fridge for 1-3 days.
Serving light white and rose W?
“cold” (45-55 F/7-13 C)
Storing light white and rose W?
Store open in fridge for 5-7 days.
Serving full bodied white W?
“cold” (45-55 F/7-13 C)
Storing full bodied white W when opened?
Fridge for 3-5 days.
Serving RW?
“cellar temp” (55-68 F/13-20 C)
Storing RW?
Cool, dark place for 3-5 days.
Serving fortified W?
“cellar temp” (55-68 F/13-20 C)
Storing fortified W?
Cool, dark place for up to 28 days.
Glassware importance
Space above the wine helps you sense better the different aromas.
Glassware for light bodied WW?
Slightly smaller bowl and smaller diameter opening.
To preserve floral aromas and deliver more concentrated aromas, maintain a cooler temperature and better express acidity.
Glassware for full bodied WHITE wine?
Larger bowl.
Glassware for RW in general?
Larger bowl and diameter opening.
To mitigate tannin or spicy flavors and deliver a smoother tasting experience.
Glassware for light bodied RW?
Globe-shaped glass (e.g. Pinot Noir).
Glassware for full bodied RW?
Large bowl + wider diameter opening.
Glassware for spicy and peppery RW (e.g. Syrah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese)?
Large glass with a smaller diameter opening.
Types of pairing
Congruent and contrasting
Congruent pairing
Both wine and food share flavors.
Examples of congruent pairing? (4)
Syrah/black pepper (Rotundone).
Buttered popcorn/Chardonnay (“buttery”).
Barbecue pork/Zinfandel (rich, smokey, spicy).
Bresaola/Chianti Classico (meaty, earthy).
Contrasting pairing
Balance btw extreme opposites.
Usually wine as a palate cleanser to the food.
Examples of contrasting pairing (4)
Mac + cheese/sparkling WW (rich, creamy vs high acidity).
Blue cheese/Ruby Port (pungent and creamy vs sweet and bitter).
Pork/Riesling (umami and rich vs sweet and acidic).
Maple bacon/Champagne (sweet/umami vs sour/carbonated).
Where is wine made?
In 90+ countries around the world.
Italy (9)
Barbera-Montepulciano
Nebbiolo-Nero D’avola
Pinot Grigio-Prosecco
Trebbiano Toscana
Sangiovese-Vermentino
France (11)
Beaujolais
Cabernet Franc - Sauvignon
Carignan - Chardonnay
Gamay - Grenache
Merlot - Pinot Noir
Sauvignon Blanc - Syrah
Main grapes of Spain (6)
Albarino
Cava
Garnacha
Monastrell (aka Mourvedre)
Tempranillo
Verdejo
USA (6)
Cabernet Sauvignon - Chardonnay
Merlot - Pinot Noir
Syrah - Zinfandel
Argentina (5)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay
Malbec
Syrah
Torrontes
Main grapes of Australia (8)
Cabernet Sauvignon - Chardonnay
Merlot - Pinot Noir
Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon
Shiraz - Riesling
Chile (2)
Carmenere (unique there)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Germany
Riesling**
Sparkling wines
Portugal
Many amazing, lesses known grapes.
Hungary
Very old, classic wine region. Unique varieties.
Brazil
Up and coming wine region of the world.
Greece
Very ancient wine region with rare, indigenous varieties.
South Africa (6)
Cabernet Sauvignon - Chardonnay
Merlot - Pinotage
Sauvignon Blanc - Shiraz
What atmospheric conditions can help or hurt wine grapes?
Rainfall, humidity, wind, frost, hail and sunlight.
What’s the effect of warmer climates?
Grapes fully ripen and mature, developing deep pigments, bold fruit flavors, greater sweetness, and higher alcohol content.
What’s the effect of warmer climates on grapes?
Grapes fully ripen and mature, developing deep pigments, bold fruit flavors, greater sweetness, and higher alcohol content.
What’s the effect of cooler climates on grapes?
Majes them softer, accentuates white wines’ minerality, maintains acidity, and ensures balance of flavors.
Importance of soil type on W
Big role in how vines grow and the kinds of wine they make. Determines the availability of nutrients, water drainage, water retention.
Moderates temperature in a vine’s immediate microclimate.
In what circumstances grape vines perform better?
When nutrients are scarce and roots are not swampy.
Sand associated with…
Aromatic, delicate body, light-colored wines.
Clay associated with…
Rich, structured wines (+ body, + tannin and stronger fruit flavors).
