Wine Basics Flashcards

Learn a variety of basic wine facts, from the meaning of distillation to the basic characteristics of reds, whites, and rosés.

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What are the three major types of wine?

A
  1. red
  2. white
  3. rosé
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2
Q

Why is red wine red?

A

It is a result of the grape skin’s contact with the grape’s juice during fermentation

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3
Q

What characteristics should the ideal red wine glass have?

A
  • Holds 10 to 22 ounces of liquid
  • Allows room to swirl your wine
  • Has enough surface area to allow the wine to breathe
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4
Q

At what temperature is red wine best served?

A

60-65 degrees Fahrenheit
(warmer than white wines)

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5
Q

What are the main varieties
of red wine?

A
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Malbec
  • Merlot
  • Petit Sirah
  • Pinot Noir
  • Sangiovese
  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Zinfandel
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6
Q

What are some common berry and fruit flavors used
to describe red wines?

A
  • blackberry
  • boysenberry
  • cherry
  • currant
  • fig
  • gooseberry
  • plum
  • raisin
  • raspberry
  • strawberry
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7
Q

Where does white wine get its color?

A
  • From the grape juice and grape skin of green, gold, or yellowish colored grapes, or
  • From just the juice (not the skin) of select red grapes (as in some Champagnes)
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8
Q

What characteristics should the ideal white wine glass have?

A
  • Narrow
  • A sharp taper at the top of the glass to allow the drinker to enjoy the full aroma of the wine
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9
Q

At what temperature is white wine best served?

A

45-50 degrees Fahrenheit
(cooler than reds)

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10
Q

What are the “Big Eight”
white wines?

A
  1. Chardonnay
  2. Chenin Blanc
  3. Gewürztraminer
  4. Pinot Gris/Grigio
  5. Riesling
  6. Sauvignon Blanc
  7. Semillon
  8. Viognier
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11
Q

What are some common fruit flavors used to describe white wines?

A
  • apple
  • citrus
  • grapefruit
  • lemon
  • lime
  • melon
  • pear
  • pineapple
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12
Q

What is a varietal wine?

A
  • Has only one grape variety
  • The wine is then named after the grape with a capital initial
  • E.g., Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer
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13
Q

What does “body” mean when describing a wine?

A

The texture or weight of a wine
in the mouth

  • Full-bodied wines have a rich, complex, well-rounded flavor that lingers in the mouth
  • Light-bodied wines are subtle and more watery
  • Medium-bodied wines fall somewhere in between
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14
Q

Which white wines tend to be full bodied?

A
  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Dry white wines
  • Wines aged either fully or partly in wood
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15
Q

Which red wines tend to be full bodied?

A

Cabernet and French Bordeaux

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16
Q

What is the DOC?

A

Denominazione di Origine Controllata
(“controlled place name”)

Italy’s designation for wine whose name, origin of grapes, grape varieties and other important factors are regulated by law

17
Q

What is a Super Tuscan?

A
  • Any wine from Tuscany made in less traditional ways
  • More powerful than other Tuscan varieties
  • May include Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot
18
Q

What is a decanter?

A

A vessel that holds the decantation of a liquid (such as wine), which may contain sediment

  • Used to aerate wine, or to allow it to “breathe” - enhancing the overall aroma of the wine
  • Decantation is the method of separating the solids liquids that exist in one mixture
19
Q

What are some common spices and cocoa bean products detected in red wine?

A
  • cinnamon
  • clove
  • cocoa
  • coffee
  • mocha
  • pepper (black, white)
20
Q

What are some non-fruit flavors often detected in white wine?

A
  • butter
  • earthy
  • floral
  • honey
  • vanilla
21
Q

Which white wines tend to be lighter bodied?

A
  • Gewürztraminer
  • Pinot Grigio
22
Q

What is a non-varietal wine?

A

A blend of several types of grapes

23
Q

Which red wines tend to be
lighter bodied?

A

Chianti and Pinot Noir

24
Q

Why is rosé blush-colored?

A
  • Red-skinned grapes are used
  • The skins are discarded in the middle of fermentation, rather than remaining throughout
25
Q

What is “distillation” of a wine?

A
  • The process of heating wine so the alcohol vaporizes and is collected to make a drink with higher alcoholic content
  • All distilled wines are known as “brandy,” although the quality of brandy varies
26
Q

What are “legs” when
describing a wine?

A
  • The syrupy lines that a wine leaves on the glass after being swirled
  • They have nothing to do with the quality of a wine
27
Q

What is the technical term for “the study of wine”?

A

Enology

28
Q

What is a wine’s “vintage” year?

A

The year in which at least 95% of its grapes were harvested (not the year in which the wine was bottled).

29
Q

What are tannins?

A
  • A naturally occurring component of wine found in grape stems & seeds
  • Provide structure to the wine to preserve the taste in the mouth
  • Most predominant in Cabernet Sauvingon
30
Q

What is a wine’s “finish”?

A

The lingering feeling in your mouth after you taste a wine

31
Q

What is a fortified wine?

A

Wine with added alcohol content, usually from distilled grape spirits added during fermentation

32
Q

What are a wine’s “aroma”
and “bouquet”?

A
  • “Bouquet” refers to smells that originate from the wine-making
  • “Aroma” refers to smells originating from the grapes themselves

Amateurs often use the terms interchangeably