Friday, April 8, 2011

Learning The Basics Of Wine

Ciao Darlings,


One of my fears upon returning home is that people will assume that I have acquired a vast knowledge of the different types of wines offered in Italy. Despite the fact that I went on a wine tasting tour is Southern Tuscany and that our fireplace, the area where we are collecting empty wine bottles, has become full from all of the bottle my apartment mates have been consuming, I'm by no means a wine connoisseur and my knowledge is pretty limited. So with a little research and the tidbits that I do know of wine, please read on for some basic knowledge of why Benjamin Franklin says “Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy."

What Is Wine?
"Any fruit containing sugar will turn to alcohol if you leave it to ferment because yeast converts the sugar into alcohol. Yeast lands on the skins of grapes so when grape juice is left to sit, the yeast will mix with it and ferment it naturally. Different strains of yeast will lead to different flavors of wine."


The Ingredients
"The inside of red grapes is essentially "white;" it is only their skin that is red and most wines are made with just the inside of a grape. The red color in red wine is created by allowing the fleshy interior to mix with the skins when it is being crushed. This process infuses red wines with "tannin," the ingredient that gives red wine its distinctive flavor. So you can make white wine with red grapes."

The Process
"The grapes are crushed with or without the skins and then left to ferment. A disinfectant is used to neutralize any contaminants, such as mold and bacteria, that may have been on the grapes. The fluid, or "must," is then left to complete the fermentation process in either big steel vats or small wooden barrels - barrels call for a longer process. Some vineyards will age the wine for years in oak barrels, which infuses the wine with positive woody hints." Most of the wine's aging is done in the vineyard and the vats so when you buy a bottle, you don't need to store it away as it is ready to be consumed.

Wine Tasting
The results of the four recognized stages to wine tasting:
  • appearance
  • "in glass" the aroma of the wine 
  • "in mouth" sensations
  • aftertaste
are combined in order to establish the following properties of a wine:
  • complexity and character
  • potential (suitability for aging or drinking)
  • possible faults
Pairing Food And Wine
"If you are going to be eating something delicate with subtle tastes you should avoid drinking something with a strong flavor that will overshadow the food. Conversely, a hearty meal will often be best complimented by a strong wine with flavor of its own. White wines tend to go best with fish and white meats, like chicken and pork; red wines go best with red meat and red sauces."


So, with these bits of information, you can now go around telling people about the basics of wine. If you have any input, questions, or more knowledge, then please, I would love to know!

Eternally yours,
Stephanie

Sources:
http://www.soyouwanna.com/soyouwanna-learn-basics-wine-1501.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_tasting

5 comments:

Marta from With Love... said...

I don't think anything except red wine and dying to read a book or take a course on it. Very lovely post and also very useful....thank you!


♥ Marta from With Love...

Fashion Cappuccino said...

Hi Stephanie! This is helpful for me to read because I know nothing about wine! I like wine that tastes sweet or would be best to eat with salads! If you have any brand recommendations, please let me know! :-) xooxooo

little luxury list said...

You're bringing me back to my wine class in college. This is a great overview Stephanie and the Ben Franklin quote is pretty brilliant.
Sure would love to have you follow along and have a lovely weekend!

xoxo,
Chic 'n Cheap Living

Oh to Be a Muse said...

i don't know much about wine so thanks for sharing. i only drink it, if ever, with cheese and i usually stick to riesling.

Leeann @ Join the Gossip said...

It's funny because I prefer red wines, yet don't eat red meat. I'm backwards! Hehe :)