Wine & Wine Making — Terroir, Grape Anatomy, Grape Varieties, Wine Classification, Vinification & Service Temps
Wine & Wine Making — Terroir, Grape Anatomy, Grape Varieties, Wine Classification, Vinification & Service Temps
Must = grape juice (French). Mosto = Italian/Spanish. Brix scale measures sugar content. Best terroir = poor soil, well-drained hillsides with good sunlight. White wine fermented AWAY from skins. Red wine fermented WITH skins (cuvasion). Phylloxera destroyed European vineyards in the 19th century.
Terroir = all natural and climatic elements linked to a particular vineyard. The PRIMARY influence on wine character. Includes: soil type · slope (hillside vs plain) · altitude · exposure · environment · climate. Best terroir = poor soil, well-drained hillsides with good sunlight. Best wines: limestone, gravelly, sandy or stony soils on hillsides. Art of winemaking developed by ancient Greeks and Romans — spread to Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany.
All classic wine varieties have small berries — smaller fruit = more concentrated flavour. European vine species = Vitis vinifera. Grafted onto American rootstocks (Vitis rupestris, Vitis riparia, Vitis berlandieri) since 19th century due to Phylloxera louse attacking European rootstocks.
Brix = scale measuring % sugar in liquid. Wine grapes: Brix 24–26 (small, lean, seeded). Table grapes: Brix 17–19 (larger, seedless, thicker pulp).
WHITE GRAPES
RED GRAPES
1. Harvesting: White grapes picked EARLY (need high acidity). Black grapes picked LATER (balance of colour and sugar). Checked with refractometer.
2. Crushing/Destemming: Break berries without crushing seeds. Separate berries from stems.
3. Pressing: Extract all juice. Resulting juice = MUST. Done immediately to avoid oxidation.
Red wines: Fermentation with skins present = Cuvasion. Skins removed when sufficient colour and tannin extracted.
White wines: Grapes pressed immediately → only juice fermented (away from skins). White wine fermented at 35°F for 10–14 days (slower, lower temperature).
Rosé wines: Skin in contact with juice for very short time → removed when desired pink colour achieved.
4. Fermentation: Sugar → alcohol + CO₂ via yeast.
5. Ageing/Maturation: In oak barrels or stainless steel tanks.
| Wine Type | Serving Temperature |
|---|---|
| Light, crisp white wines | 4–6°C (39–43°F) |
| Juicy aromatic white wines | 6–8°C (43–46°F) |
| Full opulent white wines | 10–12°C (50–54°F) |
| Rosé | 4–6°C (39–43°F) |
| Fruity lively red wines | 12–14°C (54–57°F) |
| Ripe smooth red wines | 16–18°C (61–64°F) |
| Rich dense red wines | 18–20°C (64–68°F) |
| Sparkling wines | 6–8°C (43–46°F) |
| Sweet and Fortified | 6–8°C (43–46°F) |
Oxidation: Prolonged air contact, insufficient SO₂ → deteriorates bouquet. Reduction: Insufficient oxygen exposure → foul smell of sulphur/rotten eggs. Mercaption: Yeast reacts with sulphur in lees → unpleasant smell (rotten eggs, onion, burnt rubber). Acetification (acetic spoilage): Bacterium acetobacter → vinegar taste. Corked Wine: Diseased cork from bacterial action → rancid, fungal smell/taste.
Decanting: Three objectives — separate sediment · aerate the wine · modify wine temperature. Used for corky wines and wines with sediment.
◆ Best terroir = poor soil, well-drained hillsides with good sunlight
◆ Phylloxera louse attacked European rootstocks → graft Vitis vinifera onto American rootstocks
◆ Bloom (on grape skin) = wild yeasts for fermentation · Anthocyanins = colour pigment
◆ Pips NOT crushed (contain tannic acid + oils + water that spoil wine)
◆ Must = grape juice (French) · Mosto = Italian/Spanish
◆ Brix: Wine grapes 24-26 · Table grapes 17-19
◆ Chardonnay = Alsace, France (greatest dry wines). Colombard = Cognac/Armagnac distillation
◆ Syrah = Shiraz in Australia (peppery, violet aromas)
◆ Nebbiolo = Barolo + Barbaresco (Italy) · Sangiovese = Chianti (Italy)
◆ Red wine fermentation with skins = CUVASION
◆ White wine fermented at 35°F for 10-14 days
◆ Champagne = ONLY from Champagne region, France. Cava = Spain. Prosecco = Italy
◆ Fortified wines: Sherry, Port, Madeira, Marsala, Malaga (16-24% ABV)
◆ Vermouth = wormwood · Dubonnet = herbs + quinine · Lillet = herbs + fruit peel + brandy