Introduction to wine

When you find so much time for leisure and sun bathing spree, you would prefer to have wine as
your energizing company. Wine is an intoxicating drink and is made from the grapes as a
fermented juice. Wine is also prepared from other fruits. Since, grapes can ferment without the
addition of sugar, Enzymes or nutrients they are most preferred to make wines. Nearly all the
wines made in the world are prepared from the vitis vinifera, a species of the grape family.
Almost 4,000 wine varieties are made from this species. Apple cider, pears, cherry, plum and
berries are some of the fruits used to make wines. Wines are manufactured commercially as well
as some fruit wine come as fermented home products. Alcohol content will be 12% in fruit wines
and when they are equipped with brandy the content is increased to 20%. Wine becomes a good
well known creature if it is used judiciously.

Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide (CO²)

The sugar is in the grape juice and the yeast is present on the grape skins and in the air
Fermentation ends when the alcohol reaches around 15%

Wine has been produced for thousands of years. The earliest known traces of wine are from
Georgia (c. 6000 BC), Iran (c. 5000 BC), and Sicily (c. 4000 BC) although there is evidence of a
similar alcoholic beverage being consumed earlier in China (c. 7000 BC). The earliest known
winery is the 6,100-year-old Areni winery in Armenia. Wine reached the Balkans by 4500 BC
and was consumed and celebrated in ancient Greece, Thrace and Rome. Throughout history,
wine has been consumed for its intoxicating effects.

Grapes

A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus
vitis. Grapes can be eaten fresh as table grapes or they can be used for making wine, jam, juice,
jelly, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and grape seed oil.

Constitute of grapes

1. Stalk: Tannin
2. Skin : yeast, tannin and pigments( color)
3. Pips: Tannins, oil
4. Pulps: sugar, minerals, acid
Composition of grapes juice / wine

A grape berry is, by weight, approximately 75% pulp, 20% skin, and 5% seeds. Pulp, the soft,
juicy center of the grape consists mostly of water, then sugar, followed by a miniscule amount of
acids, minerals, pectin, and vitamins. The skins are responsible for the wine’s aroma and flavor,
as well as the color and tannin. The components of wine provide clues about where the wine was
grown and how it was made. They also affect qualities such as taste and mouth feel.

Acid

Acid is the most important element in the pulp other than water and sugar. As a grape ripens its
sugar content increases and its acid content decreases; the challenge is to harvest precisely when
optimal balance is struck.

 Acid balances alcohol and sweetness and sometimes adds a crisp, refreshing sensation

 It may cause your mouth to pucker (like if you were biting into a lemon wedge)

 Many wines undergo malolactic fermentation, which transforms hard, malic acid into
softer lactic acid

 Grapes grown in cooler regions tend to have higher levels of acidity

Alcohol

Alcohol is produced during fermentation when yeasts come in contact with the natural grape
sugar in the grape pulp.

 High-alcohol wines are full-bodied with a richer mouthfeel

 Alcohol generally has a sweet flavor

 A wine with high levels of alcohol sometimes gives-off a hot, burning sensation that you
can smell and taste

 High levels of alcohol indicate that the grapes were very ripe at harvest

Sugar

Sugar comes from ripe grapes (although some grape varieties naturally contain more sugar than
others). It is mostly converted into alcohol during fermentation. Any remaining sugar is called
“residual sugar” (called r.s. for short).

 A wine with high levels of residual sugar generally tastes sweet, has a richer mouth feel
and fuller body

 Grapes grown in warmer climates tend to get riper and contain more sugar
  Wines with no apparent sweetness (or low levels of sugar) are referred to as “dry”

Tannin

Tannin belongs to a class of compounds called phenols and comes from grape skins and seeds; it
is mostly found in red wines but can be found in some white wines.

 Tannin is an important compound that plays a role in the aging of wine; therefore high-
tannic red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo are those that can be aged
longest

 An easy way to understand the effect of tannin is to think of a cup of hot tea in which the
tea bag has steeped for too long; the tea will have a very strong, harsh, almost bitter
(tannic) flavor that can only be softened by the addition of milk. This same concept
applies to wine, that is why cheese and wine is a classic pairing (the protein in cheese
neutralizes or balances the tannins in wine)

Water

Water pressed from the grape’s pulp, constitutes the single largest element of wine

Types of grapes

Black
1. Cabernet Sauvignon: it is one of the most popular and famous red wine grape varieties
in the world. While the historic home of Cabernet Sauvignon is the Bordeaux wine region
of France, winemakers in California’s Napa Valley and Australia’s Coonawarra wine
region are also making world-class Cabernet Sauvignon wines, some of which rival those
made in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon wines are typically deep red in color with
moderate acidity. They often have notes of blackcurrant and spices and have moderate to
good tannin structure.

2. Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir is part of the Pinot grape family that includes Pinot Gris, Pinot
Blanc and Pinot Meunier. This grape variety is most closely associated with France’s
Burgundy wine region. Due to differences in terroir, Pinot Noir wines created in two
different villages in Burgundy may differ widely, adding to the complexity of the wine.
Pinot Noir’s popularity has led to it being embraced by winemakers in northern Italy,
Germany, Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, California (especially Sonoma)
and Oregon (especially the Willamette Valley). It produce light color, light tannin, with
floral, strawberries, raspberries, cherry flavors.
3. Merlot: The popularity of the Merlot red grape variety trails only that of Cabernet
Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Bordeaux, in the southwest of France, is the home of the best
Merlot wines in the world. Within Bordeaux, the wine regions of Saint-Emilion and
Pomerol particularly stand out. Outside of France, other places to find examples of high-
quality Merlot wines include Italy, Chile (especially the Colchagua Valley), California
and Washington State. It has a thin and bigger skin than cabernet. The wine has low
tannin and acid level and produces softer, smoother and fruiter wines with cherry, plum,
red current flavor note.

4. Syrah: Syrah (also known as “Shiraz”) is most closely associated with the Rhone Valley
in southeastern France, but it is truly an international grape variety. In the New World,
Syrah has become very popular in Chile, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia,
California and Washington State. In France, the grape variety is known as Syrah;
however, in New World wine markets such as Australia, it is usually known as Shiraz. It
has powerful tannin which allows the wine to mature gracefully. The adequate acid level
makes the wine taste fresh.

5. Malbec: Malbec is generally considered to be the national grape variety of Argentina.

The Malbec wines of Argentina tend to be softer and less tannic than those found in the
southwest of France, where Malbec originated. Within Argentina, the primary wine
growing regions for Malbec include Mendoza, La Rioja, San Juan and Catamarca. Based
on the success of Malbec within Argentina, Chilean winemakers in the Central Valley are
also working on creating high-quality Malbec wines.

6. Grenache: Grenache (known as “Garnacha” in Spain) is one of the most popular red
grape varieties in the world. The best Grenache wines can be found in France (especially
the Rhône Valley) and Spain (especially Rioja and Aragon). Grenache grapes are used to
produce wines that are berry-flavoured, spicy in subtle ways, and soft to drink. They also
tend to have relatively high alcohol content.

7. Sangiovese Grape: Sangiovese is the most popular red grape variety in Italy. It can be
found everywhere in central Italy, but the acclaimed home of Sangiovese is Tuscany,
where it has been used to create blends like Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,
as well as the famed “Super Tuscans.” Sangiovese, while capable of ageing well, is best
enjoyed as a young wine, when it has fresh, fruit-forward flavours. If aged in oak barrels,
it can acquire a more complex, oaky character. While Sangiovese is not as aromatic as
other red grape varietals like Pinot Noir and Syrah, it typically will produce a very rich
flavour profile that includes cherries and strawberries.

8. Tempranillo Grape: Tempranillo often referred to as “Spain’s noble grape,” is primarily

grown on the Iberian Peninsula, especially within the Ribera del Duero and Rioja wine
 regions. The Tempranillo grape produces full-bodied, ruby red wines that can take on
some very distinctive aromas and flavours, including plum, berries, tobacco and vanilla.
When aged in oak barrels, these flavours become even more intense.

9. Barbera Grape: Barbera is one of the most popular Italian red grape varieties, ranking
right behind Sangiovese and Montepulciano. The traditional home of Barbera is
northwestern Italy, especially the wine region of Piedmont. Perhaps the most famous
example of a Barbera wine is Barbera d’Asti in Piedmont. Barbera can produce some
long-ageing, robust wines with intense fruit and complexity. When young, Barbera wines
often have flavors of red cherries and berries. As they age, the flavor shifts to black
cherries and blackberries.

White wine grapes

Chardonnay

This wine can be described as sparkling or still wine. It can be served with fish and chicken
dishes. It has a wide bodied and velvety citrus flavor. It has a buttery quality that resembles
coconut, toast, toffee or vanilla when it is fermented in an oak barrel.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is a classy wine with high yields and excellent quality, cultivated since more than
10 centuries in France. This wine, requiring extensive care, can be used for a wide variety of
wine products – from sweet wines to sparkling wines. It is named differently in different regions
of the world, e.g. “steen” in South Africa. The flavor has notes of apples and quinces.

Gewürztraminer / Gewurztraminer

This wine can be served along with the Asian food and sausages. It has allspice, lychee, peach
and rose aroma with fruity flavor.

Muscat

This wine is prepared from Muscat grape which describes a family of grapes. This sweet wine
can be enjoyed on its own without any pair and dishes. It has a very aromatic and various
bouquets with notes of orange and elderberry flowers or pear. One of the most famous wines
resp. sparkling wines is the Asti Spumante.

Riesling
These are fresh tasting wines and improve with age. They can be served along with poultry, fish
and pork. This wine is very light and is an evocative of fresh apples and has floral notes.

Sauvignon Blanc

These wines are often considered as versatile food wines. They can be served along with poultry.
They have an herbal and fruity flavor with notes of black current and gooseberry. Also very
typical is its hint of minerals and the fresh acidity.

Classification of wine

Table Wine/ still wine

It is a kind of wine obtained by the natural fermentation process without adding anything else.
The carbon dioxide produce during fermentation is allowed to escape.

.Table wines are generally served along with food hence they get the name table wine. Table
wines are the most famous and only wine that is found in the dinner table all over the world.

Wines that have a very low volume of alcohol content is said to be table wine. Generally to the
wine terminology the table wine can take two different meanings one can be the wine style and
the other is the quality level. The alcoholic contain is 10- 14 % ABV.

Popular table wines are:

1. Red wine
Red wines are produced from black, red or blue grapes. Red wine does not get its color
from the juice. Red wine gets its color when the juice of the grapes is allowed to have
contact with the grapes skin for a long time. Red wine does not get its color by simply
soaking the skin; it also has a substance known as tannin. Tannin gives the red wines the
density that is ahead of the other white wines. The mouth drying quality of tannin makes
you feel the firmness of wine in your mouth. The firmness will be strong if the wine is
young.
The qualities of wine will become soft and mix harmoniously with the other factor of the
wine as the time passes. This act as the main reason for the red wines to age better than
whites. The grapes are fermented as a whole along with the skin and seeds. Red wines
can be light or sweet, soft or refreshing. Since red wine has more complex flavor it has to
be served at a warmer temperature. Popular grapes used to make red wines are Barbera,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel etc.

2. White wine
 White wine can be made from red as well as white grapes, since grape juice is almost
colorless after its extraction. However, mainly white grapes are used to prepare most
white wines, still.
To impact the color of a wine, the skin of the wine grape plays a major role. By letting
the skin soak along with the juice, the color of a wine is influenced. Since this is the fact,
it is possible to make white wine even from red grapes by extracting the juice carefully
and keeping the skin aside.
The decision whether the skin and sometimes also stems are allowed to soak with the
grape juice determines the amount of tannin, too. Tannins are reduced in the wine if the
skin and stem are not allowed to soak in the juice. This is an important aspect for making
wine as the mouth drying quality of tannin makes you feel the firmness of a wine in your
mouth.
Sometimes white wines are fermented or aged in oak barrels to impart some tannin to the
wine, but not as much tannin as in red wines. The wine flavor of white wines may range
from very dry to sweet. Grapes used to make white wine are Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc,
Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc etc.
3. Rose wine
Rose wines are neither white nor red wines; instead they have enough of reddish tinge to
make them differentiate from the white wines. The color of the rose wines varies
depending on the color of the grape variety used for making the grapes. Most of the times
rose wines seem to have orange color then pink or purple. Rose wine can be produced in
a number of ways. But most of the times the rose wines are prepared by crushing the red
grapes as a result they are not able to get much color or tannin from the grapes. Rose
wines are white in their character and flavor.

Early days the rose wines were made by simply adding a bit of red wines with the white
wines. The wine makers thought that this method will produce some interesting wines
which posses the heart character of the red wines and the crispness of the white wines.
Then slowly this practice has fallen down.
Drinking rosé wine in the hot weather give the feeling of crispness and lightness and is
also very refreshing. So it is often referred as summer wines. Generally rose wines are
simpler than the heavy white and red wines.

The styles of rose wines vary generally. Rose wines from Europe are so dry while rose
wines from the United States are sweet. The most popular rose wine is the White
Zinfandel from California. Most of the rose wines are made from red grapes. The red
grape varieties that are used in the preparation of the rose wines are: Pinot Noir, Syrah,
Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon etc.

Sparkling wine
These are the wines bottles with the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. The gas is prevented
from escape. The trapped gas is the result of secondary fermentation either in the in the bottle or in the
sealed tank. It gives sparkle to the wine. The alcoholic percentage is between 10- 13% ABV. Glasses
used for sparkling wine must be thick to withstand the pressure of the gas behind the cork. E.g.
Champagne.

Sparkling wine is a delicious, invigorating wine that also be called as champagne, bubbly and
shimmer wine. Sparkling wine contains large amount of carbon dioxide. This carbonated
beverage is made in all parts of the world. The carbon dioxide makes the wine to fizz, bubble and
to be effervescent.

The grape varieties that are used in making sparkling wines are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot
Meunier, Chenin Blanc, Mauzac Blanc, Xarello, Parellada, Maccabéo, Riesling or Muscat.
Sparkling wines are produced mainly from the red grapes. The red wine grapes are pressed
immediately after harvesting to get the white juice hence they are called as "White from Black".
At the same time some sparkling wines can be produced from white wine grapes to get more
delicate sparkling wines. These are called as "White from White".

There are different types of sparkling wines produced all over the world. Sparkling wines are
made from different wine making grapes with different production processes. But the
characteristic of all the sparkling wines are common.

Carbon dioxide that forms the bubbles in the sparkling wines is formed in the fermentation
process itself. To make a sparkling wine there are more than one fermentation process. The wine
makers all over the world will use their preferred production method.

Champagne is the king of sparkling wine. It is a proper name given to sparkling wines produce in
the Champagne region of France. Prosecco is the name of the sparkling wine that is prepared in
Italy. Italy is well for making the sparkling wines and is generally served with the desserts.

Sparkling wines have a delicate flavor and effervescence so in order to get the full characteristic
of the wines they should be served chilled. So the sparkling wine should be served in the
refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

Generally sparkling wines are suitable for parties and functions. So it can be well paired with
meat, fruit, cheese and sea food. For example meat like chicken, pork tenderloin, flank steak, and
turkey and fruits like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry, and cheese like brie,
provolone, goat cheese, and cream cheese and sea food like scallops, halibut, lobster, and
shrimps serve as good paring with the sparkling wines.

Fortified wines
Fortified wine is a wine to which the spirits of the distilled beverages like brandy are added. In
order to increase the alcohol content of the wine the spirits are added before the fermentation
process is complete. This kills the yeast leaving the residual sugar behind. Thus fortified wines
have mostly a certain residual sugar, but they can also be “dry”.

Many varieties of the fortified wines are developed. The most common and famous fortified
wines are Port, Sherry, Madeira etc. The famous regions for producing fortified wines are
France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Most of the fortified wines have their name from where they
are produced. And the wines with the regional name have different distinct style.

Further the wines are classified according to the grade of the grapes used, fermenting process and
origin. In certain cases the fortified wines are confined with the Appellation of Controlled origin,
this means that only the wines that belong to the certain regions have can bear that name. Wine
from other different regions can be labeled only as being the "style".

Port wine is also used as a dessert wine if the brandy is added to the fortified wine before the
fermentation process beings. The resulting port wine is very sweet and rich. Adding, the spirit of
brandy after the fermentation process results in a dry wine such as Vermouth. The flavor of the
fortified wines varies depending on the aging process and the way it is handled.

Sometimes the fortified wines are used in mixed bar drinks, like e.g. Vermouth. It is also used as
cooking wines along with sherry, port wine and madeira. Contradiction to the traditional wine
the fortified wines last longer after opening. Hence the fortified wines can be served in small
amounts allowing the drinker to enjoy each sip of the wine.

Food pairing with the fortified wine depends on the type of fortified wine you are choosing.
Generally the fortified wines are known for their long standing contribution both as an aperitif
and as a dessert wine. Desserts like cheeses, nuts, creamy desserts, chocolate, fruits torts go well
with the fortified wines.

Different varieties of fortified wines are:

 Madeira
 Wermut
 Sherry
 Portwein

Aromatized wine
These wines are fortified with brandy and aromatized with herbs, bark, spices, roots etc. An
aromatized wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 14.5% by volume and a maximum
alcohol content of 22% by volume according to EU law Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91.
The majority of older brands come from France and Italy but there are now a range of small
'craft' producers around the world. Varieties of aromatized wines are.

1. Vermouth
Vermouth is the most widely used aromatized wine due to its use in cocktails and famous
commercial brands such as Martini and Cinzano which are commonplace around the
world. Vermouth can be sweet or dry and red, white, pink or orange. It is traditionally
flavoured with an infusion of herbs, peels and spices, including wormwood but modern
commercial brands are likely to be made with a sweet concentrate of flavours to maintain
consistency and low-cost. Other brands include Punt e Mes, Noilly Prat and Carpano.

Vinification of wine/ Wine making process

Vinification is the process that transforms the grapes into wine. The process of vinification differ
from region to region, financial state of the winery and the grape types. The harvesting time and
the type of oak used for aging are based on the region in which the wine grapes are grown.

Regardless these factors wine making process involves the following stages:

Narrow and Tall Bottles: These types of wine bottles are used to store Rhine, Mosel and Alsace
wines. These bottles either have little or no punt. The bottle will be hollow at the bottom.

The grapes: More than any other thing, the grape quality determines the quality of wine. The
quality of grape is mostly affected by the growing season, weather, soil, acidity, harvesting time
and the pruning method.

In the northern hemisphere the grapes are harvested from early September till early November.
In the southern hemisphere it is harvested during Mid-February till early March. In the cool areas
of southern hemisphere the harvesting time extends up to May.

Wine Making Process

1. The Harvest
The first step in wine making process is harvesting or Picking. Grapes should be
harvested at the right time in order to make good wine. Harvesting can be done either
mechanically or by hand. Still the wine makers prefer to harvest in hand since the
mechanical harvesting can often be tough on the vineyard and grapes. After harvesting
once the grapes return to the winery, they are sorted cutting out the rotten ones and the
under ripped fruits before crushing.

2. Destemming Grapes
The process of separating the grapes from the stems and cluster parts is called
Destemming. Some of the wine makers keep some fragments of the stem to increase the
wine tannin. This can also be done manually or by mechanically. Manual destemming
increase the quality.

3. Crushing
After destemming the grapes are crushed to extract the juice from the skin. This is done
before the fermentation process begins. In the olden days bare feet is used to extract the
grape juice, now a day machines like crushers are used. During the process of crushing
excess care has to take to prevent skin tearing too much. Too much of skin tearing will
increase the tannin content which is not good for white wine grapes. Skin tearing will
also cause the grape juice to over oxidize which is an unwanted occurrence. Grapes like
Pinot Noir and Syrah are partially crushed to preserve their fruity flavor.
4. Pressing the Grapes
 Separation of grape juice and the skin is named as pressing. After crushing the grape
juice will flow freely, selected wineries use pressers to make sure maximum juice is
released. The more force the more tannic the wine will be.

5. Fermentation
Once the grapes are pressed they are introduced into the process of fermentation. During
this process the grape juice are converted into alcoholic beverage. The yeast interacts
with the sugar in the grape juice and converts them into ethanol and carbon dioxide. The
fermentation temperature and the speed of fermentation are the important concerns in this
process. There are two distinct stages in wine fermentation. They are Primary
Fermentation (Aerobic) and Secondary Fermentation (Anaerobic).

Primary fermentation will last for the first 3 to 5 days. Mostly 70 percentage of the
fermentation process will take place in the first few days. Considerable amount of
foaming may be seen during this rapid fermentation. In the primary fermentation the
fermentation vessel is left open to the air, since air plays a very important role in the yeast
cell multiplication.
The remaining 30 percentage of fermentation take place during the second part. The
secondary fermentation will last for one to two weeks. The secondary fermentation time
depends on the amount of nutrient and sugar available. In secondary fermentation the air
exposure should be kept the minimum. This done by bestowing an air lock to the
fermentation vessel, this is done because to make the yeast forget about multiplying and
to make them to release their energy fully to make alcohol.
 Process of adding extra sugar in must is called chaptalization.
 Process of adding more acid in must is termed as acidification.

For red wine

 The temperature is typically 22-25 °C. This is higher than that for white wines.
Higher temperature is needed to extract more color and tannin from the skin. The
wild yeasts are killed when the wine reaches 4 % ABV and the wine yeasts are killed
when the alcohol reaches around 15% ABV.

For white wine

 The fermentation occurs at a lower temperature range that is 15- 18 °C compare to

red wine. During fermentation lees may be stirred in to yield more flavors.

6. Purifying and Refining

 After fermentation purifying and refining of wine take places. Here any solid parts that
are left after fermentation are removed. To remove the residue wine makers pour the
wine in a filter. Simultaneously, during this process wines will be combined with other
types of wine to produce preferred flavor, tannin and acidity.

7. Preserving
Once the wine is purified and refined, they are preserved with sulfur dioxide (SO2) or
potassium sorbate. During the natural process of fermentation a minimum amount of
sulfites are produced, but more is added for the use of commercial preservation. Wine
preservation is very important since bacterial can easily decay the wines without any
preservatives. The preservatives added to the wine form an anti-oxidation or anti-
microbial agent. These agents stop the ongoing malolactic fermentation.

8. Premarket Aging/ maturing

Wines are aged for a particular amount of time to get more welcoming wine. Once after
purification, the wines are moved to wooden barrels for aging. Metal vats, concrete vats
and glass carboys are also used in some cases to increase the flavor. During aging wine
softens and it will be slowly oxidized.
9. Bottling
After aging, the wines are bottled. During the process of bottling a final dose of sulfite is
added to the wine to prevent it from uninvited fermentation in the bottle. The bottles are
then sealed with cork and screw caps. As a final step capsule is added to the top of wine
bottle, which is at last heated to get a tight seal.

Guideline for pairing wine and food

Acidity (PH 2.5 to PH 4.5)
 All wines have acidity of varying levels. Some are high acid wines and some are low acid
wines and food also has acidity.
 Food with noticeable acidic level needs acidic wine.
 E.g. fish dish require acidic wine as they always need lemon, either in their preparation or
in their presentation.
Tannin (Bitter)
 Tannin is perfect with red meat (beef, lamb), hard cheeses as it is helps to make them
more softer
 Low tannin wine may be suggested with fish served with sauce. Tannic wines pair well
with meat and protein foods.
 Acidity in food does not go well with the tannin present in wine. Therefore, the acidic
food should not be served with red wine.
  Low tannin and light reds may be suggested if any guest want to drink red wine with
acidic foods.
Texture
 Foods and wine have a texture which can felt when we taste them. Some foods are
creamy or fatty in the mouth while others are very simple.
 A dry Chenin Blanc fermented in stainless steel will be light in texture and evaporates
quickly on the tongue compare to Chardonnay which is fermented and matured in oak.
 Wines with 12.5 % ABV and above are considered heavy and below 11% ABV as light.
 Light texture dishes go well with lighter wines and heavy textured dishes with full- boiled
or heavy wines.
Flavor
 A heavy flavor wine will dominate the light dishes like oyster, while a light flavor wines
will be out of the place when served with heavily flavored dish like beef.
 White wines are in general, recommended with fish as the white wines are lighter than
reds. Some dark and meaty textured fish, such as tuna, may be served with red wine.
Fat
 Fatty foods go well with acidic wine which counteracts the fattiness.
Sweetness
 Sweet wines perfectly balanced with sweet foods.
 Vintage brut champagne paired with weeding cake.
 Some dishes such as duck, vegetables dishes, especially root vegetables etc are slightly
sweet and these dishes can be paired with slightly sweeter wine.

Storage of wine
From the Ancient Romans to Modern Americans, all people enjoy this extravagant hot drink. As
the world changes in a faster way, people just buy their favorite wine from the grocery store and
enjoy it. But they are unaware of how to store their wine optimally to enjoy it till the last.
There is a huge difference between storing the wine before it is opened and after opening it.
Before opening
 If the wine bottle is not opened, it should be kept away from the light in a dark place.
Wine should be kept away from direct sunlight, UV rays, and fluorescent fixtures. These
things might cause the wine to give an unpleasant smell. Dark colored bottles are safer
for the wines and some wine bottles will have in-built UV filters in them. But adequate
UV rays can ruin the wines. To keep the bottle away from light, the wine bottle can be
wrapped in a cloth or simply they can be kept in a box.
 If the wine bottle is corked then it should be stored on their sides. If they are stored in the
vertical position, then the cork will dry out, which makes it easy for the air to get in and
spoil the wine. Always keep the wines storing temperature constant.
  Make sure that the stored wine bottle is not moved. Even the vibrations like traffic,
motors and generators may also affect the wine. The humidity should be maintained
around 70%, this prevents the cork from drying. At the same time the humidity should
not be more than 70%, since it will encourage the growth of molds making the label to
loosen.
 As we all know wine breathes, is should be isolated. So it should not be stored with any
other thing that has strong small, since the small will infuse the cork and stain the wine.
To prevent the wine from musty odors proper good ventilation is required.
 Wines should be stored only for an appropriate amount of time. Red wines may require 2
to 10 years to mature depending on the type of red wines. On the other hand white wines
can be used within 2 to 3 years of storage.
After opening
 Wine cellar or closet would be the best place for the opened white wines. In absence of
these two, they can be put in the fridge. This will keep the wine good for 3 to 5 days.
 Extra cares like, minimizing the air exposure, corking the bottle tightly, keeping it away
from light and heat makes sure that the wine stays good for a long time.
 The opened red wine can be kept out. You need not worry about the red wine, unless you
place the cork in the bottle and place the red wine bottle in the dark place. This will
prevent the wine from going bad for a few days.

Conditions that affect wine (Causes of fault)

Wine storage is affected by many factors. Listed below are most important factors that affect the
wine storage:

1. Temperature
To store the wine for a long period its temperature should be maintained properly. Wines
stored for a week or months can also be affected by the temperature under which it is
stored.
Wines are stored in the temperature between 45° - 60° F; while the optimal temperature
range is 50° to 55° F. wines are stored in caves where the underground temperature is
13°C (55° F).
 Blush, rose and dry white wines are best at 46 deg - 57 deg F.
 Sparkling wines and champagne are best at 43 deg - 47 deg F.
 Light red wine work well at 55F.
 Deep red wines serve well at a temperature between 59 deg - 66 deg F.
0
2. Vibration
Ensure that you store the wine bottle such that when you try to take a particular bottle
you need not move others. Wine should remain in the stored place until it is opened.
 Make sure that there is no incessant vibration from other machinery or heavy traffic.
Since vibration can disturb the symmetry and common growth of the wine. Storage
locker should be built to allow proper air movement and to reduce vibration. Anti-
vibration mats can be used to prevent vibration. To make proper air movement smart
controllers can be used.

3. Humidity
Storage of wine becomes dangerous when inappropriate humidity is used. The corks can
dry out or crack and allow more air to flow inside the bottle when the humidity is
maintained as low as possible. Molds will develop damaging the cork as well as the
labels when the humidity is maintained at the high level.
For most wines the humidity is maintained at 70% which is enough to keep the cork in
flexible condition without drying out and dwindling.

4. Darkness
Tannins in the wine are oxidized causing damage to the wine when UV rays reach them.
Even dark colored bottles do not offer much shield from the UV rays. So, dark place is
only suitable for wine storage. Incandescent or sodium vapor lamps can be used instead
of fluorescent lighting.

5. Clean air
The environment that is free from smells and debris is essential for storing wine. To
prevent from mildewed whiff good ventilation is needed. Wines get contaminated when
unrelated smells enter through the cork. For the wines to mature, choose a proper wine
rack which provides a clean environment.

6. Angle of Storage
To keep wine in contact with the cork at all times it should be place horizontally in the
storage unit. When placed vertically, they develop deposits of sediment on the bottom.
Service of wine
Handling with wine and its serving are a very important issue in the wine culture. Every waiter
should know how to serve wine. This means to act according to the certain rules which are the
result of tradition and implies any wine selection and presentation of bottle of wine. Procedure
includes setting the right temperature of wine, opening the bottle and pouring the wine into the
appropriate glasses.

Main steps how to serve wine

How to open a bottle of wine and how to present and pour a wine

You should always bring wine with a proper temperature to the guests. If a bottle of wine is in
bucket with ice which is partly covered with a serviette, at first you should disposed bucket on
the auxiliary table, then take out the bottle from it with a right hand rotating the bottle around its
axis on a serviette, so if there any water from the ice it will stay on serviette.

When you coming to the guest with a bottle of wine, you should come from guests left side, and
put the bottle of wine in an inclined position, so that guests could easily read the label and make
sure that this is a wine that he wanted and that the bottle has it s originally cork.

 The label is the “identity card” of the wine. It s writes on it everything what your guest
wants to know about wine: wine name, name of manufacturer, year of production and
other information.
 When you have placed the bottle on the auxiliary table, you took the knife and cut the foil
under the cuff links at the bottle s throat (about 1 cm from the top of the bottle). So the
resulting “cap” has been removed. Next thing you should do is to clean the top of the
cork and the bottleneck to remove any dust which is common on bottles that stood in
basements for a long time.
 You should put corkscrew in the middle of the cork and be very careful not to break the
cork, otherwise, cork parts could be fall into the wine. Small lever which is located next
to the corkscrew should be put on the top of bottle with the left hand, and with right hand
you should pull up the corkscrew. This is the easiest and most proper way to open the
bottle of wine. Old wine corks are decaying, making it difficult to open.
 Removed the cap to smell it and check that there is no some strange or unpleasant smell
which can be a sign that the wine is rotten.
 When opening a bottle of wine, it is customary that Sommelier first poured
some wine to yourself to make sure that the wine is healthy. If not, it will return
the wine and bring another bottle.
 If the wine is fine, it is necessary to show the cork of wine to the guest on the small
plate. After e successful degustation, a small amount of wine is pour to the guest who
 ordered the wine to check it s quality. Only with his consent the wine can be served to
other guests, and after that to himself.
 When pouring a wine the guest should see the label of wine in every moment.
 Sommelier came to guest from a right side keeping his left hand behind his back.
 When pouring the wine from a bottle, it should flow gently and calmly, without
“guggle.” To ensure that the glass does not touch the neck of the bottle Sommelier, while
serving the wine can inconspicuously wipe bottleneck with serviette.
 Bottle of wine with the rest of it returns to the ice bucket to prevent warming.
 Bottle with red wine should be placed in front of guests on the table.
 After you take away sommelier accessories you can offer water to guests.

Service of sparkling wines and champagnes

Sparkling wines need to be served cold. It is mandatory to brought it in a bucket with ice, present
it and placed it on the auxiliary table. Actions that need to be done when the Sommelier serving
sparkling wines:

 Carefully bottle handling.

 Demonstration of bottles of wine to the guests and announcements to the person who
ordered it
 Set the appropriate glasses and equipment on the serving table.
 Remove the cork.
 Clean the bottle throat.
 Remove the cork without foaming.
 Place the cork with a basket on the plate.
 Serve the wine to guest who ordered it to taste it.
 Serve the wine to other guests at the table.
 Re-serve person who has tasted wine.
 Leave the bottle and the cap to guest’s sight.
 Clean the serving table.