Basic Wine Knowledge Topic
What is Wine
Wine Types
Grape Varieties
Wine Tasting
Serving Wine
Wine and Food Pairing
How to Buy Wine
Style Wine
Wine Global
What is wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of
fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes
Wine Types
Table Wine (Still)
: White wine, Red wine, Rose wine
Sparking Wine
: Champagne (french), Asti Spumante Italy), Cava (Spain),
Sekt (Germany)
Fortified Wine
: Port, Sherry
Aromatize Wine
: Vermouth
White Wine Grape
Chardonnay
(shar-dun-NAY)
Considered the queen of white
wine grapes, Chardonnay
produces the most complex
wines in the world. Most
chardonnays are full, golden and
velvety with hints of fruit, nuts,
butter, oak, spice or vanilla and
have medium to high acidity.
White Wine Grape
Chenin Blanc
(SHEN'N BLAHNK)Chenin Blanc has been
cultivated for thousands of years
in the Loire Valley of France.
Chenin Blanc has higher than
average acidity. The character of
Chenin Blanc can be difficult to
define, but it generally is light
and fruity
White Wine Grape
Gewurztraminer
(geh-VERTS-trah-mee-ner)
Literally translated as "spicy",
Gewurztraminer is grown
primarily in Germany and in the
Alsace region of France where
the cooler climate allows it to
ripen fully. It has a light, crisp
acidity and a bold flavor.
White Wine Grape
Riesling (REES-ling)
Riesling, the most notable white
wine grape from Germany, is also
grown in France's Alcase region
and in New York's Finger Lakes
District. It is grown in California
and Washington, although with less
frequency. Riesling has medium to
high acidity and light to medium
body with a distinct flowery, fruity
aroma.
White Wine Grape
Sauvignon Blanc
(SO-vin-yon BLAHNK)
Sauvignon Blanc, also known as
Fumé Blanc, is grown in the
Bordeaux and Loire regions of
France, and in California, New
Zealand and South Africa. It is
characterized by a light, crisp
acidity. It will often contain several
fruit components and is frequently
blended with Semillion from the
Bordeaux region of France.
White Wine Grape
Semillon (SEM-ih-yon)
Semillon is one of the more
unique types of white wine. It
rarely stand alone and is
frequently blended with
Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon can
also be very rich, making a
favorable dessert wine.
Red Wine Grape
Cabernet Sauvignon(cab-er-NAY SO-vin-yon)Cabernet Sauvignon can be found in many of the wine regions mentioned above. In the Bordeaux region of France, it is considered the noblest grape of all. It is, in fact, the grape that makes fine Bordeaux wines. Cabernet Sauvignon can age well for decades. It is dark purple or ruby in color, medium to full bodied, and has a beautiful array of intense aromas and flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon would be considered a dry red wine and blends well with Sangiovese, Merlot and Shiraz.
Red Wine Grape
Merlot (mer-LO)Merlot has become very popular in the last 10 years. It is one of the more drinkable types of red wine with its low acidity and mellow softness. Merlot is grown widely in many of the regions mentioned above and can be blended, particularly with Cabernet, or stand alone. Merlot has rich flavors of blackberry, plum and cherry.
Red Wine Grape
Pinot Noir(PEE-no NWA)
Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow, but yields an exceptional wine with great complexity when conditions are correct. It is grown in the Burgundy region of France, in Oregon and in the cooler regions of California. Many California grown Pinot Noir grapes are used for rose style champagnes. It has light to moderate body with deliciously varied aromas and flavors.
Red Wine Grape
Syrah or Shiraz(sih-RAH or shih-RAHZ)
Known as Shiraz in Australia and South Africa and as Syrah in California and France, this wine has low to moderate acidity making it very drinkable. Shiraz/Syrah exhibits wonderful flavors of spice and fruit. Many think the French version is more acidic, therefore better to accompany food than the Australian version. Shiraz/Syrah is blended with Grenache and Cabernet.
Grape Varieties GuideGrape Varieties Colour Body Tastes
Chardonnay white; varying from pale
to yellow gold
medium to full bodied citrus and apples to tropical fruits
ageing the wines with oak add aromas of
toast, butter and even bacon
Chenin Blanc white: very pale to deep
gold
light to full bodied baked apple and honey often with refreshing
lemon acidity
Gewurztraminer white medium to full bodied heady aromas of lychees and roses, then full
bodied and velvety in the mouth
Riesling white; varying from pale
with green highlights to
the deepest gold
light to full bodied from zesty green apples to a very intense
luscious sweetness
Sauvignon Blanc white; pale with hints of
green or yellow
light to medium
bodied
Gooseberry, Aromas cover pea pods, leeks,
green fruits, through limes to passion fruit. It
also has a bright refreshing acidity
Semillon white light to full bodied dry styles - ripe citrus sweet styles - rich and
honeyed
Grape Varieties GuideGrape Varieties Colour Body Tastes
Cabernet
sauvignon
Dark red full bodied Black Cherry, Black Currant, Baking Spices
and Cedar
Syrah Dark red full bodied Blueberry, plum, tobacco, meat, black
pepper, violet
Pinot Noir Violet Deep Red Lighter-bodied Red
Wine with higher acid
and soft tannin
Very red fruited (cherry, cranberry) and red-
floral (rose), often with appealing vegetal
notes of beet, rhubarb, or mushroom
Zinfandel Light red Medium-bodied to
full-bodied Red Wine
A broad, exotic array of fruits from stone
(overripe nectarine), to red (raspberry, sour
cherry), to blue (plum, blueberry), to black
(blackberry, boysenberry), Asian 5 Spice
Powder, Sweet Tobacco
Semillon white light to full bodied dry styles - ripe citrus sweet styles - rich and
honeyed
Wine Tasting Basics
Look:
Air
Smell (bouquet & aroma)
Taste
Remember at “L.A.S.T.” You will be professional.
Serving Wine
Wine Presentation Steps
Step 1: Set up wine glasses ahead of time. Make sure
there is a glass for everyone who will be drinking wine. Make
sure you have the proper glasses for the wine.
Step 2: Bring the wine up to the table. Present it to the
person who ordered it with the label facing them. Announce
the wine to them. For example, say "the 2003 Chateau
Latour Pauillac, sir". This is just so the person can verify that
you brought them the correct bottle
Serving Wine
Wine Presentation Steps
Step 3: Hold the bottle in one hand and use your wine key to
remove the cork. Try to take out the cork without it
making a pop.
Step 4: Present the cork to the person who ordered the
wine. Some people want to inspect it or sniff it to make sure
it has not dried out.
Step 5: Pour a small amount into the glass of the head of the
table. Let him/her test it out to make sure it is ok.
Serving Wine
Wine Presentation Steps
Step 6: Fill up the other guests' glasses, ladies first, in a
clockwise order. Fill the host's glass last. Only fill the glasses
about half full.
Step 7: If there is any wine left in the bottle, leave it on
the edge of the table (if it's a red) or in a chiller (if it's a
white).
Sommelier
Open Wine
Open Champagne or Sparkling Wine
Letting Wine Breathe
Some wines, especially younger, full-bodied red wines,
benefit from being exposed to air for a short period of time
before drinking. This is called aerating your wine or
"letting it breathe", and it results in a softening of the
flavor and an opening up of the aromas of the wine.
Wine Serving TemperatureWine style Ideal temp
Sparkling Wine & Champagne 4-6 °C (Refrigerate for 3 hrs)
Dessert Wines
Late harvest, Botrytis styles
6-8 °C (Refrigerate for 3 hrs)
Light dry whites
Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio
8-12 °C (Refrigerate for 2.5 hrs)
Medium bodied, dry whites
Unoaked Chardonnay, Semillon
10-12 °C (Refrigerate for 2 hrs)
Full bodied, dry whites
Oaked Chardonnay, Oaked Semillon
12-14 °C (Refrigerate for 2 hrs)
Light red wines
Rose, Beaujolais, Gamay
12-14 °C (Refrigerate for 2 hrs)
Medium bodied reds
Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Merlot
14-16 °C (Refrigerate for 45 mins)
Full or tannic reds
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel
16-18 °C (Refrigerate for 30 mins)
Wine Storage Basics
1. Light
2. Humidity
3. Temperature
4. Vibration
How to store wine
after opening.
Wine and Food Pairing:
What You Need to Know
Balance
Acidity
- Acidic dishes like pasta with tomato sauce pair well with a
wine that is also high in acidity, fish with an acidic lemon
sauce, Sauvignon Blanc
Palate Cleansing
Wine Glass
Easy To Understand Wine Definitions Acidic/Acidity
Appellation
Aroma
Balance
Bouquet
Breathe
Crisp
Decant/Decanting
Dry
Fruit/Fruity
Full-Bodied
How to Choose Wine from a Restaurant
How to Choose Wine from a Restaurant
How to Choose Wine from a Restaurant
How to Choose Wine from a Restaurant
No need to panic. Don’t fumble for a Xanax. It’s just a wine
list. Unlike the IRS, it won’t harm you. To the contrary, you
can make the restaurant wine list your ally and trusted guide,
overcome wine list panic and wind up impressing, as well as
earning respect and thanks from your dinner companions.
How to Choose Wine from a
Restaurant.
How to Read the Wine List
Wine list organization varies, but most often categorizes
wines by:
- Region of production: Europe (France, Italy, Germany,
Spain) America, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina,
South Africa, Thailand.
-Type of wine: Sparkling wine, Desert wine, Table wine
(White, Red, Rose)
Wine List:
Brut and Grande Cuvée Champagne Baht:
Armand de Brignac, Brut Gold, Reims 29,000
Krug, Grande Cuvée, Epernay 22,000
Laurent Perrier "Grand Siècle", La Cuvée, Reims 18,000
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin "Yellow Label", Brut, Reims Magnum 15,000
Louis Roederer "Cristal", Rosé, Reims 2002 69,000
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, La Grande Dame, Reims 1998 22,000
Sparkling Wine
Chandon Brut, YarraValley, Australia 2,600
ProseccoTorri di Credazzo DOC, Follador, Veneto, Italy 2,600
Wine List:
Dessert Wine
Sauternes
8,000
Château Raymond-Lafon, Appellation
Sauternes Contrôlée 1996 ½ bottle
Château Suduiraut, 1er Cru Classé 2006 ½ bottle 5,400
Château d’Yquem, 1er Grand Cru Classé 1998 49,000
Wine List:
France
White Bordeaux
Médoc
Mouton Cadet Reserve, Appellation Médoc Contrôlée 2007 3,900
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Appellation Graves Contrôlée 2005 14,000
Red
Saint-Estèphe
Château Chasse-Spleen, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel 1990 10,500
Château La Lagune, 3ème Cru Classé 1990 13,500
Saint-Estèphe
Château Calon-Ségur, 3ème Cru Classé 1996 28,000
Château Cos d'Estournel, 2ème Cru Classé 1989 15,000
Wine List:
France
Red
Pauillac
Château Lynch Bages, 5ème Cru Classé 2000 35,000
Château Pontet Canet, 5ème Cru Classé 1995 2,9000
Château Lafite Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé 1982 190,000
Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Classé 1998 60,000
Margaux
Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé 1986 70,000
Château Margaux, 1er Cru Classé 1982 130,000
Wine List:
French
Red
Pomerol
Château Petrus, Cru Exceptionnel 1995 170,000
Château Petrus, Cru Exceptionnel 1982 200,000
White Burgundy
Petit Chablis, William Fèvre 3,000
Chablis, Joseph Drouhin 4,500
Chablis 1er Cru, Joseph Drouhin 5,900
Chablis Grand Cru "Les Preuses", Jean & Sebastian Dauvissat 11,900
Wine List:
Red Burgundy
Côte de Nuits
Romanée-Conti, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1976 330,000
Côte de Beaune
Beaujolais
White Rhône Valley
Red Rhône Valley
White Loire Valley
Red Loire Valley
Wine List:
Germany
White
Red
Italy
White
Red
Spain
United States of America
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Chile
Argentina
Vintages
• Vintage, in wine making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product
Vintage
Wine Label
Wine Label
Wine Label
Champagne Label
QWpsr
• Quality Wines Produced in Specified Regions (often abbreviated to or simply "quality wines") is a quality indicator used within European Union wine regulations. The QWpsr category identifies wines with protected geographical indications. The European Union regulates and defines the status of "quality wines" according to production method, management and geographical location. Its original, fundamental role is in differentiating quality wines from table wines, broadly in line with the system traditionally employed by the French government, amended to account for the preferences and methodology of Italian and German growers, among others in the EU.