module 07 - wine

Service Training First Class

Version 3 – September 2013

Module 7 – Wine

This is a basic guide to familiarise you with the on board wines, the serving techniques and the desired level of product knowledge expected.

A Brief History of Wine

Wine was one of the first things that man created and it has held a special place in many cultures, for many centuries. To think that wine was invented by the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome is incorrect. Both cultures can trace wine back to their prehistoric periods and have built legends around its discovery. The ancient Egyptians left us evidence in the form of wine lists and wall paintings. We also know that they recorded the vintage, vineyard and winemaker on individual jars; possibly creating the very first wine labels! Going back even further, 7000 years in fact, there is evidence of the first cultivated grapes, our earliest vineyards. These were found in the areas we now know as Turkey, Georgia and Armenia. Who discovered wine?

It really leaves us to conclude that it was the Stone Age man who probably stumbled on wine by accident; possibly by placing some ripe grapes in a clay jar or skin bag and forgetting about them. Grapes contain sugar and juice and, in warm conditions, as these came into contact with yeast (contained in the grape skins), fermentation occurs. The process of fermentation creates alcohol. If we attribute the discovery of wine to the Stone Age man, perhaps we may also conclude that he suffered from the first ever hangover! The Church used wine for holy ceremonies, such as communion, baptism and marriage. These rituals kept the custom of drinking wine alive through the Dark Ages. The use of wine in church ceremonies inspired monks to pioneer the production of wine. In medieval times, wine was not a luxury but a necessity. Cities had impure and often dangerous water supplies. Wine was used as an antiseptic, and was also added to water to alleviate its polluted conditions. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, at a time when the population of England was 6.1 million, over 40 million bottles of wine were consumed per year! Around the 18th Century, advances were made in the wine production. Wine producers developed techniques which enabled them to mature their wines, without compromising the quality. People no longer viewed wine as an unpalatable necessity, and began to consume wine for pleasure. The next major advance in wine production was the quest for authenticity. Fraudulent wine producers were stopped when the French introduced the Appellations of Origin Control (AOC), which was designed to control the origin and quality of wines.



136, Gathering grapes from an arbor, treading and storage of wine in jars with stoppers, tomb of Nakht at Thebes136, Gathering grapes from an arbor, treading and storage of wine in jars with stoppers, tomb of Nakht at Thebes

Wine Making Process

Wine can be made out of fruit, rice, herbs and even flowers. However majority of wine is made out of grapes. The process of making wine is called “Vinification” and is divided into four stages:

1. The Harvest: Grapes are handpicked once they are perfectly ripened. They are stored separately.

2. The Alcoholic Fermentation: Grapes are pressed. Naturally occurring yeast on the skin reacts with sugar in the juice, causing Fermentation.

3. The Maceration: The pressed grapes are then transferred to fermentation vats, large vessels used to store liquid. Wine is kept in vats with the skins to extract the essential Tannin.

4. Blending and Ageing: The sediment-free juice is stored in vats for tasting, then in oak barrels for ageing.

The Tannin as mentioned in the Maceration process above is a substance contained in vegetable matter such as tea or in the skin, pips and stalks of grapes. In wine-making it dissolves in the alcohol and is one of the main constituents of red wine, responsible for its character and longevity. Tannin is particularly abundant in Bordeaux wines, which explains why they take so long to mature. Excess tannin makes wine astringent and leads to the formation of a deposit in the bottle. Another way of explaining the taste of tannins to you is by comparing it to drinking cold black tea, drinking cold black tea has a very similar taste to the tannin. The tannins will be tasted on the roof of the mouth.

Major Wine Regions

Wine regions can be categorized into Old World and New World. Old World wine dates back to the Roman Empire era and originate from Europe and the Mediterranean region, including France, Italy, Germany and Spain. These European regions had years to witness the impact of terroir (local soil) on wine production and refine their vinification methodology. Old World wines are named after the region in which the grape variety used to make the wine is grown. New World wines originate from countries such as North and South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Without years of terroir knowledge, these regions rely on technology to obtain good yield and quality wines. For example, many Australian and Californian vineyards rely heavily on oak aging and natural compounds to enhance structure and flavour. New World wines are named after the grape variety used in the wine.



Style Old World wines, emphasising traditions and terroirs are earthier, more minerally and more tannic. (Tannin is the wines natural preservative and complexity cultivator). Tannin softens as the wine ages, becoming softer in texture and more complex in flavour. This is why a highly tannic bottle of Bordeaux tastes better with aging relying more on technology than traditions. New World wines are fruitier, less tannic and creamier.

Vintage Versus Non-Vintage Wines

Whenever a bottle of wine being served in First Class, indicates the year on the label, crew are to mention to the customer that the wine is a vintage wine. Vintage:

• The very best grapes are used. Vintage could be a blend E.g. Champagne.

• The wine could consist of a blend of grape varieties; however, the grapes must always be from the same vineyard.

• Vintage wines are usually produced after a good harvest.

• The wine is bottled separately, marked ‘Vintage’ and the year is indicated.

• Vintage wines are of a higher price due to their superior quality and limited quantity. Non-Vintage:

• These wines are usually blended, often using grapes from different vineyards and different years.

• Experts blend the grapes, and thus ensure that a good standard of wine are produced even after a bad harvest.

Grape Varieties

Around the world there are probably 500 different varieties of grapes that are used to make wine. However, the following grape varieties dominate the on board product. White grape varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Semillon Red grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz (Syrah) and Zinfandel Many other types of grapes are cultivated: WHITE: Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Marsanne, Pinot Blanc, Pinot gris. RED: Grenache, Malbec, Carignan, Cinsault, Gamay, Mourvedre, Tannat.

Wine Tasting

1. Look: You can tell much about the wine simply by studying its appearance. The colour of wine varies tremendously, even within the same type of wine. For example: White wines range from green to yellow to brown. The more colour in a white wine indicates more flavour and age. Red wines range from a pale red to a deep brown red, usually becoming lighter in colour as they age. You can guess the age of a red wine by observing its “rim” colour by tilting the glass slightly. Swirling the wine slowly allows you to visually observe the body of the wine.



2. Smell: Swirl your wine. This releases molecules in the wine allowing you to smell the aroma, also called bouquet or nose. 3. Taste: The flavours vary between Spicy, Fruity, woody or Earthy

Champagne

During the time of Napoleon I, Champagne was a firm favourite of the rich and powerful. Today, Champagne is often used to celebrate special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. The three grape varieties used in Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Little story of Dom Pérignon:

In 1638 the Pérignon family had a child they named Pierre. When Pierre turned 20, he took the vows of a Benedictine monk. History was soon to be made as Pierre, known for his brilliant mind, was made administrator of the monastery of Hautvillers where he proceeded with the assistance from his Brother Phillipe (Pierre had lost his eyesight) to create the vineyard to put forth a rich yield. Their wine was soon sought after and in high demand. Through further experimentation, Dom Pierre Pérignon accidentally created the wine we now know as Champagne in the early 1700’s, better known in French terms as “Methode Champenoise”. Dom Pérignon discovered that by adding extra sugar and yeast to the wine which he had already produced, he could provoke a second fermentation within the bottle. This was done through a second fermentation creating the bubbles which give Champagne its characteristic ‘fizz’. The next challenge was to keep the bubbles in the bottle. Dom Pérignon sought to induce this second, accidental fermentation of the wine of Champagne at a given time and to regulate it so that it keeps its effervescence in the wine. Each year was a gamble for Dom Pierre Pérignon; sometimes the wine failed to fizz and in other years the fermentation was so brisk that it caused most of the bottles to burst. Over the years the Champagne bottles have further been developed to prevent them from bursting through the thickness of the glass used and the shape of the champagne bottle. When he was 60 years old he finally succeeded, producing Champagne as we know it today. It was wildly successful. Dom Pérignon died in 1715 and was buried among his vines. During the Revolution the abbey of Hautvillers was destroyed, but the church and Dom Pérignon tomb remain. Today, Moët et Chandon, the firm which bought the walls and vineyards of Hautvillers in 1794, gave the name of Dom Pérignon to their best wine. Note: The Spanish were responsible for the cork, and the English for the Champagne bottles (as the glass of a Champagne bottle is thicker than the usual wine bottles). Port: Port is made in Portugal and is a fortified wine. The Portuguese created port wine when they added some brandy to their wine to preserve it during export. This is why it contains a higher level of alcohol (15%-24%), whereas red and white wines generally contain around 12.5%. “Vintage” should be mentioned when describing the Port to the customers.



Popular Wines and the Grape Varieties

Red Wine

GrapesGrapesGrapesGrapes Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste ) Aging TimeAging TimeAging TimeAging Time Best regionsBest regionsBest regionsBest regions

Cabernet Sauvignon

Known as the king of red wines, it is the primary grape in the French Bordeaux region. Aroma is blackcurrant; the longer aged one may have a hint of cedar and cigar. Intensive complex, high tannins and full bodied.

Premier cabernet: 20 plus years. New world and cheaper ones (2-6 years)

Bordeaux (France)

Merlot

Merlot is often known as the “cabernet without the pain”. Round and medium bodied. Commonly associated aromas are black cherries and plums.

Drink it young with the exception of top Bordeaux Merlots which age is well over 15-20 years.

Pomerol, St. Emilion Bordeaux (France)

Pinot Noir

A good Pinot is very hard to find. But Pinot at its best is heavenly, fruity and floral. Silky in texture, light and crispy with a lingering after taste. Perfumes of raspberries, cherries and violets. American Pinot Noir tends to be lighter and fruitier; French Pinot Noir a.k.a red Burgundy is earthier and spicier.

Generally drink young (In 5 years)

Burgundy (France) California (USA)

Syrah (Shiraz)

Intense, spicy and peppery. As it ages, it adopts a smoother texture and perfumes of sweet blackberry.

5 – 15 years.

Rhone (France) Australia

Zinfandel (red)

There is a wide variety of red Zinfandels: light bodied to moderate bodied, and fruity to spicy. The better Zinfandels are richer, darker and moderately tannic. They are also smoother in texture and perfume of spicy raspberries and blackberries.

Generally drink young (In 5 years)

California (USA)



White Wine

Grape Variety Summary

• Cabernet Sauvignon: Intense, full-bodied, tannic and a blackcurrant taste.

• Merlot: Softer version of cabernet cherry and plum like, juicy, moderate bodied.

• Pinot Noir: Light bodied and silky.

• Syrah: Warm black-cherry, mouth-filling, spicy and peppery.

• Zinfandel: Light to moderate bodied, spicy berries.

• Chardonnay: The cabernet of white wines. Intense, full bodied, fruity and floral.

GrapesGrapesGrapesGrapes Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste )Personality ( Aroma, Taste ) Aging TimeAging TimeAging TimeAging Time Best regionsBest regionsBest regionsBest regions

Chardonnay

Known as the Cabernet Sauvignon in the world of white wines. Rich and complex in taste and flavour. Depending on the regions, aromas range from lemon, honey, green apple, kiwi, melons to oakey and hazelnutty. The Californian Chardonnay is generally known for the buttery texture due to the sunshine. Whereas the French Chardonnay is used to the cooler climate and are more subtle and crisp.

Drink young, good up to 5 years.

Chablis, Burgundy (France) California (USA)

Sauvignon Blanc

Delightfully aromatic with a distinctly grassy, gooseberry, peach and melon-like aroma. The best Sauvignon Blanc is crispy, dry and offers a long finish. The most well-known French Sauvignon Blanc Pouilly-Fume and Sancerre from the Loire Valley are more acidic, grassy and tangy. The New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, benefiting from its friendly climate is more aromatic and less acidic.

Drink it young and chilled.

Marlborough region (New Zealand) Loire Valley (France)

Riesling

Though commonly associated neither as the German sweet wine, not all Rieslings are sweet nor from Germany. Alsace and Australia have developed distinctive Riesling. Clean and crispy, Riesling has a varying bouquet, ranging from apple, peaches, lime, honeysuckle to minerally. Rieslings are highly acidic in nature which means they are great food partners and age well.

Ready to drink. Good up to 12 years.

Germany, Johannesburg Alsace (France)



• Sauvignon Blanc: Crispy, gooseberry and grassy.

• Riesling: Can be dry or sweet. Acidic and light bodied. A very clean wine.

Wines and Temperature

Wines Temperature for serving

White Wine and Champagne • Chill for 30-40 minutes

Rose Wine • Chill for 30 – 40 minutes

Red Wine • Room temperature

Port Wine • Room temperature

Presenting the Wines

• Hold the bottle using one hand low, the other hand resting on the shoulder of the bottle.

• Present the bottle showing the label.

• Introduce the wine by name. [Country of origin, vintage year if applicable].

• Give a brief description.

Wines Description White

Dry, medium dry, medium to sweet Complements white meat, pasta and seafood

Champagne Brut (Very Dry) As an aperitif, complements fruit and desserts

Red Medium bodied to full bodied. Complements red meat, cheese and game

Pouring Techniques

5 points to remember when you are pouring wine:

1. The label of the bottle should face the customer. 2. Place one hand behind your back. 3. Pour the wine / Champagne into the wine glass or Champagne Flute at the

customers table. 4. Do not touch the rim of the glass. 5. Twist the bottle to catch the drip.

Points to remember: Tips to follow when serving the wine selection:

• Bordeaux is a blend of 3 grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Tips to follow when serving the Champagne selection:

• Do not serve Champagne after 2 hours as it loses its fizz and it turns flat.

• Champagne must always be chilled.

• Practice careful opening techniques of the Champagne bottles: • Ensuring the Champagne is well chilled. Chilling the Champagne will prevent

the cork form popping and the Champagne from spraying. • Remove the metal secure piece. • Open the cork foil wrapping.



• Place a napkin/towel over the cork to prevent the cork form flying off and to hold any Champagne that sprays.

• Never open the bottle of Champagne in the galley when customers are boarding. As the cork may pop/shoot off and injure a crew member or a customer.

• Whenever the Champagne bottle is back inside the galley, always fit the Champagne stopper before re-chilling the bottle.

• Always remove the stopper from the Champagne bottle before going into the cabin.

NOTE: When the Champagne stopper is released it does make quite a loud noise.

• Before landing into a Station, the partially used Champagne bottle should be laid flat inside the chilled bar cart with the Champagne Stopper in place. Lock and seal the bars as per standard. The bar paperwork should reflect the amount of Champagne that is inside the bottle, i.e. ¼, ½, ¾ or 01 for a full bottle.

• Trials reflected that the quality of Champagne remains good for up to 12 hours. As always, you will be expected to observe the quality of the Champagne after filling a Champagne flute. Bubbles should rise from the base of the Champagne flute, which proves the Champagne is not flat.

Recognising Defective Wine

When opening a bottle of wine, it is important that we can recognise vital signs that indicate that the wine is bad and thus should not be served to our customers. The term used to describe a bad or off bottle of wine is “corked”. 1. Appearance: � Cloudy wine hints bacteria spoilage. The wine should be clear. There may be deposits

(known as sediments) which are normal and provide no indication of the wine quality. Cloudy wine should NOT be served.

� Colour: The colour of the wine reflects its development. Oxidised wine (aged too long or exposed to oxygen) has tints of reddish-brown or amber-tawny for white wines. Oxidised wine tastes flat and stale.

� Condition of the cork: If the cork is cracked or infiltrated by wine, then the wine is most likely damaged.

� Note: Sometimes you might observe clear sugar like crystals in the bottom of a bottle or glass. These are tartrates. They are formed when the wine is stored in very cold temperatures. They are harmless and safe to drink. If anything, they indicate a good quality bottle – one that has not been commercially treated during vinification.

2. Smell: Check for 3 smells that indicate potential defects: � Mouldy, musty smell of mushrooms or damp earth. This is caused by the

Trichloronisole (TCA) in a corked wine. The smell might worsen with exposure to air. � Smell of vinegar or sherry. This would indicate a high level of acidity and oxidation. � Smell of rotten eggs. This is caused by excessive hydrogen sulphide formed during

the fermentation process. Though unpleasant the wine is drinkable. However, due to the nature of the smell it is preferable not to serve this to our customers.

� Note: Often wine will smell of burnt matches when uncorked. This is the sulphur dioxide which was added in the bottling process to keep the wine fresh. There is no need to discard the wine. The smell will go away after a few minutes of aeration.



3. Taste: As a crew member, you will definitely not taste the wine, however should your customer advise you that the wine they are drinking tastes like sherry/vinegar, please discard the bottle immediately, change the customers glass and open a new bottle of their chosen wine.

Wines on board are changed frequently.

Keep yourself updated!

module 07 - wine

Documents