waitstaff wine training · why sell wine? as a food service professional, the number one reason to...

Waitstaff Wine Training

World Rights Reserved, Merryvale Vineyards, 2004

Why Sell Wine?

As a food serviceprofessional, thenumber one reasonto sell wine isINCREASEDCHECKAVERAGESAND HIGHERGRATUITIES.

For example, if you were to sell anadditional 4 bottles of $25 wine pershift, 5 shifts per week, 50 weeks peryear, and receive 15% gratuity, youwould be adding $3,750 to yoursalary! (4 x $25 = $100; x 15% =$15; x 5 shifts = $75; x 50 weeks =$3,750)

Beyond the monetary benefits, thereare a number of great reasons torecommend wine to your guests: ● It tastes good!● Food and wine are natural partners

and when paired properly willenhance the flavor of each other.An enhanced dining experiencewill bring guests back to yourrestaurant for repeat visits.

● Medical research suggests that, inmoderation, wine contributes togood health.

● It tastes good!

How to Increase Wine Sales● Familiarize yourself with the

wine list. Guests often look toservers for recommendations sinceit is virtually impossible for theaverage consumer to be familiarwith the 20,000 plus wine labelsavailable in the U.S. market. Youcan’t make a recommendation ifyou don’t know anything aboutthe wine. It may not be possible totaste the entire wine list, but winesby the glass should be tasted whenpossible and descriptions of wines

by the bottle should be madeavailable (most winery web siteshave wine fact sheets available).

● Recommend Wine. Wine listsshould be presented to the hostrather than being placed on thetable randomly. Recommend wineand food pairings. Ask for thewine order.● May I suggest champagne or

sparkling wine to start?● May I recommend a bottle to

share or wines by the glass?● Cabernet Sauvignon pairs

well with the beef special.May I bring you a glass withyour entrée?

● May I pair a glass of wineor cognac with yourfinal course?

● Banish Wine Snobbery. Manyguests are intimidated by wine andtherefore never order it for fear ofembarrassment; pronunciations aredifficult and tastingetiquette confusing.Help your guests feelcomfortable withwine. Wine is abeverage meant to beenjoyed and it can beenjoyed on manydifferent levels, endof story! Some guestswill welcome a littlepomp and circumstancewith a fine bottle ofwine; others willsimply want a greattasting beverage towash down theirmeal. Learn toread your guest’swine level andaccommodate them

accordingly. Never contradict acustomer’s wine selection; everyonehas different tastes and unless youropinion is solicited, don’t offer it.

Types of Customers● Wine-Savvy Diners usually know

what they want and are willing topay higher prices for a specialbottle.

● Special Occasion Diners wantsomething unique to celebrate theoccasion. Often, they are willingto take recommendations. Offer arange of prices to choose from toaccommodate their budget.

● Casual Diners may not want tospend a lot of money on a mealand appreciate budget-friendlysuggestions.

● Frequent Diners patronize therestaurant regularly and like staffto know their preferences andmake suggestions accordingly.

© Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

Bud Swelling in Spring—A primary bud awakens fromdormancy as the vine pumpslife up from its roots.(Jan/Feb)

Bud Break—Leaves frombuds left on canes after winterpruning begin to emerge.(Feb/March)

Leaf Emergence—Leavesare now recognizable andshoots are beginning tophotosynthesize. (March)

Shoot Growth—More leavesemerge as the shoot elongates.At this point, shoots are stillhighly susceptible to frostwhich can significantlydamage crop yield. (March)

Cluster Closing—Berries havereached full size and have noroom for further enlarging.(June/July)

Beginning of Veraison—Berries begin to turn color,soften and further developtheir flavors and sugars. (July)

Veraison Nearly Complete—Thepoint at which most grape clustershave completed veraison is an idealpoint to thin out those clusterswhich are the furthest fromcompleting veraison. (July/Aug)

Ripe Cluster—Grape flavorsare fully mature, acids andsugar are in balance—it’sharvest time! (Sept/Oct)

Flower Cluster Emergence—Many of these tender youngflowers will become this year’sfruit. (March/Apr)

Flower Clusters BeforeBloom—Flowers are fullyformed but have not yetbloomed. (Apr)

Beginning of Bloom—Flower caps pop off to revealthe reproductive stigma andstamens of the vine’s flowers.(Apr/May)

End of Bloom—All theflowers that will get fertilizedhave been pollinated and theberries begin to swell.(May/June)

Just Before Berry Set—Remnants of flowers remainbefore the unfertilized berriesfall off the cluster. (May/June)

Berries Enlarging—Cellswithin the berries are dividingas well as expanding. (June)

Berry Set—Flowers that havebeen fertilized now becomefirmly attached to the stemand will eventually becomegrapes. (June)

Full Bloom—Because grapeflowers are self-pollinatingtheir bloom is unlikemany fruits which displayextravagant blooms to attractbirds and bees to help thempollinate. (May)

Seasons of the Vine

Images courtesy of California Wine Institute. © Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

Winemaking 101The Vineyard and What Affects the Vine


There are three main factors thatdrastically affect the flavor of the grapeand ultimately, the wine that is made: ● Terroir● Wine growing● Winemaking

Terroir is the one factor which cannotbe readily altered. The followingfactors determine terroir:

● Climate, as measured bytemperature and rainfall

● Sunlight energy● Topography (altitude, slope, etc.)● Soil’s physical and chemical

characteristics● Soil water relations

Wine growing management: Specificpractices that the grower controls thatdirectly impact the flavor of the grapesand wine produced.

● Canopy size-Depending on thevarietal and weather conditions,the grower must decide how manyleaves to let the vine grow andkeep. Too much shade and grapescould produce vegetal flavors. Toolittle shade and the grapes couldsunburn and produce ‘burnt out’aromas.

● Irrigation-The amount of waterthe vine is given at key stages inthe growing season drasticallyaffects the aromas. Too muchwater and the grapes aren’tconcentrated enough, too littleand the fruit flavor suffers.

● Type of grape planted-Throughtechnological advances, growerscan determine the specific vari-etals, clones, and rootstocks thatare optimal for any given site. Notall grape varieties thrive in anygiven location. Napa was ‘blessed’in the early ’90s with phylloxera, adevastating root louse thatdestroys the vine. Itwas discoveredduring the 1870sthat American vinespecies are resistantto the devastationcaused byphylloxera.Therefore it is nowcommon practicein most wineregions to plant

European varietals on Americanrootstocks. The need to replantmany expensive vineyards causedgrowers to look carefully at theterroir of an area and plantaccordingly. The results have beendramatic and as the young vinesage, the wine quality of Californiawill continue to improve.

● Age of vine-Vine maturity affectscrop yields and flavor profile. Avine will not begin producingwine-worthy fruit until its thirdyear. As a vine ages, the grapes canbecome more complex, however,very old vines produce loweryields.

● Crop yields-The amount ofgrape clusters that are permitted toreach maturity on any given vinehas a direct correlation to flavorconcentration. Too many grapesand flavor is compromised, toofew and the cost of productionbecomes cost prohibitive for thewinery. Sometimes, MotherNature will control crop yieldswith freezes, excessive rain or hail.

● Layout of the vineyard-Includingvine spacing, trellising, and rowdirection. The number of vinesplanted per acre, the way thevines are pruned, the directionof the row and resultant sunexposure all affect the grapes.

For winemaking, see next two pages.

WinemakingWhite Wine

Bentonite: Neutral, powdered claythat binds with proteins and settlesout of the wine, aiding stability andclarity.

Filtering: A process used to clarifywine just prior to bottling, removingyeast cells and other particles. Rackingcan make filtering unnecessary.

Fining: Addition of a material thatalters the wine’s structure, then isremoved from the wine. Egg whitesand isinglass are fining agents thatremove tannins. Bentonite removesprotein.

Inoculate: Process in which culturedyeast is added to the juice forfermentation.

Isinglass: A particularly pure proteinobtained from the swim bladders ofsturgeon and other freshwater fishthat has been used for fining winefor centuries.

Lees: Solids - including spent yeastcells and grape pulp - that settles outof juice or wine.

Malolactic Fermentation: Bacterialfermentation in which malic acid isconverted to lactic acid and carbondioxide, adding complexity to and‘softening’ wines.

Pneumatic Press: A horizontal presswith an inflatable membrane thatgently squeezes the grapes against theside of the tank as it swells.

Racking: Process in which the clearjuice or wine is separated from thelees.

Sulfites: Antimicrobial and anti-oxidizing material used to protectjuice and wine. In the winery, sulfitesmay be used to clean and sterilizeequipment, kill harmful bacteria,prevent wine from oxidizing, guardagainst spoilage at bottling or inhibitspoilage microbes on the grapes.Sulfites are also a natural by-productof fermentation. (SO2 –sulfur dioxide)

Yeast: One-celled organismsthat, in winemaking,convert sugar to alcohol.

W H I T EW I N E M A K I N G

G L O S S A R Y


White grapes (Chardonnay, SauvignonBlanc, Semillon) are hand harvested, thenhand sorted if necessary to discard defects.Then whole clusters are gently transferreddirectly to a horizontal pneumatic press.

Pressing is done to maximize yield at thelowest pressure rating.

The juice drips into a pan at the bottomof the press and is then pumped into astainless steel, temperature controlledsettling tank.

Juice is chilled to 50°F overnight. Theclear juice is pumped off the settlings(lees) into another stainless steel tank(racking), where SO2 and yeast nutrientsare added. The juice is immediatelypumped to fill 225L French oak barrelsfor fermentation. Some lots are inoculatedwith yeast, and others are allowed toferment with naturally occurring yeastwhich lends additional complexity andseamlessness.

When the barrels have finishedfermentation (7-21 days) they are topped.The yeast sediment (lees) is stirred everymonth (Chardonnay only) and onemonth before bottling, stirring stops.Stirring the lees adds silkiness and flavorcomplexity to the wine. Wine is aged inbarrels from 4 to 16 months.

Chardonnay is encouraged to undergo asecond fermentation, called malolactic;Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are not.The secondary fermentation is really aconversion of malic acid to lactic acid.The conversion softens the wine and addsbuttery aromas.

Barrels are racked (clear wine separatedfrom lees) with pressure from inert gas(nitrogen)—for gentle handling andminimal aeration—and the wine isblended into stainless steel tanks.

Some wines are fined with bentonite toremove excess proteins, and isinglass toremove excess tannins and sculpt themouth-feel.

Some wines are filtered for clarificationjust prior to bottling.

WinemakingRed Wine

Bordeaux reds: The five classicBordeaux red winegrape varietals areCabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, CabernetFranc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.

Fining: Process in which protein (suchas egg whites) is added to the wine tocombine with and remove excess tannin.Fining ‘sculpts’ tannins and helps toremove astringency and may improvewine clarity when the fining agentattaches to suspended particles whichthen fall to the bottom of the barrel.

Free-run: Juice or wine that runs freelyfrom a tank before pressing.

Maceration: The extraction of aroma,color, flavor and tannins from grapeskins usually during skin contactduring the alcoholic fermentation.

Malolactic Fermentation: Bacterialfermentation in which malic acid isconverted to lactic acid and carbondioxide, adding complexity to and‘softening’ wines.

Must: Unfermented grape juice producedby de-stemming, crushing or pressing.

Pump-over: Process in which fermentingjuice is circulated over the top of themust cap, to create more contact withthe skins. (Conducted twice dailyduring fermentation at Merryvale.)

Racking: Process in which the wine isseparated from the ‘lees’ (sedimentformed by the dead yeast cells).

Tannins: Compounds extracted fromgrape skins and seeds that yields a redwine’s color and structure. If notmanaged properly from vineyard tobottle, can result indry or gritty mouth-feel.

Yeast: One-celledorganisms that, inwinemaking, convertsugar to alcohol.

R E DW I N E M A K I N G

G L O S S A R Y


Red grapes (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah,Zinfandel, Pinot Noir) are hand harvested,then hand sorted if necessary to discarddefects. The clusters are then gentlyde-stemmed without crushing and the mustput into stainless steel tanks.

When naturally-occurring yeasts have begunto ferment the must, nutrients are addedduring the first pump-over. Rather thaninoculating with an introduced yeast, usingthe wild yeast results in added complexityand seamlessness in the wine. Fermentationmay last from 5 to 15 days. After fermentationfinishes, the wine is left on the skins, oftenfor an additional 30 days of extendedmaceration, to allow softening of the tanninswhich have been extracted from the skins.

The free-run wine is separated from theskins. The skins, which are still quite moist,are shoveled into bins and placed into apneumatic press. The wine is monitoredcoming from the press and only winewithout aggressive tannins is included withthe free-run, making it the most supple andconcentrated of all the lots. The later pressfraction is kept separate.

The wine is put into 225L French oak barrelswhere it completes the second fermentation(called malolactic fermentation). Thesecondary fermentation softens the wine.At Merryvale, French oak is used exclusivelybecause of its addition of distinctiveflavors such as vanilla and nutmeg and itscomplementary tannin components.

Racking of the Bordeaux reds occurs everythree months. In the first year the wine isaerated during racking to soften the tannins.In the second year in the cellar the wine isnot usually aerated during racking. (Lesstannic grape varieties such as Pinot Noir andZinfandel are not racked nor aerated, and thePinot Noir is bottled after nine months.)

Blends are made in the winter followingharvest. In their second year the wines arefined with fresh egg whites if necessary toresolve excess tannins. After up to 20 monthsin French oak barrels, the wines are rackedfor a final time and bottled—usually withoutfiltration. Unfiltered wines, because they havenot been stripped, tend to be more complexwines.

Varietals and StylesWhite and Sparkling Wines

Chardonnay (shar-du-NAY)—Grown in most parts of the winegrowing world, Chardonnay isfairly neutral on its own, displayinggreen apple and mineral notes.However, it is in the winery thatthis grape gets adorned with

finery, from barrel aging and fermentation to malolacticfermentation. The styles run the gamut from dry tomedium dry, rich, full and oaky to lean, crisp and flintydepending on their treatment.

Sauvignon Blanc (SOH-vee-nyohn-BLAHn)—This grape isintensely aromatic and acidic.Depending on the growing regionand winemaking techniques it canrange from grassy, herbaceous,flinty, and green, to aromas of

peach, fresh hay and melons. It is also known as FuméBlanc in the United States.

Riesling (REES-ling)—This grapeproduces wines with a brilliantsweet/acid balance ranging frombone dry to intensely sweet.Riesling’s varietal characteristicsare very distinctive; delicate,perfumed, floral, and fruity with

fresh apple and apricot scents.

Sparkling Wine &Champagne—Sparkling wine ismade in most wineproducing countries,but technically theonly region that has a

right to call their sparkling wine Champagne, isthe Champagne region of France. Sparklingwine can be made in different styles, but thecommon theme is bubbles. The bubbles comefrom dissolved carbon dioxide, held underpressure, in wine (remember, carbon dioxideis a by-product of fermentation).

Extreme caution should be exercised whenopening a bottle of sparkling wine. ● Point the cold bottle away from guests or

valuable decorative objects● Remove the foil wrap● Untwist the wire, keeping your thumb over

the top of the cork, remove the wire hood● Place a napkin over the cork● Holding the bottle at an angle, gently twist

the bottle off the cork● The sound you want to hear is a gentle

whisper as opposed to a loud pop

Dessert Wines—There are twomain types of dessert wine: lateharvested wines and brandyfortified wines.

Late Harvest Wines—Grapes areharvested late in the season to

ensure high levels of sugar. The resultant winesare high in sugar and low in alcohol. Aciditylevels vary, but the wines are usually rich andviscous.

Fortified Wines—This wine type involvesthe addition of grape spirits either duringfermentation to halt fermentation or afterfermentation. The great fortified wines of theworld include Sherry, Port, and Madeira. Thewines are high in alcohol and residual sugarlevels range from bone dry to very sweet.

Bottle images courtesy of Demptos glass. Stemware images courtesy of Riedel Crystal. © Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-er-NAYsoh-vee-NYOHn)—The king ofred wines, capable of being themost tannic and long lived of thereds. Complex and supple, aromasof concentrated blackberry and

cassis are most commonly found. One of the most plant-ed top-quality wine varieties in the world.

Merlot (mehr-LO)—Lower incolor and tannin than CabernetSauvignon, but no lightweighteither. Stylistically Merlot can befresh and grapey with tender tanninsand aromas of cherries or it can be

deep, dense, and concentrated with massive tannins.

Pinot Noir (PEA-no Nwahr)—A difficult grape to grow and vinify,but when it’s done right, the winesare delicious with delicate andcompelling flavors and aromas. Thewines are low in tannin, with good

acidity and broad expansive aroma and bouquet.

Syrah (sih-RAH)—Known asShiraz in Australia, Syrah is heavilypigmented, tannic, and alcoholic.Stylistically, it can be fruit driven,with aromas of blackberry, logan-berries and the like or it can be a

wild combination of rosemary, thyme, pepper, and anisewith aromatic accents of lavender and musk.

Zinfandel (ZIN-fan-dell)—Adensely pigmented grape thatfrequently has high alcohol andhighly extracted fruit flavors.Zinfandel is a heady, full-bodiedred with ripe raspberry fruit

accentuated by pepper and spice. When done right,it is often described as dusky, brooding, briary, brambly,exotic, brawny, exuberant, or opulent.

Varietals and StylesRed Wines

Oak in Winemaking—Among the constituents of oak are many flavorfulcompounds. The molecules that give vanilla, cinnamon,clove and nutmeg their flavor are all found naturally in oakwood. Oak also has a huge array of tannin molecules, plussugars that caramelize when toasted. Inside a properly madeoak barrel, the fermenting juice or wine slowly absorbs thewonderful flavors and caramelized sugars from the woodwhich complement and add complexity to the flavors of thefruit. Additionally, the tannins in oak blend with the tanninsand color of the wine to enrich and stabilize them.

The two main families of oak used for wine cooperageare American and European. Merryvale uses French oakexclusively. Although American oak is relatively densemaking it easily watertight and cheap to mill and cooper,compared to French oak, it has relatively large amounts ofsome distinctive flavor compounds, reminiscent of dill andcoconut, that are not part of the classic, Old-World winetradition. American oak also tends to produce wines withcoarser tannin structure than the more subtle and suppleFrench oak. For many winemakers and connoisseurs, Frenchoak just tastes and feels better than American oak.

Cabernet Franc (cab-er-NAYFRAHNK)—Herbal and slightlyspicy in character. Sometimesfound as a single varietal wine, butmainly used as a blending grapethat adds aromatic complexity.

Petit Verdot (peh-TEET-vehr-DOE)—Flavors of anise seed anda meaty savoriness characterize thisgrape. Used as a blending grape,this varietal adds color and a tan-nic richness to Bordeaux blends.

Bottle images courtesy of Demptos glass. Stemware images courtesy of Riedel Crystal. © Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

Progressive Wine ListWine Styles

Wine Styles—

Any given varietal

will have many

different styles

depending on

the winemaking

techniques and

terroir. Consumers

will find it helpful

if wine lists are

produced to

reflect stylistic

differences, either

by region, or

better yet, by

primary flavor

attributes,

progressing from

the mildest to

strongest flavor

profile.

Example of Progressive Wine List


How to Read aCalifornia Wine Label

● County – 75% of the grapes must come from thecounty listed. If more than one county is listed, thepercentage of grapes grown in each county must belisted.

● AVA – Regulated by the Tax and Trade Bureau,these areas have been designated as having uniquecharacteristics such as climate, soil, elevation, physicalfeatures and sometimes historical data. 85% of thegrapes must come from the AVA.

Alcohol – The percentage of alcohol in the wine.Reserve/Vineyard Designate● Reserve – No legal definition exists in the United

States, however, generally wineries will limit the usefor some of their finest wines.

● Vineyard Designate – 95% of the wine must comefrom the specific vineyard listed.

European wine labels – It is common for Europeanwines to be labeled regionally rather than by varietal.Examples of this include Chianti, a region in Italy thatproduces mostly Sangiovese-based wines. There areregional laws that govern the type of varietals that maybe planted in the region, as well as blending, growing,and harvesting requirements. In order to appeal tointernational wine drinkers, some European winemakersare labeling their wines by varietal.

Vintage – The year that the grapes were harvested. 95%of this wine must have been harvested in the year listed.Non-vintage wines can be a combination of vintages.Typically, sparkling wines and fortified wines will be non-vintage blends.Varietal – In California, wines are typically labeled asvarietals, like Chardonnay, or if the wine is a blend, thewinery will create aproprietary name forthe wine like Profile.The most commonblends are Bordeaux orMeritage blends thatinclude any two of thefollowing grapes:Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot, CabernetFranc, Malbec, andPetit Verdot.Appellation of Origin – Indicates where the grapes comefrom by state, county (or counties), or AmericanViticultural Area (AVA)● State – 100% of the grapes must come from within

the state’s borders.

It is important to note that different states within the United States have slightly different labeling laws.Other countries will also vary in their labeling laws and styles.

Vintage

Varietal

Appellationof Origin

Alcohol

Reserve/VineyardDesignate

Proprietary Name


Restaurant Wine ServiceTemperature and Storage

Storage/Cellar Basics – For a wine to be at its best whenopened, it must be stored properly. The serious enemies ofwine are prolonged contact with air, extreme heat or cold,fluctuations in temperature, vibration, sunlight, andstrong odors. Wine is best stored under the followingconditions:● Horizontally to keep the cork moist and prevent it

from shrinking. A shrunken cork allows air into thebottle, which may spoil the wine.

● In a dark, insulated and temperature-controlled room.Ideally, the temperature should be 11° C or 52° F, butanything between 40°-65° F (5°-18° C) is fine as longas the temperature doesn’t fluctuate. The higher thestorage temperature, the faster the wine will age, ashigher temperatures increase the rate of oxidation.

Ideal serving temperatures:

Range IdealFortified wine 61° to 64° F 62° F / 17° C

Medium- to 55° to 65° F 60° F / 16° Cfull-bodied red

Light-bodied red 50° to 55° F 53° F / 12° C

Dry white 44° to 54° F 48° F / 9° Cand rosé

Sparkling 41° to 47° F 44° F / 7° C

Sweet 41° to 47° F 44° F / 7° C(but not fortified)

Cellar image courtesy of the Inn at Langley, Washington. © Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

Corkscrew – The ‘waiters’ corkscrewis the most commonly used corkscrewin restaurants. A good one will have ablade for cutting the foil and a leverfor easier opening. To use thiscorkscrew simply cut the foil with theblade under the second lip of thebottle. Next, center the point of thecorkscrew in the middle of the corkand give it a firm turn to anchor theworm. Turn the corkscrew gently andfirmly without pressing down, untilthe worm has been inserted entirely(depending on cork length, this willvary). Place the lever on the lip of thebottle and pull up slowly and firmly.

Ahso – Insert the longer prong of theah-so between the cork and the bottleand, while applying slight downwardpressure, rock the prong back andforth until the shorter prong can alsobe inserted between the cork and thebottle. Once both prongs are inserted,rock the handle from prong to prong,applying downward pressure. Whenthe ah-so is fully inserted, simultaneouslypull the handle upward and twist it torelease the cork.

Decanter – There are two mainreasons to decant a wine: to removethe sediment from an older bottle ofred wine and to aerate a young bottleof red wine. To decant a wine off itssediment, it can be helpful to hold aflashlight or candle under the neck of

the bottle while pouring the wine intothe decanter. This makes it possible tosee the sediment as you are pouringand stop accordingly.

Wine Bucket – The wine bucketshould be used to lower the temperatureof a wine or to maintain the propertemperature. Fill the bucket with twoparts ice and one part water. The water

will make it easier to place the bottlein the bucket for quick chilling.

Glasses● Shape - The best shape for a wine

glass is one that has a stem and abowl that is turned in slightly atthe rim to capture and hold thearoma of the wine. The stem willallow the customer to hold theglass without affecting the winetemperature. The glass should belarge enough to allow the customerto swirl a 2 ounce pour withoutincident. Riedel has developed aspecific glass for each of the maingrape varieties and these glasseswill enhance the enjoyment ofwine to a greater extent. For moreinformation on Riedel glasses,please visit their web site atwww.riedelcrystal.com

● Placement – Every restaurantwill have its own distinctive tablesetting. The most commonplacement for wine glasses is tothe right of the cover above the tipof the dinner knife. If more thanone glass is to be set the glassesshould be positioned at an angleup from the tip of the dinnerknife in order of service fromright to left.

Restaurant Wine ServiceTools of the Trade


Propose: Guests often depend onservers or sommeliers to propose a winerecommendation. Know the wines onyour list, as well as possible foodpairings. Proposing several wines indifferent price categories will put thecustomer at ease and allow themto make a choice that they arecomfortable with.

Present: Present the bottle to the hostand repeat the wine name and vintage.

Pull: Pull the cork at the table andpresent the cork to the host. The cork ispresented so that the customer can seethat the wine has been stored properly;one side of the cork should be wet andthe other side should be dry. It is notnecessary to smell the cork.

Pour: Pour 1-2 ouncesof wine for the hostto taste. If the wine issatisfactory, continuepouring for the rest ofthe table, moving clock-wise around the table.Glasses should not be filled more than1/3 full to allow the guests to swirl theirglasses. The last person to receive wine isthe host. A bottle of wine contains 24.5ounces. Become familiar with yourrestaurant’s glasses so that pouring forlarge parties isn’t a problem. There isnothing worse than over pouring for fivepeople and not having enough wine leftfor the sixth person! The remaining wineshould be placed to the right of the hostand poured when needed. Glasses shouldbe kept filled, but be careful not to overpour. Ask for a second bottle orderbefore the bottle is empty, ensuringuninterrupted wine service throughoutthe meal.

Check withyour restaurantmanagement onhouse policy fordealing withwines that areflawed or that thecustomer simplydoes not like.

Restaurant Wine ServicePropose, Present, Pull, Pour—The Four ‘P’s of Wine Service

Photo location and staff courtesy of Tra Vigne Ristorante, St. Helena, Napa Valley.

It’s easy to feelintimidated by wine

service. So remember,Practice Makes

Perfect! If you don’tfeel confident opening

a wine bottle tableside,practice with old

bottles that have hadthe corked pushedback in at the end

of the night.


WinetastingThe Five ‘S’s of Winetasting

See: Look at the wine color against a white surface. Aside from the aesthetic value, color tellsa lot about the wine in the glass. As a white wine ages, it becomes darker, more golden incolor and as a red wine ages it loses color. Oak aging, grape varietal and climate will also affectcolor.

Swirl: Swirling opens up the aromas and flavors andintroduces oxygen which will help soften a young red wine’stannins.

Sniff: Start smelling the wine a few inches above the rim of the glass. Often people missaromas by plunging their nose straight into the glass. Note the types of aromas, their intensityand harmony. If there are unpleasant smells, that may indicate that the wine is flawed.

Sip: Take a sip and ‘inhale’ the wine—like a backwardswhistle. Move the wine around your mouth. There are only fourthings that we actually taste: sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, andacidity. Everything else comes from ‘smelling’ the wine in themouth. The slurping facilitates in mouth smell by drawing thearoma to the retro nasal passage where in mouth flavors areidentified. The weight of the wine should be noted as this willhelp with food pairing suggestions later on. Think of wineweight like milk: a light-bodied wine is skim milk, a medium-bodied wine is whole milk, and a heavy-bodied wine is cream.

Savor: Think about whatyou’re tasting. Is it seamless,angular, full, light, crisp,buttery, well-balanced, overlyacidic? Does it have a longfinish or an abrupt end?Do you like it or hate it?

Pressed for time? Tip your head back, take asip, wait 2.2 seconds and decide what youthink about the wine.

It can be that easy!! Sometimes we forgetthat wine can be enjoyed at many levels!


WinetastingCommon Aromas Found in Wine


When tasting wine, some find it useful to describe exactly what they are smelling and tasting.Common wine aromas are listed below. The aromas come from the grapes themselves as well as

their cellar treatment (referred to as bouquet).

Herbs and SpicesDill, Tobacco, Bay Leaf, Mint, Green Grass, Straw, Basil, Vanilla, Black Pepper,

Clove, Fennel, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Lemon Grass, Thyme, Licorice/Anise

WoodSmoky, Tree Bark, Sawdust, Tar,

Raw/Green Wood, Eucalyptus, Cedar

FruitPlum, Cherry, Blueberry, Currant, Raspberry, Blackberry,Strawberry, Fig, Coconut, Grape, Watermelon, Cranberry,

Mango, Orange, Lemon, Pomegranate, Grapefruit,Lime, Tangerine, Pineapple, Banana, Kiwi, Apple,Apricot, Peach

VegetableRhubarb, Bell Pepper, Black Olive,

Green Olive, Tomato, Celery,Green Bean, Beet, Baked Potato

FloralViolet, Rose, Lavender, Lilac,

Honeysuckle, Orange BlossomEarth

Underbrush, Mushroom,Truffle, Humus

Other stuffChocolate, Leather, Grilled Meat, Baked Bread,

Butterscotch, Caramel, Soy Sauce, Cherry Cola, Coffee, Walnut, Almond,Musk, Butter, Maple Syrup, Hazelnut, Honey, Baker’s Yeast, Dusty, Chalky

Off-Aromas – Something is wrong here!Moldy, Garlic, Onions, Nail Polish,

Burnt Matches, Vinegar

Off-aromas indicate that the wine is flawed in some way. The mostcommon off-aroma is wine spoiled by cork taint. The affected wine has a musty, unpleasant odor.

The Art of Wine & Food PairingSimple Guidelines


Spicy/hot foods cancelsome of a wine’s fruitinesstoo. Serve them with lightlysweet, very fruity, lowtannin, and/or crispwines. Stay away fromhigher alcohol, tannicred, and/or oaky wines.

Spicy Thai food andGewürztraminer

Rich dishesoverpower delicately

flavored, lighter bodied wines.Serve with full flavored, fullbodied, higher acid wines.

Pasta Carbonara or Braised Ribsand Cabernet Sauvignon

Fish and game overpower mildlyflavored, medium bodied, drywines. Try these with very fruity,full bodied,high acid,and/or mediumsweet wines.

Salmon withPinot Noir

Smoked foodsoverpower all butthe fruitiest,richest wines.Low tannin,extremelyrich, and/ormoderatelysweet winesare best here.

Smoked Duck andMerlot

When pairing, look forcomplementary or contrastingflavors in your food and wineselections.

Bleu Cheeseand AntiguaDessertWine orPort

Never drink or eat anything youdon’t like.

Sweetness in food cancels the “fruit” and/or any residualsugar in wines, making them tastedrier than they are.Sweet dishes callfor winesof at leastequalsweetness.

CrèmeBrulée andAntigua Dessert Wine

Salty orbrinyfoods alsoancel the

“fruit” inwines. Salty

dishes call for aromatic wines withhigh acidity, some sweetness, lowtannins, and/or intense fruitiness.

Oysters and sparkling wine

Tart foods cancelsome of a wine’sfruitiness. Servethem with lightlysweet, very fruity, and/orfull bodied wines. In some cases,tart or crisp wines will also workwell.

Veal Piccata with Sauvignon Blancor a crisp Chardonnay

Tragedy struck Europeanwinemakers with the spread ofPhylloxera in the late 1800s.

Brief History of WineAncient Times to 20th Century

Around 6000 B.C.—The firstwines are produced in Caucasia

and Mesopotamia.

1983—Merryvale Vineyardsis founded.

1983—Napa Valley becomes anAmerican Viticultural Area or AVA.

1976—Paris Challenge—Two Napa Valleywines beat top French wines in atasting in France. American wine,especially Napa Valley wine, istaken seriouslyfor the first time.

1920-1933—Prohibition reduces

number of wineries inthe United Statesfrom 700 to 160.

1857—Count Harazsthy foundsfirst winery in Sonoma.

1838—First vineyard planted inNapa Valley by George Yount.

1779—First vineyard inCalifornia planted atSan Juan Capistrano.

1789—Upon his return fromFrance, Thomas Jefferson

becomes wine advisor to thePresidents and advocate of wineconsumption. During his eight

years as President, Jeffersonpurchased over 20,000 bottles

of wine from Europe.

The 17th Century sawChampagne invented and

better glass making helpedwine become more stable

and transportable.

Throughout the 14th-16thcenturies, Europe had nosupply of clean drinkingwater, and wine wasa standard in the daily diet.

50 B.C. - A.D. 500—Wine production grows

to include most ofWestern Europe,

Southern Russia, andparts of Britain.

3000 B.C.—Egypt andPhoenicia start wine production.

1861—First winery foundedin Napa Valley.


Napa Valley Appellations

Map courtesy of the Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Valley Grape Growers and VESTRA. © Merryvale Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA 2004

California AppellationsState, County, AVAs

North CoastMendocino CountyNapa CountySonoma County

Sierra FoothillsEl Dorado CountyAmador CountyCalaveras County

Central ValleyLodiSan Joaquin Valley

Central CoastLivermore ValleySanta Cruz MountainsMonterey CountySan Luis Obispo CountySanta Barbara County

Southern CaliforniaTemecula

Map courtesy of the California Wine Institute.

There are 89 distinct

American Viticultural Areas

within California.


CaliforniaBy The Numbers

...acre of land is home to between 450 and 2,200 vines.

...vine produces between 15 and 50 clusters of grapes.

...vine typically produces between three and four bottlesof wine, or between 15 to 20 glasses, annually.

...ton of grapes makes about 60 cases of wine, whichequals 720 bottles.

...225-liter barrel of wine equals 25 cases, which is 300bottles or 1,500 glasses.

...bottle of wine contains about 2.8 lbs. of grapes.

...5-oz. glass of wine contains a little over half a poundof grapes.

4,400: approximate number of winegrape growers in California.

3,000: number of commercial wineries in the U.S.

1,300: approximate number of wineries in California.

1,000: number of commercial wineries in California, roughly halfwhich sell fewer than 5,000 cases.

232: number of commercial wineries in Napa County.

25: number of California’s largest commercial wineries whoship 90 percent of all California wines to U.S. markets.

10: In the late 1850s Los Angeles had 10 times as many vinesas Napa.

4: California’s ranking, by volume, among wine producers inthe world—behind Italy, France and Spain.

4: percentage of California’s total wine production from theNapa Valley, known worldwide for outstanding quality.

3: The number of commercial wineries in the U.S. has tripledin the last 20 years.

Statistics courtesy of the California Wine Institute.

1

462,800,000: gallons shipped by Californiawineries in 2002 (US and abroad)

Order of tasting:

sparkling, white, red;

young before old; light

before heavy;

dry before sweet;

common before fine.

▼

Wine Consumption

in the U.S. reached

a high of 2.68 gallons

per resident in 2003.

▼

Turkey has nearly

twice as much

vineyard acreage as

the United States.

Merryvale Vineyards islocated in the heart of

the Napa Valley.For more information,

call 800-326-6069 or goto www.merryvale.com.

OtherFun Wine

Facts


Wine QuizRate Your Wine Knowledge

1. What is the term for the trainingof the vines with posts and wire?a. Pruning b. Thinningc. Trellisingd. Shading

2. What is the term for the second-ary fermentation in which malicacid from the grape is convertedinto lactic acid?a. Carbonic macerationb. Enoculationc. Malolacticd. Lacticidity

3. The human tongue perceives eachof the following taste sensationsexcept...a. Bitternessb. Acidityc. Saltinessd. Spice

4. Which of the following is not aterm associated with vineyardmanagement?a. Leesb. Trellisingc. Canopyd. Spacing

5. Stainless steel tanks are used…a. Only for inexpensive wineb. To add mineral notesc. To ferment red wined. To sterilize wine

6. What is added to ‘fortify’ a wine?a. Egg whitesb. Sugarc. Brandyd. Vanilla

7. What is the technical term forthe conversion of grape sugar toalcohol by yeast?a. Reductionb. Rackingc. Fermentationd. Stimulation

8. When should a wine be decanted?a. To aerate a young redb. To fortify a winec. To remove off odorsd. To hide the wine producer

9. Tannins are extracted from...a. Grape skinsb. Grape seedsc. Oak barrelsd. All of the above

10. Which of the following wines isusually the most tannic?a. Cabernet Sauvignonb. Sauvignon Blancc. Pinot Noird. Sangiovese

11. Why would fresh eggs be used inthe winemaking process?a. Tannin managementb. Palate cleansingc. To add depthd. Filtration

12. What does ‘AVA’ stand for?a. American Viticultural Areab. American Vineyard Appellationc. American Vineyard Associationd. Approved Viticultural Area

13. What percentage of grapes mustcome from a particular vineyard inorder for that vineyard name toappear on the label of a Californiawine bottle?a. 100%b. 85%c. 90%d. 95%

14. The most appropriate wine toserve with spicy food is...a. A tannic wineb. A wine high in alcoholc. A sweet wined. An acidic wine

15. Why is wine stored horizontally?a. It looks betterb. It takes up less spacec. To keep the cork moistd. To collect the sediment on oneside

16. Swirling wine...a. Makes you look like a wine geekb. Releases the aroma of a wine c. Should never be doned. Traps the volatile molecules

17. Fume Blanc is another name for...a. Blanc de Blancb. Chardonnayc. Sauvignon Blancd. Pinot Blanc

18. Which of the following U.S.Presidents was a big wine fan?a. Thomas Jeffersonb. George Washingtonc. Richard Nixond. Helmut Kohl

19. How many 6 ounce pours does a750ml bottle hold?a. Fourb. Threec. Fived. Six

20. Successful wine salesmanshipdepends on...a. Product Knowledgeb. Enthusiasmc. Suggestive sellingd. All of the above

Answers1. c2. c3. d4. a5. c6. c7. c8. a9. d10. a11. a12. a13. d14. c15. c16. b17. c18. a19. a20. d


Napa Valley � California

1000 Main StreetSt. Helena, CA 94574

707.963,2225Fax 707.963.4441

www.merryvale.com

Open Daily10 am to 6:30 pm

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