Basic wine facts for beginners, if you are a novice to wine, like me, then I hope this article will help you. One of the oldest beverages in the world is wine. It dates back to before Christ. People around the world enjoy a glass of Fine Wine. Almost every culture has its wine. Winemaking, wine tasting, and wine drinking can be troublesome if you are new to wine. I hope that this article will help you to overcome the fear of wine and answer some of the questions you don’t know to ask.
Grapes
Grapes are by and large the main ingredient in wine. However, there are some wines that are made from other fruits and elements. Ever heard of dandelion wine? A friend made some of that one time. We commonly refer to grapes as fruit, but they are technically a berry. Do you want to know why? Because each grape forms from a single flower. Grapes are believed to have been around for 6 to 8,000 years. Just imagine, the grapes that are unused today to make the wine we love could be descendants of those original varieties from 6 to 8000 years ago!! I bet those are some wrinkled berries now!!
You will find more than 8,000 scientific grape names, and more than 1300 of those varieties are used in winemaking around the world.
Grapes you buy at the supermarket, or Table Grapes, are not the same as grapes used in Winemaking. They have thinner skins and a lot more seeds than those used to make wine.
Wine Vineyards cover approximately 18 million acres worldwide! The top wine-producing countries in 2019 were (In Order) statistics from The Wine Institute
| Country | 2015 | 2019 est |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 50,000 | 46,600 |
| France | 47,000 | 41,900 |
| Spain | 37,700 | 34,300 |
| United States | 21,700 | 23,600 |
The Colors of Wine
Wine comes in many colors, determined by the color of the grape and the part of the grape used during the fermenting process. Reds are usually from Red or Blue grapes. Whites are from green grapes.
When in the fermenting process for red wines, winemakers will usually include the skin and other parts of the berry in the juice to give the wine a bigger bolder taste and a darker color. However, white wines are made only from the juice. Most whites, you will find, have a lighter, crisper more citrusy flavor.
Here is a fun fact about white wine that I did not know but should have since this is something that I have battles since I was a teen. Research shows that white wines keep lung tissue healthy. Whites also have less alcohol and fewer calories than reds.
Reds should be served in a glass with a large bowl to allow the aromas and flavor to emerge and mingle with oxygen in the air.
Another fun fact: Wines are not just red and white!! There are also golden, pink and even orange varieties.
Basic Wine Facts Include Region Facts
The region where the grapes are grown has almost as much to do with the taste of the wine as do the grapes. So much depends on the region, the soil, the weather conditions, the rain-fall, temperature. All of these conditions affect the end product.
Sandy soil will usually produce a less acidic wine. Whereas, soil with lots of clay will produce a wine with a deep bold flavor. Avoid loamy soil, while this type of soil is good for plants. It is not good for grape growing. It will produce a flavorless wine.
Warmer climates like the beautiful Napa and Sonoma Valleys in California, usually make for sweeter wines because the grapes are riper when picked.
Cooler climates like the Chablis region in France will result in a tarter wine. But still a delicious choice.
In the United States, you will find Wineries in almost any state. I have been to wineries in Missouri, Ohio, New Jersey, Arizona, and New York. But the states of California, Washington, and New York are the leading states in wine production in the US. With California being the fourth-largest wine producer in the world. Right behind France, Italy, and Spain as mentioned in the graph above.
All these years I have thought on New Year’s Eve that I have been toasting the New Year with Champagne to find out is was Sparkling Wine with carbon dioxide added to make it bubbly!! Now I know that in the future if I want true Champagne I will need to get it from Champagne, France. I will probably continue to bring in the New Year with Sparkling Wine from our Wine of the Month Club. This is the best Sparkling Wine I have ever tasted.
How to Taste Wine
I have read on wine-tasting cards that wines have flavors of citrus, and blueberries, have an oaky finish or a buttery finish, etc. However, I don’t believe that blueberries or citrus or strawberries, etc are put into the wines. I don’t know???
Stage One of Wine Tasting: Look at the appearance of the wine. If Red give your glass a quick swirl, hold it up to the light, and look for legs that stream down the inside of the glass.
Stage Two is called “in glass” Meaning that the aroma is noted. Go ahead stick your nose in the glass like a real wine expert. That is the only way to get the complex nuances of the pour. The first aroma will be those associated with the grape, then you will get aromas associated with the winemaking process.
Next: take a small sip of wine to get a good taste. Don’t take a large drink, not at first. Let the wine roll around in your mouth, and let all your taste buds get to experience the flavors associated with this small magnificent taste. Also, to enhance the flavor and to get the full benefit of the wine purse your lips and inhale air while the wine is still on your palate so that you spread the flavors to your sinuses.
Now Swallow: note the aftertaste. It will likely be different than the first taste when it first hit your tongue. Draw your own conclusions. Did you think the wine was too acidic, sweet, or alcoholic?
A true connoisseur will take notes, and record the winery, the grape, the year, and your thoughts. Then if you decide to come back and taste the same varietal again you can see how you as a wine connoisseur have evolved.
Food Pairings
General Rules for food pairings. Whites pair better with white meats and vegetables. Reds go better with red meat. Sparkling wines and dessert wines go best with sweet foods. Join our Wine and Dine Show every Wednesday night for even more detailed food and wine pairings and some delicious recipes.
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Storing Wines
When storing wines, whites and reds have different requirements at different temperatures. Also, Whites should be served at 45-50 degrees F. Reds are best slightly warmer at 50-60 degrees. Follow this rule and you will not go wrong. Put a bottle of Red in the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving and remove a bottle of white 20 minutes before serving. Remember Red in for 20 White out for 20!!
And you always want to chill Champagne or Sparkling Wine before opening.
I hope these little tidbits will help you feel more comfortable when picking a bottle of wine for your next outing. As a matter of fact, I never have to worry about picking out the perfect bottle of wine. I belong to a Wine of the Month Club where a wine expert chooses the perfect wines every month and ships them to me. You should check it out if you are a wine lover like me.
