WINE HISTORY

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grape juice. The real story of wine from grapes begins in China. Residues on pottery shards radiocarbon dated to around 7000–6600 BCE from the Chinese early Neolithic site of Jiahu have been recognized as coming from a fermented beverage made of a mixture of rice, honey, and fruit.

The earliest firm evidence for winemaking to date in western Asia is from the Neolithic period site called Hajji Firuz, Iran (dated to 5400–5000 BCE), where a deposit of sediment preserved at the bottom of an amphora was proven to be a mix of tannin and tartrate crystals. The site deposits included five more jars similar to the one with the tannin/tartrate sediment, each with a capacity of about nine liters of liquid.

In Europe, wild grape (Vitis vinifera) pips have been found in fairly ancient contexts, such as Franchthi Cave, Greece (12,000 years ago), and Balma de l’Abeurador, France (about 10,000 years ago). But the evidence for domesticated grapes is later than that of East Asia, although similar to that of the western Asia grapes.

Excavations at a site in Greece called Dikili Tash have revealed grape pips and empty skins, direct-dated to between 4400–4000 BCE, the earliest example to date in the Aegean. A clay cup containing both grape juice and grape pressings is thought to represent evidence for fermentation at Dikili Tash. Grapevines and wood have also been found there.

When Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson landed on the shores of North America circa 1000 CE, he dubbed the newly discovered territory Vinland (alternately spelled Winland) due to the profusion of wild grapevines growing there. Not surprisingly, when European settlers began arriving in the New World about 600 years later, the prolific potential for viticulture seemed obvious.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the growing of grapes and the making of wine across the United States was a proven and important economic activity. The hopes of the first settlers, after nearly three centuries of trial, defeat, and renewed effort were at last realized.

A MATTER OF TECHNICALITY

For purposes of being technically correct, let’s begin by broadly  classifying wines and then go on to discover what taste experiences to expect. There are four main classifications of wine;

Table or still wines:

To these belong most wines, the whites, reds, roses; the simple everyday ones and the more complex and great vintages.

Sparkling wines:

Under this category are wines that are carbonated either by natural secondary fermentation or by artificial carbonation. Champagne and other bubbly wines belong here.

Dessert or fortified wines:

These are spiked wines, wines to which alcohol is added to stop fermentation, mostly to retain some of the sweetness in the wine. Sherry, port, madeira are classic examples.

Aperitif or flavoured wines:

These are spiked too, but are also aromatised with herbs and other flavorings to create unusual wines. Vermouth, Lillet etc. are a part of this group.

Barbera (Bar-BARE-ah) – Grape used to make hearty red wines in the Piemonte of Northwestern Italy, also California.

Cabernet Franc (Cab-air-nay FrahN) – French red wine grape, often used in a Bordeaux blend, also in the Loire valley and California.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Cab-air-nay So-veen-yawN) –

One of the noblest red wine grapes, used in Bordeaux, also as either a 100 percent varietal or in red blends in the U.S., Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and wherever wine grapes grow. The most famous red wine grape.

Chardonnay (Shar-doh-nay) –

One of the world’s most well known white wine grapes. Originated in Burgundy, but widely planted in the U.S., Australia and all over the world. Available in India.

Chenin Blanc (Shay-naN BlaN) –

Noble French grape, most common in the Loire, making very fine white wines both dry and slightly sweet. Fantastic wines from this grape come from South Africa.

Cinsaut (SaN-so) – dark red French grape, sometimes spelled “Cinsault.”

Fumé Blanc (Foo-may BlahN) – U.S. synonym for Sauvignon Blanc, invented by Robert Mondavi during the 1970s as a marketing ploy and widely imitated.

Furmint (FOOR-mint) – Hungarian white-wine grape, used to make the renowned dessert wine Tokaji.

Gamay (Gam-may) – Red-wine grape of Beaujolais, a light, fresh and fruity red wine from the region of the same name in Southern Burgundy, France.

Gewürztraminer (Geh-VERTZ-trah-mee-nur) – White wine grape best known in Alsace, Germany, the U.S. West Coast and New York.

Grenache (Gray-NAHSH) – Red-wine grape commonplace in Languedoc and the Rhone, also California and as Garnacha, in Spain. Typically makes hearty, peppery wines. (Gahr-NAH-cha) in Spanish. Also used for Tavel- a Rose.

Gruner Veltliner (GREW-ner Felt-LEE-ner) – Excellent Austrian grape, producing light but crisp and racy dry white wines. Malbec (Mahl-bek) – Red-wine grape used as a nominal element of the Bordeaux blend, where it’s intense color and extract add to the wine’s body.

Malvasia (Mahl-va-SEE-ah) – Italian white-wine grape, often blended with other grapes (including the traditional Chianti), occasionally seen as a 100 percent varietal.

Marsanne (Mahr-sahn) – Excellent white-wine grape of the Rhone, increasingly planted in California.

Merlot (Mare-low) –

Very good red-wine grape, a key player in the Bordeaux blend, more recently grown as a varietal in its own right, especially in the US, Australia, Chile, Washington State and Argentina. Wine-geeks will always talk about its “softness”. We didn’t know what they meant till we tasted it.

Mourvèdre (Moor-VED’rr) – Red grape commonplace in Southern France, Languedoc and the Rhone, also Spain (where it is known as Mataro) and, increasingly, California.

Müller-Thurgau (MEW-lehr Toor-gow) – Relatively modern grape, perhaps a Riesling- Madeleine Royale cross.

Muscadet (Moos-cah-day) – A light, dry Loire white wine made from a grape of the same name (alternatively named Melon (“May-lawN”), sometimes showing a light musky or cantaloupe quality.

Muscat (Moos-caht) – Aromatic, ancient grape with a characteristic grape fruity and musky (as the name implies) aroma.

Nebbiolo (Nay-BYOH-low) – Noble grape of Northwestern Italy’s Piedmonte region, source of such powerful and age worthy red wines as Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara.

Petit Verdot (Peh-tee Vehr-doe) – Red wine grape, fine quality but a minor player in the Bordeaux blend.

Petite Sirah (Peh-teet See-rah) – California red grape, probably the same as the Durif of the Rhone.

Pinot Blanc (Pee-noe BlahN) – White wine grape, making a dry, full white wine that some liken to Chardonnay, but typically medium in body and sometimes showing melon scents.

Pinot Gris (Pee-noe Gree) and Pinot Grigio (Gree-joe) –

French and Italian names, respectively, for the same grape, typically making a dry and very crisp and acidic white wine.

Pinot Meunier (Pee-noe Mehr-n’yay) – Relatively uncommon as a varietal, but a mandatory varietal used in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir (Pee-noe Nwar) –

Classic red grape, widely accepted as one of the world’s best. Think Burgundy when you think of this grape. In the last few years, Oregon has emerged as one the best regions for this grape.

Pinotage (Pee-noe-tahj) – A cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut of the Rhone,grown commercially only in South Africa, where it makes a fruity, dark red wine with an odd earthy character often described as “paintbox.”

Riesling (REESE-ling) –

The classic German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, certainly ranks with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir among the noblest wine grapes.

Roussanne (Roo-sahn) – White Rhone grape, often grown with and blended with Marsanne, but somewhat supplanting the latter for economic reasons – it is considered more productive and easier to grow.

Sangiovese (Sahn-joe-VAY-zeh) –

The predominant red-wine grape of Tuscany in Central Italy, primary player in the Chianti blend.

Sauvignon Blanc (So-veen-yawn BlahN) –

Noble white grape, native to the Loire and Bordeaux (where it is usually blended with Semillon); also widely planted in the Western U.S., South America, Australia and New Zealand and elsewhere.

Sémillon (Say-mee-yoN) – White wine grape, native to Bordeaux and used there primarily in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc.

Shiraz (Shee-rahz) –

Australian synonym for Syrah, Now also turning up in many new world wine countries including South Africa and India.

Sylvaner (Sill-VAH-ner) – German grape (sometimes spelled Silvaner there), considered secondary to Riesling in quality but planted widely as a blending grape.

Syrah (See-rah) –

The classic Rhone red grape allegedly brought back from Shiraz in Persia by the 14th-Century crusader Gaspard de Sterimberg

Tempranillo (Temp-rah-NEEL-yo) – Excellent Spanish black grape variety used for making full bodied red wines in Spain.

Valpolicella (Vahl-poe-lee-CHELL-ah) –

Lightweight but refreshing red wine from the Veneto of Northeastern Italy.

Viognier (Vee-ohn-yay) – Seldom seen grape used only in the rather rare French Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet, this white grape is gaining considerable attention as a varietal in California and, now, Southern France.

Zinfandel (Zin-fahn-DELL) – Trendy American grape variety equivalent to Primitivo of Italy. Produces robust red wines but is more famous for its Roses (popularly known as White Zinfandel) in the United States.

TYPES OF WINE

• Amontillado (Ah-MOHN-tee-YAH-doe) – A dry, rather full-bodied style of Sherry

• Banyuls (Bahn-YOOLZ) – Natural French dessert wine from the Pyrenees.

• Barbaresco (Bar-ba-RES-coe) – Excellent red table wine made from the Nebbiolo grape in Piemonte.

• Barolo (Ba-ROE-loe) – Outstanding, full-bodied and complex Nebbiolo-based red wine from Piemonte.

• Beaujolais (Boe-zho-lay) – Light, fruity red wine from the region of the same name in Burgundy.

• Brunello di Montalcino (Broo-NELL-oh dee Mon-tahl-CHEE-noe) – Excellent red Italian wine from Tuscany.

• Chablis (Shah-blee) – Excellent white wine made from Chardonnay grapes in the region of the same name in Burgundy.

• Champagne (Sham-pain) – See Section

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Shot-toe-noof duh Pop) – An excellent, complex red dry wine from the Rhone region of France.

• Chianti (Ki-AHN-tee) – The classic dry red wine of Tuscany, made from Sangiovese and other grapes near Florence.

• Claret (CLARE-it) – Old synonym, particularly British, for red Bordeaux.

• Cornas (Cor-nahs) – Northern Rhone wine region.

• Côte Rôtie (Coat Row-tee) – Exceptionally fine, age worthy red wine from the Northern Rhone, primarily Syrah-based and named for the “roasted slopes” on which the vineyards grow.

• Coteaux du Languedoc (Coat-toe duh Lahn-geh-dawk) – Increasingly desirable dry red table wine from Southern France.

• Eiswein – Unharvested grapes allowed to freeze on the vine, concentrating the sugars. Originated in Germany, also becoming a star attraction in Ontario, Canada.

• Fino (Fee-noe) – Sherry in a dry, light-bodied style.

• Gattinara (Gaht-tee-NAH-rah) – Excellent red wine made from the Nebbiolo grape in Piemonte region.

• Hermitage (Air-mee-tahj) – One of the top wines of the Rhone, usually red (made from Syrah grapes) but also white, allegedly created by a Crusader who returned from the Holy Land bearing Syrah vines and declaring that his days of war were behind him and that this vineyard would be his hermitage.

• Manzanilla (Mahn-za-NEE-yah) – A dry style of Sherry, similar to Fino, made in a particular seaside village where the environment allegedly adds a saltwater tang to the wine.

• Oloroso (Oh-loe-roe-soe) – Spanish, literally “fragrant.” One of the two broad categories of Sherry, the other being Fino (above).

• Orvieto (Orv-YEH-toe) – Dry white wine from the ancient town of the same name in Umbria, Italy, between Rome and Florence.

• Pouilly-Fuissé (Poo-yee Fwee-SAY) – White Burgundy, Chardonnay-based, made in the region of the same name.

• Pouilly-Fumé (Poo-yee Foo-MAY) – Loire white made from Sauvignon Blanc, dry and very lean and tart; an excellent seafood wine.

• Ribera del Duero (Ree-BEHR-ah dell Doo-AY-roe) – Challenging Rioja (below) for the title of Spain’s greatest red wine, these Tempranillo-based reds – particularly the fabled Vega Sicilia – can last and improve for decades.

• Rioja (Ree-OH-hah) – Perhaps the best red wines of Spain, grown in arid, mountainous Northern Spain and named for the Rio Oja river there.

• Rosso di Montalcino (ROE-soe dee Mon-tahl-CHEE-noe) – “Little brother” to Brunello (which see), a good dry Italian red from Tuscany, requiring no aging in wood and permitted to be sold with less aging; often particularly good value.

• Sauternes (So-TAIRN) – Great French dessert wine from the Bordeaux district of the same name.

• Tokaji (Toe-KAY) – Respected Hungarian dessert wine.

• Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Vehr-NAHCH-ya dee Sahn Jee-mee-NYAH-noe) – Dry white wine of ancient heritage from the picturesque Tuscan village of San Gimignano.

• Vinho Verde (VEEN-yoh VEHR-day) – Literally “green wine,” a refreshing, light and often slightly sparkling Portuguese white wine.

• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Vee-noe NOH-bee-lay dee Mohn-tay-poolCHAH-noe) – Excellent Tuscan red wine made from a blend of Sangiovese and other red grapes.

• Vouvray (Voov-ray) – Outstanding Loire white, based on Chenin Blanc; table wines may range from dry through slightly sweet, and it also makes spectacular dessert wines.

Old World is a term used to describe wine-producing nations which have been seemingly doing it for centuries, eg France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Spain and lesser known names like Hungary, Austria and large swathes of eastern Europe. Nearly all of the old world is in Europe. The distinguishing feature of the winemakers here has been their adherence to tradition in all matters relating to making wine and a greater accent on bringing out the expression of the land through the wine.

France– where the practice of making wines is more than a religion. Bordeaux is one of the largest, high quality wine growing regions in the world. Located exactly half way between the North Pole and the Equator, the Bordeaux vineyards cover a multitude of landscapes, from the gravelly rises in the Medoc, to the low-lying hills of Sauternes, to the slopes of Entre-Deux-Mers.
Burgundy is just as famous for its superb wines as is Bordeaux. The two grapes that have contributed towards establishing the popularity of Burgundy are `Chardonnay’ -responsible for the powerful white wines made in various styles, `Pinot Noir’ -which makes the classic red burgundy wines.
Chablis is a very typical style, producing white wines made from Chardonnay that are very dry, sometimes with a greenish tinge. `Grand Cru Chablis’ is at the top of the ladder followed by Premier Cru.
Alsace is a picturesque little place using German style grapes to make French wines that are unique. The best wine comes from the `Riesling’, rightly acknowledged as the king of white grapes.
Loire is a wonderfully versatile region making whites from the Chenin Blanc and the Sauvignon Blanc; and delicate reds from Cabernet Sauvignon/Franc and Gamay. Some excellent alternatives to champagne are the sparkling wines of Vouvray, especially Saumur.
Rhone is famous for its Chateauneuf-du-Pape, once a must on every wine list. The other great wine, made from the `Syrah’ grape, is the Hermitage.

Germany – After France, the country that comes to mind instantly when talking about wines is, most likely, Germany. This is due, in most part, to the immense quantities of everyday white wines that they export all over the world. White wines are, in any case, more widely accepted than any other style, and the wines from Germany lend themselves easily to the untried taste bud.
The Moselle valley or the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region is perhaps the best known to the outside world. The vineyards are on perilously steep slopes and produce wines that are particularly light in alcohol, sprightly yet elegant and aromatic.
Rheingau is a great classic wine region, producing the highest proportion of top-quality wines of Germany.
Rheinhessen is one of the largest wine producing regions, known for its unassuming, medium-dry, easy-to-drink, everyday wines. The one generic style of wine which has put them on the world map is the ubiquitous `Liebfraumilch’-which purists write off and new drinkers love.
Rheinpfalz is is a rather interesting area, whose wines tend to be full and round with plenty of aroma and character.

Italy – In some years it produces more wine than any other country in the world- more than 60 million hectolitres. Think of Italian wine and chances are that you’ll think of Chianti. It comes from a fairly extensive area in Tuscany and bottles with the suffix Classico come from the best zone in all of Chianti. In the 60s and the 70s Tuscan winemakers started blending non-traditional (for Italy that is) grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon with the local Sangiovese grape to produce wines that are now called Super Tuscans. Some other Super Tuscans are Tignanello, Sassicaia and Orenelaia. Asti is the light sweet sparkling wine made from the Mascato Bianco grapes in the areas of Asti, Cuneo and Alessandria, and is exported throughout the world.
The other big wine producing area is Piedmont and this is the home of the Nebbiolo grape. The prestige wines from Piedmont are the Barolo and the Barbaresco.
Veneto the region that stretches from Venice to Verona is home to some famous names as well. Among the whites – Soave and among the reds- Valpolicella and Bardolino.
The spicy Marsala comes from Sicily and the Lacrima Cristi comes from Compania.

Portugal – Long known for its fortified wines, Portugal also has table wines that are worth knowing. The monitoring system here is called Denominacao de Origem Controlada. It was established in 1756 to protect the Port growing areas and was later extended to all wine growing regions.
Vinho Verde is one of the most main wine regions which literally means “green wine”. Its green only in the metaphorical sense; its drunk young. The region is the largest demarcated wine making region in Portugal and though there are both red and white wines, the white is exported more.
Near the town of Coimbra are the two wine making regions of Dao and Bairrada. Dao produces some good red wine. Modern wine making methods have been adopted and a lot of good red wine seems to be flowing out.

Spain – It has a long winemaking history (it is the world’s third largest producer of wine), for long it was the low man in the wine-world’s totem pole. The wines in Spain are named for the regions (like in France) and these are called denominaciones. The ones to know are the following:
Rioja: More properly Rio Oja (Oja is a tributary of the Ebro) and the best-known denaminacion. It’s in the central part of northern Spain. While there is some white wine that is produced here, the biggies are all red wines made from the Tempranillo grape with quantities of Granacha. Although some Gran Reservas can be expensive there are a lot of good value wines here.
Ribera de Duero: This denominacion runs along the Duero river, southwest of Rioja and was officially named only in 1982. It is supposed to be very much in demand nowadays. The big names are Bodegas Vega Sicilia and Alejandro Fernandez at Pequera de Duero.
Cava: Spain’s own sparkling wine is largely made in Penedes and are largely made by the method’ champenoise.
Andalucia: Spain’s hottest region is also home to Sherry –named for the town of Jerez – and other fortified wine. This region has been exporting wine since the Phoenicians established trading links in 1100 BC.
Unusually for Spain, their most interesting white wine is not named for a region but for a grape – Albarino. This is made in Galicia.

Australia – For years, Australian winemakers have reveled in the idea that good wine can be made and marketed without being confused and handcuffed by terroir and appellations. Aussie wines are normally described as fruity. This is due to the fact that the grapes get long warm summers and hence become very ripe. Except for Tasmania, not a single premium growing region of Australia falls below 40 degrees of latitude, the zone normally considered cool climate. By comparison, Bordeaux is at 41 degrees, Niagara at 43 and BC’s Okanagan Valley above 49. Australia, as a whole, is the world’s warmest premium wine region. Key wine growing regions are Riverland, Murray-Darling, Riverina, Barossa valley, Eden valley, Clare valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Yarra valley, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Heathcote, Goulburn valley, Hunter valley, Margaret river, Tasmania.

Chile – It’s contemporary wine boom took root in the mid-19th century when cuttings from Bordeaux, France arrived. Before long, talented French winemakers followed, attracted by the favorable conditions of the nation’s Central Valley with its rich soil, warm summers and mild winters. Today, Chile is noted for producing some of the most reasonably priced, consistently good varietals in the world. Its wines, especially its reds (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), have won critical acclaim and an expanding share of the international market. Most of the major vineyards occupy a strip about 220 miles long in the Central Valley region, which is home to the famed, productive Maipo Valley. Chile is known for wines made from Carmenere, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and aromatic white varietals. The key regions of wine production in Chile are Acongua region, Coquimbo and Central Valley.

South Africa – It has been producing wine for around three centuries now. A lot of early settlers were Huguenots who got expelled from France on religious grounds and wended their way here and these guys knew their wine. One of the most famous wines in the 18th century was Constancia, which was made here. Most of the high-quality wine comes from the Cape Province, which is also regarded as one of the most beautiful wine-making areas of the world. All the vineyards are within a 100 km radius of Cape Town. The more well-known include Swartland to the north, Paarl to the northwest, and Stellenbosch to the immediate east. Unlike many countries where wine regions are scattered and separated by wide areas of land, in South Africa they literally touch each other, forming a jigsaw of appellations immediately surrounding the city. The exceptions are the Orange River Valley and Douglas, further to the north. South Africa mainly produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc (Steen) and Pinotage. While the first three wines are well known around the world, Pinotage is more regional. The major wine producing regions from the country are Western Cape, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Breede River Valley and Walker Bay.

USA – The grape first went to the US with the early immigrants in the 1600s and it was initially planted in the eastern seaboard without much success. The Franciscan Father Junipero Serra planted the first vines in Californiain1769. Though the Spanish culture of that part of the US led to a lot of winegrowing, California had to wait for another two centuries before making a mark in the international wine scene.
Napa, probably California’s best-known wine region and home of some 300 wineries, is a mere 35 miles long and about 4-5 miles wide. From San Pablo Bay at the lower end to Mount St. Helena in the north, the valley has the ideal climates (warm sunny days and cool nights) for growing premium grape varietals such as: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel & Pinot Noir.
Sonoma County home of some 145 wineries with more than 31,00 acres of wine grapes, produces more award-winning wines than any other wine growing region in the country. Separated from Napa by the Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma’s climate and rocky soil are similar to the Bordeaux. All major varietals are grown here with great success particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc & Chardonnay.
North of San Francisco, Mendocino County is a coastal region of narrow valleys with rocky but well drained soil. The main growing regions here are: Cole Ranch, McDowell Valley, Anderson Valley, Ukiah Valley, Redwood Valley & Porter Valley.
The Regions of California’s South-Central Coast are: Edna Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara.

New Zealand – It is one of the fastest growing wine-making regions in the world, this is really taking on its antipodal big brother. Some great whites are happening. Watch out for the Marlborough area and the big baby there is Cloudy Bay – some big French names have an interest in it and action will definitely happen. The other area to look for is Hawkes Bay and the names to watch out for here are Te Mata and Esk Valley. Buy these while they are still affordable.

Hungary – Think of Hungary and you think of Tokay. Made from Furmint, Harslevelu and at times Muscat, this is one of the greatest dessert wines in the world. The top tamale is the one called “Aszu”.  If you are ever offered one, grab it. Botrytis-infected grapes are handpicked, fermented, made into a paste and added to the wine. Sweetness is measured in puttonyos- from three to six, which is the sweetest. In exceptional years, an even sweeter one, Essencia, is produced.

Argentina – Probably the biggest winemaking region in South America, though Chile enjoys a much higher profile. Argentina is the fifth largest wine consuming (and producing) country and until recently, wine stayed within its borders. The Mendoza region is the largest winemaking region in Argentina, with around 370,000 acres of vines. Malbec and Tempranillo grow very well here, as does Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The San Juan region has 113,000 acres of vines, but is not nearly as well known for its wines.

Austria – The regions of Linz to Vienna and beyond, the Danube (or Blue) River maintains a wonderful sunny climate that makes the Wachau Valley and other nearby regions one of the best places to grow grapes. After some hiccups, Austrian wine making has returned to its organic origins, producing some of the best wines in Europe. The dominant white wine grape is the green Veltliner, which yields a fruity, tart wine prized by locals. Though Chardonnay, Muller-Thurgau, Muscat-Ottonel, Neuberger, Weissburgunder and Welschriesling are popular also, Austrian Riesling is the premier white grape of the region, yielding some of the finest Riesling wines in the world. The four primary wine growing regions are Burgenland, Niederosterreich, Steiermark, Vienna.

White wine can be made from grapes that are either white or red. That’s because the color of the wine comes from the pigment in the skin of the grapes and if the winemaker removes the skin before the wine is made (i.e. the juice is fermented) the grape will remain white. After the grapes are picked, they are de-stemmed and crushed in a large machine. The juice now called free run juice is run off separately. The stems and the skins are then pressed to get more juice and then left behind.

Next the juice is fermented. Fermentation is a process whereby the yeast converts the sugar in the juice into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide escapes and the alcohol remains. The resultant liquid (called must) is aged for a while longer to let all the sugar turn into alcohol. The yeast cells die and fall to the bottom of the fermenting vessel and are called “lees”. Normally these are removed by letting them settle to the bottom and draining off the clear juice (a process called racking). Some winemakers will let them be and these are those wine which will have “aged on its lees” on the label (sur lie in French).
The wine now has to age. For most white wine this is done in steel vats so that the flavors of the wine come through. A lot of Chardonnay though is aged in oak barrels. The wine will then be racked (if not done already) and fined- a process whereby all extra floating particles are removed. It is then bottled and may be aged further or drunk.

Red wine is made with the same process except for one basic difference. The skins of the grape are not removed until the juice is fermented. The juice, therefore, spends much longer in contact with the skins. This results in two things. The colour, from the pigments in the skin, get into the juice. More importantly, since the skins contain a lot of tannin’s, these too get transferred to the wine. Tannins are those substances, which leave your mouth feeling dry when you drink strong black tea. They are important to wine as they help it age. When the fermentation is over the skins are separated. Makers of fine wines will keep it for another week or so. After this all the other processes are similar to those of white wine except that red wines are normally aged in oak.

Rose wine is made in one of two ways. In the first method, the red grapes are crushed and the skins are kept with the juice for a very short while. The rest of the process is normal. The other way is to blend a little red wine with the white.

Champagne is probably one of the most well-known of all wines. It is the epitome of romance. The spirit of celebration. The harbinger of all things wonderful. It has enthralled humankind over the years, especially the rich and famous who imbibed the elegant bubbly in copious quantities. Many a young maiden was subtly seduced with this mystical aphrodisiac, her inhibitions sent flying out with the winds.

The creation of champagne (sham-pain) is generally credited to `Dom Perignon’, the cellar-master at the Abbey of Hautvillers at the end of the 17th century though some historians believe that it was actually the British who accidentally stumbled upon the recipe. On bottling the barrels of wine shipped to them from Champagne, they found that some of the wine underwent a secondary fermentation in the bottle, probably due to some leftover yeast and sugars that found some warmth in the English cellars. But it most certainly was Perignon who honed this discovery to a fine art. It was he who introduced the art of blending different wines from the various areas of Champagne, to create a `cuvee’ (pronounced cue-vay), which helped the wine to harness the best of each grape quality and presenting a unique style of wine. It was he who thought of putting an additional bit of yeast and sugar into the bottled wine to ensure a livelier wine. And after losing a lot of it to burst bottles, Dom Perignon invented the `muzzled cork’ to keep the bubbles in.
For those of you interested in grape variety, champagne is mostly made from a blend of three main grapes: the Pinot Noir – which provides the structure and body to the wine; Pinot Meunier – which gives it fruitiness and soft, mellow notes; and Chardonnay – which pitches in by adding elegance and finesse to the wine.

Though champagne is widely regarded as the bigwig, extremely good sparkling wines are made in many areas of France as indeed in other parts of the world. Of course, they cannot be called champagne. Nevertheless, they are deserving of some merit and, can on occasion, be quite outstanding.

The Germans make their own version of sparkling wine known as `Sekt’ which tends to be low in alcohol and very refreshing. The Italians have `Spumante’ of which `Asti’ is the best known. The other is the `Moscato Spumante’. Both tend to be rather sweet and are fun drinks. The Spanish too have a big sparkling wine industry in `Vilafranca’, Codornieu and Freixenet being popular brands. The `Vinho verde’ of Portugal are young and faintly fizzy wines of which the Mateus rose is a well-known example. Even the Russians make `Shampanskoe’ and drink it, sometimes (wishful thinking?!) in preference to vodka! But indubitably the best non-champagne sparkling wines are made in the United States and Australia with our own `Marquise de Pompadour’ and `Joie’ not far behind.

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine which is produced from a grape variety called Glera, which was formerly known as Prosecco. These wines are carbonated using the Charmat process where the second or secondary fermentation takes place in tanks and the wine is bottled under pressure.

Cava is a sparkling wine from Spain, mainly produced in the Penedes region in Catalunya. Just like Champagne, Cava is also produced using Methode Champenoise process. The grapes permitted for making this Spanish bubbly are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Macabeu, Parellada, Xarel lo and Subirat.

Bordeaux:

This straight sided bottle with tall shoulders and a pronounced punt (indentation on the bottom of a wine bottle); is widely used for Italian, new world and wines from the Bordeaux region. The glass can be dark green, light green or clear for reds, dry whites and sweet whites respectively.

Burgundy:

This gently sloped-shoulder bottle with a small punt has a fatter girth than other bottles and can contain both red and white wines. This shape is used for new world Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and also Loire Valley wines.

Rhone:

This is similar to the burgundy bottle except that it is slightly slimmer. It comes in a green glass for both red and white wines. Besides Rhone it is used in the new world Shiraz.

Champagne:

This bottle has a deeper punt and is made with thicker glass more for a scientific reason than for design. That is to withstand the pressure of the wine inside. It is used not just for champagne but for all sparkling wines.

Alsace/Mosel:

This lean bottle without a punt is distinctive to the Alsace region of France and Mosel of Germany. It is used for wines like Rieslings, Gewürztraminer and Muller Thurgau. The wines could be of different styles ranging from dry to sweet dessert wines which can be read on the label.

Rhine:

This one is the same as Alsace or Mosel, except that the glass is brown in colour. It is also known as ‘hock’.

Fortified:

This bottle is sturdy and has a bulged neck to capture the sediment. It is used for wines that are best had young like Port, Sherry, and Madeira. Hence, it comes with a cork stopper rather than a long cork. The colour of the glass ranges from dark brown to black.

Importance of the right glassware

Georg Riedel from Austria, who is a firm believer that wines made from different grape varietals should be drunk from glasses with different shapes, the theory being that the shape of the glass both dictates the way in which the aroma hits your nose as well as the way in which the drops of wine hit that “sweet spot” on your tongue. e.g. for Cabernet /Bordeaux there may be a large tall glass with a slight taper.

On the other hand, you have the school of thought, which believes in the APV (all-purpose wine glass for the uninitiated). A simple inexpensive glass which can shatter into a thousand pieces without recriminations and which can serve the purpose of jack of all varietals also does fine. Of course, here we’re talking about still wines, sparkling wines are a different kettle of fish, which requires a separate type of glass.

In general, here are some of the guiding principles you should follow while buying

wine glasses:

• Whether it is local or imported, use clear glass-without ornate design to

obstruct from view the colour of the wine you’re drinking.

• Make sure the glass is made from good quality lead crystal. The glasses quality is also marked by its slenderness and by the number of facets you see reflected
• The bowl of the glass should be round to bring the wine in contact with oxygen and thus release its aromas. Ideal bowl size is around 12 ounces (for red wine) and around 8 ounces (for white), so that you can safely fill 2/3rds in and swirl away to glory. At the top it should taper inwards to prevent the aroma from escaping
• Make sure that the stem of the glass is long and thin so that your hand doesn’t inadvertently end up warming the bowl
• Ensure that the rim is thin so that the wine flows smoothly on to your tongue

Wash the glasses by hand, rinse thoroughly and dry with a cloth, which is free of lint. Make sure that the cloth has no scent from that flavoured Surf you bought last week. If need be, rinse the glass before using it, to save odours from wherever you’re storing it to enter.

Sparkling wine should always be served in a flute as opposed to a saucer. The reason being that a flute preserves the bubbles (and the bouquet) whereas a saucer lets them dissipate quickly. The choice is clear. After all isn’t it called bubbly for nothing.

When tasting wine, it should be filled to one-third of the glass. You may wish to check the colour. Hold up the glass against a white surface. A red wine will be anywhere from ruby to almost brown. A rose’ will be pinkish and a white wine will be anything from pale yellow to deep gold. In both red and white wines, colour is an indication of body (intensity of flavour). In wines as in diamonds, colour and clarity are measures of soundness.

After this visual treat it is time for the olfactory appraisal. Hold the base or the stem of the glass and twirl the glass. The wines should swirl about and release its bouquet. Raise the glass and smell it. You will over time learn to recognize the smell that is technically called aroma-the smell of the grape rather than the wine. In doing so, you may follow one of two schools of thought, the first opting for a quick first impression sniff followed by a deeper one, the second opting for a deeper sniff the first time around. The normal types of aromas you can expect to find are herbs and spices, flowers, Fruits, smells associated with deserts, earthy, woody scents and unpleasant smells.

There is more hype per square inch to wine tasting than to any other activity relating to anything to do with your mouth. So, begin by sticking to one wine and drinking it regularly. You will become familiar with one wine and when you taste another one, you’ll be able to make out the difference. Take in a small amount and run it over your tongue before swallowing it. Different parts of your mouth will indicate different characters of the wines like body, acidity, sweetness, alcohol, flavour characteristics and tannins. Let the after-taste develop. Most experts agree that this is the most distinctive part of the wine. Over time, this aftertaste is what enables one to distinguish one wine from another.

There are different measures of quality applied by different wine producing regions.
There are tremendous variations due to differences in growing condition and due the skills of the winemakers. These differences are highlighted by the differences in prices. Below are brief explanations of different classifications.

France has four quality categories for wines. In ascending order of importance these are:
Vin de Table: Table wines that are non-vintage, blended and bought for everyday drinking. They can come from any one or several of France’s diverse wine regions.
Vin de Pays (VdP): Country regional wines coming from clearly defined areas such as VdP d’Oc, which appears on the label. Can be vintage or non-vintage. Usually offer good quality at reasonable prices. Tightly regulated but allows greater freedom than A/C laws.
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieur (VDQS): Represented as a stamp on the label. The majority are good, interesting wines aiming for a higher quality grading. Slowly being phased out.
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC or A/C): Highest grading for French wines. Quality controls cover everything from land (vineyard site), grapes, cultivation, yield at harvest, winemaking practices and even degree of alcohol in the final wine. Wines must also pass a tasting and chemical analysis.

Germany has a different quality grading system than other European countries except Austria. Quality is graded according to the ripeness of the grapes at harvest.
In ascending order:
Deutscher Tafelwein: Table Wine, usually medium dry.
Deutscher Tafelwein Landwein: Regional country wines, dry or semi-dry.
Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA): Quality wines from one of the thirteen designated, quality regions of Germany.
Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP): The finest-quality wines with designated, special quality attributes of which there are six. Appearing on the label they are in ascending order of sweetness: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese.

Austria operates the same type of quality system with an extra grading known as Ausbruch for rich, sweet wines.

Australia has the Label Integrity Programme (LIP) which was introduced with effect from 1990 to uphold the integrity of information stated on the label regarding vintage, variety or geographical indication. LIP Inspectors continuously monitor the industry.
Geographical and Varietal Indication on the Label: For a label to claim, say Clare Valley and Shiraz, the vine variety should be at least 85% Shiraz-sourced and grown 85% in the Clare Valley.
Vintage: At least 85% of the wine must be from the stated vintage.
Back Label: The back, front, neck, cap and any other labels have equal status in Australian wine law, so information may appear on either the front or back label. The only mandatory-requirement on the label exposed on the shelf to the consumer (front) is that for the volume statement.

In South Africa the quality designation is Wine of Origin, followed by the name of the region. If a wine carries a vintage on the label, it must be produced from at least 75% of grapes of that particular harvest. If a grape variety is mentioned on the label, the wine must be produced from 75% of the stated variety. The Wine of Origin designation appears as a seal on the side of the neck of the bottle. It certifies that any information given on the label relating to vintage, origin or grape variety is correct.

In Italy, the Denominazione di Origine system, No. 930 enacted in 1963, established a DOCG category among the other appellations. The “G” in Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita means “Guaranteed.” DOC or Denominazioe Di Origine is similar to the French Aoc system. Only it does not seem to be anywhere close to the kind of benchmark that AOC is.

The American version of the AOC system is American Viticultural Area.  The word “appellation: will not appear anywhere on the bottle. Instead there will be a place name like California or Napa Valley or to be more specific say “Russian River Valley”. If the AVA name is on the label it means that 85% of the grape in that wine has to come from that area. A Vineyard designated wine must contain 95% of its grapes from that vineyard. Vineyard names must be used along with County or AVA names. California also has a law that requires “Napa Valley” to appear on labels in conjunction with any sub-viticultural area within Napa, i.e. a label with the designation “Rutherford” must also have “Napa Valley”.

In Spain, the Demominación de Origen system is controlled by INDO – Instituto Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen. INDO, under the direction of The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, administers the D.O. system for a broad range of agricultural products ranging from wine and olive oil, to cured hams and cheeses.

The information required to be printed on the label is a combination of the mandatory and the optional. For e.g. if it’s a wine made in the European union then it must show the following information:

• Designation, showing if it’s a table wine, quality wine or one of various other categories such as Vin De Pays
• Country of origin
• Alcohol content
• Bottle size
• Name, address and country of the bottler
• When the wine is from a specific area, the traditional terms indicating the wine’s quality must be shown

Old world labels

A wine from the old world will normally not mention the grapes/s it’s made from as winemakers from this region, believe that making a wine is a combination of several factors, one of which is the grape.

New world labels

Wines from the new world normally prominently mention the label. Take a look at the label below of a wine from South Africa.

Still
The first step is to remove the foil covering the top of the bottle. If you have one, then use a foil cutter, else use a knife to make a thin incision in the foil covering the top of the bottle, then peeling it off.
Using the corkscrew, insert it straight into the cork twisting it for 5 and a half turns making sure you don’t hit the glass wall and draw the cork as gently as possible out of the bottle
Give the neck and lip of the bottle a wipe before you pour.

Sparkling
First step is to take out a knife and neatly make a thin cut around the base of the cap, thus freeing the foil.
Very carefully twist the loop of the wire cage and keep twisting until the loop is freed off the bottle. At all times keep a gentle hold on the cork.
Next hold the bottle at a 45-degree angle rotate the bottle while holding the cork firm.

Storage
When storing wines, the following things need to be taken into consideration:
Temperature – The optimum temperature is 10-12 degree centigrade, however practically speaking anywhere between 5 to 18 degree should do. The other important thing to consider is to avoid a large variation in the degree of temperature.
Humidity – Humidity levels should be between 50% to 80% otherwise you run the risk of the cork getting screwed.
Light – Constant exposure to light will prematurely age the wine and sparkling wines are more sensitive to over exposure.
Quiet – Avoid excessive sound, which will create vibration and thus make the molecules in the wine go rub a dub a dub thereby making it that much less tasty. Also make sure that you’ve laid out your wines in such a way that you don’t have to keep moving them while looking for that elusive bottle. The serious wine-geeks will have an individual tag for each bottle.