Basic Wine Training

WHAT IS WINE EXACTLY

• What is Wine?
• Wine is an alcoholic beverage made
with the fermented juice of grapes.
• Technically, wine can be made with
any fruit (i.e. apples, cranberries,
plums, etc) but if it just says “wine”
on the label then it’s made with
grapes. ( Wine grapes are different
than table grapes ).
Once a year, grapes are harvested to make wine. This is where we get the term
“vintage.”
Each vintage is characterized by unique growing conditions (rainfall, wind, frost,
hail, fires, etc) that ultimately affect how the wine tastes. This is why you’ll find
some vintages preferrable to others.
It’s useful to note that a single vintage can affect red and white wines
somewhat differently.

Today, there are about 1,400 grape cultivars used in commercial wine production.
That said, only about 100 of these varieties make up 75% of the world’s vineyards.
This means some wines you’ll discover are made with very rare wine grapes.
What are Wine Grapes?
Wine grapes are different than table grapes: they are smaller, sweeter and have lots of seeds.
Most wines are made with a single species of grape that originated in Caucasus called Vitis
vinifera. There are thousands of different varieties within the Vitis vinifera species.
The Origin of the term “Vintage”
Wine grapes take an entire season to ripen and thus, wine is produced just once a year. This
is where the term vintage comes from: “Vint” stands for “Winemaking” and “age” implies
the year it was made. So, when you see a vintage year listed on the label, that’s the year the
grapes were picked and made into wine. The harvest season in the northern hemisphere
(Europe, US) is from August–October and the harvest season in the southern hemisphere
(Argentina, Australia) is from February–April.
Non-Vintage (NV) Wine
Occasionally, you’ll find a wine without a vintage listed on the label. Typically, this is a blend
of several vintages together; and in the case of Champagne, it will be labeled with “NV”
which stands for “Non-Vintage.”
MAIN FACTORS FOR QUALITY OF THE WINE

The main factors that determine quality

of wine and how the wine will taste :
1. The grape variety
2. The environment in which it is grown /
Terroir ( Climate, weather, soil and slope )
3. Viticultural Practice ( Training system,
pruning system and harvest )
4. Enological Practice, how the wine is made
( style, wine making process, aging )
TYPE OF WINE

Type of Wine by Color

Red Wine White Wine Rose Wine

Type of Wine by Style

Sparkling Aromatized Fortified
Still Wine Dessert Wine
Wine Wine Wine
MAIN GRAPE VARIETIES

Red Wines White Wines

• Cabernet Sauvignon • Chardonnay
• Merlot • Sauvignon Blanc
• Syrah / Shiraz • Riesling
• Pinot Noir • Pinot Grigio
• Primitivo • Moscato
• Nebbiolo • Gewurztraminer
• Sangiovese • Malvasia
• Tempranillo • Verdejo
• Grenache • Glera
• Malbec • Garganega ***There are over 10,000 grape
• Carmenere varieties, but just few of them are
planted all over the world***
Single-Varietal Wine
A single-varietal wine is made primarily with one type of grape. It’s common to see these wines labeled by the name
of that grape variety. For example, a bottle of Riesling is made with Riesling grapes. It’s useful to note that each
country has different rules for how much of the variety should be included in order to be labeled as a varietal wine.
•Percentage Required to Label as a Single-Varietal Wine :
•75% USA*, Chile, South Africa, Australia, Greece
•80% Argentina
•85% Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand
*Oregon requires 90% of the varietal

Wine Blend

A wine blend is a wine made with a blend of several grape varieties.

Blending is a traditional method of winemaking, and today there are several famous wine blends produced in classic
winemaking regions. Just so you know, most wine blends are mixed together after the fermentation (and aging) is
complete. When grapes are blended and fermented together it is called a field blend.
The Taste of Wine
There are several facets that explain wine’s unique flavor: acidity, sweetness, alcohol, tannin, and aroma
compounds produced in fermentation.

Acidity: Wine as a beverage lies on the acidic end of the pH scale ranging from as low as 2.5 to as high as 4.5
(lemon = 2 & yoghurt = 4.5). Wine tastes tart.

Sweetness: Depending on what style of wine you drink, sweetness in wine ranges from having no sugar at all
to sweet like maple syrup. The term “dry” refers to a wine without sweetness. Most people taste sweetness
towards the front of the tongue where they have the highest proportion of tastebuds.

Tannin: Tannin is found in red wines and contributes to the astringent quality of red wine. Put a wet, black
tea bag on your tongue for a great example of how tannin tastes. ? This is a trait found is most red wines and
less so in white wines. You can feel tannins on the middle and sides of your tongue as a mouth-drying, bitter
sensation. As negative as these taste traits may sound, tannins in wine are one of the few wine traits that are
actually good for you!
Alcohol: The taste of alcohol is spicy, palate-coating and warms the back of your throat. Wine’s
average range of alcohol is about 10% ABV (alcohol by volume) to 15% ABV. Of course, there
are a few exceptions: Moscato d’Asti is as low as 5.5% ABV and Port is fortified with neutral brandy
upping it to 20% ABV.

Body: How “big” is the wine on your

palate? Does it fill your mouth with flavor and richness or is it lean and lithe? While body is not a
scientific term, it can really help describe what we like/dislike in wine.

Finish: What flavor or taste does the wine finish with? Is it bitter? sweet? smoky? oily? salty? It’s
interesting to note that the finish is one of the deciding factors behind what consumers like.

Length: How long does it take until you can’t taste the wine on your palate? Even a very light-
weight wine can have a long length.

Layers: Does the wine’s flavors and textures change over the course of a single taste? If so, the
wine is “layered.”
Balance
Does the wine’s taste characteristics of acidity, alcohol, and tannin work in
balance with one another? Or does the wine have a trait that tends to dominate
the others?
While balance is not necessarily an indicator of quality, you’ll find many highly
rated wines are noted for being balanced.

Complexity
Does the wine have an endless number of flavors and textures to identify? Or does
the wine only have one or two major flavors?
Generally speaking, wines with high complexity are considered higher quality
Wine Bouquet vs Aroma

• The terms wine aroma and wine

bouquet are not exactly scientific but
they can be useful to classify the origin
of where the smells come from in wine.
Very simply, a wine aroma is derived
from the grape variety (e.g. Zinfadel or
Cabernet Franc ) and a wine bouquet is
derived from the winemaking process
of fermentation and aging. A classic
example of a wine bouquet is the smell
of vanilla, which usually comes from
aging wine in new oak barrel.
• Let’s explore the 2 types of wine smells
(aromas and bouquets) and provide a
few examples to distinguish which is
which.
Wine Aromas
(aka Primary Aromas)
• From Variety (aka Primary Aromas): When made into wine, each grape
variety offers a unique set of aromas called primary aromas. These aromas
are typically in the realm of fruit smells, herb smells and flower smells and
come naturally just from the grape. For example, Cabernet Sauvignon is
commonly noted for its smells of raspberry, green peppercorn and,
sometimes, violet. The smells come from aroma compounds which are found
in different levels in different varietal wines. It is true that on a molecular
level, these aroma compounds look identical to actual fruit smells. So, for
example, the compound that produces the smell of strawberries in
strawberry jam looks the same as the compound that produces the smell of
strawberry jam in a glass of California Barbera.
Aromas commonly associated with
varieties:
Fruit flavors (e.g. peach,
blackberry)
Herbal flavors (e.g. bell pepper,
mint, oregano)
Flower flavors (e.g. roses, lavender,
iris )
Black Red Fruit : Dried Fruit : Tropical Fruit : Tree Fruit : Citrus :
Fruit : Cherry Date Bubblegum Apple Grapefrui
Black Cranberry Fig Guava Apricot t
Cherry Pomegrana Fruitcake Kiwi Nectarine Lemon
Black te Raisin Lychee Honeydew Lime
Currant Raspberry Mango Peach Marmalad
Blackberry Red Pineapple Pear e
Blueberry Currant Orange
Boysenberr Red Plum Quince
y Sour
Olive Cherry
Plum Strawberry
Tomato
Flower : Vegetable / Spice :
Acacia Herbal : Anise
ElderflowerBell Pepper Asian 5-Spice
Hibiscus Black Tea Black Pepper
HoneysuckleDried Herbs Cinnamon
Iris Eucalyptus Red Pepper
Jasmine Fennel White Pepper
Lavender Gooseberry
Lilac Green Almond
Peony Mint
Potpourri Oregano
Rose Thyme
Violet Tomato Leaf
Wine Bouquets
(aka Secondary and Tertiary Aromas)
• From Fermentation (aka Secondary Aromas):
Fermenting wine essentially turns grape sugars into alcohol and is
commonly associated with a specific yeast called Saccharomyces
cerevisiae (essential in winemaking, baking and beer brewing for
thousands of years). The process of fermentation creates a group of
bouquets that are commonly referred to as Secondary Aromas. You’re
no doubt already familiar with secondary aromas, for example: freshly
baked sourdough bread.
Bouquets commonly associated with
fermentation:
•Cultured Cream (yoghurt)
•Buttermilk
•Butter (commonly from a bacterial
process called Malolactic Fermentation)
•Beer (commonly found in wines aged
on the lees)
•Brewer’s Yeast
•Aged Cheese (Parmesan)
•Sourdough
•Mushroom
•Grandmother’s Cellar
•Horse Sweat (from Brettanomyces)
•Band-Aid (from Brett)
•Wild Game (from Brett)
•Cured Meat / Bacon (from Brett)
•Clay Pot / Pottinng Soil / Wet Gravel
•Crushed Rock / Volcanic Rock / Slate
•Petroleum
•Tar
• From Aging (aka Tertiary Aromas):
Aging wine introduces elements that add (or alter) the aroma compounds in wine after it’s
fermented. The group of bouquets associated with aging are called Tertiary Aromas. The most
important element of aging is exposing wine to oxygen. In small amounts, oxygen produces
positive smelling bouquets including the aromas of hazelnut and roasted peanut. The next
most common element is the use of oak. Oak barrels do double-duty on a wine by slowly
introducing oxygen (nuttiness) as well as adding aroma compounds found in oak (in the same
way tea leaves flavor hot water).
A final element of aging to mention (much less commonly used) is the practice of purposely
heating or cooking a wine. Cooking a wine causes Maillard reaction where sugars and amino
acids react with one another, turn brown, and caramelize. You are already familiar with
reaction flavors if you’ve ever toasted a marshmallow, yearned for a seared steak, or have
tasted French onion soup. In wine, reaction flavors are commonly referred to as Madeirizing, in
reference to the most famous wine produced with this technique: Madeira.
Bouquets commonly associated with aging:
•Brown Sugar
•Vanilla
•Caramel
•Butterscotch
•Hazelnut
•Walnut
•Roasted Almond (different than fresh almond or bitter almond)
•Toasted Marshmallow
•Clove, Allspice, Baking Spices
•Cedar Box
•Cigar box
•Smoke
•Tobacco
•Dried Leaves
•Chocolate
•Coffee
•Espresso
•Leather
•Coconut
•Cola
OPENE
D
WINE
AGE
BOTTLE SIZE CHAMPAGNE &
SPARKLING WINE
SUGAR
LEVEL ON
CHAMPAG
NE
Appellation: Pinot Grigio delle Venezie D.O.C.
Grape varieties: Pinot Grigio 100%

The territory
Vineyard location: Eastern hills of Lake Garda
Altitude: 200/250 m (656/820 feet) a.s.l.
Exposure: South-South/West
Soil characteristics: Morenic, stony and well drained
Training system: Guyot
Average age of the vines: 26 years
Density of the vineyard: About 3,000 vines/Ha (1,124 vines/acre)
Tasting notes
Straw yellow in colour.
Light and delicate on the nose, characterised by a subtle elegant floral nuance followed by
hints of golden delicious apples and distinctive vegetal notes. Dry and medium-bodied, the
palate faithfully reflects the nose, being tangy and satisfying, while at the same time simple
and exceedingly enjoyable.

Food pairings
Try with mixed grilled fish, peppered mussels and clams, sea bass baked in salt, Valencian
paella, baccalà (creamed salt cod), chicken salad, nuts and exotic fruit. Best served at 10°C
(50°F).
Appellation: Prosecco Extra Dry Treviso DOC
Grape varieties: Glera 100%
Food pairings
Pairs well with sushi,
Catalan style lobster,
The territory and shellfish in
Vineyard location: Veneto region, province of Treviso general, salmon
Altitude: 180-250 m (590/820 feet) a.s.l. marinated with dill,
couscous with oriental
Exposure: Southeast
flavours, Venetian
Soil characteristic: loam, clayey, of alluvial origin
style liver and
Training system: Guyot artichokes. Best served
Average age of the vines: 26 years at 10°C (50°F).
Density of the vineyards: About 3,000 vines/ hectare (1,214
vines/ acre)

Tasting notes
Has brilliant and intense straw yellow. The ripeness of
the noble Burgundy varietal comes through with an
intense aroma of yellow fruit, particularly apple and
pear, enlivened by a subtle but intriguing floral and
citrus vein. Graceful and harmonious, it is striking for
its clear-cut, pristine palate.
TALO
PRIMITIVO MERLOT SALENTO IGP

Wine type: Red

Grapes: 50% Primitivo, 50% Merlot

Appellation: Salento IGP

Vines per ha: 4.500

Production area: San Marzano (TA), Salento, Puglia. The area is about 100 m above sea
level, with high average temperatures and medium-low rainfall

Soil: Clayey, thin and full of rocks

Vine training: Espalier

Harvest: First half of September

Vinification: Thermo-controlled maceration and alcoholic fermentation for about 10 days with
selected yeasts

Ageing: In French oak barrels for 4 - 6 months

Tasting notes: Deep ruby red with garnet reflections. A complex bouquet with ripe red berries,
cherry, and some cinnamon notes. A wine of great structure enriched with velvety tannins and
a long pleasant aftertaste

Best served with: Rich first courses, red meat and game, hard cheese

Serving temperature: 16-18°C

 BILYARA
SPARKLING CHARDONNAY

Sourced from South Eastern , Australia.

Grape Variety : Colombard, Chardonnay
and Grenache.

Nose :
A vibrant bouquet with zesty citrus and
sherbet aromas.
Palate :
This wine offers full-bodied apple and melon
flavours with a creamy mouthfeel and a crisp, dry
finish.