Exploring Wine

Chapter 1Topics

What is wine?

•It is the fermented juice of any fruit.

•Sugar + Yeast= Alcohol + CO2

•More discussion in Chapter 2

What determines a wine’s quality?

•Distinct taste typical of thegrape variety

•Style, flavor, taste reflectpoint of origin

•No unpleasant flavors

A good wine is one that you arehappy with.

Climate- Warm sunny days and cool balmy nights

Terms-

•Macroclimate

•Microclimate

Cooler climates- higher acidity

Warmer-Higher sugar-Southern Arizona

Soil Conditions

Ideal:

•Rocky

•Low-fertile

•High mineral

•High drainage

•Heat retention

Two distinct groups of grapes forwine making (both came fromEurope)

Vitis Vinifera Vitis Labrusca

“to bear orcarry wine”

vineplants

European type, such asChardonnay, CabernetSauvignon, Merlot,Sauvignon Blanc,Riesling

American-typegrapes, such asCatawba, Concord,Delaware, Niagara

Wild Fox

Phylloxera –smallaphid less than ½mm long

Phylloxera has anappetite for the rootsof grape vines, andonce a vineyard isinfected there is nocure, except for rippingthe vines out andreplacing them withthe plants that havebeen grafted ontoresistant rootstockfrom native Americanvines, which havestrong roots.

Chile and Argentinaare pre-phylloxera

•Grafting

Grafting rootstock means taking a wild species of grapevine (that Phylloxera doesn't like) and grafting a Vitisvinifera variety (such as zinfandel) onto it, so you have aPhylloxera-resistant root system and a zinfandel-producingvine on top. Almost every vineyard in California (and mostof the world) is planted like this.

•Hybridization- phylloxera resistant and purerfruit character than North American varieties

Life of a Vineyard

•Two to three years to trellis

•Three to four years for fruit

•Quantity of fruit as vine grows older

•Quality does not decrease with age

•Trellising-provides support for leaves and fruit

Vine Cycle

June

Septemberand

beyond

•In winter-prune and protect

•Pruning-protect early buds from frost

•Lower quantity brings higher quality

•Veraison- grape color change

Harvest

•Measuring sugar and acid levels

•True varietal character

•Tannic acid in reds

Common Grape Varieties

NebbioloGamay

ZinfandelSemillonGrenachePinot Blanc

SyrahViognierSangioveseChenin Blanc

Cabernet FrancGewurztraminer

Pinot NoirRieslingMerlotSauvignon Blanc

Cabernet SauvignonChardonnayRedWhite