For the Love of Wine – Basic Wine Knowledge

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Contents Section 1 - For the love of wine ........................................................................................................................................ 2

For the love of wine ...................................................................................................................................................... 2

History of wine .............................................................................................................................................................. 2

History of wine in Australia ........................................................................................................................................... 3

Wine Making Process .................................................................................................................................................... 3

What gives wine its colour? .......................................................................................................................................... 4

Wine Terminology ......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Section 2 – Varieties and Regions ................................................................................................................................... 10

Wine Varieties ............................................................................................................................................................. 10

White wines ................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Red Wine ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Other wines ................................................................................................................................................................. 15

Regions in Australia where wine is made ................................................................................................................... 16

SOUTH AUSTRALIA ......................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

VICTORIA ........................................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

NEW SOUTH WALES ....................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA..................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Section 3 – Wine Tasting & Matching ............................................................................................................................. 22

Wine Tasting ............................................................................................................................................................... 22

Food matching tips ...................................................................................................................................................... 23

General Food Matching .............................................................................................................................................. 24

Section 4 – Selling Wine .................................................................................................................................................. 26

Selling wine ................................................................................................................................................................. 26

Serving Wine ............................................................................................................................................................... 27

Wine facts ................................................................................................................................................................... 27

THE FINAL CRUSH ........................................................................................................................................................ 28

For the Love of Wine – Basic Wine Knowledge

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Section 1 - For the love of wine

For the love of wine

Wine, and wine sales, are a very important part of the hospitality and liquor industries. Restaurants, clubs, pubs, hotels and function centres rely heavily on the responsible sale of wine to its customers. Though wine does not normally sell as much as beer and some Ready-to- Drink (RTD....i.e. Jim Beam and cola in a can or bottle), there is normally more profit in a glass of wine and this is why sale of wine are very important.

This short course in Wine Knowledge aims to give you:

Brief history of wine

The wine making process

Important wine terms and information.

Styles of wines

Wine Tasting

Food matching tips

Regions in Australia where wine is made

Some Australian wine facts

Selling wines

Selling wine is all about knowledge and confidence. This course should arm you with enough knowledge to be

confident in selling wines to customers.

Good Luck

History of wine

One barrel of wine can work more miracles than a church full of saints ITALIAN PROVERB

Wine has been around for thousands of years but grapes even longer. Fossil vines, 60-million-years-old, are the

earliest scientific evidence of grapes.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest wine production occurred in Georgia (Eastern Europe) around

7,000 BC. Other regions that enjoyed wine were Greater Iran, 4,500 BC and Armenia 4,100 BC.

Earliest evidence of wine production and grape crushing were in Northern Greece around 6,500 years ago.

In Egypt, wine became part of recorded history and played an important part in ceremonial life. It was not till the

Phoenicians and Romans times did wine making really take off. Plantations were established and improved wine

making methods which included wine presses, cultivation techniques, grape varieties and barrels for storing and

shipping wine.

Medieval Europe continued the march forward in wine making technology and production. The Christian Church

maintained that they needed wine for the celebration of the Catholic Mass.

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With Medieval Europe expanding into the Americas, South East Asia, South Pacific and the Africa’s wine went with

them and eventually wine growing regions were established all over the world.

Wine is sunlight held together by water GALILEO (1564-1642)

History of wine in Australia

What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile. WILLIAM SOKOLIN

Captain Arthur Phillip is credited with bringing the first grape vines to Sydney Australia. The vines were from Brazil

and Cape of Good Hope.

The early grape varieties were Pinot Gris, Frontignac, Gauais, Verdelho, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately

growing conditions in and around Sydney were not suited for grape growing due to the heat.

In time the early settlers found better conditions for growing grapes in such areas as Hunter Valley NSW, Eden Valley

SA and Geelong VIC. By 1854 the first wine was exported to the United Kingdom a mere 6,291 litres (today Australia

exports about 800 million litres all over the world)

In the mid 1,800’s Phylloxera (grape vine disease) decimated nearly all wine regions in Australia except some parts of

South Australia who now lay claim to some of the oldest vines in the world.

In the early of the 1,900’s most of Australia’s wines were sweet fortified wine known in the UK as “Colonial wine”. It

was not till the 1950’s and 60’s with high migrant immigration (Italy, Greece, German) that tastes changed and these

migrants introduced the culture of enjoying food with table wine in restaurants and at home.

By the mind 1,970’s fortified wines has lost their dominance in the Australian Market. By the 1980’s Australians

enjoyed 17.3 litre per capita of red and white wine.

Today Australia has over 60 designated wine regions and its wines are recognised all over the world for their quality

and great value.

Wine is the most civilized thing in the world. ERNEST HEMINGWAY (1899-1961)

Wine Making Process

“Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young and makes weariness forget his toil” LORD BYRON (1788-

1824)

Wine making is not complex and has not really changed for hundreds of years. What has changed is the technology

and machinery used in the wine making process.

This is a quick step by step wine making process:

1. Crusher - Fresh grapes are picked from the vines and de-stemmed and crushed.

2. Press - The juice is strained and drained from the grapes, stems and skin

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3. Vat/ Tank - The juice and natural yeast, from the skins, are added to a vat or oak barrel to ferment. The

yeast converts the grapes natural sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which then bubbles and dissipates

4. Fermentation The juice, now called “must”, ferments at controlled temperatures for up to a couple of weeks

until the sugar is gone

5. Filter - The dead yeast are now either removed or left in to add to complexity

6. Barrel - The wine can be kept fresh or aged in a stainless steel vat or oak barrel; the oak imparts a vanilla

toast taste

7. Filter - The remaining particles are removed from the wine by draining and filtering

8. Bottling - The wine is bottled and labelled.

The wine making process

What gives wine its colour?

One would assume that red wine comes from red grapes and that white wine comes from white grapes, not so. The

juice from most grapes is white and the skin is what gives the wine its colour.

To produce a red wine, the dark skins of the grapes are left to ferment with the juice. As the yeast convents the

sugar into alcohol, the pigment from the grape skins released.

By removing the skins a white wine is produced, so that even a black grape can produce white wine. A rose’ is

created in the same manner as red except the skins are removed earlier and it becomes lighter in body as well.

GOOD POINT

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It is very important that you understand a wine label for it is a wealth of knowledge. There are six

main components of a wine label:

1. Producer: Who made the wine

2. Variety: The style of the wine

3. Region: What part of the Australia/world the wine was made

4. Vintage: The age of the wine

5. Alcohol: The alcohol strength

6. Additives: Which additives are added to the wine?

A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine LOUIS PASTEUR (1822- 1895)

Wine Terminology

“The soft extractive note of an aged cork being withdrawn has the true sound of a man opening his heart.” WILLIAM

SAMUEL BENWELL

Before we can talk about wine varieties and regions we should realise that wines and wine making is complex art form and there are many terms and expressions used to describe wine. These are but just a few terms and expressions used for wine and when enjoying wine.

Acid: Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine’s longevity and also to your enjoyment. Too little can affect the wine's quality and too much can spoil the wine. It needs to be present in balance along with other components of the wine.

Aeration: The process of letting a wine 'breathe' in the open air, or swirling wine in a glass. Aeration can soften young, tannic wines; it can also fatigue older ones.

Aftertaste: The flavour that lingers in your mouth after tasting or swallowing, and which can be either pleasant or unpleasant, or non-existent, which would indicate a neutral wine.

Alcohol: The substance that makes the difference between grape juice and wine! Alcohol is produced by fermentation; produced by the action of yeasts on grape sugars during the fermentation. Alcohol has an important bearing on the taste of wine.

Appearance: Refers to a wine's clarity; not colour.

Aroma: The smell of a wine; usually refers to pleasing smells rather than 'off' odours. The aroma is normally associated with grape varieties. Often the wood can also come through in the aroma. Young wines often have more obvious aromas.

Astringent: Tannins produce astringent tastes in wine. Astringency can be detected by involuntary 'puckering' of your mouth as the tannins hit your taste buds and can produce a drying taste in the mouth. Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and wood.

Austere: Used to describe relatively hard, high-acid wines that lack depth and roundness. Usually said of young wines that need time to 'soften', or wines that lack richness and body.

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Backbone: Used to denote those wines that are full-bodied, well-structured and balanced by a desirable level of acidity.

Balance: The appraisal that a wine has flavour components in complete harmony, no single component dominating.

Baume A measure of the sugar content of grapes. The Baume value roughly equals the alcohol content in the finished wine (as a percentage of alcohol by volume). For example, grapes at 10 Baume will produce a wine with about 10% alcohol.

Big: Powerful in flavours or bouquet.

Bite: A marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more like a zestful tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine.

Bitterness: Unpleasant characteristic in wine, usually detected in the aftertaste. Not to be confused with acidity.

Bland: Wine-tasting term denoting a wine without character, though not necessarily having any wine faults.

Blend: Mixing of two or more grape varieties to increase quality or maintain consistency.

Body: The impression of weight or fullness on the palate. 'Full-bodied' describes a wine with fullness of flavour in the mouth; 'Light-bodied' means the opposite. It is an important measure of a wines weight that is predominantly determined by its alcoholic strength. The more body that a wine has the less like water it tastes.

Botrytis cinerea: A parasitic fungus, which, if present in a vineyard, can attack ripe grapes, removing water and concentrating sugar and flavour components. It helps to make great sweet white wines.

Bottle age: Time spent in the bottle after making and possible wood aging. 'Will improve with bottle age', means the winemaker thinks the wine will taste better with several years cellaring.

Bottle variation: Difference in the character of a wine from bottle to bottle in the same wine. These unexpected variations can be due to storage conditions, cork differences, unclean bottles, or other factors beyond the winemakers' control.

Bouquet: The smell of a finished wine. This may be affected by time spent in the bottle.

Breathing: Allowing a wine to come in contact with air before serving.

Bright: Perfectly clear wine with no suspended particles. Bright colour is an important factor for wine quality.

Cigar box: An aroma, in a red wine, analogous to the smell it describes, as a result of the combination of the fruit, wood and other constituents of a red wine. Not as unpleasant as it might sound.

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Cloudy: A cloudy wine has suspended particles in it, obscuring the colour. This is an indicator of problems in a wine.

Complexity: An element in all great wines and many very good ones; a combination of richness, depth, flavour intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse.

Colour: In wine, an extremely important indicator of quality and condition. Darker colours usually indicate older wines.

Corked: When a wine’s quality has been affected by the failure of the cork to keep air away from the liquid.

Crisp: A positive term for white wine with refreshing acidity.

Decant: Transfer of wine from the bottle into another container, usually a glass decanter. Decanting aerates the wine and allows you to leave any suspended particles in the bottle.

Depth: Describes the complexity and concentration of flavours in a wine, as in a wine with excellent or uncommon depth. The opposite of shallow.

Dessert wine: Wine designed for consumption with sweeter foods. Usually a richer, sweeter style of wine.

Dry: Absence of residual sugar in a wine. Dry is a term to describe the absence of sweetness in a wine.

Fermentation: The process of converting sugars (in this case grape sugars) into alcohol with yeasts.

Finish: End taste of a wine after it has been swallowed. High tannin content might produce a 'firm finish', or lack of a flavour might yield a 'poor finish'.

Firm: Term referring to taste experience at the back of the palate, caused by tannins.

Flabby: Similar to 'fat', meaning the wine has unpleasantly big flavours on the back palate. High glycerine character, soft and broad flavoured.

Flat: Uninteresting, little flavour. In sparkling wines, little or no bubble left in the wine.

Flavour: The taste of wine.

Flowery: An attractive scent reminiscent of flowers. 'Floral' and 'fragrant' are similar words of approval often applied to pleasing young white wines.

Fortified: Denotes a wine whose alcohol content has been increased by the addition of brandy or neutral spirits.

Fruity: Having the aroma and taste of fruit or fruits.

Green: A wine not ready for drinking, or made form under ripe fruit. One that has too much acidity.

Hard: Term that refers to bitter and dry tastes associated with tannins on the finish of some wines.

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Herbaceous: A taste that can be related to herb flavours.

Honeyed: Relates to the flavour of honey to some wines.

Hot: Refers to a slightly burning sensation in the mouth produced by wines with too much alcohol.

Late picked: Grapes picked when riper than average, hence with higher levels of sugar.

Lees: Deposits in cask or bottle, notably the residue in champagne bottles, from dead yeast cells after the secondary fermentation has been completed.' Lying on lees' is the process that helps give bottle-fermented champagne its yeasty flavour.

Legs: Columns of wine, especially fortified wine, which trickle down the inside of a glass. Supposed to indicate high alcohol content in a wine.

Length: The amount of time the sensations of taste and aroma persist after swallowing. The longer, the better.

Mature: Usually applied to attractive, older wines with mellow flavour and good colour.

Noble rot: A fungal infection (botrytis cinerea) that attacks ripe grapes and which helps make some of the great sweet wines.

Nose: The smell or bouquet of a wine. To 'nose' a wine is to smell it.

Oak: Wines might be stored in oak containers, usually to impart extra and more complex flavours. French, American and German oak barrels are widely used in Australia, but are getting quite expensive as oak trees become scarcer.

Oaky: Describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels in which it was aged. This can be either positive or negative. The terms toasty, vanilla, dill, cedary and smoky indicate the desirable qualities of oak; charred, burnt, green cedar, lumber and plywood describe its unpleasant side.

Oenology: The science of winemaking.

Oily: Pips and stalks in grapes can inject oily flavours into a wine. Not good.

Oxidation: The presence of oxygen causes wine to decompose, turning it eventually to vinegar. Higher temperatures speed the process.

Peppery: A not entirely unpleasant spicy characteristic sometimes-found in young red wines and ports. Rather raw, biting and reminiscent of black pepper.

Port: A fortified red wine. An after-dinner drink of quite high alcohol content (17 to 20 %). Tawny ports are blended wines that have usually been kept by the maker in wood barrels for some years in order to mature them for drinking when sold. Vintage ports (which bear a year of origin on the label) are usually sold early by the maker and you, the consumer, are expected to do the cellaring until the wine is ready for drinking.

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Residual sugar: The natural grape sugar left behind (usually by design) after the fermentation has finished. It is a characteristic of many modern white wines, usually pleasant though sometimes sickly sweet if overdone.

Sharp: Acid taste on the palate. Not necessarily unpleasant.

Short: A wine with no length of flavour.

Sweet: More than fruity; pertaining to sugar.

Tannin: A vital ingredient (and preservative) in wines, especially red wines. It comes from the stalks, skins and pips of grapes. Tannins in a young wine produce a bitter, puckering taste on the palate.

Tart: Noticeable acidic taste of natural grape acids.

Terrior: Is the special characteristics the geography, geology and climate of geographical area influence the growth and qualities of agricultural products.

Thin: A wine lacking body to the extent of being watery.

Varietal: A wine made from a particular variety of grape.

Velvety: A description of texture usually used for wines with not much tannin and high glycerine.

Vigneron: Grape-grower

Vintage: The period of picking or harvesting grapes each year, as in 'the vintage'; also the year a wine was made of 'vintaged'.

Vintner: Winemaker

Viscous: The thick appearance of wine.

Volatile: A wine spoiled by the presence of acetic acid is said to be volatile.

Wine: The fermented juice of grapes.

Woody: Strong bouquet of wood (oak) in wine. Not necessarily unpleasant, but possibly very obvious.

Yeast: Single-cell organisms that convert grape sugar into ethyl alcohol.

Youthful: Wine showing pleasantly young characteristics, perhaps freshness.

GOOD POINT

Where have the wine corks gone?

Cork has been used for centuries as the preferred closure for wines. Unfortunately cork has never been the best seal. An estimated 5% of all wine sealed with a cork will be oxidised.

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Oxidisation is the random and premature aging of the wine due to oxygen exposure.

The solution has been to develop other methods of sealing the wine. The most popular way of sealing wine has been to use the Stelvin closure - which is screw cap. The Stelvin has proven to be very effective in sealing the wine and costs the same as a cork. The down side has been the loss of the “theatre” of opening a bottle of wine with a cork screw.

The following are other methods of sealing wine:

Agglomerates: made up of bits of cork not whole cork. Usually made from inferior cork and therefore oxidisation does occur.

Synthetic closures: usually made from plastic. Seal is not perfect and wines can oxidise. Traditionalist in wine making would never use this product.

Vino-Seal: Glass stopper/seal. Very effective in stopping oxidisation. However it is very expensive.

Wine awakens and refreshes the lurking passions of the mind, as varnish does the colours which are sunk in a picture, and brings them out in all their natural glowing ALEXANDER POPE

Section 2 – Varieties and Regions This section will discuss the most common varieties of wine available in the Australian market. At the end of this

section you should have an understanding of:

The different varieties of wines including red, white and sparkling; and

The different wine growing regions of Australia, and the variety they are best known for.

Wine Varieties

Five qualities are wines praise advancing: Strong, beautiful, fragrant, cool and dancing JOHN HARINGTON (1561-1612)

There are so many varieties of wine that there are just too many to note down. The ones I have selected are common place in restaurants pubs and clubs. We have also included some tasting notes and some food matching ideas.

White wines

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand.

The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak.

Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne. A peak in popularity in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash among those wine drinkers who saw the grape as a leading negative component of the globalization of wine.

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Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely-planted grape varieties, with over 160,000 hectares (400,000 acres) worldwide, second only to Airén among white wine grapes and planted in more wine regions than any other grape – including Cabernet Sauvignon

Chardonnay (Wooded) in wine making terminology this means that the wine has been fermented in wooded vats and they tend have a woody buttery flavour and texture.

Chardonnay (unwooded) means the wines have fermented in metal vats and are there for more crisp and some would say less complex.

Flavours vary greatly with Chardonnays from rich buttery, woody and dry in a wooded Chardonnay to fresh smooth, crisp and sometimes with an overtone of peach in unwooded Chardonnays

Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.

Sauvignon blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine.

Sauvignon Blanc wine can be described as zesty with a hint of lemon and lime with the flavours of melon and passion fruit added to the mix depending on where the grapes are grown.

The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century.

It was once considered to be the most planted grape in the world, although this is no longer the case.

There are really two types of Semillon wines: ones over five years old and those that are younger. The younger wines tend to very acidic, crisp and dry while older wines tend to be richer, buttery and dry. A Semillon keeps very well and some are not drunk for up to 15 years. These wines tend to become a dark yellow color and are very rich.

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc or SSB is commonly referred to as Classic Dry white.

This blend of type varieties of grapes creates a lovely dry wine with overtones of stone fruit, some melon with

usually a crisp finish.

Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.

Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked (stored in wooded vats). As of 2004, Riesling was estimated to be the world's 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres) (with an increasing trend),[1] but in terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the "top three" white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Riesling is a variety which is highly "terroir-expressive", meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine's place of origin. In the countries where it is cultivated, Riesling is most commonly grown in colder regions and locations.

The best way to describe the taste of a Riesling would be fresh, semi sweet, floral with some fruity characteristics.

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Verdelho is a moderately vigorous vine that produces small bunches of small oval berries with a high skin to juice ratio. The skins of the berry can be thick and taste "hard" when eaten. The grapes ripen early but can be prone to powdery mildew. The vines can also be susceptible to frost during the spring

The grape has been successful in the vineyards of Australia, particularly the South Burnett wine region in Queensland, Hunter Valley region, Langhorne Creek, Cowra and the Swan Valley.

Australian versions of Verdelho are noted for their intense flavors with hints of lime and honeysuckle and the oily texture that the wines can get after some aging.

Viognier (pronounced VEE-ohn-yay) was once fairly common. Now it is a rare white grape grown almost exclusively in the northern Rhône regions of France. In 1965, the grape was almost extinct when there were only eight acres in Northern Rhône producing just 1 900 liters of wine. The popularity and price of the wine have risen, and the number of plantings has increased. Rhône now has over 740 acres (3.0 km) planted.

Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to powdery mildew. It has low and unpredictable yields and should be picked only when fully ripe.

The grape prefers warmer environments and a long growing season, but can grow in cooler areas as well.

In Australia, Yalumba is the country's largest producer of the grape making both a white wine varietal and making extensive use of the grape in its Shiraz blends

Viognier as a wine can be difficult to pin a particular taste to, however, it is said to be dry with floral overtones. It can also be said they are crisp with low level acidity.

Pinot gris (also known as Pinot grigio) is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (gris meaning "grey" in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance.

The word pinot, which comes from the word meaning "pine cone" in French, could have been given to it because the grapes grow in small pine cone-shaped clusters.

The wines produced from this grape also vary in colour from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink, and it is one of the more popular grapes for orange wine. The clone of Pinot gris grown in Italy is known as Pinot grigio.

Pinot gris was first introduced into Australia in 1832 in the collection of grapes brought by James Busby. In Victoria, wines from the grape are labeled both Pinot gris and Pinot grigio, depending on the sweetness of wine with the drier wines being labeled Pinot grigio.

This variety of grape is now producing the fastest growing segment of the wine industry in Australia. The reason for this growth is the subtle nature of the wine, good balance between sugar and acid, light bodied with the hint of apple, pear and melon.

Gewürztraminer is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and performs best in cooler climates. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz, and in French it is written Gewurztraminer (without the umlaut).

Gewürztraminer is a variety with a pink to red skin colour, which makes it a "white wine grape" as opposed to the blue to black-skinned varieties commonly referred to as "red wine grapes".

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The variety has high natural sugar and the wines are white and usually off-dry, with a flamboyant bouquet of lychees. Indeed, Gewürztraminer and lychees share the same aroma compounds. Dry Gewürztraminers may also have aromas of roses, passion fruit and floral notes. It is not uncommon to notice some spritz (fine bubbles on the inside of the glass).

Australian Gewürztraminer is more notable for its occasional use of old names like Traminer Musqué and Gentil Rose Aromatique than the actual quality of the wines. However recently those from the country's coolest regions can be fine examples. These include Gewürztraminers from the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, the island of Tasmania, Clare Valley, Yarra Valley and the vineyards scattered in the Australian Alps.

Early picked grapes can mean the wine will have some acidity; however, most wines made with this grape are sweeter with a slight hint of flowery perfume.

Red Wine

Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Whether sold as Syrah or Shiraz, these wines enjoy great popularity.

Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended. Following several years of strong planting, Syrah was estimated in 2004 to be the world's 7th most grown grape.

In 1831, the Scotsman James Busby, often called "the Father of Australian viticulture", made a trip back to Europe to collect cuttings from vines (primarily from France and Spain) for introduction to Australia. One of the varieties collected by him was Syrah, although Busby used the two spellings "Scyras" and "Ciras". The cuttings were planted in the Sydney Botanical Gardens, and in Hunter Valley, and in 1839 brought from Sydney to South Australia. By the 1860s, Syrah was established as an important variety in Australia.

Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary"(early / beginning) notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary"(longer time in bottle) notes such as leather and truffle. "Secondary" flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, generally winemakers' practices (such as oak barrel and yeast treatment).

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world's most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990

Unlike other clay-based soils, the free-draining terra rosa (soil) of Australia's Coonawarra region contributes to a

unique style of Cabernet Sauvignon.

In the 1970s, the Coonawarra region first brought international attention to Australian Cabernet Sauvignons with intense fruit flavors and subtle minty notes. The Margaret River region soon followed with wines that were tightly structured with pronounced black fruit notes. In the 1980s, Australia followed California's contemporary trend in producing lighter, more "food friendly" wines with alcohol levels around 11-12% percent; by the early 1990s, the styles changed again to focus on balance and riper fruit flavors. Today Cabernet Sauvignon is the second most widely planted red wine grape in Australia, following Shiraz with which it is often blended.

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It can be found in several wine regions with many large producers using grapes from several states. Notable regional differences characterize Australian Cabernet Sauvignon: in addition to the wine styles of Coonawarra and Margaret River, the Barossa Valley produces big, full bodied wines while the nearby, cooler Clare Valley produces wines with more concentrated fruit, and wines of the Victorian wine region of the Yarra Valley are noted for their balance in acidity, tannins and fruit flavors.

If one could describe the type of flavour one would expect out of this style of wine it would be medium to full bodied structured and elegant, dry with possible hint of mint and eucalyptus flavours as a backdrop. Fruit, cherries and raison, with a hint of leather could also come into play

Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for "pine" and "black" alluding to the grape variety's tightly clustered dark purple pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit.

Pinot noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is widely considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world, but is a difficult variety to cultivate and transform into wine.

Pinot noir is produced in several wine growing areas of Australia, notably in the Yarra Valley, Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, Beechworth, South Gippsland, Sunbury, Macedon Ranges and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Adelaide Hills in South Australia, Great Southern Wine Region in Western Australia, all Tasmania, and the Canberra District in the ACT.

The wine, lighter in structure and colour, is usually very dry with the flavours of mixed berries.

Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.

Grenache (pronounced gren-aash) is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively high alcohol content, but it needs careful control of yields for best results. It tends to lack acid, tannin and color, and is usually blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan, Tempranillo and Cinsaut.

Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia (the "heel" of Italy), where it was introduced in the 18th century. The grape found its way to the United States in the mid-19th century, and became known by variations of the name "Zinfandel", a name of uncertain origin.

The grapes typically produce a robust red wine, although a semi-sweet rosé (blush-style) wine called White Zinfandel has six times the sales of the red wine in the United States. The grape's high sugar content can be fermented into levels of alcohol exceeding 15 percent.

The taste of the red wine depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruit flavors like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas and in wines made from the earlier-ripening Primitivo clone.

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Sangiovese (san-jo-veh-zeh) is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove".

Sangiovese is becoming increasingly popular as a red wine grape in Australia, having been introduced by the CSIRO in the late 1960s. This is part of a growing trend in Australia to use a wider range of grape varieties for winemaking

Wines made from Sangiovese tend to exhibit the grape's naturally high acidity as well as moderate to high tannin content and light color. Wines made with this grape tend to flavours of plum and mulberry.

A rosé (From French: rosé, also known as rosado in Spanish-speaking countries or rosato in Italy) is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale "onion"-skin orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grape varieties used and winemaking techniques.

There are three major ways to produce rosé wine: skin contact, blending and saignée .

Skin Contact: When making a white wine the grape skins are removed. To make a rose’ the skins are left with the

juice for a short period.

Saignee: When making red wine some of the wine juice is removed before the full red colour takes hold. This

winemaking process involved bleeding off a portion of red wine after only a short period of contact of the juice with

the grape skins. Because the colour of red wine is derived from pigments in the skins, the juice is only pink not red.

This process is how rosé wines are made, the only exception being Champagne where rosé may also be made by

blending red and white wines, although I think the best wines are made by the saignée method. The process may

also be used to improve the quality of red wines, as it increases the ratio of skins to juice in the vat, so a more deeply

coloured wine may be obtained.

Blending: mixing red and white wine.

Rosé wines can be made still, semi-sparkling or sparkling and with a wide range of sweetness levels from bone-dry Provençal rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and blushes. Rosé are made from a wide variety of grapes and can be found all across the globe.

Other wines

Apart from red and white wines there are three other types wine that are important to know:

Sparkling wines: Wines with high levels of carbon dioxide, fizz, bubbles, are called sparkling wines. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation (yeast giving of alcohol and carbon dioxide) in the bottle or in the wine tank. Carbon dioxide injection (man made process) can also achieve the same result.

The most famous sparkling wine is from the Champagne (France) where the sparkling wine is called Champagne. You cannot call sparkling wine Champagne unless it is made is this region in France.

The two most popular grape varieties used for making sparkling wine are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The reason these two grape varieties are preferred are because of their low sugar levels.

Fortified wines: Simply put these are wines that have had spirits, usually brandy, added to them. The original reason why this was done to wine was to preserve them. These days it is done to add distinct flavours to the wine.

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While normal wine may have an alcohol content of 12-15% ABV (Alcohol by volume) fortified wines, due to having spirits added, may have an ABV up to 20%.

The most common types of fortified wines are; Port, Sherry and Marsala. Usually these fortified wines are enjoyed after a meal with coffee, cheese and deserts.

Dessert Wine (Stickies): As the name might describe this is a wine to be enjoyed with dessert. Very much sweeter than your average wine and usually with an ABV over 14% this wine contains high sugar levels which make the wines quite sweet.

GOOD POINT

Why can t we call Sparkling wine Champagne?

Champagne, for a long time, around the world, was used as a term for sparkling wine. So in years

gone by if you asked for a Champagne you would be asked if you would like French Champagne

(imported) of locally produced sparkling wine.

The producers of French Sparkling wine in the Champagne district in France never liked the association or confusion of their wines with other regions or other countries so they, starting in 1891, pressured regions and countries from calling their sparkling wines Champagne. Now you cannot use the word Champagne on any sparkling wine unless it is from the Champagne district in France.

GOOD POINT

The above descriptors of the wines are very general. Wines can vary greatly. A New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc will, in most cases, vary great from a Sauvignon Blanc made in Western Australia.

The reasons for this are many, however, here are the main reasons:

Different regions have different soils, weather conditions, water, sunlight and temperature

Wine makers have different styles and make wines that suite their growing conditions

Markets, consumers, like some wines which have a certain style. Wine makers produce a

wine that suites what consumers want

The year in a which a wine is made will have an impact on its taste. For example if a

chardonnay was made during a particularly hot dry year it may taste different some a wine

made during a wet year from the same winery.

Regions in Australia where wine is made

A man who could sit under the shade of his own vine with his wife and his children about him and the ripe clusters

hanging within their reach in such a climate as this and not feel the highest enjoyment, is incapable of happiness.

JAMES BUSBY

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Australia truly is the lucky country when it comes to wines and wine making. There are four main wine producing

states:

1. South Australia

2. Victoria

3. New South Wales

4. Western Australia

Due to the hotter temperatures in QLD there are few wineries, though some areas, like the Granite Belt are

producing more and more wine.

Tasmanian wines are too gaining momentum in the market place and this state is fast becoming popular for its

excellent Pinot Noir.

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South Australia

Clare Valley

Nestled within the South Australian bush land, the vineyards of the Clare Valley are some of Australia's finest.

Perfumed Riesling, delicate Semillon, aromatic Shiraz and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon are some of the highlights of

this region.

BarossaValley

The Barossa Valley, with its strong German heritage is a place full of character. Most renowned for its opulent styles

of Shiraz, the region also produces fine examples of Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Chardonnay.

McLarenVale

McLaren Vale is a region entrenched with history, fine wine and fine food. The region consistency produces fine

wines from a number of varieties, most importantly Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Coonawarra

With its terra rossa soil and passionate winemakers, the Coonawarra region can't help but make fine wine. With

Cabernet Sauvignon the undoubted star, the region is renowned for the production of some of Australia's greatest

red wines.

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Victoria

Heathcote

The Heathcote region, nestled between the Goulburn Valley and Bendigo is a premium shiraz producing area

YarraValley

The picture-book region of Victoria's Yarra Valley is one of Australia's most well-known and loved wine regions. The

Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perform particularly well.

KingValley

The King Valley region produces a range of wine style due to the variance in elevation. Chardonnay has proved highly

successful with its rich, yet mellow flavours and Cabernet Sauvignon is flavoursome and generous with soft tannins.

Rutherglen

The Rutherglen region is fortified wine country. Two of the highlights from this remarkable wine region include the

unique styles of fortified Muscat and Tokay.

Grampians

The Grampians region of Victoria is one of Australia's most stunning wine regions. Shiraz is particularly suited to the

region, producing finely structured wines with intense regional spice.

Macedon Ranges With its icy-cool climate, the vineyards of the Macedon Ranges have been particularly suited to the production of grapes for sparkling wine. High quality table wines are also produced, with spicy Shiraz and elegant Chardonnay being regional specialties

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New South Wales

Hunter

The Hunter is one of Australia's most well known, and historically important wine regions. Distinctive styles of

Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz are the hallmark of this region.

MurrayDarling

The Murray-Darling vineyard region winds itself along the great Murray River. The constant sunshine allows for the

production of wines with ripe fruit flavours and softness.

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Western Australia

MargaretRiver

Margaret River, with its stunning coastline and world-class wineries, is one of Australia’s most inspiring

wine regions. With its maritime influenced climate, Chardonnay along with red and white Bordeaux-style

blends are particularly successful.

GOOD POINT

Let’s not forget our neighbour across the Tasman Sea; New Zealand.

New Zealand produces some of the best wines in the world and here in Australia they are very

popular in bars, restaurants, hotels and clubs.

New Zealand is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and Pinot Noir from Central

Otago.

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Section 3 – Wine Tasting & Matching

Wine Tasting

Wine maketh glad the heart of a man PSLAM 104:15

When it comes to tasting wine there are three main things to remember:

1. You taste with your eyes

2. You taste with your nose

3. You Taste with your mouth

1. You taste with your eyes

Always remember colour rarely matches quality. Most young wines should show bright vibrant colour; reds will

range from bright cherry to purple, while whites will go all the way from bright gold to green, to colours to pale they

border on being clear.

As wine gets older, red wines tend to slightly brown and get lighter while white wines become darker.

2. You taste with your nose

Your nose will give you the first indication as to what a wine will taste like.

Always give your wine in the glass a little swirl so the air mixes with the wine and gradually moves out of the glass to

allow you to smell the aroma’s of the wine. Always give your nose a good sniff of the wine.

You should be looking for aromas of fruit and non fruit smells. If you don’t smell anything this is not normally a bad

thing it could be, in the case of white wine more often, that the wine is too cold so let it warm up a little.

Other than fruit smells one should look for: Toast, butter, honey, flowers, tobacco, leather, spices, nuts, herbs,

earth/soil, minerals, olives, smoke and chocolate

3. Taste with your mouth

What the nose does not tell you about a wine the mouth will. Not only will the mouth extract the flavours out a wine

it will also tell you about the texture of the wine. (mouth feel)

Don’t swallow your first sip of wine straightaway, swish the wine around in your mouth while sucking in a bit of air as

well. This allows you to taste every aspect of the wine. By doing this you will discern the following:

Flavour: Sweet, sour, bitter, acid, salt, dry, hot

Texture: Is it minerally or oily

Balance: Does the wine feel right. Is there the right combinations of flavours or more basically, is it what you

expected?

Length: How long the flavour of the wine stay in your mouth

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When describing what you taste the following terms should help{ Sweetness Acidity Tannin Body Texture

Alcohol

GOOD POINT

Bad wine

Like all foods wine can go bad. Oxidisation of wine is the random and premature ageing of wine due

to oxygen exposure. Oxidisation of the wine can occur in 2 ways: through the cork during storage

or after opening.

1. Corked is the term used when oxygen enters the wine through the cork before the wine is

opened. Corked wine will smell of wet cardboard and mould and will taste flat and without

fruit.

2. When a wine bottle is opened, then re-sealed, small amounts of oxygen enter the wine

bottle. Left long enough, this will cause the wine to go off. White wine will turn gold or

copper in colour; red wine will be dark brown. The flavour will be without fruit and taste

more like vinegar.

Food matching tips

Wine gives courage and makes men apt for passion OVID (43 B.C –A.D 17)

Matching wine to food can be very subjective and not everyone agrees with what wine goes with what food. We all

agree, however, that there is a wine for every dish and we have tried to be as detailed as possible to help you match

food and wine.

When matching food and wine the following tips and tricks will make your job easier:

GOOD POINT

Remember, there are no rules!

Know the basic tastes of wine (sweet, bitter and sour) and understand the different aromas.

Taste and texture (weight and intensity) are important factors in food and wine pairing.

Take note of the ingredients being used in a dish and select a grape variety to suit.

Marriages or Contrasts: strike harmony between flavours and textures and marry like with

like OR create balance through the interaction of food and wine from opposing ends of the

scale.

Don’t get hung up on the colour of the wine.

Experiment and enjoy food and wine.

GOOD POINT

Most wines are to be enjoyed at a certain temperature. Here is a quick guide to which wine should

be served at what temperature.

Very Cold (8-10 degrees): Non-vintage Champagne, sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling,

Cold (11-15 degrees): Vintage Champagne, Chardonnay, Semillion, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir,

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Room Temperature (15-17 degrees): Medium to full bodied red wines.

Matching Wine with Food

The right wine with the right food is a simple statement but difficult to define. In reality the right wine is the one that

you enjoy drinking. There are well tried and tested conventions that will allow you to match food and wine so that

you will be able to get more out of your dining experience. The generally accepted rule of "like with like" can assist:

Sweet wine with sweet food

Sour foods with acidic wines

Bitter with bitter

Salty food with acidic wines

Red wine with red meat

White wine with white meat

There are of course many exceptions to this rule and dining has become far more exotic than in the past. It is also

difficult to tell which wines are acidic or which retain bitterness. Experience is the answer. Improvement of the

palate and your perception of the four primary tastes of wine and food, sour, bitter, sweet and salt (in food only).

There is nothing like wine for conjuring up feelings of contentment and goodwill. It is less of a drink than an

experience, an evocation, a spirit. It produces sensations that defy description. THOMAS CONKLIN

General Food Matching

Chardonnay

Medium to full-bodied, dry.

Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit fish and pasta preparations which

feature cream and/or butter, mushrooms.

Sauvignon Blanc

Light-medium bodied, dry.

First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes—pastas, curries, salsas, spicy sausages,

vegetable dishes, luncheon salads, olive-oil based dishes, tomato sauces, goat

cheese.

Chenin Blanc

Light to medium-bodied,

normally off-dry to semi-sweet.

Braised Chicken, sushi and other Oriental dishes, poultry, pork.

Gewurtztraminer

Light to medium body, usually

semi-sweet, occasionally off-

dry.

Spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican, and Indian, mild sausages, fruit salad.

Riesling

Light to medium bodied, semi-Crabmeat, appetizers and finger foods, pork, salads.

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sweet to off-dry.

Semillon

Medium bodied dry white Grilled fish, foods with creamy sauces such as pasta

Verdelho

Medium bodied dry white Yabby, grilled fish, fruit platters and Italian pastas with cream based sauce

Cabernet Sauvignon

Medium to full-bodied, tannic

and dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses.

Merlot

Medium to full-bodied, less

tannic than Cabernet, dry.

Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses, stews, pizza, heart pastas.

Shiraz

Medium to full bodied

Beef fillet with tomato based sauce. Rich spicy meals. Veal, kangaroo, roast duck.

Sparkling shiraz goes well with pastries and puddings.

Grenache

Medium to full bodied dry red

Fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken and red meats

Pinot Noir

Medium to light-bodied, dry,

little tannin leaves silky texture.

Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses.

Rosé

Vary greatly in the level of

residual sugar (sweetness).

Best with smoked foods, quiche, pork and ham, Mexican and Thai food. Can be

served with all food.

Good Point

Did you know that there is a name given to person fully trained in wine knowledge, designing wine lists,

food matching and is much more than just a waiter........ the Sommelier.

The most important aspects of the Sommeliers role are:

Wine procurement (purchasing)

Wine storage

Food matching

Expert wine service to customers

When working on the restaurant floor the sommelier has the responsibility to work within the taste

preferences and budget of the patron. Though sommelier is a job title anyone can claim, becoming a

certified sommelier requires classes and education.

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Section 4 – Selling Wine

Selling wine

If penicillin can cure those who are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life. SIR ALEXANDER FLEMING (1881-1955)

Selling wine can seem daunting. To sell wine is to match the expectations of the customer with the right bottle or glass of wine.

The serving of wine has changed significantly over the last 15-20 years. Once, a wine list may have had 10 wines on offer: 5 red and 5 white. Now wine lists can have up to 140 wines and range in price from $40.00 to $7,000.00 per bottle.

There has also been a change in popular varietals over the same period. When 20 years ago wine lists would have been made up of Cabernets, Moselle’s and Rieslings, these days there are more than 5 varieties of each, red and white plus many sparkling wines and fortified wine.

Another change over the years is the offering of wine by the glass, not only in restaurants, but across the bar as well. Most bars offer a variety of wines by glass not just a one red and one white. This increased offering appeals to customers with different tastes. This situation is now the norm, not the exception, for better establishments.

GOOD POINT

Where do I get information about what a wine will taste like?

Taste it yourself. Ask management for a tasting of the wine Look to the back label of wine bottle. In nearly all instances there will be a descriptor of the

wine: where it is from, taste and even food matching in some cases Ask your local wine rep who sells the product. These reps should have tasting notes that

they can give to you. Go to the internet and look for information on the wines you sell. Ask customers. Sometimes they are best sources of information for they may have tried

more than brand of a particular style and be able to give you a comparison.

There are two types of wine customer:

1. The customer who knows what they want or what style they enjoy 2. The customer who does not know what they like and or cannot match a wine to their food.

1. The customer who knows what they want or what style they enjoy.

These customers can be fairly “picky” about the wine they like and may not be the type of customer that fits the norm when matching food with wine. If this is the case let the customer be the expert:

Show them the wine list and or tell them what you have behind the bar. Let them decide on a wine Let them know of other customers choices, and what other customers thought of the wine, and don’t try

and let them think you know better than them. Be polite and let them recognise that you know what they are talking about with their wines.

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2. The customer who does not know what they like and or cannot match a wine to their food.

This is your time shine. Ask them some questions:

What have you had before that you liked? Do you like sweet or dry, red or white? Ask them what they are having for a meal and suggest a wine or two to go with their food.

Where possible select a wine and get them to try it, especially if it wine by the glass.

These customers will be relying on your knowledge of wine and wine and food matching. If you are unsure ask someone, another staff member, management etc. Your job is to give them a great experience not ruin their night by suggesting something inappropriate.

When the customer has selected the wine and you have retrieved from the cellar you should following these steps when dealing with a customer:

Show the customer the label on the bottle and ensure that it is the wine they have ordered. Always, should the customer be ordering a bottle, open the wine at the table. In most instances the person who orders the wine should be given a taste of the wine to ensure that it is too

their liking. Should the customer like then wine then pour the wine leaving the person who ordered the wine to have

the last pour.

Note there will be a level in the glass that you should pour the wine to. This is either dictated by management or by a small line on the glass called the “plimsoll line”

Serving Wine

When the customer has selected the wine and you have retrieved from the cellar you should following these steps when dealing with a customer:

Show the customer the label on the bottle and ensure that it is the wine they have ordered; When a customer orders a bottle, open the wine at the table; In most instances the person who orders the wine should be given a taste of the wine to ensure that it is too

their liking; Should the customer like then wine then pour the wine leaving the person who ordered the wine to have the

last pour.

When serving wine by the glass, there will be a level in the glass that you should pour the wine to. This is either dictated by management or by a small line on the glass called the “plimsoll line”.

Wine drinking is no occult art to be practised only by the gifted few. Indeed, it is not an art at all. It is, or should be, the sober habbit of every normal man and women burdened with normal desire to keep their problems in perspective and themselves in good health. ALLAN SICHEL (1900-1965)

Wine facts

Place a substantial meal before a tired man, and he will eat effort and be a little better for it at first. Give him

a glass of wine or brandy, and immediately he feels better; you see him come to life again before you.

BRILLAT SAVARIN (1755-1826)

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Wine is more than fermented grape juice that tastes great by itself and with food, it is a love affair about the wine

making process, the history, the regions and the way wine is enjoyed.

We have collected for you some fun and interesting wine facts so as to broaden your understanding of this great and

complex industry.

Forty-four percent of adults surveyed prefer red wine, with men more likely to prefer red wine (57 percent) than women (31 percent).

Wine drinkers are more likely to believe that women (58 percent) drink wine more often (at least two times per week) than men (9 percent).

Did you know, for instance, that there are about 20 million acres of grapes planted worldwide? This number makes grapes the first international fruit crop. How about that grape vines are capable of producing grapes for a century?

How about this: one glass of wine takes about one grape cluster, or 75 grapes, to make. There are four such glasses to a bottle, ten bottles per vine, 400 vines per acre, each of which produces about 800 gallons of wine.

Wine is very complex: so complex, even that it has more organic chemical compounds than blood serum. It has such high acidity and so much alcohol that pathogens cannot live in it, making it sterile.

The two most commonly used preservative in wine making are sulphur dioxide (220/224) and sorbic acid (200/202). They are used mainly to protect against exposure to oxygen and bacteria, both which can severely affect the quality of the grapes and the finished product.

Prior to bottling most wine is fined, or filtered, to remove impurities. With many modern fining agents derived from egg, fish, milk and nut products. Be careful of wines if you have an allergic reaction to any these products.

Most wines have a PH value of somewhere between 3.0 and 3.8 making them quite acidic. Similarly, red wine contains anthocyanin and tannin compounds, that depending on how much you consume, can stain your teeth.

Hangovers happen as a result of high blood alcohol concentration. More alcohol in the blood stream the greater the build up of acetaldehyde once alcohol has been broken down by the liver. In short, acetaldehyde is a highly concentrated toxic compound that transfers very quickly from the blood stream to fluids in the brain and spinal cord. It irritates the membrane surrounding the brain and the spinal cord resulting in a throbbing pain at the front of your head.

Polyphenols are derived from the wine making process. They are antioxidants that come from the skins and pips of the grapes. Because red wine is in contact with the pips and seeds for longer there are more polyphenols in the wine. It is believed these polyphenols may reduce the instance of heart disease.

Wine nourishes, refreshes, and cheers.......Wherever wine is lacking, medicines become necessary. FROM “THE TALMUD”

THE FINAL CRUSH

After all is said and done wine is there to be enjoyed either with food or without. It makes a great accompliment to a

meal but can be enjoyed just as much while at the bar with friends

With any alcoholic beverage it should be enjoyed in moderation and care. There are strict rules all around Australia

as to the Responsible Service Of Alcohol and these rules must be adhered to just like rules of the road. If you have

any doubt about rules relating to the service of alcohol and consumption look up RSA in your state on Google. You

will find all the information you need about Responsible service of Alcohol

If you have any feed back or comments don’t hesitate to contact at info@hia.edu.au