Edwards - A Beginners Guide to Drinking Wine

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I NTRODUCTION ....................................................................5

1 THE BASICS WINE 101 ................................................... 7

WHAT IS WINE? ................................................................ 7

GRAPES ............................................................................. 8

COLOR CLASSIFICATIONS ................................................. 11

White wine ......................................................................... 12

Red wine .......................................................................... 12

Ros wine ........................................................................ 13

DRY, SEMI-SWEET (OFF DRY) OR SWEET ....................... 13

Dry wine .......................................................................... 13

Semi-sweet wine ............................................................... 14

Sweet wine ....................................................................... 14

TABLE, SPARKLING, FORTIFIED AND DESSERT ............... 15

CONCLUSION .................................................................. 17

2. WINESPEAK A LOOK AT WINE TERMINOLOGY ............. 18

CONCLUSION .................................................................. 21

3. NEW WORLD, OLD WORLD, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE

GENERAL DIFFERENCES .................................................. 23

Old world wine .................................................................. 23

New world wine ................................................................. 24

VIVA LA DIFFERENCE ...................................................... 26

CONCLUSION .....................................................................28

4. SELECTING, STORING AND SERVING WINE ........... 29

SELECTING WINE ............................................................ 29

SERVING ......................................................................... 32

STORING ......................................................................... 34

CONCLUSION .................................................................. 35

5. SWISH, SWIRL, DONT GARGLE WINE TASTING 101.... 36

ETIQUETTE ...................................................................... 37

CONCLUSION .................................................................. 38

6 CHOOSING WINE IN A RESTAURANT ............................... 39

WINE LIST ...................................................................... 39

OPTIONS ......................................................................... 40

PRESENTATION ............................................................... 34

CONCLUSION .................................................................. 41

CONCLUSION .......................................................................42

INTRODUCTION

The history of wine making and drinking goes back several thousands of years. Early civilizations discovered the process of fermentation. The exact date remains unknown. It is known, however, that by 7,000 B.C.

cultivated vines were growing in the region of Mount Ararat and in Asia Minor. Successive civilizations continued to develop on the process of growing and making and storing wine. Irrigation systems created by the Sumerians around 3500 B.C. helped water the vineyards of Mesopotamia and other arid lands. The Assyrians, The Babylonians, and the Egyptians continued the trend.

Although the Egyptians preferred beer, the upper echelons drank wine.

The pyramidal tombs in both the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Nobles contain wall hieroglyphics depicting the growing and the harvesting of grapes as well as the making of wine. The Egyptians were also the first to label the wine vats, sealed against the negative effects of air.

The Greeks were the first to begin categorizing the different types of grapes. Authors recorded such things as techniques and tools. In fact, the Greeks invented the pruning knife. They also developed wine containers amphorae, of clay to act as storage vessels. The Romans took the Greeks inventions and techniques developing them further.

Between 750 and 450 B. C., the Romans refined wine growing techniques and processes. Pruning, fertilization, and reduction of acidity owe much to the Romans. Pliny the Elder recorded much of the Roman farmers practices in this field of agriculture. He classified grapes and recorded the terminology for future generations. The Romans are also responsible for spreading wine culture throughout their empire. Soon, the provinces of Hispania (Spain), Gaul (France) and Germania (Germany) to name a few, were growing grapes for wine making. Even England was learning about wine making. The Roman legions stationed there would trade wine for woolen cloaks and cloth.

Between 500 A.D. and 1400 A.D., the Christian Church began to seriously cultivate land for their own purposes. They needed sacramental wine. Monasteries oversaw large segments of land devoted to growing grapes. Monks made basic vintages, but they also began to experiment, improving upon a basic product. They recorded their work for posterity.

During this period, wine and other spirits were common beverages. Water was not always potable. Wine usually was. Some countries, however, could not grow grapes or produce wine. As a result, trade increased between the haves and the have-nots. The result was a lucrative trade around the European world. Wars arose, some based on cornering and/or controlling the market on the wine-trade.