Wines By Chef Marian Grubor

From the Vine to the grape ; from the grape to the wine

Acetic Acetic acid is the acid that gives vinegar its characteristic taste. Small amounts of acetic acid, about 0.5 grams/liter, are normal in wine; amounts over 1.0 gram/liter give wine a vinegar-like character.

Acidity The natural crispness of a wine. Grapes have two primary acids: tartic and malic. Citric, lactic and succinic acids are usually also present in small amounts in grapes

Aging Sur Lie: Translated "aging on the lees," and often referred to as "yeast contact." Wine is aged in the barrel with the yeast retained, rather than being clarified before aging. Aging on the lees increases the complexity and creaminess of the wine.

See. Smell. Taste. A great wine is generous and expressive right from the start, and can be appreciated by all of the senses.

See. Begin by holding up a glass of wine to a white background in a well-lit room. Observe the clarity and depth of color. Wines should be clear rather than hazy, and should exhibit intense color.

Color, resulting from the contact of juice with the grape skins during winemaking, indicates grape varietals and winemaking methods. White wines, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (often called Fumé Blanc) or Pinot Grigio, may appear light green, clear, straw yellow or gold, or even brown. Sweeter white wines, such as Muscat, generally start off with a deeper shade of yellow.

Red wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir, may be purple, ruby, brick red or brownish red. As red wine ages, it will lose color and take on a brick-brown hue. Blush wines, like Dry Rosés or White Zinfandel, are pink.

Smell. Much of our sense of taste lies in our ability to smell. To release the bouquet and aromas of the wine, swirl the glass. Bouquet refers to odors that result from winemaking decisions, while aroma refers to odors associated with the grape varietals. As wine clings to the inside of the glass, more odors are released.

Now smell the wine and try to identify the very first thing you think of. – Freshly mowed grass? – A cigar box? –Leather? –Strawberries ?

These associations make wine tasting fun, and can be a very valuable tool in remembering wines and communicating about them. Because we all bring different associations to what we smell, the Wine Aroma Wheel is a chart that provides a common vocabulary for identificationWine Aroma Wheel

Taste. Taste wine, sip and hold it in your mouth. Different parts of the tongue register different tastes. Allow the wine to roll all over your tongue, and notice the texture, or mouth-feel, of the wine. Balanced wines represent the harmony among several components: – aroma, acid, tannin, fruit and weetness.

Acidity should provide a pleasant, but not overwhelming tartness. Balanced tannins contribute an agreeable astringency (that slight "pucker" feeling); this is one reason many red wines pair well with fat-rich foods — tannins in red wines cut through the fatty mouth-coating after each bite and prepare your taste buds to enjoy the next bite anew.

Finally, what kind of taste does the wine leave in your mouth after you have swallowed, and how long does the taste last? This is the wine's finish. A clean, crisp yet lingering balanced finish is the mark of a good quality wine.

Wine Serving Temperatures The temperature at which a wine is served has an immense impact on its taste. Serving wine cool will mask some imperfections—good for young or cheap wine while a warmer wine temperature allows expression of the wine's characteristics— –best with an older or more expensive wine.

A bottle of wine will cool 2 °C (4 °F) for every ten minutes in the refrigerator, and will warm at about this same rate when removed from the refrigerator and left at room temperature— the temperature of the room will affect the speed with which the wine warms up. If you need to chill a bottle of wine in a hurry, 35 minutes in the freezer will do the trick.

Serving Temperatures Wine Sparkling Wine F Rosé Wine F White Wine F Sherry (Light) 48-58F Red Wine F Fortified Wine F Sherry (Dark) F

Decanting Decanting is pouring wine into a decorative container before serving. Decanting is typically only necessary for older wines or Ports, which contain sediment that can add bitterness to the wine.

Wine decanters allow the wine to breathe and may improve the flavor of older red wines. Younger wines also benefit from the aeration and rest that decanting provides. But a wine decanter can also be used simply for aesthetic reasons.

Before Decanting Before decanting a wine that contains sediment let the bottle rest upright allowing any sediment to sink to the bottom. Then slowly pour the wine into the decanter keeping the bottle angled to prevent any sediment from making its way into the wine decanter.

The wine can be poured through cheesecloth to help filter out any wayward particles. Decanting wine should be done out of the guests' sight.

Pouring Wine Still wines should be poured towards the centre of the glass, Sparkling wines should be poured against the side to preserve bubbles. To control drips, twist the bottle slightly as you tilt it upright.

When Pouring Fill the glass no more than two-thirds (about 5-6 oz). This will allow your guests to – swirl the wine, –smell the bouquet –check out the wine's "legs.“

Remember A glass can always be refilled if desired. At a dinner party, serve wine to the women and older guests first, then the men and end with your own glass.

Wine Glasses As important as the serving temperatures is the type of wine glasses in which wines are served. The shape of a wine glass can impact the taste of the wine, and for this reason different types of wine are served in different types of glasses

Glass styles

Shapes of Glasses The three main types of wine glasses are: White wine glasses: tulip shaped Red wine glasses: more rounded and have a larger bowl Sparkling wine flutes: tall and thin.

All Purpose Glass A suitable all-purpose wine glass should hold 10 oz, be transparent to allow the taster to examine the color of the wine and its body, have a slight curve in at the top to hold in the bouquet. While an all-purpose wine glass is fine for serving a red wine, do not serve a white wine in a red wine glass.