Monday, August 31, 2009
Largest producers
As of 2005 The largest producers of American wine.
1. E & J Gallo Winery - Accounts for more than a quarter of all U.S. wine sales and is the second largest producer in the world.
2. Constellation Brands - With foreign wine holdings Constellation is the largest producer in the world and includes Robert Mondavi Winery and Columbia Winery in its portfolio
3. The Wine Group - San Francisco-based business which owns the Franzia box wine label, Concannon Vineyard and Mogen David kosher wine.
4. Bronco Wine Company - Owners of the Charles Shaw wine "Two Buck Chuck" line which accounts for nearly 5 million of Bronco's annual average 9 million cases per year.
5. Diageo - UK based company with American holdings in Sterling Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard and Chalone Vineyard
6. Brown-Forman Corporation - Owners of the Korbel Champagne Cellars brand
7. Beringer Blass - Australian based wine division of Foster's Group and owner of the Beringer wine and Stags' Leap Winery brands
8. Jackson Wine Estates - Owners of the Kendall-Jackson brand
those r mostly wines manufacture of good taste.
1. E & J Gallo Winery - Accounts for more than a quarter of all U.S. wine sales and is the second largest producer in the world.
2. Constellation Brands - With foreign wine holdings Constellation is the largest producer in the world and includes Robert Mondavi Winery and Columbia Winery in its portfolio
3. The Wine Group - San Francisco-based business which owns the Franzia box wine label, Concannon Vineyard and Mogen David kosher wine.
4. Bronco Wine Company - Owners of the Charles Shaw wine "Two Buck Chuck" line which accounts for nearly 5 million of Bronco's annual average 9 million cases per year.
5. Diageo - UK based company with American holdings in Sterling Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard and Chalone Vineyard
6. Brown-Forman Corporation - Owners of the Korbel Champagne Cellars brand
7. Beringer Blass - Australian based wine division of Foster's Group and owner of the Beringer wine and Stags' Leap Winery brands
8. Jackson Wine Estates - Owners of the Kendall-Jackson brand
those r mostly wines manufacture of good taste.
Appellation labeling laws
With the larger state and county appellations the laws vary depending on the area. For a County Appellation, 75% of the grapes used must be from that county. If grapes are from two or three contiguous counties, a label can have a multi-county designation so long as the percentages used from each county are clearly on the label. For the majority of U.S. States the State Appellation requires 75% of the grapes in the wine to be grown in the state. Texas requires 85% and California requires 100%. If grapes are from two to three contiguous states a wine can be made under a multi-state designations following the same requirements as the multi-county appellation.
American wine or United States is a rarely used appellation that classifies a wine made from anywhere in the United States, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.. Wines with this designation are similar to the French wine vin de table and can not include a vintage year. By law this is the only appellation allowed for bulk wines exported to other counties. most in us law order to containing to court
American wine or United States is a rarely used appellation that classifies a wine made from anywhere in the United States, including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.. Wines with this designation are similar to the French wine vin de table and can not include a vintage year. By law this is the only appellation allowed for bulk wines exported to other counties. most in us law order to containing to court
Wine regions
There are nearly 3,000 commercial vineyards in the United States with at least one winery in all 50 States.
* West Coast – The majority of American wine production occurs in the states of California, Washington and Oregon.
* Rocky Mountain Region – Notably Idaho and Colorado
* Southwestern United States – Notably Texas and New Mexico
* Midwestern United States – Notably Missouri, Illinois and Minnesota
* Great Lakes region – Notably Michigan, northern New York and Ohio
* East Coast of the United States – Notably New Jersey, New York State, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina in more countrysides
* West Coast – The majority of American wine production occurs in the states of California, Washington and Oregon.
* Rocky Mountain Region – Notably Idaho and Colorado
* Southwestern United States – Notably Texas and New Mexico
* Midwestern United States – Notably Missouri, Illinois and Minnesota
* Great Lakes region – Notably Michigan, northern New York and Ohio
* East Coast of the United States – Notably New Jersey, New York State, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina in more countrysides
Friday, August 28, 2009
good taste
Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. Wines are made up of chemical compounds which are similar or identical to those in fruits, vegetables, and spices. The sweetness of wine is determined by the amount of residual sugar in the wine after fermentation, relative to the acidity present in the wine. Dry wine, for example, has only a small amount of residual sugar. Inexperienced wine drinkers often tend to mistake the taste of ripe fruit for sweetness when, in fact, the wine in question is very dry.
Individual flavors may also be detected, due to the complex mix of organic molecules such as esters and terpenes that grape juice and wine can contain. Tasters often can distinguish between flavors characteristic of a specific grape (e.g., Chianti and sour cherry) and flavors that result from other factors in wine making, either intentional or not. The most typical intentional flavor elements in wine are those that are imparted by aging in oak casks; chocolate, vanilla, or coffee almost always come from the oak and not the grape itself.
Banana flavors (isoamyl acetate) are the product of yeast metabolism, as are spoilage aromas such as sweaty, barnyard, band-aid (4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol) and rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide). Some varietals can also have a mineral flavor, because some salts are soluble in water (like limestone), and are absorbed by the wine.
maxmum all wines r good taste its can be better and wood smell.
Individual flavors may also be detected, due to the complex mix of organic molecules such as esters and terpenes that grape juice and wine can contain. Tasters often can distinguish between flavors characteristic of a specific grape (e.g., Chianti and sour cherry) and flavors that result from other factors in wine making, either intentional or not. The most typical intentional flavor elements in wine are those that are imparted by aging in oak casks; chocolate, vanilla, or coffee almost always come from the oak and not the grape itself.
Banana flavors (isoamyl acetate) are the product of yeast metabolism, as are spoilage aromas such as sweaty, barnyard, band-aid (4-ethylphenol and 4-ethylguaiacol) and rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide). Some varietals can also have a mineral flavor, because some salts are soluble in water (like limestone), and are absorbed by the wine.
maxmum all wines r good taste its can be better and wood smell.
Vintages 2
A "vintage wine" is one made from grapes that were all or mostly grown in a particular year, and labeled as such. Most countries allow a vintage wine to include a portion that is not from the labeled vintage. Variations in a wine's character from year to year can include subtle differences in color, palate, nose, body and development. High-quality red table wines can improve in flavor with age if properly stored. Consequently, it is not uncommon for wine enthusiasts and traders to save bottles of an especially good vintage wine for future consumption.
In the United States, for a wine to be vintage dated and labeled with a country of origin or American Viticultural Area (AVA) (such as "Sonoma Valley"), it must contain at least 95% of its volume from grapes harvested in that year. If a wine is not labeled with a country of origin or AVA the percentage requirement is lowered to 85%.
Vintage wines are generally bottled in a single batch so that each bottle will have a similar taste. Climate can have a big impact on the character of a wine to the extent that different vintages from the same vineyard can vary dramatically in flavor and quality. Thus, vintage wines are produced to be individually characteristic of the vintage and to serve as the flagship wines of the producer. Superior vintages, from reputable producers and regions, will often fetch much higher prices than their average vintages. Some vintage wines, like Brunellos, are only made in better-than-average years.those experimentally models nature of wines in middle part of different of vintages this information very use ful fo wines drinkers.
In the United States, for a wine to be vintage dated and labeled with a country of origin or American Viticultural Area (AVA) (such as "Sonoma Valley"), it must contain at least 95% of its volume from grapes harvested in that year. If a wine is not labeled with a country of origin or AVA the percentage requirement is lowered to 85%.
Vintage wines are generally bottled in a single batch so that each bottle will have a similar taste. Climate can have a big impact on the character of a wine to the extent that different vintages from the same vineyard can vary dramatically in flavor and quality. Thus, vintage wines are produced to be individually characteristic of the vintage and to serve as the flagship wines of the producer. Superior vintages, from reputable producers and regions, will often fetch much higher prices than their average vintages. Some vintage wines, like Brunellos, are only made in better-than-average years.those experimentally models nature of wines in middle part of different of vintages this information very use ful fo wines drinkers.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Production
Méthode Champenoise is the traditional method by which champagne is produced. After primary fermentation and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle. This second fermentation is induced by adding several grams of yeast (usually Saccharomyces cerevisiae, although each brand has its own secret recipe) and several grams of rock sugar. According to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée a minimum of 1.5 years is required to completely develop all the flavour. For years where the harvest is exceptional, a millesimé is declared. This means that the champagne will be very good and has to mature for at least 3 years. During this time the champagne bottle is sealed with a crown cap similar to that used on beer bottles.
After ageing, the bottle is manipulated, either manually or mechanically, in a process called remuage (riddling, in English), so that the lees settle in the neck of the bottle. After chilling the bottles, the neck is frozen, and the cap removed. The pressure in the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees, and the bottle is quickly corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in solution. Some syrup (le dosage) is added to maintain the level within the bottle.
commonly production of fine so no of stages ,
After ageing, the bottle is manipulated, either manually or mechanically, in a process called remuage (riddling, in English), so that the lees settle in the neck of the bottle. After chilling the bottles, the neck is frozen, and the cap removed. The pressure in the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees, and the bottle is quickly corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in solution. Some syrup (le dosage) is added to maintain the level within the bottle.
commonly production of fine so no of stages ,
Bubbles
An initial burst of effervescence occurs when the champagne contacts the dry glass on pouring. These bubbles may form on imperfections in the glass that facilitate nucleation or on cellulose fibres left over from the wiping/drying process as shown by Gérard Liger-Belair, Richard Marchal, and Philippe Jeandel with a high-speed video camera. However, after the initial rush, these naturally occurring imperfections are typically too small to consistently act as nucleation points as the surface tension of the liquid smooths out these minute irregularities. The nucleation sites that act as a source for the ongoing effervescence are not natural imperfections in the glass, but actually occur where the glass has been etched by the manufacturer or the customer. This etching is typically done with acid, a laser, or a glass etching tool from a craft shop to provide nucleation sites for continuous bubble formation (note that not all glasses are etched in this way)
Dom Pérignon was originally charged by his superiors at the Abbey of Hautvillers to get rid of the bubbles since the pressure in the bottles caused many of them to burst in the cellar. As sparkling wine production increased in the early 1700s, cellar workers would have to wear heavy iron mask that resembled a baseball catcher's mask to prevent injury from spontaneously bursting bottles. The disturbance caused by one bottle's disintegration could cause a chain reaction, with it being routine for cellars to lose 20-90% of their bottles to instability. The mysterious circumstance surrounding the then unknown process of fermentation and carbonic gas caused some critics to call the sparkling creations "The Devil's Wine".
these Bubbles r coming in middle process of wine.
Dom Pérignon was originally charged by his superiors at the Abbey of Hautvillers to get rid of the bubbles since the pressure in the bottles caused many of them to burst in the cellar. As sparkling wine production increased in the early 1700s, cellar workers would have to wear heavy iron mask that resembled a baseball catcher's mask to prevent injury from spontaneously bursting bottles. The disturbance caused by one bottle's disintegration could cause a chain reaction, with it being routine for cellars to lose 20-90% of their bottles to instability. The mysterious circumstance surrounding the then unknown process of fermentation and carbonic gas caused some critics to call the sparkling creations "The Devil's Wine".
these Bubbles r coming in middle process of wine.
Grape varieties and styles
Champagne is a single Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. As a general rule, grapes used must be the white Chardonnay, or the dark-skinned "red wine grapes" Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. Due to the gentle pressing of the grapes and absence of skin contact during fermentation, the dark-skinned varieties also yield a white wine. Most Champagnes are made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for example 60%/40%. Blanc de blanc ("white from white") Champagnes are made from 100% Chardonnay. Possibly the most exquisite, and definitely the most expensive of these is grown in a single Grand cru vineyard in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger for Salon. Blanc de noir ("white from black") Champagne is pressed from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier or a mix of the two.
There are several other grape varieties permitted for historical reasons, however, but rare in current usage. The sparsely cultivated varieties (0.02% of the total vines planted in Champagne) of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc, may still be found in modern cuvées. while the directives of INAO make conditional allowances according to the complex laws of 1927 and 1929, and plantings made prior to 1938.[2 The complete list of the nine actual and theoretical varieties reads Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Pinot gris (in Champagne named Fromenteau), Pinot de juillet and Pinot rosé. The Gamay vines of the region were scheduled to be uprooted by 1942, but due to World War II, this was postponed until 1962.
The dark-skinned Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier give the wine its length and backbone. They are predominantly grown in two areas - the Montagne de Reims and the Valée de la Marne. The Montagne de Reims run east-west to the south of Reims, in northern Champagne. They are notable for north-facing chalky slopes that derive heat from the warm winds rising from the valleys below. The River Marne runs west-east through Champagne, south of the Montagne de Reims. The Valée de la Marne contains south-facing chalky slopes. Chardonnay gives the wine its acidity and biscuit flavour. Most Chardonnay is grown in a north-south-running strip to the south of Epernay, called the Côte des Blanc, including the villages of Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. These are east-facing vineyards, with terroir similar to the Côte de Beaune. The various terroirs account for the differences in grape characteristics and explain the appropriateness of blending juice from different grape varieties and geographical areas within Champagne, to get the desired style for each Champagne house.m
the wines makers grape will be boiling for minimum 4-6 days,
then the 11 process for final wine.
There are several other grape varieties permitted for historical reasons, however, but rare in current usage. The sparsely cultivated varieties (0.02% of the total vines planted in Champagne) of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc, may still be found in modern cuvées. while the directives of INAO make conditional allowances according to the complex laws of 1927 and 1929, and plantings made prior to 1938.[2 The complete list of the nine actual and theoretical varieties reads Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Pinot gris (in Champagne named Fromenteau), Pinot de juillet and Pinot rosé. The Gamay vines of the region were scheduled to be uprooted by 1942, but due to World War II, this was postponed until 1962.
The dark-skinned Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier give the wine its length and backbone. They are predominantly grown in two areas - the Montagne de Reims and the Valée de la Marne. The Montagne de Reims run east-west to the south of Reims, in northern Champagne. They are notable for north-facing chalky slopes that derive heat from the warm winds rising from the valleys below. The River Marne runs west-east through Champagne, south of the Montagne de Reims. The Valée de la Marne contains south-facing chalky slopes. Chardonnay gives the wine its acidity and biscuit flavour. Most Chardonnay is grown in a north-south-running strip to the south of Epernay, called the Côte des Blanc, including the villages of Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. These are east-facing vineyards, with terroir similar to the Côte de Beaune. The various terroirs account for the differences in grape characteristics and explain the appropriateness of blending juice from different grape varieties and geographical areas within Champagne, to get the desired style for each Champagne house.m
the wines makers grape will be boiling for minimum 4-6 days,
then the 11 process for final wine.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Wine serving basics
The wine owner needs a few tools and gadgets for his greater comfort and better security of his treasure. First of all a decent corkscrew. The narrow gimlet corkscrew (left on the image below), though suitable for the smaller beer cork, is not safe to use for wine. It may easily pull away, bringing the core of a perished cork with it.
The corkscrew on the right, drawn to the same scale as the one on the left, is to be recommended. The section of the screw is flattened and edged, thus giving a better bite on the cork.
N.B. The brush should be used to brush away fragments of dust, wax, or cork after carefully removing the sealing-wax, but before drawing the cork. After the cork is drawn, the brush is more apt to push the particles into the bottle than to remove them.
In the case of an obstinate cork nothing is better than the double-lever extractor:
but care must be taken at the beginning of the stroke to see that the cork is coming and that the screw is not merely pulling through.
The tongs (see image below) should be at hand to save the wine if any such accident should happen to the cork. They are heated to a cherry-red; the neck is gripped just under the flange-when the glow has passed away (from half-a-minute to a minute).
Remove the tongs, and, dipping a feather or piece of rag into cold water, apply it to the neck where the tongs have held it. It
will come off easily and cleanly.
The Crown cork-opener (see below), for aerated water-bottles, is now an indispensable accessory for the cellar.
Hand-guards. When drawing a cork a guard should always be used. A cloth at least, or a leather guard which is slipped over the neck
(see below). One can never be sure there is not a flaw in the bottle, and a dangerous cut to hand or thigh is not worth risking.
There exists a device with elevating gear like a turret-gun (but something smaller) for steady pouring of a fine old crusted Port. This seems to me overdoing it a little. Still, to do justice to a really old wine, 'twere best if the host and anyway, this is an impressive piece of 'business,' as they say in the theatrego down to his cellar and bring up the treasure in his own hands. No deputizing
can be adequate. The basket (see below), except in restaurants where the bottle and cork are produced as evidence of good faith, also seems to me something of a superstition. There is obviously,
except with the most tender handling, apt to be
a `back swish' as the basket is set down. Better decant at once and eliminate the basket; or (in the restaurant) decant from the basket and dismiss it with its bottle, and enjoy the pleasure of the look of a fine wine in the decanter The eye helps the palate in all drinking of good wine.
I cannot quite agree with Dr. Mathieu's case against decanting, though distressed to find myself with, I imagine, most of my fellow wine merchants in opposition to such an authority.
Dr. Mathieu asserts quite truly that the wine in process of being decanted takes up oxygen, which changes the taste and perfume of the wine. Agreed. But the wine, anyway, must reach the oxygen before being drunk, unless we are to drink it at one draught from the bottle; and there is surely more likelihood of the back swish
of the bottle, whether poured from basket or hand, disturbing the sediment than really careful decanting. But the connoisseur-scientist's somewhat ecstatic description of how wine should be served and drunk seems to me so valuable that I add it as a footnote to this chapter.
The decanting funnel (see above) is recommended for decanting good wine. It should always be perfectly clean boiled, in fact, before use and should be warmed to the temperature of the wine which is being decanted. The turned end of the funnel directs the wine down the side of the decanter and prevents 'frothing.'
The little hard wood `swizzler' (see above) is much in vogue with folk who do not care for highly-aerated waters or extra fizzy drinks. If 'sizzled' round in a glass of champagne it effectually releases the gases and reduces the effervescence.
For 'cups,' a double glass vessel (see below) is indispensable. The inner container holds the ice and is removed just before serving. The ice should not be put directly in the wine, because it may not always be perfectly clean, and because it dilutes and often 'clouds' the wine.
Decanting should always be done carefully. All wines throw some deposit; the deposit, in a sound wine, indicating improvement. This
deposit is not required for consumption, and should be left in the original bottle when decanting. Its presence in the decanter spoils not only the appearance but the flavour of the wine.
When decanting very old wines, such as Port, it is best, if possible, to remove the neck of the bottle below the cork with the tongs as above described.
When opening Champagne, remove all wire and foil before releasing the cork. Many a bottle of good wine has been spoiled by allowing the contents to run over mouldy string and rusty wire. Do not put ice into Champagne, but only around the bottle. Wine drunk too cold loses much of its fine flavour.
It is not, by the way, safe to decant two bottles of wine into the same decanter, not merely in case there should be anything wrong
with one of them, but because a supreme accidental character of one specially-favoured bottle may well be lost. Respect each bottle of
your fine wine as having temperament, individuality.
Having your good wine to decant, into what sort of vessel are you to decant it ? In general terms one answers: Into a vessel which shall
show off to best advantage the colour of the wine, which means certainly first of all into a vessel of pure white glass. Custom has decided that Port and Sherry shall be poured from solid, heavy, broad-based, or onion-bellied decanters (A). But let all other wines be decanted into caraffes of the more delicate-stemmed shape
here illustrated.
This allows the light to shine through, and the connoisseur will probably add that the simpler the form and the less embellishment in the way of cutting there is the better, as few things are more beautiful on the well-set table than the way the lights are reflected from the simply-curved surfaces of fine glass.
The corkscrew on the right, drawn to the same scale as the one on the left, is to be recommended. The section of the screw is flattened and edged, thus giving a better bite on the cork.
N.B. The brush should be used to brush away fragments of dust, wax, or cork after carefully removing the sealing-wax, but before drawing the cork. After the cork is drawn, the brush is more apt to push the particles into the bottle than to remove them.
In the case of an obstinate cork nothing is better than the double-lever extractor:
but care must be taken at the beginning of the stroke to see that the cork is coming and that the screw is not merely pulling through.
The tongs (see image below) should be at hand to save the wine if any such accident should happen to the cork. They are heated to a cherry-red; the neck is gripped just under the flange-when the glow has passed away (from half-a-minute to a minute).
Remove the tongs, and, dipping a feather or piece of rag into cold water, apply it to the neck where the tongs have held it. It
will come off easily and cleanly.
The Crown cork-opener (see below), for aerated water-bottles, is now an indispensable accessory for the cellar.
Hand-guards. When drawing a cork a guard should always be used. A cloth at least, or a leather guard which is slipped over the neck
(see below). One can never be sure there is not a flaw in the bottle, and a dangerous cut to hand or thigh is not worth risking.
There exists a device with elevating gear like a turret-gun (but something smaller) for steady pouring of a fine old crusted Port. This seems to me overdoing it a little. Still, to do justice to a really old wine, 'twere best if the host and anyway, this is an impressive piece of 'business,' as they say in the theatrego down to his cellar and bring up the treasure in his own hands. No deputizing
can be adequate. The basket (see below), except in restaurants where the bottle and cork are produced as evidence of good faith, also seems to me something of a superstition. There is obviously,
except with the most tender handling, apt to be
a `back swish' as the basket is set down. Better decant at once and eliminate the basket; or (in the restaurant) decant from the basket and dismiss it with its bottle, and enjoy the pleasure of the look of a fine wine in the decanter The eye helps the palate in all drinking of good wine.
I cannot quite agree with Dr. Mathieu's case against decanting, though distressed to find myself with, I imagine, most of my fellow wine merchants in opposition to such an authority.
Dr. Mathieu asserts quite truly that the wine in process of being decanted takes up oxygen, which changes the taste and perfume of the wine. Agreed. But the wine, anyway, must reach the oxygen before being drunk, unless we are to drink it at one draught from the bottle; and there is surely more likelihood of the back swish
of the bottle, whether poured from basket or hand, disturbing the sediment than really careful decanting. But the connoisseur-scientist's somewhat ecstatic description of how wine should be served and drunk seems to me so valuable that I add it as a footnote to this chapter.
The decanting funnel (see above) is recommended for decanting good wine. It should always be perfectly clean boiled, in fact, before use and should be warmed to the temperature of the wine which is being decanted. The turned end of the funnel directs the wine down the side of the decanter and prevents 'frothing.'
The little hard wood `swizzler' (see above) is much in vogue with folk who do not care for highly-aerated waters or extra fizzy drinks. If 'sizzled' round in a glass of champagne it effectually releases the gases and reduces the effervescence.
For 'cups,' a double glass vessel (see below) is indispensable. The inner container holds the ice and is removed just before serving. The ice should not be put directly in the wine, because it may not always be perfectly clean, and because it dilutes and often 'clouds' the wine.
Decanting should always be done carefully. All wines throw some deposit; the deposit, in a sound wine, indicating improvement. This
deposit is not required for consumption, and should be left in the original bottle when decanting. Its presence in the decanter spoils not only the appearance but the flavour of the wine.
When decanting very old wines, such as Port, it is best, if possible, to remove the neck of the bottle below the cork with the tongs as above described.
When opening Champagne, remove all wire and foil before releasing the cork. Many a bottle of good wine has been spoiled by allowing the contents to run over mouldy string and rusty wire. Do not put ice into Champagne, but only around the bottle. Wine drunk too cold loses much of its fine flavour.
It is not, by the way, safe to decant two bottles of wine into the same decanter, not merely in case there should be anything wrong
with one of them, but because a supreme accidental character of one specially-favoured bottle may well be lost. Respect each bottle of
your fine wine as having temperament, individuality.
Having your good wine to decant, into what sort of vessel are you to decant it ? In general terms one answers: Into a vessel which shall
show off to best advantage the colour of the wine, which means certainly first of all into a vessel of pure white glass. Custom has decided that Port and Sherry shall be poured from solid, heavy, broad-based, or onion-bellied decanters (A). But let all other wines be decanted into caraffes of the more delicate-stemmed shape
here illustrated.
This allows the light to shine through, and the connoisseur will probably add that the simpler the form and the less embellishment in the way of cutting there is the better, as few things are more beautiful on the well-set table than the way the lights are reflected from the simply-curved surfaces of fine glass.
Selecting wine for meals
The following table will show at a glance with what foods the various wines are served. Wine should be served 'at the temperature of the room,' should not be put in the fender, but stood up, with the cork out, in the dining-room some time before dinner. If there be a fire the bottle (or the decanter if the wine be already
decanted) may be put on the mantelpiece, but not nearer the heat than that.
Wines & When to Serve Them
French
Vermouth
Graves*
Chablis*
Sauternes*
Chablis*
Alsace*
Lorraine*
Claret**
Fine Claret**
Fine Burgundy**
Champagne*
Brandy**
Liqueurs**
Spanish
Dry Pale Sherry
Sherry*
Malaga*
Italian
Vermouth
Marsala*
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Portuguese
Madeira*
Madeira*
Port**
Port**
Dish
Hors d'Oeuvre
Oysters
Oysters
Soup
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Entrees
Roast
Roast
Roast
Roast
Game
Pastry
Cheese
Fruit
Coffee
Coffee
decanted) may be put on the mantelpiece, but not nearer the heat than that.
Wines & When to Serve Them
French
Vermouth
Graves*
Chablis*
Sauternes*
Chablis*
Alsace*
Lorraine*
Claret**
Fine Claret**
Fine Burgundy**
Champagne*
Brandy**
Liqueurs**
Spanish
Dry Pale Sherry
Sherry*
Malaga*
Italian
Vermouth
Marsala*
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Chianti**
Portuguese
Madeira*
Madeira*
Port**
Port**
Dish
Hors d'Oeuvre
Oysters
Oysters
Soup
Fish
Fish
Fish
Fish
Entrees
Roast
Roast
Roast
Roast
Game
Pastry
Cheese
Fruit
Coffee
Coffee
Wine dictionary
Age, Ageing - The characteristics of age in time
are: first, progressive softening up to a point (mainly due to deposition of tartar,hence tartar is so often found on the insides
of casks); and, secondly, the development of bouquet of a secondary nature (due, it is thought, to the action of micro-organisms).
Beeswing - A light, filmy, floating ` crust ' in some old Ports, supposed to be something like an insect's wing in appearance.
Beverage Wines - Opposed to vintage wines. Wines of average quality and strength (and price) suitable for drinking in large quantities and regularly.
Body - That quality in a wine which gives it the
appearance of consistency and vinous strength. Merchants speak of a 'full' wine or wine with body, as opposed to a light, cold, or thin wine.
Bond - Wines or spirits, etc., were kept 'in bond,'
and in the State-controlled warehouses till the duty is paid on them.
Bouquet - The odour or perfume of fine wine appreciated by the sense of smell as opposed to seve, which is aroma appreciated by the sense of taste.
Brut. Of Champagne - with no added sugar or
liqueur. `Nature' means the same.
Butt - Large cask for Sherry or Malaga or Ale,
i08-I40 gallons.
Chateau-Bottled - Special wines bottled at the
Chateau where grown, instead of by the wine merchant. Similarly, 'estate- bottled.'
Chateau-Bottling - Descriptive of wines bottled
at the cellars of the Chateaux (generally classified wines) where the wines were grown. At most Chateaux the privilege of Chateau-bottling is only granted in good vintage years. At the Chateau Lafite, Chateau -bottling was not allowed from 1885 to 1905 (1915 also excepted) ; at Chateau Mouton Rothschild it was not allowed from 1883 to I906 (1915 also excepted), and similar remarks apply to
several other of the high-classed growths. Chateau-bottling has never been accorded at all at :
Chateau Leoville Barton
Chateau Langoa Barton
Chateau Giscours
Chateau Beychevelle
Chateau Pontet Canet
whilst at Chateau Yquem (white wine) it
was suppressed in 1910 and 1915.
Cordial - A lighter kind of liqueur made by infusion of alcohol and sugar with fruit juices. The term is not very explicit.
Corked - Wine that is corked tastes mouldy; it
also smells bad. Corked wine is rare, and wine-drinkers in a restaurant should be careful before they make the charge. No restaurateur would refuse to replace a corked bottle or would make a mistake about the condition. A few particles of cork-dust falling into the wine do not constitute
'corked' wine as has been occasionally thought by innocents. Sometimes the corks of the bottles are too porous or of inferior quality, and give the wine a bad taste, this taste the French term 'gout de bouchon.'
Cru. Growth - A particular growth is described
as 'Premier cru,' ` grand cru,' etc. Crust. A deposit in old wines, especially Port, Burgundies, and red wines generally. Rest after bringing up from the cellar, and careful decanting, are necessary to prevent the crust 'slipping.' It should remain in the bottle, and not be allowed to pass into the decanter or glass. Ports are always marked with a white splash on the upper side of the punt-end of the bottle, and this mark should be kept upwards when re-binning
or decanting.
Cuvee - Contents of a cellar; also the different
products of pressure of one vine which fill many vats; more particularly applied to Champagne, but sometimes to Burgundy.
Dry - Opposed to sweet with no excess of
sugar.
Ethers - Certain, at present unanalysable, com-
ponents found in old wines, whiskies, etc., giving character to the bouquet. The presence of ethers in still or sparkling wines, or in spirits, show maturity.
Fine Champagne - 'Grande' or 'Fine' Champagne is the official description given to finest quality Brandies from the Grande or Fine Champagne district. (Not to be confused with wines of the Champagne district).
Fiery - Applied to raw spirits or raw wine;.
meaning is obvious.
Fining - The process of clarification of a wine by introduction of albumen, e.g. white of egg or other suitable medium.
Fliers. Light, whitish, fluffy particles that float in white wines or rest at the bottom, looking like a light sand. An effect apparently of transportation to colder countries than the country of origin. They do, not affect the taste of the wine. The cure is to rest the bottles in a warm temperature, say about 70� Fahr.
Fortifying - By the addition of wine-spirit, e.g.,
to Port and Sherry in the making.
Frappe - Of sparkling wine, iced sufficiently
for the table.
Green - Of young, immature wine. Grande Champagne. See 'Fine' Champagne. Hard, Harsh. Obvious terms applied to taste of
wines, generally those with excess of tannin.
Hogshead Of Port, 57 gallons; of Brandy, 60
gallons; of Beer and Cider, 54 gallons; of Claret, etc., 46-q.8 gallons.
Jeroboam Magnum - Bottles for Clarets and
Champagnes. Magnum, double bottle, 4 reputed pints; Jeroboam, double magnum.
Must - The grape juice before it becomes wine by fermentation.
Nature - Same as 'Brut' (dry).
Oeil de perdrix - Of Champagne, used by the
French; of White Burgundies and Champagnes which exhibit unexplained phenomenon of a slight pinkish tinge. That of Meursault (Cote d'Or) is considered the type of this quality.
Oidium - A mildew disease of the vine.
Phylloxera - Phylloxera vastatrix : an insect pest
destroying the vine. Appeared in France 1865, and was at its worst 1868- 1873.
Pipe - Cask for Port and Tarragona wines, 56
dozen bottles or 115 gallons.
Proof - A standard to estimate alcoholic strength
of a spirit. In the United Kingdom proof spirit at 6o� Fahr. contains 57.04% of absolute alcohol by volume, 49.24% per by weight.
Puncheon - Large cask for Brandy, 120 gallons; Rum, 114 gallons.
Racking - Separating the bright wine from the deposit, as Claret from its lees.
Re-corking - After many years in bottle the corks of some wines became rotten; it is necessary to draw the old corks and replace with new, and to label the wine 're-corked' (e.g.)
'7/2/21.' Thus, a Madeira say after twenty to twenty-five years would be recorked.
Ruby - Term to describe a Port midway between
Tawny and Full of a reddish tinge.
Seve - This word is generally employed to indicate the vinous strength and the aromatic savour which develops at the time of tasting, embalming the mouth and continuing to make itself felt after the passage of the wine through the mouth. It is composed of alcohol and aromatic particles, which are dilated and evaporate immediately the wine is warmed by heat of the, mouth, etc. The seve differs from the bouquet in that the latter disengages itself or becomes apparent the instant the wine comes into contact with the air, and that it does not indicate the presence of any spirit, and flatters the smell rather than the taste.
Solera - Of Sherry: double butts of stock wines
used for maintaining the standard of shipped Sherries.
Stalky - A harshness due to final pressure of the
pulp.
Tawny - Refers to colour and character of Port;
of wines that have matured in wood (contrast with Ruby and Vintage).
Tun - Large cask Of 252 gallons; is now rarely seen; generally means, in quotations, its equivalent of four hogsheads.
Ullage An ullaged cask or bottle is one, some
of the contents of which have leaked, evaporated, or been extracted.
Vin Ordinaire. Used of wines of poorer quality in comparison with the finer wines of same district.
Vintage Wines - Of wines of high character. Used principally of Ports, Clarets, Burgundies, and Sauternes; shipped under their respective years.
Well-succeeded - (Fr. Tres re'ussi): a term to express the fact that a given wine displays the best characteristics of its particular growth, and has fulfilled the expectation., formed of it.
Woody - A wine may become tainted from a defective or rotten stave in the cask. If discovered early enough the wine may be saved by racking of into a clean, well-sulphured cask.
Worn (or tired) - Of Brandy: from being too
long in cask. Also of Clarets, etc., that have been left too long in battle.
are: first, progressive softening up to a point (mainly due to deposition of tartar,hence tartar is so often found on the insides
of casks); and, secondly, the development of bouquet of a secondary nature (due, it is thought, to the action of micro-organisms).
Beeswing - A light, filmy, floating ` crust ' in some old Ports, supposed to be something like an insect's wing in appearance.
Beverage Wines - Opposed to vintage wines. Wines of average quality and strength (and price) suitable for drinking in large quantities and regularly.
Body - That quality in a wine which gives it the
appearance of consistency and vinous strength. Merchants speak of a 'full' wine or wine with body, as opposed to a light, cold, or thin wine.
Bond - Wines or spirits, etc., were kept 'in bond,'
and in the State-controlled warehouses till the duty is paid on them.
Bouquet - The odour or perfume of fine wine appreciated by the sense of smell as opposed to seve, which is aroma appreciated by the sense of taste.
Brut. Of Champagne - with no added sugar or
liqueur. `Nature' means the same.
Butt - Large cask for Sherry or Malaga or Ale,
i08-I40 gallons.
Chateau-Bottled - Special wines bottled at the
Chateau where grown, instead of by the wine merchant. Similarly, 'estate- bottled.'
Chateau-Bottling - Descriptive of wines bottled
at the cellars of the Chateaux (generally classified wines) where the wines were grown. At most Chateaux the privilege of Chateau-bottling is only granted in good vintage years. At the Chateau Lafite, Chateau -bottling was not allowed from 1885 to 1905 (1915 also excepted) ; at Chateau Mouton Rothschild it was not allowed from 1883 to I906 (1915 also excepted), and similar remarks apply to
several other of the high-classed growths. Chateau-bottling has never been accorded at all at :
Chateau Leoville Barton
Chateau Langoa Barton
Chateau Giscours
Chateau Beychevelle
Chateau Pontet Canet
whilst at Chateau Yquem (white wine) it
was suppressed in 1910 and 1915.
Cordial - A lighter kind of liqueur made by infusion of alcohol and sugar with fruit juices. The term is not very explicit.
Corked - Wine that is corked tastes mouldy; it
also smells bad. Corked wine is rare, and wine-drinkers in a restaurant should be careful before they make the charge. No restaurateur would refuse to replace a corked bottle or would make a mistake about the condition. A few particles of cork-dust falling into the wine do not constitute
'corked' wine as has been occasionally thought by innocents. Sometimes the corks of the bottles are too porous or of inferior quality, and give the wine a bad taste, this taste the French term 'gout de bouchon.'
Cru. Growth - A particular growth is described
as 'Premier cru,' ` grand cru,' etc. Crust. A deposit in old wines, especially Port, Burgundies, and red wines generally. Rest after bringing up from the cellar, and careful decanting, are necessary to prevent the crust 'slipping.' It should remain in the bottle, and not be allowed to pass into the decanter or glass. Ports are always marked with a white splash on the upper side of the punt-end of the bottle, and this mark should be kept upwards when re-binning
or decanting.
Cuvee - Contents of a cellar; also the different
products of pressure of one vine which fill many vats; more particularly applied to Champagne, but sometimes to Burgundy.
Dry - Opposed to sweet with no excess of
sugar.
Ethers - Certain, at present unanalysable, com-
ponents found in old wines, whiskies, etc., giving character to the bouquet. The presence of ethers in still or sparkling wines, or in spirits, show maturity.
Fine Champagne - 'Grande' or 'Fine' Champagne is the official description given to finest quality Brandies from the Grande or Fine Champagne district. (Not to be confused with wines of the Champagne district).
Fiery - Applied to raw spirits or raw wine;.
meaning is obvious.
Fining - The process of clarification of a wine by introduction of albumen, e.g. white of egg or other suitable medium.
Fliers. Light, whitish, fluffy particles that float in white wines or rest at the bottom, looking like a light sand. An effect apparently of transportation to colder countries than the country of origin. They do, not affect the taste of the wine. The cure is to rest the bottles in a warm temperature, say about 70� Fahr.
Fortifying - By the addition of wine-spirit, e.g.,
to Port and Sherry in the making.
Frappe - Of sparkling wine, iced sufficiently
for the table.
Green - Of young, immature wine. Grande Champagne. See 'Fine' Champagne. Hard, Harsh. Obvious terms applied to taste of
wines, generally those with excess of tannin.
Hogshead Of Port, 57 gallons; of Brandy, 60
gallons; of Beer and Cider, 54 gallons; of Claret, etc., 46-q.8 gallons.
Jeroboam Magnum - Bottles for Clarets and
Champagnes. Magnum, double bottle, 4 reputed pints; Jeroboam, double magnum.
Must - The grape juice before it becomes wine by fermentation.
Nature - Same as 'Brut' (dry).
Oeil de perdrix - Of Champagne, used by the
French; of White Burgundies and Champagnes which exhibit unexplained phenomenon of a slight pinkish tinge. That of Meursault (Cote d'Or) is considered the type of this quality.
Oidium - A mildew disease of the vine.
Phylloxera - Phylloxera vastatrix : an insect pest
destroying the vine. Appeared in France 1865, and was at its worst 1868- 1873.
Pipe - Cask for Port and Tarragona wines, 56
dozen bottles or 115 gallons.
Proof - A standard to estimate alcoholic strength
of a spirit. In the United Kingdom proof spirit at 6o� Fahr. contains 57.04% of absolute alcohol by volume, 49.24% per by weight.
Puncheon - Large cask for Brandy, 120 gallons; Rum, 114 gallons.
Racking - Separating the bright wine from the deposit, as Claret from its lees.
Re-corking - After many years in bottle the corks of some wines became rotten; it is necessary to draw the old corks and replace with new, and to label the wine 're-corked' (e.g.)
'7/2/21.' Thus, a Madeira say after twenty to twenty-five years would be recorked.
Ruby - Term to describe a Port midway between
Tawny and Full of a reddish tinge.
Seve - This word is generally employed to indicate the vinous strength and the aromatic savour which develops at the time of tasting, embalming the mouth and continuing to make itself felt after the passage of the wine through the mouth. It is composed of alcohol and aromatic particles, which are dilated and evaporate immediately the wine is warmed by heat of the, mouth, etc. The seve differs from the bouquet in that the latter disengages itself or becomes apparent the instant the wine comes into contact with the air, and that it does not indicate the presence of any spirit, and flatters the smell rather than the taste.
Solera - Of Sherry: double butts of stock wines
used for maintaining the standard of shipped Sherries.
Stalky - A harshness due to final pressure of the
pulp.
Tawny - Refers to colour and character of Port;
of wines that have matured in wood (contrast with Ruby and Vintage).
Tun - Large cask Of 252 gallons; is now rarely seen; generally means, in quotations, its equivalent of four hogsheads.
Ullage An ullaged cask or bottle is one, some
of the contents of which have leaked, evaporated, or been extracted.
Vin Ordinaire. Used of wines of poorer quality in comparison with the finer wines of same district.
Vintage Wines - Of wines of high character. Used principally of Ports, Clarets, Burgundies, and Sauternes; shipped under their respective years.
Well-succeeded - (Fr. Tres re'ussi): a term to express the fact that a given wine displays the best characteristics of its particular growth, and has fulfilled the expectation., formed of it.
Woody - A wine may become tainted from a defective or rotten stave in the cask. If discovered early enough the wine may be saved by racking of into a clean, well-sulphured cask.
Worn (or tired) - Of Brandy: from being too
long in cask. Also of Clarets, etc., that have been left too long in battle.
Types of wine glasses
Glasses are an even more important matter, affecting more directly the savour of the wine. Of course, fashions change and are wont to be arbitrary. The present fashion which looks askance at coloured glasses (except on the shelves of a cabinet), is eminently sane, and
should be maintained. Obviously the wine's the thing, and, if there is nothing the matter with it, white glass is its best setting. Coloured glasses have been used to disguise the fliers or sus-
pended particles in certain white wines. But this is not sufficient excuse, and the discreet host will set his face against them. Wine is not drunk with the completest appreciation by any one who does not understand the part the eye plays in the full enjoyment of it.
Then there is shape and size of glass. No doubt your scientist will assert that neither size nor shape, neither material nor colour of a
vessel, can affect the tasting of the wine. Well, there are plenty of subtleties in wine which are beyond the reach of scientific analysis. This matter of the vessel is one of them. Drink any
good wine from a thick, white teacup and see
what a difference it makes.. The ideal wineglass,
whether lighter or heavier, should be smooth-
lipped.
But I cannot do better than illustrate and describe the types of glasses, recommended by various specialists on different wines, whom
I have consulted on the matter.
should be maintained. Obviously the wine's the thing, and, if there is nothing the matter with it, white glass is its best setting. Coloured glasses have been used to disguise the fliers or sus-
pended particles in certain white wines. But this is not sufficient excuse, and the discreet host will set his face against them. Wine is not drunk with the completest appreciation by any one who does not understand the part the eye plays in the full enjoyment of it.
Then there is shape and size of glass. No doubt your scientist will assert that neither size nor shape, neither material nor colour of a
vessel, can affect the tasting of the wine. Well, there are plenty of subtleties in wine which are beyond the reach of scientific analysis. This matter of the vessel is one of them. Drink any
good wine from a thick, white teacup and see
what a difference it makes.. The ideal wineglass,
whether lighter or heavier, should be smooth-
lipped.
But I cannot do better than illustrate and describe the types of glasses, recommended by various specialists on different wines, whom
I have consulted on the matter.
Wine storage tips
The wine cellar
There is little to say about the wine-cellar save that it should be of equable temperature, Fahrenheit. Depth underground will preserve it from climatic changes of temperature and from undue vibration. It is necessary to see that no heating apparatus is in any way affecting it.
Wine contains living organisms, and substantial changes of temperature can easily change their condition materially. The cellar must be dry.
It is important that every bottle or group of bottles should be readily accessible without moving other bottles. The wine, once binned, should be left undisturbed so far as is possible till it is
drunk. The image below shows a convenient form of storing bottles, called a winerack.
The bottle should always be on its side. In the case of Port-bottles the splash-mark should be uppermost, and always kept uppermost when
being moved. Sparkling wines soon become flat if stood on end. The most convenient, cheapest, and most compact bins are those of strip-iron and wood made up in two-dozen units.
If no cellar is available, as in many modern houses and, of course, flats, care should be taken to keep one's immediate supplies (it is
assumed that the wine merchant will hold the bulk of his customer's stocks in his cellars), in a place that is dry, not likely to be subject to excessive vibrations (as a cupboard under a much-used light staircase might be), not near any heating apparatus, and not with outside walls. This is to say that we must try, as far as possible, to approximate to the qualities of a good, dry cellar.Wine should not be kept in strong light.
The 'bottle' of wine contains two 'reputed pints.' The reputed pint is somewhat less than the imperial pint (British standard measure). It is natural that France, predominant in the wine trade, should have dictated the universal measure. A few years ago Claret was specially bottled in imperial pints, but this caused great complications and extra expense, and the practice has been discontinued.
There is little to say about the wine-cellar save that it should be of equable temperature, Fahrenheit. Depth underground will preserve it from climatic changes of temperature and from undue vibration. It is necessary to see that no heating apparatus is in any way affecting it.
Wine contains living organisms, and substantial changes of temperature can easily change their condition materially. The cellar must be dry.
It is important that every bottle or group of bottles should be readily accessible without moving other bottles. The wine, once binned, should be left undisturbed so far as is possible till it is
drunk. The image below shows a convenient form of storing bottles, called a winerack.
The bottle should always be on its side. In the case of Port-bottles the splash-mark should be uppermost, and always kept uppermost when
being moved. Sparkling wines soon become flat if stood on end. The most convenient, cheapest, and most compact bins are those of strip-iron and wood made up in two-dozen units.
If no cellar is available, as in many modern houses and, of course, flats, care should be taken to keep one's immediate supplies (it is
assumed that the wine merchant will hold the bulk of his customer's stocks in his cellars), in a place that is dry, not likely to be subject to excessive vibrations (as a cupboard under a much-used light staircase might be), not near any heating apparatus, and not with outside walls. This is to say that we must try, as far as possible, to approximate to the qualities of a good, dry cellar.Wine should not be kept in strong light.
The 'bottle' of wine contains two 'reputed pints.' The reputed pint is somewhat less than the imperial pint (British standard measure). It is natural that France, predominant in the wine trade, should have dictated the universal measure. A few years ago Claret was specially bottled in imperial pints, but this caused great complications and extra expense, and the practice has been discontinued.
The differences between red and white wines
It is common knowledge that wine comes from aged grapes. But how many people know what techniques are used to age the grapes and why white wine ages faster than red wines?
Let's start at the beginning of the wine making process. First the grapes are picked, then crushed and pressed. Aging sets in immediately after this. The grapes are stored in oak barrels or steel vats. Sometimes oak chips are added to the steel vats.
The interaction of tannin, acids and sugar play an important role in the aging process. Tannin is an excellent antioxidant and natural preservative, which helps increasing the aging period the wine can go through without going bad (oxidation). It also gives the wine an important flavor dimension.
Other factors are:
temperature
light conditions
alcohol.
Stable and cool temperatures are beneficial to the aging process. Cooler temperatures slow down the aging process (enabling the wine to age gracefully and develop a more complex taste), which is what winemakers want. Instable temperatures and light conditions have a bad effect on the quality of the wine in the end.
and both wines very good taste and serving looking very nicely.
these both wines serving with fish,mainly ginger fish
Let's start at the beginning of the wine making process. First the grapes are picked, then crushed and pressed. Aging sets in immediately after this. The grapes are stored in oak barrels or steel vats. Sometimes oak chips are added to the steel vats.
The interaction of tannin, acids and sugar play an important role in the aging process. Tannin is an excellent antioxidant and natural preservative, which helps increasing the aging period the wine can go through without going bad (oxidation). It also gives the wine an important flavor dimension.
Other factors are:
temperature
light conditions
alcohol.
Stable and cool temperatures are beneficial to the aging process. Cooler temperatures slow down the aging process (enabling the wine to age gracefully and develop a more complex taste), which is what winemakers want. Instable temperatures and light conditions have a bad effect on the quality of the wine in the end.
and both wines very good taste and serving looking very nicely.
these both wines serving with fish,mainly ginger fish
Fortified wines
Fortified wines like Sherry, Port, Marsala and Madeira are treated with an addition of wine spirit which, checking the normal process whereby the sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol, leaves the wine characteristically sweet to a greater or less degree as determined by the discretion of the wine makers.
Made wines
The made wine or manufacuctured wine, such as the sparkling wines, Champagne, Asti Spumante etc., have been 'enriched' with a liqueur consisting of sugar and fine winebrandy in greater or lesser quantities in order to establish the desired effect.
Natural wines
Natural wines such as the still wines of France, Italy and Spain, South Africa and Australia are wines whose diverse characters mainly depend on character of vine, vineyard soil, aspect, climate, and vintage weather. These wines do not undergo a special process in order to establish a certain effect, they are matured according to the natural process of fermentation.
Wine making process
The grapes are collected and the juice pressed out either by treading or by more or less developed mechanical contrivances.
The juice or 'must' ferments which is to say that the sugar in the grape juice, is converted into alcohol. The chemistry of fermentation the action of yeast is a complex matter.
It is sufficient here to say that it is a bacteriological
process in which living micro-organisms increase and multiply, needing the active cooperation of oxygen from the air.
The primary fermentation therefore takes place with free
access to the air. The young wine is run off into casks or vats which are covered from the air for the secondary fermentation, in which the wine, at this stage a turbid liquid, clears by
throwing a deposit.
After a few months the bright wine is racked that is, separated from the deposit into a clean, sulphured cask. Not yet clear enough, it is 'fined' by the addition of white of egg or gelatine which, combining with the tannin in the wine, makes a further deposit and also carries down suspended particles.
Variations of the essential process are employed, according to the character of the wine to be produced. In from two to four years the wine is mature and ready for bottling, as in the case of
the Burgundies, Clarets, Champagnes, Hocks, etc., or for further maturing in the wood as in Port and Sherry.
The juice or 'must' ferments which is to say that the sugar in the grape juice, is converted into alcohol. The chemistry of fermentation the action of yeast is a complex matter.
It is sufficient here to say that it is a bacteriological
process in which living micro-organisms increase and multiply, needing the active cooperation of oxygen from the air.
The primary fermentation therefore takes place with free
access to the air. The young wine is run off into casks or vats which are covered from the air for the secondary fermentation, in which the wine, at this stage a turbid liquid, clears by
throwing a deposit.
After a few months the bright wine is racked that is, separated from the deposit into a clean, sulphured cask. Not yet clear enough, it is 'fined' by the addition of white of egg or gelatine which, combining with the tannin in the wine, makes a further deposit and also carries down suspended particles.
Variations of the essential process are employed, according to the character of the wine to be produced. In from two to four years the wine is mature and ready for bottling, as in the case of
the Burgundies, Clarets, Champagnes, Hocks, etc., or for further maturing in the wood as in Port and Sherry.
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