Education

Storage

Once you have purchased wine, whether it's a few bottles or several cases, the issue of storage must be addressed. Since most wine is consumed within 24 to 48 hours of purchase, for many wine lovers a small rack away from a direct heat source provides an ideal solution. If you plan to collect fine wines that benefit from additional bottle maturation, proper storage is essential. Before choosing a space be sure it will be large enough to accommodate future purchases. In some cases, vacant space beneath a stairway is sufficient, in others it may be necessary to allow for hundreds of wines stored both as individually racked bottles and full cases.

One of wine's greatest enemies is extreme heat. Temperatures greater than 70 degrees Fahrenheit will age a wine more quickly, and can also &ampquotcook" a wine until the fruit character becomes blunted, resulting in flat aromas and flavors. Equally important is the rate at which temperature changes. Rapid temperature fluctuations may cause pressure changes within a bottle, forcing the cork upwards and allowing leaks while permitting air to enter the bottle. Air is another of wine's enemies. Any prolonged exposure will lead to oxidation, which produces a brownish color and Sherry-like flavors.

Therefore it is important to have a cool space with constant temperature for long-term storage. If your storage area is naturally cool (for example, a below-ground cellar), that's fine if not, it may be necessary to invest in a cooling unit. Light may also harm wine over time. Bottles should be kept from direct sunlight, preferably in darkness, and should be stored on their sides, either in cases or racked.

Humidity is more controversial but it's nothing to worry about unless you're keeping wines for the long-term. Some experts advocate a constant humidity of 70 percent to prevent corks from drying out, while others maintain that if a bottle is on its side, the cork is constantly in contact with moisture inside the bottle and external humidity is ineffectual. [Back to top]

Serving Wines

Most wines may simply be opened and served. Sparkling wines, dessert wines and light-bodied whites need to be chilled to preserve their freshness and fruitiness (34 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit), while fuller-bodied whites such as Chardonnay and white Rh&ocircnes may be served slightly warmer. Light reds (most Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley) benefit from being served slightly cooler than full-bodied reds such as Australian Cabernet and Shiraz, California Cabernet and Meritage blends, Bordeaux and Rh&ocircne, which are best at cellar temperature (55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit). Of course, these are general guidelines, and individual tastes may vary.

Most wines are finished with a cork, covered by a capsule of either metal or plastic. To open, cut the capsule around the neck just below the lip of the bottle and remove the top of the capsule. Wipe the top of the bottle with a damp towel or cloth if necessary. Use a corkscrew to remove the cork. There are several different models of corkscrew available again, the choice is a matter of individual taste.

Champagne and sparkling wines have a different closure, and must be handled carefully since the contents are under pressure and could cause injury. Remove the foil and, with a thumb over the metal crown to prevent the cork from ejecting, loosen the wire fastener. Without removing the wire, grasp the cork firmly and with the other hand turn the bottle, slowly releasing the cork. This process is easier when the wine is well chilled.

In certain instances, it will be necessary to decant a wine. Fine reds with bottle age produce a natural sediment as color pigments and tannins bond together and fall out of solution. Decanting is simply the process of separating the clear wine from the sediment. Before decanting, the bottle should be upright for a minimum 24 hours for the best results. Remove the capsule and cork, and with a light under the neck of the bottle (a candle or flashlight works well), pour the wine into a clean vessel in a single, steady motion until you can see the sediment reach the neck of the bottle. The wine is now ready to serve. [Back to top]

Wine Glasses

Wine appreciation involves all the senses, and the choice of glassware will influence the sight, aroma, and taste of a wine. Georg Riedel, director of the Riedel glass company in Austria, has done extensive experimentation using blind tasting trials with professional tasters. He divides glass design into three elements: Clarity and thinness are important for visual perception. The size and shape of the bowl determine the intensity and complexity of the bouquet. The shape of the rim determines where the wine initially lands on the tongue, affecting the perception of its taste.

Clear glass and a thin-rimmed bowl reduce the barriers between the wine lover and the wine. The clearer the glass, the richer the wine's color appears. The thinner the rim, the less the glass distracts from the wine as it enters the mouth. The stem should be long enough so that the hand doesn't touch the bowl, obscuring the glass with fingerprints or warming the wine above proper serving temperature. If the stem is too long, however, the glass will tip too easily. The stem should be about as long as the bowl is tall.

A large bowl and a narrow opening work together to magnify the wine's bouquet. They give plenty of space for the aromas to expand, but only a narrow escape. If the bowl's widest point is too high or too low, a normal serving of wine won't have the maximum surface area for aeration. If the opening is too small, drinking will be difficult.

Many glasses are too small few are too large. Our evaluations suggest that a good red-wine glass will have a capacity of at least 12 ounces. Generally, glasses for red table wines are wider than those for white, but beyond that it's really up to your personal preference. Champagne flutes should hold 6 1/2 ounces or more. Sherry and Port glasses traditionally are small, because Port and Sherry are fortified wines, and usually drunk in small quantities.

With the exception of sparkling wines, it's best not to fill a wine glass more than half full. This will leave enough air space to release the aromas. Most importantly, find a balance of wine-friendliness, aesthetic appeal and price, and settle on the glass that seems best for you. [Back to top]

Matching Wine With Food

The first thing to remember about matching food and wine is to forget the rules. Forget about shoulds and shouldn'ts.

Forget about complicated systems for selecting the right wine to enhance the food on the table. This is not rocket science. It's common sense. Follow your instincts.

Just choose a wine that you want to drink by itself. Despite all the hoopla about matching wine and food, you will probably drink most of the wine without the benefit of food--either before the food is served or after you've finished your meal. Therefore, you will not go too far wrong if you make sure the food is good and the wine is, too. Even if the match is not perfect, you will still enjoy what you're drinking.

Some of today's food-and-wine pontificators suggest that mediocre wines can be improved by serving them with the right food. The flaw in that reasoning, however, is the scenario described above. If the match does not quite work as well as you hope, you're stuck with a mediocre wine. So don't try to get too fancy. First pick a good wine.

This is where common sense comes in. The old rule about white wine with fish and red wine with meat made perfect sense in the days when white wines were light and fruity and red wines were tannic and weighty. But today, when some Chardonnays are heavier and fuller-bodied than most Pinot Noirs and even some Cabernets, color coding does not always work.

Red wines as a category are distinct from whites in two main ways: tannins--many red wines have them, few white wines do--and flavors. White and red wines share many common flavors both can be spicy, buttery, leathery, earthy or floral. But the apple, pear and citrus flavors in many white wines seldom show up in reds, and the currant, cherry and stone fruit flavors of red grapes usually do not appear in whites.

In the wine-and-food matching game, these flavor differences come under the heading of subtleties. You can make better wine choices by focusing on a wine's size and weight. Like human beings, wines come in all dimensions. To match them with food, it's useful to know where they fit in a spectrum, with the lightest wines at one end and fuller-bodied wines toward the other end. [Back to top]

Basics of Wine Tasting

1.Sight
Pick up the wine glass by the stem and look at it. Tilt the glass so you can see it from several angles. A white tablecloth makes a good, neutral background over which to examine a wine's clarity and color.

Clarity: Most wines should be brilliant and clear as opposed to cloudy or hazy. The exception may be wines the winemaker purposely left unfiltered and unfined to create flavor or stylistic differences.

Color: Color intensity generally signifies good quality whereas browning indicates the wine is oxidized or over the hill.

2. Smell
Swirl the wine in the glass and bring it to your nose. Take a good long sniff. Identify the components in the aroma and bouquet of the wine. Smelling wine is an exercise in recalling aromas that you have experienced before. Some wines smell like apples even though there are no apples in the wine.

Aroma: Smells that originate from the grape itself, especially when young.

Bouquet: Smells created by the winemaking decisions which occur after primary fermentation (barrel-aging, for example or bottle age).

3. Taste
Take a sip of the wine, draw air in over your palate and swallow, noting the effect of the wine in all areas of your mouth. Note the intensity of the beginning flavors, the middle and the ending flavors.

Flavor: Flavor incorporates sensory impressions picked up in &ampquotaroma" as your palate is connected to your nasal passages. Therefore, sensory impressions on the palate are very much a product of what one smells.

Palate: The sensory impressions that are measurable on the palate include acid, alcohol, sweetness, bitterness and astringency.

4. Touch
Besides the flavor impressions, how does the wine feel on the palate?

Body: The mouthfeel of a wine. Body can be light (or thin), medium or full.

Finish: The aftertaste of a wine. Common descriptors include long, short, clean, tart, tannic and many more.

5. Overall
The overall impression of a wine is the combination of all the above elements. Many tasters refer to the final impression as whether or not the wine is &ampquotbalanced" overall. [Back to top]

Opening Wine Bottles

There are many kinds of corkscrews, but one of the best is a the corkscrew. Follow these instructions in smooth, slow motions and soon you'll be opening wine like the pros.

1. Using the blade on the corkscrew, cut the foil or capsule at the lower lip of the bottle neck rim and remove the top section, allowing the remainder of the capsule to stay on the bottle neck.

2. Insert the tip (industry term: 'worm') into the center of the cork and twist in a clockwise motion until only one spiral of the screw is still showing.

3. Tilt the corkscrew back and place the lever on the top lip of the bottle.

4. Brace the corkscrew with your hand and, using the lever, pull the cork slowly out of the bottle.

5. Once the cork is almost entirely removed, grab the cork at the end nearest the bottle and wiggle it gently out of the neck.You're ready to be a wine steward. Celebrate with a glass of wine and a toast to your new-found skill! [Back to top]

Appellations

Although it is certainly not required, some understanding of different vineyard designations helps in your understanding of the wine and the wine country. The vineyard areas fall into distinctive geographic areas, known as appellations. Specifics of topography, climate and so define each region and impart certain characteristics to the grape grown under those conditions. A winemaker is permitted to include the name of an appellation on his label only if 85% of the wine comes from that particular area. While this practice does not guarantee quality, it does insure the consumer that at least some standards will have been met in the grape-growing and winemaking processes. [Back to top]

Varietals

Vine type, soil, climate and hand of the winemaker all play important roles in shaping the liquid that graces our tables. A few hundred-vine types exist in the world today, but most Californian wines are made from about a dozen major ones that are known as &ampquotvarietals." Certain characteristics of each varietal come through in a wine no matter what the different growing conditions and winemaking techniques, by identifying the varietal on the label, the consumer is given a rough idea of what to expect when he uncorks the bottle. In order to be permitted by law to name a particular varietal on a label, at least 75% of that wine must be made from that varietal. Most generic blended wines do not fall into this category most premium California wines do. To become familiar with the nuances of flavors and characteristics that distinguish one varietal from the next, taste wines and take notes of the qualities you see, smell and taste.&ampampnbspBelow are a few varietals. [Back to top]

White Wines

Chardonnay: The queen of California's white grapes, producing rich, crisp complex wines. Most Chardonnays are dry and full-bodied with medium acidity, and have aromas and flavors reminiscent of apples, melons or figs. Compatible with a broad range of foods, particularly seafood and pool.

Chenin Blanc: This grape forms the basis for most white jug wines. Its fruity, aromatic qualities make it ideal for just sipping as an aperitif. Complements Oriental and Polynesian dishes quite well.

Gewurztraminer: A distinctive spiciness is common to every vinous interpretation of this grape. Most display a touch at sweetness, although dry styles are becoming more and more popular. Good accompaniment to hot Indian and Chinese dishes. Late harvest versions are sweet, lush and thick, and can be served as a dessert itself.

Riesling: Also known as Johannisberg or White Riesling. Wines from this grape strike a pleasing balance between sweetness and acidity, and usually have a fruity or floral bouquet. Works wonders with shellfish and seafood.

Sauvignon or Fume Blanc: Dry versions of this wine can be grassy, herbaceous, lemony or smoky. Its versatility makes it compatible with a wide range of foods, especially seafood and poultry. Late picked grapes me often blended with Semillon grapes to make a lash dessert wine. [Back to top]

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon: The king of California's red grapes. Young versions are tannic and hard, but if carefully blended and aged, the tannins break down, revealing a velvety wine with a range of complex aromas and flavors. Sometimes notes of cedar, black currants or stewed fruit me discernible. Blends well with beef, lamb, duck and cheese.

Gamay Beaujolais: One of the red wines that is best when young and chilled.Usually light and grapey, some versions are tart and tangy.

Merlot: Because of its medium weight and softer texture, Merlot, as a blending grape, has been responsible for quietly toning down many a robust Cabernet Sauvignon over the years. On its own, it has recently gained popularity because of its early-maturing characteristics.

Petite Sirah: Performing best in the coastal regions, Petite Sirah produces a robust, intensely fruitywine with substantial tannins. When young, the wine offers rich berry flavors together with its trademark spiciness. It ages to at least 20 years in the best vintages and matches hearty beef and lamb dishes, barbecued cuisine and flavorful cheeses.

Pinot Noir: When grown under the right conditions and vitrified with care, the rich, violet-scented Pinot Noir fruit translates into a sublime, elegant wine. Light-colored and light-bodied as reds go. A perfect partner to milder meat dishes, especially roast pork and veal.

Zinfandel: Due to its sporadic ripening, Zinfandel grapes are made into everything from light roses to heavy Port-like dessert wines. A spicy berrylike intensity is common to most medium-weight Zinfandels. Because of their robustness, they stand up well to barbecued foods, pizza and meat sauces.

Rose Wines: Made from red grapes, rose wines pick up only a tinge of color from the skins of the grapes before they are separated from the juice during fermentation. White Zinfandel, Blush and Blanc de Noir wines are made in this fashion, and are pleasant cocktail or picnic wines.

Sparkling Wines: The &ampquotMethode Champenoise" process! Under-ripe grapes (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other- lesser white varietal vines) are made into still wines and bottled. An addition of sugar and yeast into the wine causes fomentation the by-product of the process, carbon dioxide, is trapped in the wine in the form of tiny bubbles, resulting is sparkling wine. Other bulk methods achieve similar but lower-quality wines. [Back to top]

How to Make Wine

Winemaking requires a series of steps. Decisions made by the winemaker during each step influence the final &ampquotcharacter" of the wine. A winemaker must first decide which grapes to use and when to harvest them. After the grapes are crushed, the juice is converted into wine through a process called fermentation. Wine is then aged until it is ready for drinking. Grape growers harvest their crop as soon as the grapes have ripened, usually in the fall in California. Winemakers commonly measure ripeness by the amount of sugar in the grapes. They may also consider the grapes' acid content, flavor, and aroma. Workers usually pick grapes by hand. The grapes then go to the winery for processing. The grape harvest is sometimes called the vintage. In some years, a favorable climate produces grapes of especially high quality those vintage years are considered superior.

At the winery, a machine called a crusher breaks the grape berries and removes them from their steins. The crashed grapes and their juice are called must. The length of contact between the juice and the skin influences the color of red wines and the taste of all wines.

'To make white wine, winemakers separate the skins and pulp from the juice. The juice then enters a tank or barrel for fomentation. In ranking red wine, the seeds and skins go into the Fermentation tank with the juice. Stirring the mixture from time to time ensures that the color is extracted from the skins.

Fermentation is the chemical change in which yeast converts the sugar in grapes into alcohol. Some yeast grows naturally on the skins of grapes. Some European winemakers allow this yeast to conduct the fermentation. In the United States and most other countries, winemakers add selected yeasts to the must to begin fermentation. During fermentation, the yeast grows and changes sugars called glucose and fructose into ethanol, a type of alcohol, and carbon dioxide gas. The carbon dioxide is released as bubbles.

The yeast also produces various by-products that may add to the wine's flavor and aroma.

Fermentation also releases heat. Most wineries refrigerate the must to keep is temperature constant during fermentation. Winemakers usually ferment juice for white wine at about 59' F. and juice for red wine at about 86' F. The temperature of the must influences the rate of fermentation, the retaining of grape aromas, and the formation of determines the rate at which the color and flavor of the grape skins transfer into the wine. The fermentation of red wine takes from 4 to 6 days. White-wine fermentations last from 12 to 1 8 days.

Most red table win" and some white table wines undergo a second fermentation, by bacteria. This fermentation, called the malolactic fermentation, lowers a wine's acid content by converting a substance called malic acid into lactic acid.

A new wine appears cloudy after fermentation. Winemakers clarify (clear) the wine by removing particles of yeast and other unwanted substances. Such particles may be filtered out, allowed to settle naturally, or separated from are wine by a machine called a centrifuge.

Wine may be further clarified, or fined, by adding certain solutions that reduce the content of unstable or unpleasant components.

After clarification, wine goes into wooden barrels or stainless steel tanks for aging. Wooden barrels contribute their own flavor to the wine. The size of the barrel, the age of the wood, the storage temperature and humidity, and the length of storage time all influence the extent of the aging process. Many wineries hold wine at a temperature close to freezing for one or more days so that a salt called potassium bitartrate will precipitate (separate) out of the wine. This prevents the salt from forming crystals in the wine after bottling.

Although some wines are soon ready for drinking, others must age a few years to soften harsh flavors and allow desirable flavors to develop. Wine is bottled after some aging, and it continues to age, slowly in the bottle.

Fortified wines, such as port and sherry, are made by adding brandy to fermenting must. The wine that results generally is sweet. Other fortified wines are achieved by adding brandy near or at the end of fermentation. Sparkling wines are usually made by a second yeast fermentation of a table wine. This fermentation may take four to eight weeks. The bubbles of carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation are trapped in the wine. [Back to top]

-- © Excerpted from Wine Spectator Magazine's Guide to Great Wine Values.