Wine & Almost Everything About it!

Ahh, the quintessential wine. Who knew grape juice could be intoxicating. Beer is for the cheap football nights, vodka for the high-class partying, champagne for celebrations, but good ol’ wine is there for the perfect food combinations and reminiscing days; laid back with class and elegance, it is our go-to for most days! Here we are compiling a list of ‘know everything about’ wine for beginners and amateurs –

[I]t is the wine that leads me on,
the wild wine
that sets the wisest man to sing
at the top of his lungs,
laugh like a fool – it drives the
man to dancing… it even
tempts him to blurt out stories
better never told.
– Homer

 

Types – 

Although, there are virtually many many kinds of wines, for the sake of simplicity, we will consider the top 5 most common ones. 

S.NO.	TYPE	MADE FROM	COLOUR SCALE	TASTE	AROMA
1.	Red	Dark varieties of grapes	Red-Brown	Dry mostly	Cherries, spice & vanilla
2.	White	Any variety (sans skin)	Yellow-Green- Gold	Fruity & Light	Covers almost everything – from floral to honey & fruits
3.	Dessert	Sweet grapes	Rich Deep Red	Sweet (dryness varies)	Fresh and Fruity
4.	Rosé	Many varieties used	Pale orange – deep purple	Dry to sweet	Light and fruity
5.	Sparkling	Any variety	Of white, rosé and red wines*	Sweet acidity	Fruits, mushrooms, citrus, even herbal

Wine is not an exact science. Hence, different sources will tell you different things. And get this, none of them are wrong. Here are a few pointers bouncing off the above table:-

• Sparkling wine can also be white, rosé or red wine. Because sparkling simply means frizzy (carbon dioxide). Sparkling wine is also interchangeably used with champagne colloquially. But technically, champagne should only be called so if it comes from a specific region in France (Champagne).
• Dry taste means after swallowing of the (often) bitter/sour wine, it leaves your tongue and mouth with a dryness.
• A particular wine can come under multiple headings – like dessert and red. They overlap due to similarities in technique, grapes used, etc  
• Aroma, colour & taste is based on and influenced by many factors such as climate, soil, how ripe the grape is, etc Many of these can be controlled. 
• Now, under each of these categories, we can put the famous names of Chardonnay (pronounced shar-da-nay) – a kind of White Wine, Pinot Noir (pronounced p-no-nu-ar) – Red wine, Sauvignon Blanc (pronounced saw-vee-nyo-balnck), etc. 

ALSO READ: Beer Facts You Didn’t Know!

Basic Terms

1. Alcohol content – Most wines have an alcohol concentration of 11-13%. Alcohol is produced during fermentation (yeast breaking down sugar in grapes to carbon dioxide and ethanol) in the wine-making process.
   
   
2. Tannin – Tannin is what causes the ‘dryness’. It is also associated with the bitter taste. They come from many places – skin, stems, seeds of the grapes, and sometimes from the oak barrel the wine is stored in. Swirling increases the aeration which depreciates the strength of tannin. Some popular reds are known for this particular quality. 
   
   
3. Acidity – One of another main components, acidity balances out the tannin. The acids determine the sourness, bitterness and freshness of the drink. Again, naturally-occurring. 

Pairings

We are going to say it again, THIS ADVENTURE DOES NOT HAVE SET RULES. But there are a few sure-shot goodies in fine dining with wine. We are not going to crowd your palate with a lot of technicalities and restrictions; so only a peek. Reds should be balanced with food that is just as bold – red meat and the likes. Whites generally go well with lighter meat such as chicken and fish. (Our personal favourite is called #triptoFrench – Cheese with Chardonnay) Sparkling and other light-bodied wines should create a contrasting pair with heavier proteins and fats. 

Glassware

Etiquette is of the utmost importance, especially on those dates where wine is the accompaniment. Hence, each kinds of wines are recommended to be drunk in certain glasses. There are as much as 18 types of wine glasses for just red wine! But for our easier comprehension, we will stick to 3 general ones and let experience teach you the rest. 

1. RED WINES –
   

   Red wines are usually drank out of glasses that have a large bowl for you to swirl and aerate the drink. The long stem also helps you to keep your hand away from warming the wine.

    

2. WHITE WINES –
   
   White wine oxidises fast, hence the smaller mouth area so as to not let it have increased air contact. Because white wine has a lot of delicate undertones which can disappear with increased aeration.
   
   
   
   
3. SPARKLING WINE –

This is the champagne flute! Again, a smaller surface area. This time, it is to maintain the bubbles of the wine. The tall, thin bowl with a small mouth!




SOURCE: Bottle Neck Management  

Why should I drink wine?

Whoever said alcohol is all bad?! Batting for the grape, it has umpteenth number of benefits. P.S.: These pointers will help when people call you out. *wink*  It has various good effects on health – ranging from controlling obesity (petite French girls’ secret!) to a better immune system and diminishing possibilities of Alzheimer’s. Diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders are also kept at bay. Further, depression is prevented too – who are we kidding, right? Wine makes everyone happy! And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

So, what and how should I drink?

It is often said that wine is an acquired taste. Like all alcoholic beverages, tastes and experience are the deciding factors. All we can do is suggest and tell you not to give up in the search. While on the journey, don’t forget to enjoy every sip! It is suggested to start at the sweet scale, if you’re unsure and then work your way through. Wine connoisseurs also tell you to try a particular variety multiple times as it ages. Also, every element of it is artistic experience – the swirl, the colour, the aroma, the aftertaste; bring yourself to savour all that. It is daunting when you have so many options but it is trial and error! Palates, and all that! All the best & ‘Tchin-tchin’!