Upload
clifton-chang
View
227
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Exploring Wine notes
Citation preview
Exploring Wine
Chapter 1Topics
What is wine?
•It is the fermented juice of any fruit.
•Sugar + Yeast= Alcohol + CO2
•More discussion in Chapter 2
What determines a wine’s quality?
•Distinct taste typical of thegrape variety
•Style, flavor, taste reflectpoint of origin
•No unpleasant flavors
A good wine is one that you arehappy with.
Climate- Warm sunny days and cool balmy nights
Terms-
•Macroclimate
•Microclimate
Cooler climates- higher acidity
Warmer-Higher sugar-Southern Arizona
Soil Conditions
Ideal:
•Rocky
•Low-fertile
•High mineral
•High drainage
•Heat retention
Two distinct groups of grapes forwine making (both came fromEurope)
Vitis Vinifera Vitis Labrusca
“to bear orcarry wine”
vineplants
European type, such asChardonnay, CabernetSauvignon, Merlot,Sauvignon Blanc,Riesling
American-typegrapes, such asCatawba, Concord,Delaware, Niagara
Wild Fox
Phylloxera –smallaphid less than ½mm long
Phylloxera has anappetite for the rootsof grape vines, andonce a vineyard isinfected there is nocure, except for rippingthe vines out andreplacing them withthe plants that havebeen grafted ontoresistant rootstockfrom native Americanvines, which havestrong roots.
Chile and Argentinaare pre-phylloxera
•Grafting
Grafting rootstock means taking a wild species of grapevine (that Phylloxera doesn't like) and grafting a Vitisvinifera variety (such as zinfandel) onto it, so you have aPhylloxera-resistant root system and a zinfandel-producingvine on top. Almost every vineyard in California (and mostof the world) is planted like this.
•Hybridization- phylloxera resistant and purerfruit character than North American varieties
Life of a Vineyard
•Two to three years to trellis
•Three to four years for fruit
•Quantity of fruit as vine grows older
•Quality does not decrease with age
•Trellising-provides support for leaves and fruit
Vine Cycle
June
Septemberand
beyond
•In winter-prune and protect
•Pruning-protect early buds from frost
•Lower quantity brings higher quality
•Veraison- grape color change
Harvest
•Measuring sugar and acid levels
•True varietal character
•Tannic acid in reds
Common Grape Varieties
NebbioloGamay
ZinfandelSemillonGrenachePinot Blanc
SyrahViognierSangioveseChenin Blanc
Cabernet FrancGewurztraminer
Pinot NoirRieslingMerlotSauvignon Blanc
Cabernet SauvignonChardonnayRedWhite