Wine Tasting Wine Tasting

A cultural and educational look at wine

tasting

What is wine?

All wine is made from grapes that are grown in vineyards and then processed in wineries to make the wine.

There are over 10,000 varieties of grapes that can

be made into wine

Grape varieties

Usually only a few kinds of

grape are popular at one

time.

These days the most popular type of white wine is Chardonnay

The most popular type of red wine is Cabernet Sauvignon

Questions so far?Questions so far?

Choosing a wine

When you look at the bottle of wine you can see a typical label.

The label should list several things The grape variety The winery name

The country of origin The year of bottling

Choosing a wine

Some people choose a wine by the color.

There are three colors to choose from

White Red

Rose/Blush

Choosing a wine

Some people choose a wine by the grape variety. Each grape variety has a different taste.

The grape variety gets its’ name from the original location where it was grown. If a wine grower moves the grape variety to a new place, it will still keep its’ original name.

The original French Chardonnay Region The newer California Chardonnay Region

Choosing a wine

Some people select a wine based on its age or maturity. This may not be necessary these days.

Modern wineries can create good Weather can change the Corks are being made

Young wines grape crop, making one year for 5 year wines

better than another

Are you getting thirsty?Are you getting thirsty?

GlassesGlasses

Serving Wine

Fill the glass 1/2 or 1/3 full. The empty part of the glass will capture the aroma.

It’s important to enjoy the aroma as well as the taste of the wine

Serving Wine

Holding the glass by the stem rather than by the bowl will keep the wine from heating up in your hands.

Serving Wine

Red wine should be served at room temperature

White wine and rose/blush should be served cold from the refrigerator

Wine tasting

Cut the endotherm (plastic cover) off of the bottle with a knife or cutter.

Open the bottle using a corkscrew. Do not shake the bottle or tip it upside down. Fill the glass 1/3 or 1/2 full.

Shall we get to the Shall we get to the wine tasting?wine tasting?

Visual examinationVisual examination

Examine the wine in a good light.

A young white wine will have a tinge of green while a more mature white wine

will be golden.A young red wine will

appear more purple and a mature red wine will have a browner color

The NoseThe Nose

Gently swirl the glass to mix up the wine with the air.

Inhale a couple of

times

What can you smell?

Flowers, spices and fruit are just some of the possibilities

The PaletteThe Palette Check the texture. How does it feel going

down your throat?

Is it very sweet, slightly sweet,

medium, slightly dry or very dry?

Is there tannin?

What flavors do you taste?

Wine Storage

Keep your wine in a cool dark place.

Lay it down on the side.

Use a wine stopper to keepWine fresh for one - two weeks.

The only good wines are the

wines you like…