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BASIC WINE TRAINING

BY LICORES MADURO

What is Wine???

Wine is a beverage made from the fermented juice of fruit All fine wines are made from the fermented juice of certain grapes called Vitis Vinifera

Vitis Vinifera Varietals

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Grigio Riesling Viognier Gewrztraminer Pinot Blanc Etc

Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Zinfandel Cabernet Franc Malbec Shiraz / Syrah Etc

WINE MAKING PROCESS

Red and white wine differ in four ways:

Taste Color Food Pairings - Production

Wine Characteristics and more

Wines are characterized mainly by their appearance, aromas, flavors and complexity Aromas are distinguished by primary, secondary and tertiary aromas:

Primary aromas are aromas that come naturally from the grape Secondary aromas are aromas that derive by influences of wine making Tertiary aromas are those derived by aging, wines develop complex bouquets during extended aging

Describing the taste and sensation

Visual Sensations

A wines appearance is the aspect that most people find easiest to describe. Clarity is of vital importance in a wine. Cloudiness is the first indication a taster has that there may something wrong.
What is the very first thing that you think of when you smell a wine? Do you smell pumpkin pie? Freshly mown grass? Strawberries? A cigar box? These associations make wine tasting fun, and they make it easier to remember wines. Much of our sense of taste is actually our ability to smell. Of the major senses used in tasting, the final one is taste. Ideally, this should help confirm impressions already made and the final important details. A number of elements in a wine are detected by physiological reactions in the mouth, involving the sense of touch as well as tasted. Different facets of the wines palate are detected by different parts of the tongue and gums, so it is important to expose all parts of the month to the wine.

Olfactory Sensation

Taste Sensations

Sweetness, Acidity, Tannin, Body, Alcohol, Fruit Character, intensity and length

Evaluating wine

The qualities you evaluate through taste are defined as follows:

Body - The weight and feel of the wine on the palate. Acidity - Derived from the natural malic and tartaric acids from the grapes, creating astringency. Tannin - Complex phenolic molecules that affect the proteins in your saliva. When tannins are excessive, they can produce a drying sensation on the palate. Sweetness - This comes from the residual sugar left in a wine after fermentation has converted most of the grapes natural sugar into alcohol

Wine service 101

When greeting your guests, offer the wine list and a wine by the glass.

At the time your guests order their meal, recommend wine pairings. Between the salad/appetizer and entree, ask your guests if theyd like a wine to accompany the rest of their meal. Whenever a glass or bottle is empty, ask if you may replace it or suggest a new wine. Once your guests have ordered, deliver and open the wine as soon as possible.

Wine service 101

When it comes to successful wine service presentation is very important! The main steps in serving wine after the order has been taken:

Once an order is taken from the host, repeat the order to verify that it is correct. Bring the bottle to the table promptly. Cradling the wine in a napkin, present the wine to the customer. Announce the name of the winery and the wine. Once the host has acknowledged the wine, place the wine bottle on a napkin, on the corner of the table. Try to keep the label facing the customer. Open the bottle.

Wine service 101

Place the cork near the host and, using a clean napkin different then the one , clean the top of the bottle. Pour a taste for the host. After the customer announces his satisfaction with the wine, serve the other guests. Be sure you are familiar with the house policy concerning refused bottles. Pour carefully without touching the glass with the bottle. Never fill a glass more than 1/2 full. Observe consumption closely and refill glasses when appropriate. Sell another bottle of wine. Be prepared to recommend another compatible wine with the food.

The perfect serving temperatures

What Do I Need To Know?

Know the basic characteristics of classic grape varieties. Know a few wines in each category/variety on your list in different price ranges that you can confidently sell. Be able to answer the following three questions about any wine you recommend: 1. What does it taste like? - Dry? - sweet? - delicate or intensely flavored? 2. What does it go with? - Some are having fish others meat 3. Is it a good value? - Am I getting my moneys worth?

General Service Points

Sensory acuity pay attention to what works and what doesnt work. Change your strategies.
Your game face - be yourself in a good mood. You can never serve too much You can never educate too much You can never do too much Dont overwhelm the guest with useless wine trivia. Strike an appropriate balance, dont show off!

Pairing food & wine

Consider a single characteristic common to both wine and food: weight. As you know, wines can be light, medium or full-bodied. Likewise, dishes can be lighter or heavier. When pairing wine and food, the wine should be the same weight as the dish; it's OK if the wine is a little heavier. If the wine is lighter than the dish, it can be easily overwhelmed by the food and seem thin. In other words, serve light-bodied wines with delicate foods, and full-bodied wines with full-bodied foods.

Pairing Guidelines for Whites

Weights Light Medium White Wines Foods Salads, white and flaky fish, Riesling, Pinot Grigio seafood Sauvignon Blanc Salads, white and flaky fish, seafood, poultry Poultry, heavier fish such as salmon and swordfish, pork

Full

Chardonnay

Pairing Guidelines for Reds

Weights Red Wines Foods

Light
Medium

Pinot Noir
Syrah/Shiraz, Merlot

Poultry, heavier fish such as salmon and swordfish, pork

Poultry, pork, beef, game

Full

Cabernet Sauvignon

Lamb, beef, game