# 🍷 NOTES - WINE Wine Hack - Add jalapeño peppers to sauvignon blanc or rosé Red wine open last 5-7 days White wine open fridge last 3-5 days “A bottle of wine serves five.” 750ml A serving is 5 oz or 150 ml Humans have been making wine for 9000 years but only since 1850 have we really understood microbiology and fermentation “emphasis on terroir (a French term that encompasses a region’s soil, climate, and overall growing conditions)” Tear-wah Body, Sweetness, Tannin, Acidity, and Alcohol Reds have tannins and bitterness red = juice ferm with red grape skins must = crushed grapes, juice, skins, pulp, seeds, possibly stems “Choose a single country—any country—and for six months, drink only wines from that country, avoiding everything else” sugar, acid, tannin Red wine should be drank at room temp (60 - 65°F) “European room temperature prior to central heating, that is. In other words, 60°F to 65°F (15°C to 18°C)” or “Imagine the temperature of a movie theater in summer. That’s where most red wines need to be.” “Cork, the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber), is native to the poor, rocky soil of southern Portugal and Spain, as well as Sardinia, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, and Morocco. Most top-quality corks used today come from Portuguese trees.” Gewürztraminer - white wine; pairs well with Ham Wine Tasting Hold Glass by stem Raise to Light Should be clear w/o cloudiness or sediments Cali white should be golden (straw, medium, deep) Sniff once or twice to identify aromas Softly move your glass in a circular motion, swirl wine around; deep sniff; should be pleasant "volatilizing the esters" “Cabernet Sauvignon. The king of California reds, this Bordeaux grape is at home in well-drained soils. It can require an extended aging period, so it’s often softened with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and other red varieties for earlier drinking.” “Pinot Noir. The darling of grape growers in cooler parts of Napa and Sonoma, including the Carneros region and the Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir is also called the “heartbreak grape” because it’s hard to cultivate. At its best it has a subtle but addictive earthy quality” “The Napa Valley is known for Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, the Russian River Valley for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the Dry Creek Valley for Zinfande” “Mouthfeel. Literally, the way wine feels in the mouth” Acidity - tartness Dry - very little sweetness regenerative farming “Regenerative farming. Recent agricultural movement aiming to progress beyond sustainability, prioritizing the sequestering of carbon, building soil health, and other strategies that improve or “regenerate” the land” “Zymology. The science of fermentation.” tannin based on how bitter and astringent the wine tastes. Deriving its name from merle, the French word for blackbird, Merlot is the second-most-widely cultivated red grape in the world (behind Cabernet Sauvignon) and the No. 1 grape grown in France. Cabernet Sauvignon (red meat, light cheese) Cabernet Franc (Full, fatty, bold bodied meats, mushrooms, olives, salmon) Carmenere (Chili, stew, eggplant, Camembert cheese) Argentia Malbec Australia Syrah Chile Cabernet Suavignon Chardonnay (Shellfish, seafood (an unoaked Chardonnay works really well with rich sauces like shrimp scampi), chicken, pork, tarragon, semi-soft cheeses, tarragon, lemon zest, oyster) Gewurztraminer (Oily game, Chinese, Japanese, spicy) Grenache (spicy) Malbec Merlot (Charcuterie, pork and veal roasts, pâtés) Muscat Ottonel (Cream, light dessert, poultry, barbecue) Nebbiolo (Rich meat and vegetable dishes, hard aged cheeses) Pinotage Pinot Gris (Grigio) (Light meats, pate, shellfish, quiche) Pinot Noir (Salmon, fatty fish, pasta, roast chicken, duck) Riesling (Spicy or bold foods, dessert) Sauvignon Blanc (White fish, vegetarian dishes, Caesar salad, grilled tuna steak, asparagus) Semillon (Seafood, Japanese, strong cheeses) Shiraz / Syrah (Roasted meats, spice, avoid cheese) Tempranillo (Grilled or roast lamb, chorizo, sheep cheese) Viognier (Thai food, spicy dishes, curry, chicken, turkey and white fish) Zinfandel (Spicy, bold vegetables and fruits, barbecue) Top 10 wine grapes in the US 1) Chardonnay (w) 106,000 acres (43,000 ha) 2) Cabernet Sauvignon (r) 101,300 acres (41,000 ha) 3) Pinot Noir (r) 61,800 acres (25,000 ha) 4) Merlot (r) 51,900 acres (21,000 ha) 5) Zinfandel (r) 47,000 acres (19,000 ha) 6) Syrah (r) 22,200 acres (9,000 ha) 7) Pinot Gris (w) 19,800 acres (8,000 ha) 8) French Colombard (w) 19,700 (8,000 ha) 9) Sauvignon blanc (w) 10) Rubired (crossing between Tinta Cão and Alicante Ganzin with pigmented juice) California is, of course, by far the most important US wine region with 80-90% of the total US production. The Top 10 red grapes in California Cabernet Sauvignon 91,800 acres (37,000 ha) Pinot Noir 45,300 acres (18,300 ha) Zinfandel 43,200 acres (17,500 ha) Merlot 39,800 acres (16,100 ha) Syrah 16,400 acres (6,600 ha) Rubired 11,500 acres (4,600 ha) Petite Sirah 11,400 acres (4,600 ha) Barbera 4,800 acres (1,950 ha) Ruby Cabernet (crossing between Cab Sauv and Carignan) 4,700 acres (1,900 ha) Grenache 4,400 acres (1,780 ha) The Top 10 white grapes in California Chardonnay 93,400 acres (37,800 ha) French Colombard 18,900 acres (7,600 ha) Pinot Gris 16,800 acres (6,800 ha) Sauvignon Blanc 14,800 acres (6,000 ha) Chenin Blanc 4,800 acres (1,900 ha) Muscat of Alexandria 4,600 acres (1,800 ha) White Riesling 3,800 acres (1,500 ha) Muscat Blanc 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) Viognier 2,700 acres (1,100 ha) Gewurztraminer 1,600 acres (650 ha) Carignan (“care-in-yen”) Carignan is one of the world’s perfect Thanksgiving wines alongside Zinfandel, Grenache, Pinot Noir and Gamay (aka Beaujolais). Merlot is the third most grown grape in the world For lighter, more delicate styles, seek out Oregon Pinot Noir. For richer Pinot Noir, look into California California is the largest wine producer in the United States, producing over 84% of all U.S. wine production. California has a total of 4,391 wineries located all over the state, including famous wine regions such as Napa Valley and Sonoma. Napa Valley is known for its Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, while Sonoma is known for its Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay. If California were a country, it would be the fourth-largest wine producer in the world, behind France, Italy, and Spain. Wine producing countries 1) Italy 49.8 mil hectoliters 2) France 45.6 3) Spain 35.7 4) US 22.4 5) Australia 12.7 6) Chile 12.4 7) Argentina 11.5 8) South African 10.2 Italy, France, Spain = 50% of wine France Merlot Single-Vineyard Wines Are Always Better Than Blends Tannins taste bitter Tannin increases the body in wine; red wine tend to taste more full-bodied; sweetness and alcohol increase body; acidity and carbonation decrease body sweetness is residual sugar (RS) unfermented grape sugars wine appears more viscous with higher RS tartaric acid (softer, found in bananas), malic acid (fruity, found in apples), and citric acid (tingly,found in citrus). pH measures the concentration of free hydrogen ions. Our taste receptors perceive hydrogen ions as sourness. Beaujolais Nouveau Beaujolais Nouveau Day, celebrated every third Thursday of November, marks the release of the first wine of the harvest season from the Beaujolais region in France. Sideways almost killed Merlot https://vinepair.com/wine-geekly/missing-merlot-sideways-almost-killed-one-worlds-great-grapes/ Hold your glass of wine over a white background under neutral lighting, look for: Hue Intensity of color Viscosity Smell wine for 2–3 fruit flavors (be descriptive) 2–3 herbal or other flavors Any oak or earth flavors (if present) Taste for The structure of wine (tannin, acidity, etc.) The flavors The wine’s overall balance Wines with a red-colored tint likely have a higher acidity (lower pH). Wines that are more purple or blue will have a lower acidity. Red wines become more pale and tawny as they age. Wines with higher viscosity have higher alcohol, higher sugar, or both. Gibbs-Marangoni effect Primary Aromas (derived from grapes) Secondary Aromas (derived from fermentation and microbes) Tertiary Aromas (derived from aging and oxidation) Oregon has a much cooler climate than any of California’s wine regions, making it perfect for growing not just Pinot Noir, but also Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gamay. The premier wine region within Oregon is the Willamette Valley, which has gained a worldwide reputation for its stellar Pinot Noir wines. Anderson Valley AVA Jammy or ripe = warm climate wine Tart or delicate = cool climate wine Many grapes produce wildly different wines, depending on where they are grown The AVA is in fact three valleys: Bear Creek Valley, Illinois Valley, and Applegate Valley (which has its own AVA title).