Introduction to Wine

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Introduction to Wine

• Presented by
• Bill Kohl
• Hilton Harrisburg

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NAMING WINE

• A. Main Title
• France By Villages
• U.S. By Grape Variety
• B. Wine Law
• France All grapes from within appellation
• U.S. 75 of grape variety
• Meritage U.S. name for making Bordeaux
  blends Best Cuvee

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Popular Grape Varietals

• White Wine Grapes
• 1. Sauvignon Blanc (Fume Blanc)
• Characteristics
• - Distinctly weedy, grassy
• - Intense fruit
• - Sometimes aged in oak
• - Can make dry or sweet wines
• Important Production Locations
• - California
• - France- Loire Valley, Sancere/Pouilly Fume
• - Others

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• 2. Chardonnay
• Characteristics
• - Superb dry wines
• - Fruity, often appley
• - Depth and intensity
• - Aged in small oak barrels (except in
  Chablis, France)
• - Can be crisp, austere, acidic
• or
• -Lush, tropical fruit flavored melon,
  pineapple
• - Vanilla, oak
• Important Production Locations
• - California Carneros, Central Coast
• - Burgundy, France
• - Champagne, France
• - Australia and others

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• B. Red Wine Grapes
• 1. Pinot Noir
• Characteristics
• - Complex, rich, velvety
• - Cherry undertones, cherry candy apple
• - Elegance, finesse
• - Lighter tannins
• Important Production Locations
• - Burgundy, France
• - Champagne, France
• - California
• - Oregon
• - Others

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2. Cabernet Sauvignon Characteristics -
Full, tannic (astringent) - Very complex
flavors - Black fruits- currants, black
berries - Minty, herby, eucalyptus, cedar -
Ages for years - Often blended with other
reds Important Production Locations -
Bordeaux, France - California -
Australia - Chile - Italy and others

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3. Merlot Characteristics - Red fruits,
soft tannins - Herbaceous, rich,
intense Important Production
Locations - Bordeaux, France Pomerol, St.
Julien, St. Emilion - California -
Italy Other Grapes Is Zinfandel White or
Red? Syrah, Pinot Grigio, etc.

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5 STEPS TO TASTING

• A. Color
• Look for clarity
• Color tells age
• - Whites get more yellow
• - Reds lose color brick brown
• Color tells aging vessel oak vs. stainless

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• B. Swirl
• Gets oxygen in yields bouquet
• Gives idea of viscosity
• C. Smell
• Get the nose or bouquet
• Gives a preview of the tastes to come

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• D. Taste
• Sip, draw air in, breath out of nose
• Look for
• Sweetness- tip of tongue
• Fruit, varietal characteristics middle of
  tongue
• Acidity- sides of tongue and cheeks
• Tannin middle of tongue and back palate
• After Taste- Does it linger?

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• E. Savor
• Think About It Was it
• Light, medium or full bodied?
• White Acidity ok or too much?
• Red Pleasing, too astringent, flat?
• How long is the after taste?
• Do you like it?
• First impressions are often the most important
• Its good if YOU like it!

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RED OR WHITE WHICH IS RIGHT?

• A. The Art of Pairing Wines with Foods
• 1. Why is it thought to be so difficult?
• - So many variables the pretense
• - I may make a mistake or be embarrassed
• - Its mysterious Im not sure I know the
  rules
• Wines and foods go together for
• the same reasons people get married
• - They are similar
• - They are opposite

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• 2. Why does it scare us?
• - Sommeliers intimidate us
• - We dont recognize names on a wine list
• - A wine snob may ridicule us
• 3. What can be done to understand how wine and
  food go together?
• - Remember, there are no absolutes
• - Follow a few basic principles
• - Experiment

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• B. Going Beyond the Old Rules
• 1. White wine with fish?
• How about Beaujolais with scallops?
• Merlot with swordfish?
• 2. Red wine with meat?
• Long cooked stews with rich whites?
• Pork with crisp white Rieslings?
• 3. No wine with salad, asparagus, etc.?
• How would they survive in California?

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• C. The Principles of Wine and Food Pairing
• 1. Forget
• - White or red
• - Fish or fowl
• 2. Consider the elements that make a
  basic impression on your tongue.
• In Food Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter
• In Wine Sour, Sweet, Alcoholic, Tannic

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• D. The basic components of wine food
• Tastes - Sour, Sweet, Salty, Savory, etc.
• Flavors - Buttery, Lemony, Smokey, Oily
• Textures - Rich, Soft, Velvety, Thick
• Look beyond the main ingredient
• Chicken and veal go with thousands of wine
• Ask Which elements of the dish have an
  impact on wine (sour, salty, sweet)?
• Determine whether the wine is acidic, sweet,
  alcoholic, tannic.

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• E. Matching Wine to Food
• 1. Acidic Food
• - Find a wine with good acidity that
• balances the sourness
• - Look for wines from northern vineyards
• Less sun leas to higher acid
• Examples
• Dry whites and reds from Loire Valley, France.
  
• Rieslings from Germany. Whites from Chablis,
  France.
• Simple reds from Burgundy, France and Barbera
  from Italy.

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• 2. Salty Food
• - Find a wine that is brightly acidic
• - Look for wines low in alcohol
• Northern vineyards as well
• Loire, 11- 12 alcohol
• German, 8 10 alcohol
• Avoid pairing salty foods with southern region
  wines.
• Southern Italian reds, French Rhones, warm
  region California wines
• when paired with salty foods taste hot.

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• 3. Sweet Food
• - Wine should be sweeter than the dessert
• 8 residual sugar is fine with most
• - Dry Champagne and Sparkling Wines taste
  thin and unpleasant with sweet desserts
• Examples
• Sauternes, Late Harvest German Wines, Late
  Harvest Rieslings from California and Washington
  State

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• 4. Umami (savory, meaty)
• - Look for wines that are medium
• to strong in intensity
• - Look for wines that are medium
• to strong in tannins
• Full bodied, fruity wines work .
• The fattier the food, the more tannins needed.
• Tannin makes wine astringent on your palate.
• Since it helps preserve wine, its found in
  reds destined for long aging.

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Lets Taste

• Wine
• Chardonnay Lemon _______________________
• Salt _______________________
• Apple _______________________
• All Three ______________________

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Lets Taste

• Wine
• Pinot Noir Lemon _______________________
• Salt _______________________
• Apple _______________________
• All Three ______________________

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Lets Taste

• Wine
• Cabernet
• Sauvignon Lemon _______________________
• Salt _______________________
• Apple ______________________
• All Three ______________________

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Banfi Brut with Balsamic Marinated Pecorino
• Eggplant Rollotini
• Salmon and Chili Tartare
• Crispy Stuffed Calamari
• Italian Artisan Meats

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Le Bruniche Chardonnay with
• Grilled Day Boat Scallops with wild
  mushrooms, leeks and preserved lemon
• corn butter

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Abbazzia di Novacella Kerner with
• Boston Bib and Red Oak Salad with
  pistachio encrusted goat cheese, grilled
  asparagus and mustard vinaigrette

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Le Bruniche Chardonnay and Willamette
  Valley Pinot Noir with Pan Seared Rare Tuna
  with puttanesca sauce

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Nardi Manachiara Cru Brunello di
  Montalcino and Abbazzia di Novacella Kerner
  with
• Grilled Lamb Loin Chop and slow roasted
  Lamb Leg with green beans, pearl onions and
  mushroom ragout.

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Wine and Food Pairing

• Wine
• Rosa Regale Brachetto d Acqui with
• Chocolate Hazelnut Bombe with mixed
  berries

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Bon Appetit!