Basic

Wine
Knowledge
 Objectives
At the end of this session, trainees will be able
to:
• Learn some basic ideas on wine, its
classification, anatomy, and production.
• Know the different varieties of grapes –
their distinct characteristics and what type
of wine they produce.
What is Wine?
Wine is basically fermented grape juice...

It may be:

• red, white or pink (rosé)

• dry, medium or sweet in style
• with alcohol content between 5.5 to 14
Classification of Wines
• Still Wines
- are wines that are bottled right after the fermentation process.

• Sparkling Wines
- wines are processed through double fermentation to achieve
carbon dioxide trapped inside the bottle.

• Fortified Wines
- are wines where neutral grape spirit is added during
or after the fermentation.

• Aromatized Wines
- are fortified wines that have aromatic ingredients added
 Simple anatomy of the grape :
Stalks
Seldomly used due
to its bitter content
Seeds
Like stalks
Flesh or Pulp are discarded
Are pressed
to release the juice Skin
for the wine
Yields tannin
and colour
 How is it being made?
Grapes must be transported with care
from the vineyard to winery as soon
as possible after harvest.

Before the grapes are lightly

crushed to release the juice and
bring it into contact with yeast,the
skin, stalks and pips are removed.

Fermentation takes place in either

stainless-steel vats or in oak
barrels. Most white wines are
The crushed filtered and bottled straight
grapes may be pumped into a away to preserve their
tank called Vinimatic to be freshness
macerated..
 How is it being made?
Red wines are almost always made
from black grapes where the chemicals
in the skin and pips play role in the aging.

The stems and stalks are usually taken off.

Grapes are then lightly crushed to release
their juice, thus allowing fermentation to
begin as quickly as possible..

Fermentation takes place in either

stainless-steel vats or in oak
barrels. Most white wines are
filtered and bottled straight
away to preserve their
Both juice and skins are put freshness
in a fermentation vat.
Wine Production
Although wine makers use many different techniques to produce wines with unique characteristics, there are six
basic steps involved in most wine production. To make red wine, grapes are passed through a mechanical
destemmer-crusher (1) to remove the stems and release the juice. The juice, stems, and skins, now called must, is
transferred to a fermentation tank (2), where it remains for up to 14 days while yeasts slowly convert the grape
sugar to alcohol. The juice, now considered wine, is separated from the skins and stems by passing it through a
press (3). The wine is pumped into barrels (4), often made of oak, where it continues to ferment and develop in a
process known as aging. During aging, residue settles to the bottom of the barrel and form sediment called the
lees. Wine makers may separate the wine from the lees in a process called racking, transferring the wine to
clean casks (5). Finally, the wine is mechanically bottled (6), corked, and packaged for distribution. In white
wine production the grapes are separated from the skins and stems before fermentation. The grapes are passed
through a destemmer-crusher (A), and the must is immediately passed through a press (B) that applies pressure
to separate the juice from the skins and stems. The remaining steps, fermentation (C), aging (D), racking (E),
and bottling (F), are similar to those of red wine production.
 Chardonnay
The most popular white grape
variety, this is in part due to its
unfussy temperament and
versatility for making wine. It
is the variety behind classic white
burgundy and one the three varieties used
to make champagne. Wines from this grape are
dry and light (crisp apple like flavors) to medium
and full bodied (butter) depending on how they
are made. Chardonnay responds very well
to
being aged in oak. This gives the wine a depth of
flavor not achieved by any other
process.
Chardonnay is easy to cultivate, disease resistant
and prolific in most conditions.
This versatile grape
make a range of
white wines,
dry through to
very sweet.
It is often
blended,
usually with
Sauvignon Blanc
and also Chardonnay.
Dry and blended wines
are best when young
but many of the sweeter -thin skinned grapes which
are prone to noble rot
wines improve with age.
Semillon is perhaps
greatest when subject to
noble rot, making some famous dessert wines
like Sauternes and Barsac. Semillon
 -thin skin and has high sugar content

Very high acidity

characterizes
these grapes,
which need
plenty of sun to
ripen properly,
otherwise the
wines are tart.
White wines form
very dry through to
sweet (some of them are borytrized)
as well as sparkling are produced.
Successful dry wines are fresh and fruity,
sweet wines well balanced and honeyed.
Aging improves good quality sweet Chenin
Blanc by bringing out the fruit.

Chenin Blanc
 Gewürztraminer

-frost is a constant danger

to young buds in spring

-with distinctive pale pink colour

The highly aromatic wines made form this spicy variety are full – bodies
whites that can be dry or sweet. They have low acidity and high alcohol
content, often over 13 percent. With its exotic perfume and intense
lychee flavor, Gewürztraminer is one of the few wines that will go with
spicy food.
-vine growth is
very vigorous

This acidity
makes this
a good blending
variety to add
zest to blend wines.
It is most often blended with
Semillon. Wines made from this grape
are mostly very dry fresh whites, designed
to be drunk young. Their intense taste and
aroma, suggestive of green grass and
gooseberries, make them easy to recognize.

Sauvignon Blanc
 Riesling -the wood is very hard,
making the vine quite
frost-resistant

This classic German variety makes

some fine white wines all over the
world, from the bone dry to t he very
sweet. They are light in body and low in
alcohol, yet strongly flavored and very long lived.
Whatever the style of wine, high acidity always
balanced richness. Superb, very sweet wines are
made from Riesling grapes that have been subject to noble rot. Rieslings
reputation has suffered unfairly in recent years due to similar but inferior
grapes being wrongly labeled as Riesling.
Cabernet
Sauvignon
This is the most well known black grape
variety in the world. Along with merlot, -thick skinned and
fruits are small
with which it is often blended. The grape
and in blue colour
are high in tannin, so cabernet sauvignon
wines age will, (specially if oaked), but need
time to mature. At best, the wines are rich in
color, aroma and depth and in time have a long
lasting flavor, often of blackcurrants.
 -yields are carefully
controlled to ensure
quality due to its
delicateness

Grenache On its own, this

black grape makes warm, fruity flavored
wines with high alcohol content and aromas
of freshly ground black pepper. The grapes
are low in tannins, however, so they are often
blended with highly tannic grapes such as
Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, which benefits
both of these varieties.
 -vines are adaptable,
thriving in warm places

Shiraz (Syrah)
The Syrah grape makes dark, full
bodies, strong red wines with great
potential longevity, particularly if oak aged.
Fairly tannic when young, these wines should
repay keeping for at least three years and are
best with food. Mature Shiraz has aromas of
blackcurrant, cedar and mixed spice.
 Merlot
-grapes are early to
fruit and prolific

This is the most widely planted black grape

variety of Bordeaux where it is usually blended
with Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter gives
backbone to the Merlot, which is lower in tannins
and acidity, yet add richness and smoothness to
wines that would otherwise be harsh. On its own,
Merlots that are unblended are usually soft and easy drinking wines with
flavors of plum and fruitcake.
 Pinot Noir
This is the grape used to make red
burgundy. It is extremely sensitive to
climactic conditions and yields are not very
high, making it both difficult and expensive to
produce. Rarely blended. Pinot Noir grapes
make faily pale colored, light or medium
bodied reds with a strawberry or raspberry
aroma. Pinot Noir is one of the main grape
varieties used in champagne.
-has low level of
tannin and colour in skin
 -grape made to be
drunk just weeks
after harvest

Gamay
Beaujolais, which is
made from the Gamay grape, are mostly
uncomplicated, light and fruity reds intended
for drinking when young and fresh. The wine
has a distinct pear aroma, often the result of the
production methods and a raspberry flavor.
Most serious Beaujolais can be aged.