Wine 101 – What is wine? – Part 1
What is wine?
The first known wines date from the year 6000 BC. C. and are believed to have originated in what is now Israel, Georgia, and Iran. Making its first European debut in approximately 4500 B.C. In what is now Greece, wine quickly became a common drink in ancient Greece and Rome with the modern word wine deriving from “winam”, an early borrowing from the Latin “vinum” meaning wine or grape.
Wine is made from fermented grape juice. The chemical balance of the grapes allows fermentation without the addition of nutrients, sugars, acids or enzymes.
Various types of yeast consume the sugars found in grapes and convert them into alcohol. Different grape varieties are combined with different strains of yeast to produce different types of wine. It’s not just the grapes that are used either. Fruits such as apples and berries can also be fermented, and the “wines” that result are typically named after the fruit they came from and are known generically as “fruit wines.”
Red, white and sparkling wines are known as light wines. They are the most popular in part because they only have an alcohol content of 10-14% by volume. Aperitif and dessert wines contain 14-20% alcohol. Sometimes they are enriched to make them richer and sweeter.
Varieties – A wine made primarily from one grape variety and named after that grape.
Wine is usually made from one or more Vitis Vinifera varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Merlot. When the predominant grape is one of these varieties in a mixture defined by law as a minimum of 75% or 85%, the result is a Varietal. This is different from a blended wine. Blended wines are not considered inferior; in fact, some of the world’s most valuable and expensive wines from regions like Bordeaux and Tuscany are blended from different grape varieties of the same vintage.
ancient
Aged wines are made from grapes that are grown exclusively in a specific year, and are labeled as such. The character of an aged wine can vary each year with subtle differences in color, palate, nose, body, and development. The flavor of a high-quality red table wine improves with age if it is stored properly. Consequently, it is common for wine enthusiasts and merchants to keep bottles of an especially fine vintage wine.
Aged wines are usually bottled in individual batches so that each bottle tastes similar. The weather can also affect the character of a wine. Different vintages from the same vineyard can vary dramatically in flavor and quality. Thus, vintage wines are individually characteristic of the vintage and serve as the producer’s flagship wine. Superior vintages, from renowned producers and regions, will often fetch much higher prices than their average counterparts. Some aged wines, like Brunello, are only made in better than average years.
For consistency, non-vintage wines may be blended from more than one vintage. This process allows winemakers to maintain a reliable market image and sales even in bad years.
Terrois or Terreni (territory) refer to specific areas. It is a concept that includes several elements such as the grape varieties, the elevation and shape of the vineyard, the nature of the soil, the climate and seasonal conditions, as well as the local yeast cultures.
Regulation
The classification and sale of wine is governed throughout the world. European wines tend to be classified by region (eg Bordeaux and Chianti), while others are often classified by grape (eg Merlot, Chardonnay). However, regional recognition is leading to greater prominence for some wine labels. Some bundled wine names also function as marketing terms, and these names are governed by trademark or copyright laws rather than wine-specific laws.