Wine is a drink made of the fermented juice of grapes. Fermentation is a natural
process caused by yeast: microscopic organisms that live naturally alongside
grapes. The yeast feed on sugar (found in grape juice) and convert the sugar into
alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
There are three types of wine:
Light wines: still, 8-15 % alcohol majority 11.5-14%. Often named after
the region of production, or labeled with the grape used. e.g. Rioja from
Spain, Chardonnay from France.
Sparkling wines: bubbles of carbon dioxide gas have been trapped in the
wine. E.g. Champagne/cava.
Fortified wines: wines with extra alcohol added to them, therefore higher
alcohol levels of 15-22%. E.g. sherry, Port.
Styles of wine
Wine can be classified according to color and taste.
Color
Red: color comes from the grape skins, the juice is fermented in contact with
the grape skin
White usually made from white grapes, but because all of the color in black
grapes is in the skin, it’s possible to make white wine from black grapes if you
remove the skins before fermentation.
Rosé: made from black grapes where the wine has had less contact with the
skins.
Taste
Sweetness:
Grape juice is naturally sweet, yeast feeds on the grape sugars during fermentation,
the juice becomes less sweet. The yeast dies once the alcohol reaches 15%, or when
all the sugars have been used. Once the yeast is dead, any remaining sugar in the
wine will determine how sweet a wine is.
Dry: the majority of wines are dry, because yeast will have turned all the
sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. (Sauvignon Blanc, Fino Sherry, Brut
Champagne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chianti, Cabernet Sauvignon).
Medium: To make a medium wine, the winemaker either removes the yeast
from the juice before all the sugar has been consumed, or adds unfermented
sweet grape juice to dry wine. (many German wines, White Zinfandel)
Sweet: Sweet wines can be made from grapes so rich in sugar that the yeast
dies before all the sugar is consumed. (Sauternes, Port).
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