For
most folks the sole consideration for a wine is good taste. However,
for many aficionados wine is serious business. Wine is categorized in
several ways, including by vinification methods, taste, and vintage.
Learn what each of these categories means. Visit
http://www.AboutWineRefrigerators.com.
Wine is a broad term that refers to the fermentation of plant matter
for the purpose of producing an alcoholic beverage. Of course, most
people think of grapes as the basis for wine, but other sources include
rice (sake), various fruits (elderberry, grapefruit, cherry, etc.),
barley, and even honey (mead).
For the purposes of this short explanation, we ll stick with wines made
from grapes. These are categorized several ways, including by
vinification methods, taste, and vintage. Many casual drinkers pay
little attention to the differences in these categories. After all, for
most folks the sole consideration is good taste. However, for many
aficionados wine is serious business. The variety, taste, and vintage
must all meet high expectations before serious collectors will consider
owning a bottle.
Vinification
Vinification simply means the method by which grape juice is fermented
into wine. The practices followed during fermentation are what
determine the type of wine you end up being able to purchase. A common
misunderstanding by the average drinker is that grape juice colors
vary, which is what produces red, white, or rose wines. Actually, all
grapes produce clear (or very close to clear) juices. What creates the
color of the wine you buy is whether the grape skins have been left in
contact with the juice during the fermentation process. Red wines have
been fermented thusly; whites have not fermented in contact with grape
skins; rose is a combination of the two.
Sparkling wines, such as champagne, have bubbly characteristics that
are caused by the addition of carbon dioxide. This effect is achieved
by fermenting the grape juice two times. The first time, the juice is
fermented in open containers, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape.
During the second fermentation, the juice is kept in closed containers,
trapping and infusing the gases.
Taste
Most wines are described as dry, off-dry, fruity, or sweet.
Technically, this refers to the amount of sugars left over after
fermentation is completed. Dry has a tiny amount of residual sugar
content, while sweet has high sugar content.
Beyond this basic taste classification, wine-tasting experts have
developed a system of classifying wines by the more in-depth tastes and
aromas they exude. Many outsiders find this a somewhat bewildering
system, but tasting pros consider the ability to discern subtle
elements of a wines taste to be a badge of honor. As one example,
Cabernet Sauvignon is a popular variety that wine tasters claim
contains a combination of black currants, chocolate, mint, and tobacco
flavors.
Vintage
Vintage is a straightforward classification. It refers to the year of
the grapes harvest from which a bottle of wine was made. This is
important because many grape growers have exceptionally good harvests
only during certain years. Also, the best grapes are usually singled
out for use in a producers vintage bottles. You get the highest quality
wine from that year’s harvest.
