Udemy: Dry vs. Sweet
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How long you let the wine ferment and how much
residual sugar is in the grape determines alcohol level; the longer the grape
stays on the vine, the more sugar it will have
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Sweetness gives suppleness
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White wines are lighter, fruiter, and have a bit
of residual sugar (best for beginners) and lower in alcohol; 10-12 % alcohol
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Red wines are drier, have no sugar, higher in
alcohol 13-15%
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Fermentation is when yeast is allowed to eat the
sugar in the grape juice, producing CO2 and alcohol; yeast eats all sugar until
there is no more or winemaker kills yeast with chemical or heat
o
A dry wine means all the sugar has been eaten
and left with only aromas and flavors
o
Dry wines are therefore more alcoholic
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Pink wines from America are sweet, pink wines
from France are dry
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Amount of sugar determines German labeling
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Kabinett – average ripeness
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Wehlener Spatlese – grapes left on vine longer
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Graacher Auslese – grapes left on longest (more
sugar, more alcohol)
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Sparkling wines are based on sweetness level
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Brut – fermented out, totally dry
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Extra brut
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Demi-sec – semi-sweet, little residual sugar
o
Dolce/sweet
Udemy: Old World vs.
New World
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New World STYLE vs. Old World STYLE
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Old World (Europe, France, Italy, Spain,
Portugal, Germany)
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Is labeled by where it’s from and has name of
region on label due to history and how they make wine, and
o
Old world expresses pairing of wine with local
foods
o
Expresses region
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New World
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Is labeled by name of grape and can expect that
grape as the core
o
99.9% of new world wines are European but in
different places trying to replicate the diet, lifestyle, and food pairings of
native lands
o
New world drinks to get drunk and have fun
o
Makes wine that’s ready to drink now,
fruit-forward, manipulated by winemaker
o
Expresses grape/winemaker
Udemy: Body &
Balance
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Wine Components
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Body: tactile sensation, mouth-feel
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CO2 gives more fullness and fills mouth, alcohol
has hot, prickly, creamier feel
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Balance: harmony in wine
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Acids and Tannins
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Acids (tart)
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Citric acid (orange, lemon, lime), malic acid
(green apple), tartaric acid (highest concentration in wine grapes)
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Without acid, wine is flabby
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Tannins (dry, puckering, feel is identifiable,
dries out mouth, straight black tea/cinnamon does the same effect)
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Not existent in all wines, mostly derived from
skins and seeds of grapes, can come from oak barrels (how whites get tannins)
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Young wines can be too aggressive
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We age wines so that tannic components will
soften (Bourdeaux/Zinfandel/Malbecs need time)
o
Darker wines are more tannic
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Alcohol and Sugar
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Residual sugar
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Not existent in all wines (dry, fuller wines
have none)
o
Whites have more than reds
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Alcohol (created from sugar)
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Adds body, creaminess in wine
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Luscious full flavor (fruit, jam, etc.)
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Raising one means raising the other to stay in
balance (higher acids/tannins = higher alcohol/sugar)
o
Finish: what is left after swallowing (e.g.
vodka has long heat finish)
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