Guide 101 for Wine Enthusiasts

In a club full of people and chatter, you glance through the crowd at the bar table. There sits an elegant stem glass with a beautiful, almost transparent liquid, gleaming with sophistication and divinity. With it sits another goblet with a big bowl and intense red liquid, making circles like someone just swirled it. If imagining this setup makes you drool and immediately pushes you to get a bottle of wine, then my dear friends, you are a wine enthusiast. If you dribble at the mere mention of the word wine, you are a wine lover. A lot of people like the look and love the taste of wine but are not sure what it is, what it is made of, how many types of wines are there or how to drink it? That’s absolutely fine! It’s not obligatory to be deeply informed about something to adore it. In this blog, whiskypedia brings out some fundamental yet essential facts for you to brush up on your knowledge of the beloved wine. But beware, this knowledge may make you further fall in love with the wine! History of wine There are several historical stories about the origin of the wine. Wine seems to be as old as humanity itself. According to Greek mythology, Zeus’s son, Dionysus and his mistress Semele made wine while they lived on the ancient Mount Nysa amongst the nymphs. Based on this fact, Dionysus is also called the "God of Wine." The scientifically proven existence of wine dates back to 6000 B.C. According to archaeologists world’s first known wine dates back to the South Caucasus. Georgians discovered that keeping grape juice buried in the ground for the winter can be turned into wine. The Discovery of Hajji Firuz Tepe wine jar in modern-day Iran is also one of the oldest pieces of archaeological evidence of winemaking. Carbon dating tells that it was from 6000 B.C. For about 5000 years , there was no documentation of winemaking, and the tradition of wine making was carried forward through families and generations. It was only until Christian monks started meticulously recording information about grape varietals, terroir, and growing methods. What is wine? What is it made from? To put it in simple words, wine is a spirit derived from the fermentation of grapes/grape juice and nothing else. There are numerous varieties of grapes available in the world. Some are grown exclusively in a particular region, and some are grown almost everywhere in the world. So don’t confuse yourself when you see names like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Riesling or such; these are not varieties of wine but varieties of grapes from which that wine is made. Wine is made from the juice derived from the pulp. Sometimes the skin of the grapes is used and sometimes immediately discarded after squeezing out the juice, depending on the kind of wine being made. Further details will be covered under types of wines. So wine can be defined as fermented grape juice spiked with self-produced natural alcohol! How many types of wines are there? Visiting an alcohol store, you must have at least once in your life wondered, looking at the wine racks as to how many types of wines are there and how is one wine different from the other. There are various categories under which we can classify wines- colour, variety of grapes, method of making, etc. For starters, we have five types of grapes that one should know about.

1. Red Wine: Red wine, as the name says, is red in colour. The shades range from deep red to plum and purple. Usually, the body of the wine defines its colour. Red wine is made only from purple grapes or commonly what we also call black grapes. The skin of the grapes is allowed to ferment with the juice to acquire the colour from the skin. The intensity of the colour depends on the variety of grape selected and the period for which the skin is allowed to stay with the juice. The famous variety of grapes used for red wines is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and more.
2. White Wine: White wine is actually not white but transparent with hues of yellow, green or golden. White wine focuses on acidity and the fresh flavours of white fruit nuances. This wine can be made from green or black grapes. In the latter variety of grapes, the skin is not allowed to stay with the expressed juice and is immediately removed before it loses its colour to the juice. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Chenin Blanc are the grapes known to produce white wines.
3. Rosé Wine: Rosé lands somewhere between the red and white. That doesn’t mean it is made by mixing the two. But it is made from black grapes, and the skin is allowed to stay with the juice for a limited time until it leaves a red or pink stain on the liquid. Rosé is a coloured wine like red wine but served chilled like white wine. So hope this one clears that a Rosé Wine is not a rose wine, unlike what most people think.
4. Sparkling Wine: Sparkling wines are associated with celebrations; popping a bottle of Champagne is almost like a tradition. The popularity of sparkling wine can be credited to Champagne, which is a white sparkling wine, and so most people think sparkling wine is always a white wine. But it can be red, white or rosé. The bubbles that form are not because of adding soda (some may think that). Instead, it comes from a second fermentation that captures the carbon dioxide bubbles under sustained pressure. Note: All Champagne are sparkling wine, but all sparkling wines are not Champagne. Champagne is just the place from where this wine hails.
5. Dessert Wine: If you think dessert wines are sweet, then yes, you are right! Such wines are purposely made sweet by partially fermenting the juice and not allowing the whole sugar to convert into alcohol. Sweet wine can be red, rose, or white and is served in a small-sized wine glass.

Benefits of drinking wine Wine enjoys a good rapport when it comes to health, and there are many benefits of drinking wine. Health practitioners and researchers recommend that a glass of wine a few times a week is good for health. But be aware that overdoing will always bring bad health. Addiction and over-drinking may be harmful and cloud the benefits of drinking wine. Interestingly, red wine likely has higher levels of antioxidants than white wine. Moderate intake of wine now and then may lower bad cholesterol, helps keep the heart in good health, and may promote regulation of blood sugar. Some may even say that wine helps treat the common cold and keep memory sharp. Wine is rich in antioxidants which serve as a health-promoting agent and act against harmful inflammation. It contains fewer calories, so it doesn’t show on your waist. According to wine trivia, white wine is known to be less calorie-loaded than red wine. Whereas red wine is likely to have higher levels of antioxidants than white wine. How to drink wine? Even if one has fundamental knowledge of wine, one may still feel intimidated at the thought of having wine in public. The selection of glass, the ways to smell and taste the wine, the style of holding the goblet, all these questions may perplex you. Here are a few simple ways to handle these questions.

• Different red wines may be served in different kinds of glasses. Usually, it is poured into bigger bulb goblets so that it can be swirled and get air to taste the way it should. White wines are served in smaller bowl glasses to secure the floral aroma.
• To drink red wine, fill half the glass. These are best served between 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Swirl the wine lightly to build up the aroma. Sniff the wine at the rim of the glass. Now take a small sip and flush it into your mouth to absorb the flavours from the taste and aroma. Now swallow it and feel the finish. In the case of white wine, it is always served chilled at a temperature ranging from 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit.  The way of drinking it is similar to red wine. Holding it correct, give it a swirl and hold up t light to admire the hue of the liquid. Now smell it at the rim and feel the aroma. You may find it challenging to identify at first, but with experience, you will surely learn your way. Take a sip, swish it, drink and enjoy.
• Wine glasses are always held with the stem of the glass. The style is to pinch the stem with your index finger and thumb; other fingers curl around the stem or rest on the base. You can hold it at the bottom of the bulb, middle of the stem or near the base. Just make sure you hold it firm enough and not drop the glass while swirling or not grab it too tight to break the stem.

If you are new to wine, Whiskypedia suggests not to get overwhelmed by the bulk information provided here. Wine can only be appreciated slowly, step by step, and so is the knowledge about it. If you are already enjoying wine in your life, I hope we were able to add some more information to your wine trivia.