All About Wine

Do you have little knowledge about wine but need to purchase your wine for your dinner?

Read this before you make a hasty decision to just simply grab any (wine) name you fancy! This is not a wine appreciation lesson so only the brief facts are summarised for your knowledge.

INTRODUCTION

Red Wine
After red grapes are picked, they are placed into barrels to be marinated. This process results in absorption of pigments from the skin and forms the color of the wine. Colors can range from light red to purple depending on the duration the grapes were marinated and the color of the grape skin. Tannins are produced in the process and it results in the "dry" feeling in your mouth after you consume wine. This feeling is similar to how you feel after you drink tea.

White Wine
After grapes are picked, they are pressed immediately so the skin is removed from the juice. This limits contact with the grape skin and results in the eventual color of white wine.

TYPES OF RED WINE

• Barbera (Bar-ber-a)
  Beaujolais
  Cabernet Sauvignon (Ka-ber-nay So-vee-nyon)
  Merlot (Mer-lo)
  Pinot Noir (Pee-no Nwar)
  Sangiovese (San-gee-o-ve-zee)
  Shiraz (Shi-raz)
  Zinfandel (Zin-fan-del)

TYPES OF WHITE WINE

• Chardonnay (Shar-doe-nay)
  Gewürztraminer (Gah-vurtz-tra-meener)
  Muscat (Moos-cat)
  Riesling (Rees-ling)
  Sauvignon blanc (So-vee-nyon Blah)

CHOOSING AND TASTING WINE

1) Appearance

Color: Color of red wines fades with time while white wines gain color. Examine the wine against a white background to have a better view

Viscosity: The slower the wine runs down the sides of the glass when it is swirled, the denser the flavor. It also means the alcohol content is likely to be higher.

2) Smell

Swirling the wine release aroma. Swirl before you have a whiff of it.

3) Taste

Wine should only be filled up to one third of the glass so it can be properly swirled before consumption. Swirl the wine in your mouth before you swallow to feel a taste of the wine.

4) Aftertaste

A long pleasant aftertaste is a sign of quality.

WINE STORAGE

The optimal temperature for storing wine is between 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. Increases in temperature results in chemical reactions and could damage the quality and affect the flavor of the wine.

Wine should be stored horizontally so the cork is always moist. This minimizes the cork from cracking and prevents air from entering the bottle and affects the quality of the wine.

Some tips

- Do note that the most expensive wine is not necessary the best wine for your wedding.

- Take note of the menu of your banquet. Asian cuisine is generally lighter and does not go with heavy red wine. White wine is recommended for Chinese food or seafood because it cleans the mouth and prepare you for the next taste.

- You should always taste wine before you purchase any. If in doubt, always check with the wine supplier for the popular and affordable choices.

- If you want to control alcohol flow during your banquet, advise the banquet manager that you will serve alcohol only when the dinner commences.

- A comfortable gauge will be to order 1.5 bottles of wine per table. But it depends on your crowd as well. Are they heavy drinkers? Do they prefer wine or beer?

- Wholesalers usually allow you to buy wine on consignment. You can order more and only pay for the number of bottles that was used during your banquet.

- Some hotels provide complimentary wines.