Wine 101

Most wine courses start by giving the student information about the history of wine. Not me. I love wine's history, especially back in the Greek and Roman time (read Hugh Johnson's, "Story of Wine") but my goal is to help you remove your WIF (Wine Intimidation Factor) and knowing wine's history just isn't the place to start. We are going to start at the very beginning, but not with history--with basics...the difference between white and red wine. All of you oenophiles (impressive word for people who love and know a bit about wine), don't laugh. The difference between the two is not as simple as it sounds. And, for you outright wine snobs, here's a question for you, "Is the grape varietal Corvina Veronese white or red?" I was going to ask you about Aglianico, but my husband told me to be nice. The answer is at the bottom of this article.

White grape varietals make white wines. White wines, for the most part, will always be more crisp and refreshing than reds as the acid in white wines is more expressive. Exceptions would be barrel aged Chardonnays and to some extent barrel aged Sauvignon Blancs and Sémillon. Because of their acid, some white wines prick your taste buds and provide "zing" such as Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Grigios, Gruner Veltliners, dry Rieslings and Viogniers. Slightly sweet white wines such as Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminers, and some Rieslings still provide your mouth with acidic interest but also give a smooth, sweet taste as well.

It would stand to reason that red grapes make red wines. Yes, they do, but they also make some of the most popular white wines. Have you had a white zinfandel recently? The grape, Zinfandel, comes in only one color, red. The wine is considered white (or pink) but not red. What gives? The winemaker, actually. He gives the juice of the red grape (which is the same colorless color as the juice directly from a white grape) far less time with the grape skins when making white zinfandel than if he were making red zinfandel. With red wines, the pigment in the grape skin adds color to the wine, thus, the wine becomes red. The grape skins don't just add color though; they along with the grape seeds (pips) and sometimes the stems add flavor and structure to the wine in the form of tannins.

Which brings me to the most important question...which will you enjoy tonight? A glass of white wine or red? If you're choosing a white, try an Albariño from Spain--refreshing and lively and extremely affordable!

Desiring more umph in your wine? Try a red Zinfandel from the Amador region in California! Expect spice, pepper and jammy fruit!

Answer: Corvina Veronese is a red grape varietal from Italy originally cultivated by the Romans. It is said to have been the favorite wine of Caesar Augustus.

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To the wine...

Twisted River Petite Sirah (correct spelling from label)

After I tasted it, I asked Hugh to describe what he tasted in the wine to me.  His response was, "soft tannins, big-blackberry flavors, forward fruit with spice and a small chew through the center".  I agree with most of his comments, however, what I liked most about the wine was that even though it had ripe, forward fruit, I wouldn't consider it a "fruit bomb."  Personally, I don't like fruit bombs.  If I want pure fruit, I prefer to eat it in a grape, peach, pear, apple, etc.  I like my wines to have some substance and this one did.  But not too much substance...I don't like hot, ripe wines (kind of already said that...).  The alcohol in this wine is only 14.5 percent.  Twenty-years ago, when I first started writing about wine, if I had to qualify wine alcohol with "only" before 14.5%, people would have gasped.  In other words, in our day and age, 14.5% is low.  And, I LIKE MY WINE ALCOHOLS LOW.  I want my wines to go with food not over power them.  Frankly, I liked this wine.

Local places you can find it:

Ruth Chris

Roxie's

L Bar

The Lounge On 20^th

Piatti's (on Douglas, Roseville)

California Café

Riverside

Biba's

and soon, WineStyles in Granite Bay.  By the way, if you haven't been in there yet, stop by.  You get personal service and great wines.  Ask to see the wines in the cellar!