Excellent Wine and Wine Service Can Do Wonders For Your Restaurant.
Not only does excellent Wine and Wine Service add class and
sophistication to a restaurant, but it also adds to the food experience,
increases the bottom line, etc., etc., etc.
Below is a great article from a Wine expert, Jennie Willis.
[The Basic Wine Essentials]
This article is almost a crash course for the Wine beginner, and
actually a great, quick education for waitstaff, especially the
White and Red varietal characteristics.
Read more of these great articles at:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html
***************************************************************
The Basic Wine Essentials
Whether you are serving it to your guests while entertaining, using
it to create luscious dishes, or simply enjoying its' company,
whatever the occasion, this libation reigns the kingdom of fine
indulgence and has been doing so for centuries. The conception of
wine has been dated as far back as 8000-4000BC in Mesopotamia.
Having thousands of years to further perfect the wine making
process, this sexy beverage is a palate pleaser like no other
providing a continuous adventure for pleasure seekers in this arena
where no bottle is quite like the other. Each and every wine has
its' tale to tell, so indulge and listen carefully, for this
libation is quite capable of taking you to places you have most
likely never been before!
Wine is an enormous subject that is constantly evolving which can
often lead to intimidation. Where do you begin? The important thing
is that you do! The enormity of wine is not justification for not
trying any, but it is reason to be shy about it. So let's get down
to the basics and get you on your way to a life happily filled with
wine!
Creation
Wine is created through the fermentation process of crushed grapes.
Grapes are pressed to release their juices which are combined with
yeast to initiate the fermentation process. This process converts
sugar into alcohol and concludes once the alcohol reaches such a
level as to kill the remaining yeast. This yeast is naturally
occurring in the skin of grapes but is rarely used in today's wine
making process as isolated yeast strains now exist that can not
only act as a fermentation catalyst but contribute a unique style
to the wine as well.
What's in a name?
Every wine is derived from either a single grape or from several.
These grapes are also referred to as "varietals". Each varietal has
a unique name which in turn represents certain characteristics. A
wine characteristic refers to anything that reflects a resemblance
to a scent, taste, or flavor and also includes mouth feel such as
the weight of the wine when on the palate. Let's use the chardonnay
grape as an example. Chardonnay classically presents
characteristics of citrus, pear, and pineapple to fig, honey,
vanilla and butter. This wine can also be characterized as being
full and rich, or simple and crisp. This variance in
characteristics is what makes wine so mind-blowing and
mind-boggling!
There are several factors that contribute to the final result of a
wine. Geographic location of where the vines are planted, the
weather of that region, the vines themselves, soil conditions and
of course the actual wine making process. With all of these factors
considered it is understandable why someone who may enjoy one
chardonnay, may not enjoy the next. All the more reason to not give
up and keep on trying!!
All varietals exude certain characteristics which can aid in
determining one wine from another. This differentiation also
contributes to your own approval and disapproval of certain wines.
Some are light bodied and fruity, others are full bodied and
earthy, whatever your style, there is bound to be a grape varietal
that will satisfy.
Our chart below is an excellent tool to use when purchasing and/or
tasting wine. The left column represents several popular wine
varietals while the right column displays typical characteristics
of that particular varietal.
White Varietal Characteristics
Riesling-Light; Sweet/dry. Tangy, fruity. Citrus, apple, pear,
melon, nectarine, peach, apricot. Gewurztraminer-Light; Sweet, dry.
Grapefruit, lychee, apple, nectarine, nutmeg, clove, ginger, spice,
floral. Semillon-Med-Full; Often rich. Lemon, lime, honey, butter.
Chenin Blanc-Light; Off dry. Peach, pear, quince, melon, herbal
tea, mineral. Viognier-Light-med; Floral, honey, apricots, pear.
Sauvignon Blanc-Light-Med; Citrus, gooseberry, lemon, melon,
herbal, bell pepper, grassy. Pinot Blanc-Light-Med; Dry, crisp.
Citrus, apple, pear, melon, sweet pea. Pinot Gris/Grigio-Light;
Fruitier and soft. Citrus, apple, pear, peach, melon, honey,
vanilla. Grigio; Crisper, more citrusy. Chardonnay-Med-full; Dry,
rich. Citrus, apple, tropical fruit, fig, honey, hazelnut,
butterscotch, butter, popcorn.
Red Varietal Characteristics
Gamay-Light; Tangy, fruity, cranberry. Pinot Noir-Light-Med;
Cherry, strawberry, clove, mint, truffle, cloves, smoke, sage.
Sangiovese-Med; Sweet and sour, dark cherry, tobacco, earthy,
almond, herbs, tea. Barbera-Med-Full; Ripe red fruit, currant,
cherry, herbal. Cabernet Franc-Med; Dry, berry, fruity, herbal,
smoky. Grenache-Med; Black fruit, anise, smoky, herbal. Cabernet
Sauvignon-Med-Full; Cherry, plum, currant, pepper, bell pepper,
cedar, vanilla, mint, chocolate, tea, tobacco. Shiraz/Syrah-Full;
Raspberry, spice, black pepper, blackberry, plum, tar.
Zinfandel-Full; Juicy, robust, jammy, berry flavors, spices.
Red vs. White
So what's the deal with color? We all know wine to be red, white,
and rose, or blush as some call it, but the juice is really all the
same! Have you ever looked at the flesh of a red grape before? It
is the same as a green grape, therefore if wine exists in a variety
of hues then the color must come from....of course, the skin! Often
white wine is made from red grapes, in fact, most great champagne
would not exist without, so don't be fooled, pink grapes do not
exist! Yes, red and white grapes appear the same in juice form but
when their skin is added to the wine making picture a whole other
story begins!
The many gorgeous hues of red evident in red wine is a result of
allowing red grapes to ferment with their skins, however color is
not the only thing affected by the skin of a grape. I am sure you
have tasted a wine, a red wine in particular that makes your mouth
pucker; an astringent sensation on the palate if you will. What you
experienced is known as "tannin".
Tannin is a natural substance found in the skins, stems, and seeds
of grapes. You can experience this sensation in young whites
however it is more commonly found in red wines. Allowing the juice
to ferment with skins will in turn generate a higher level of
tannin to exist in the resulting wine. It is no secret that many
people have a preference for either white or red wine. A very
tannic wine is often a reason for dislike especially if you are new
to wine. There are several varieties associated with being quite
tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Petite Syrah,
Zinfandel, are to name a few however in the game of wine you will
not know until you try!
Every wine will possess its own unique color. A wine's color can
reveal its story, and to experienced blind tasters, provide
necessary clues in pinpointing a correct assumption. Each grape
variety generally exudes a certain range of hues however age and
wood barrel aging will also have an affect on color. So evidently
there is much more to color than just red and white!
Wine is an endless educational journey even for those most
experienced in this subject so it is vital to explore and try new
and exciting wines as often as your time allows!
So get out there, get tasting, and have fun!
Jennie Wills has been a hospitality expert for 10 years leading to
the successful launch of www.thesexykitchen.com.
END
************************************************************
Read more of these great articles at:
http://topserveconsulting.com/articles.html
Please note: Most of the Google links on the sides of the articles
will bring you to websites related to the theme of that article.
Best Regards,
Richard Saporito, CEO
Topserve Restaurant Consulting
www.topserveconsulting.com
(888)276-4808
.
Topserve Consulting, 147- 45 Beech Ave., Flushing, NY 11355, USA
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LJzsHAyctCxMbIxMzCxMtGa0zEzMDKyM7A==
No comments:
Post a Comment