Wine Basics
Okay, now we’re ready to talk wine! This section is the meat of the ‘big picture,’ and provides tremendously useful information that applies to the entire wine category. Explore what wine really is and how fermentation works. Discover the winemaking process and how tweaking the steps will result in different wine styles, like red, white and sparkling. Learn about the factors that change wine flavor, from grape variety to geography, from the use of oak barrels to the influence of history and culture. This is the place to get a grip on how the wine world works!
- What is Wine? (pdf) – Wine is fermented grape juice, and understanding fermentation is one of the keys to understanding wine.
- Alcoholic Beverages & Wine Types (pdf) – All beverage alcohol is produced through fermentation. A look at how wine, beer & spirits are related.
- White Wine vs. Red Wine (pdf) – This may sound obvious, but the difference between white and red wines runs more than ‘skin deep.’
- Wine’s Flavor Factors (pdf) – No two wines are exactly alike. While the myriad reasons for this can seem overwhelming, they can be grouped into 3 main categories that make their differences easier to understand.
- ‘Old World’ & ‘New World’ Wine Styles (pdf) – These colonial-era terms may sound quaint, but they remain relevant in the wine business, and can help predict a wine’s style before you open the bottle.
- Why Oak Barrels? (pdf) – While other industries have moved to other materials, wooden barrels are still used in winemaking for a number of reasons.