Wine! The first thing that comes to my mind is a room full of gentlemen and ladies, dressed impeccably, in a ball-room like set up. Men in their sharp tuxedos and women in their elegant gowns, with Chardonnay pouring in those sleek, tall wine glasses.
C'mon! We are mainstreaming wine and that too in style.
You might have seen in few movies, the swirling of wine in glass, sniffing of the aroma and sipping that rich goodness. Looks very dreamy and frankly I can’t connect with it (just to be clear I do prefer certain liquids ;) because it looks like a lot of work to do.
But medical findings have a different story to tell. Drinking wine suggests may promote a longer lifespan, protect against certain cancers, improve mental health, and provide benefits to the heart.
That’s lot of goodness in one drink.
The modern Indians have embraced wine as a part of their urban lifestyle.
Relatively small, but Indian wine industry is gaining foothold in the regions like Maharashtra, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka and Kashmir.
India's wine market is currently equivalent to around 200 people sharing one bottle, but it is likely to grow at projected 22% in next three years due to the rise in domestic consumption.
Contrary to popular belief that imported wines are mainly consumed, most of them are locally produced, accounting for 75 per cent of the total volume. Indian wine industry is taking its sweet time to grow.
So what are we waiting for, let us get started. This is a quick guide to know about the basics of this classy beverage.
As a beginner, there are 4 main components of wine which you must weigh, while tasting them.
WINE PROFILE
Fruit
The amount of residual sugar decides sweetness in wine. By residual sugar we mean, the sweetness after the fermentation stops, or is stopped. Normal table sugar can be added to the wine.
How sweet a wine will taste is also controlled by factors such as the acidity and alcohol levels, the amount of tannin present, and whether the wine is sparkling or not.
A sweet wine such as a Vouvray can actually taste dry due to the high level of acidity. A dry wine can taste sweet if the alcohol level is elevated.
Medium and sweet wines have a perception among many consumers of being of lower quality than dry wines.
However, many of the world's great wines, such as those from Sauternes or Tokaj, have a high level of residual sugar, which is carefully balanced with additional acidity to produce a harmonious result.
Body
When parched, how does the water feel in your mouth? I’m sure it must be the best taste. Similarly, when talking about wines, one of the main components is its body.
Wine body can be divided into three kinds; light body, medium body and full body.
So here is the real deal. The alcohol is the deciding factor of a wine’s body. Viscosity, is the right term to describe the heavy mouthfeel when we consume alcohol.
Wines Under 12.5% alcohol are said to light-bodied. These are generally the white wines, we think of as crisp and refreshing. Good examples of these wines are Riesling, Italian Prosecco and Vinho Verde.
Wines between 12.5% and 13.5% are considered medium-bodied. Good examples of these wines are Rose, French Burgundy, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc.
And lastly any wine over 13.5% alcohol is considered full-bodied. Some wines that are normally over this alcohol level are Zinfandel, Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot and Malbec.
While the majority of wines over 13.5% alcohol are usually red, Chardonnay is a great example of a white that often can also be considered full-bodied.
Acidity
Acids in wine gives it the tart and sour taste. Fundamentally speaking, all wines lie on the acidic side of the pH spectrum and most range from 2.5 to about 4.5 pH (7 is neutral). There are several different types of acids found in wine which will affect how acidic a wine tastes. The most prevalent acids found in wine are tartaric acid, malic acid, and citric acid.
The topic of acidity in wine can go quite deep. For example, the type of acid present in a wine can also affect our perception of sourness. A great example of this is the difference between unoaked vs oaked Chardonnay.
Imagine drinking nimbu paani and how your palette tingles and a puckering sensation takes hold of you. Now the degree of acidic pungency depends on your palette.
Total acidity implies the concentration of acids present in wine, whereas the pH level tells us how intense those acids taste. For example; if you have a wine with 6 g/l total acidity and a pH of 3.2 it will taste more acidic, than a wine with 4 g/l total acidity with the same pH level.
Tannin
Tannin is the texture of the wine which gives it the dry taste. Tannin adds bitterness, astringency and complexity to wines.
Normally found in red wines, white ones do acquire tannin quality, if aged in wooden barrels, like oak.
An apt example of a tannin food would be the unsweetened black tea, which has the most concentrated levels of tannin. Even, walnuts, almonds with their skin, pomegranates, cinnamon clove and other spices, have that peculiar tannin taste.
So you see, we Indians are already familiar with these shades of taste. We are born to sip wine just before our Sunday siesta.
Know more about the common types of wine and show off your knowledge in the next party.
New year is all about exploring new stuff. So go ahead and take that sip from the glass. You don’t have to be a Page 3 celebrity to drink wine. You can do that lying back on your rocking chair, with a book to read and a cuddly pet by your side, after a hard day’s work!
Just remember, not to drink and drive! Be happy and safe :)