Turn Juice into Wine winemaking ebook.

We’ll start this article by asking these two questions: “Why is wine so confusing?” and “Does selecting a wine intimidate you?” If your answer to the second question is yes, then you are not alone!

Most people have been to a liquor store or a restaurant and been absolutely overwhelmed and intimidated by the sheer variety and number of selections offered. The variety of choices among wine varieties, brands, labels, and prices seem almost infinite.

Herein lies the problem: There are just too many choices.

So what is the solution to too many choices?

Well, the answer in a few words is: Discover your own preference for wine taste.

Many people know when they like a wine. But the difficult part is understanding why. What do you like about it, and how do you describe what it is that you like about that wine? Is it light or full bodied? Is it tannic or not? What are tannins anyway? Is it fruity or sweet? Do fruity and sweet mean the same thing? And, if you try and like a Shiraz, does that mean you will like all Shiraz?

Guide - No Oak vs Heavy Oak: Wines might be stored in oak barrels, usually to impart extra and more complex flavours. French, American and German oak barrels are widely used in Australia.

All these questions can be answered by tasting wines, and then tasting more wine! Yet tasting is not enough as you must pay attention to what you are tasting. In my opinion, it is a good idea to learn with comparative tastings. Take for example the Chardonnay grape. It is grown in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria and also in Margaret River, Western Australia. Tasted side-by-side, you may first think that both Chardonnay’s have little in common, yet they are both made from Chardonnay grapes.

When you taste a wine of the same variety side-by-side, you can easily begin to learn the differences between a full bodied and a light bodied wine; and a low tannin wine and a high tannin wine, etc.

Tips on how to choose a wine that is right for you

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Step 1: Decide if you want a white wine or red wine
Decide whether you want a white wine, red wine, sparkling wine, dessert wine or fortified wine. This will narrow down your choices and give you some direction.

Step 2: Decide on your preferences for wine taste
Have a think about your own preferences for the taste of a wine. (Tip: Use your knowledge from your comparative wine tastings to help you.)

As a minimum, decide whether you prefer a dry or sweet wine. (Dry is the term used to describe the absence of sweetness in a wine.)

If you know your preferences for other wine characteristics, then it will also be a good idea to decide on these. If you don’t know your preferences then I have included a short description here to help you in your comparative wine tastings.

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1. Low Tannins vs High Tannins: Tannins are a vital ingredient in wines, especially red wines. It comes from the stalks, skins and pips of grapes. Tannins in a young wine produce a bitter, puckering taste on the palate.

2. Short Palate vs Long Palate: The “length” of a wine is the amount of time the sensations of taste and aroma persist after swallowing. Usually, the longer the better.

3. Low Acid vs High Acid: Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine’s longevity and also to your enjoyment. Too little can affect the wine’s quality and too much can spoil the wine. A higher acidity makes the wine more tart and sour tasting; whereas a low acidity results in flat tasting wine that is more susceptible to spoilage.

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Acidity is that quality that makes your mouth water and your lips pucker, and without it, wines (and anything for that matter!) taste pretty flat and one dimensional. However, when acidity is present in the right quantities, it is the element that makes all of the other flavours in the wine stand out, including the undertones of fruit, spice and herbs. The flavour in wine that you would describe as tangy, sharp, refreshing, bracing, bright, crisp or zingy is the acidity.

4. Light Bodied vs Full Bodied: To get a picture of the differences between a light-bodied wine and a full-bodied wine think about milk as an analogy. Light-bodied is analogous to skim milk and full-bodied wine analogous to full-cream milk, and the variations in the “body” of wne are like varying levels of fat-content in milk.

What makes it even easier, is that a wine’s body is directly proportional to its alcohol content. On every wine label you’ll notice a percentage of alcohol by volume. Note how it applies to body:

* 7.5% - 10.5% indicates light body

* 10.5% - 12.5% indicates medium body

* 12.5% and over indicates full body

5. No Oak vs Heavy Oak: Wines might be stored in oak barrels, usually to impart extra and more complex flavours. French, American and German oak barrels are widely used in Australia. Oaky describes the aroma or taste quality imparted to a wine by the oak barrels in which it was aged. The terms toasty, vanilla, dill, cedary and smoky indicate the desirable qualities of oak; charred, burnt, green cedar, lumber and plywood describe its unpleasant side.

Step 3: Buy wine that is well looked after, like at the cellar door
It is important to purchase wine from liquor outlets that take proper care of their wine, e.g. buying direct from the winery’s cellar door is a good option. Extreme heat or cold, direct sunlight, and dramatic temperature fluctuations are not good for wine. Also, before you buy, make sure the wine is filled up to the neck of the bottle, the cork is not pushing out of the bottle, and there are no signs of leakage.

Guide - Smell � This step is critical in tasting wine as our sense of taste is good, however our sense of smell is much better, in fact on average a person can smell over 2000 various scents! What we smell also affects what we taste so it is important to take the time to smell the wine before you taste. You will begin to notice many different scents that may be hard to differentiate at first.

Step 4: Enjoy exploring the variety and diversity of Australian wine
There are lots of good reasons to explore all of the wines that Australia has to offer in all its diversity. Don’t just stick to the well-known varieties like Chardonnay or Shiraz - experiment with other whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer or reds like Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. Also, try examples of a particular variety from different wine regions to understand how regional conditions affect the wine’s character. Expose yourself to every type of wine. The more you taste the more you will understand and the easier wine selection will become.

Step 5: Buy by the case
When you find a wine you really like, consider buying wine by the case (12 bottles). Most wineries will offer you a 10% or 15% wine discount when you purchase a case of wine or more.

Step 6: Only rely on your own taste buds
The ultimate goal of wine buying is to buy wines that taste good to you. Just because a merchant, friend or wine writer says a wine is good doesn’t mean you’ll like it. Conversely, don’t shy away from a wine because someone else says that it is no good. The only judge of good taste in wine is you.

Guide - Once you’re prepared to begin your wine tour, the place to begin is the Yarra Valley, a prime wine-growing district that began making wine in the late 19th century. Its cool climate and rich soil are ideal for producing dry red wine, chardonnays and pinot noirs.

And herein lies one of the biggest benefits of so much choice: you are sure to find wines that are perfect for your own unique taste buds. All you need is just a little knowledge as described above and the willingness to explore. If you are interested in comparative wine tasting, www.boutiquewineries.com.au may be a good place to get started.

And most importantly, be open to the possibilities and then, make note of them and learn from them.

Article by Jodie Smith of Boutique Wineries a leading online cellar door offering uniquely different wines from over 120 boutique wineries. It makes finding the hard to get wines of Australia’s small wineries easy.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to forward it to others, make it available from your site or post it on forums for others to read. Just make sure that this paragraph and URL are included. For more information, tips and articles on wine, Australian boutique wine reviews and wine ratings, visit The Wine-Tasting Secrets Newsletter at Online Boutique Wine Shopping in Australia.

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Guide - If you have not experienced a California wine tour to the Livermore Valley, their wineries are sure to please you with the quality and variety of their wines. This area has a pleasing mixture of large and small wineries waiting for you to explore.

Most people love to throw dinner parties for their friends and family. But, they may avoid serving wine because they do not know exactly what to serve. Do you serve red or white with fish? Will Merlot be okay if you are serving a Mexican dish? Do not stress over it - there are some basic wine rules you can follow.

The number one rule of thumb when choosing wine is “red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat.” This is not always true, but it generally works quite well when you are unsure. One exception is chicken. The meat is white, but a nice fruity red wine goes well with it. The same can be said for tuna or salmon, so you do not have to always follow the rule of not serving red wine with fish. The second rule is the rule of complements. It is okay to match sweet seafood such as lobster with a sweet white wine. The next rule is the opposites attract. While you usually want to match like flavors, sometimes a contrast, such as a White Bordeaux with bluefish can be wonderful.

Guide - Low Tannins vs High Tannins: Tannins are a vital ingredient in wines, especially red wines. It comes from the stalks, skins and pips of grapes.

Outside of the basic rules, there are certain things you can look for and certain things you can avoid depending on what you are serving. Here are some hints as to what to serve with particular types of food.

Salads and Appetizers

You should avoid serving wine during your salad, as vinegar and wine do not mix well. But, if you are having an appetizer, you need to consider the ingredients in the appetizer to help you choose your wine. If you are having a cheese tray, the type of cheese will help you determine the wine. For example, cheddar is best with dry reds, Merlots, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir goes best with Swiss. Camembert and brie are great with a Chardonnay. The cheese we tend to think of as Italian such as parmigiano, romano, and reggiano go well with Italian dry red wines like Chianti and Barlol. If you are serving something a fried appetizer, consider serving a crisp, fruity white or red wine to help cut the oily flavor.

Beef, Steak and Lamb

Do you remember the “red wine with red meat” rule? That one is great to use when serving beef, steak, and lamb. Choose a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or a burgundy like Pinot Noir. You can also consider serving an Italian red such as Barolo or Chianti.

Fish and Seafood

To be safe, stick with a dry, crisp white wine. Sauvignon Blanc goes well with white fish while Sancerre and Muscadet go well with oysters. If you want to be different, try a fruity red wine (without tannins). But, use caution when serving red, especially if you are serving white, delicate fish. Cabernets with tannins combined with fish can leave a metallic taste in your mouth.

Guide - The grapes which are utilized in wine production at these wineries can come from vineyards owned by the wineries themselves, or it can be made from grapes that are purchased and imported from other vineyards around the world. As wineries are becoming popular attractions for tourists, many different types of wine tours are now offered by many wineries around the world.

Poultry, Pork and Veal

For the most part, you want to follow the “white meat, white wine” rule with these. White chardonnays and Pinot Blancs are great. If you want to serve red with chicken, remember to choose a wine that is fruity like a Merlot or Zinfandel.

Tips and Secrets to Making Great Wine Learn how to make great-tasting, crystal-clear wine at home.

Turkey

Think back to Thanksgiving. Do you remember how well your cranberry sauce went with the turkey? The same rule applies here. For turkey, since it has both white and dark meat, you want something fruity and tart such as a Beaujolais for red or a Riesling for white.

Spicy Foods

If you are planning on service something spicy like Thai or Indian food, a sparkling wine works best. Avoid wines with tannins and look for something fruity. And, make sure the wine is well chilled. Cold wine goes well with spicy foods.

Dessert

The best thing to serve with a delicious dessert is a dessert wine. In fact, you can skip the dessert part and just serve a dessert wine to your guests. These are sweet wines often sold in smaller bottles as you don’t drink as much dessert wine as you do regular wine. Wines such as Sauternes, Beerenauslese, Bermet and Cammandaria will make a great end to any evening.

Guide - Travel agencies within France make avalable specialized wine tours, taking the tourists on a trip to a particular region or regions within France, wherein they can visit exotic vineyards. The agencies may even offer different kinds of wine tours.

The most important rule about what wine to serve is to avoid being snobby about wine. There are no right answers, only basic rules to go by and even those, as you have seen, can be changed. Do not be afraid to experiment with different tastes. Chances are if you do not act like there is anything wrong with the wine you are serving, your guests will not either.

Jason Connors is a wine lover providing valuable tips and advice on wine cellar design, wine making, and wine basics. Read his recent report on “What To Look For in a Wine Cooling System“.

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Guide - Decide beforehand if you will do wine tasting or not. Look - They say you can tell a lot about a wine just by the way it looks. Smell - Smell the wine. Taste. Finally, taste the wine.

Wine is great, made for centuries all over the world; from the days of the ancient Greeks up to the modern day; versions we now can buy in cardboard boxes to very shapely bottles, produced to sell what is inside.

However, making your own wine can be even more rewarding and very pleasurable, if it turns out the way it is supposed to.

The biggest secret to anything produced at home is sterilisation. There is absolutely no point in spending time and money producing something that could turn out tasting like vinegar, so everything must be sterile. Use hot water mixed with a sterilising agent, which can be purchased at any home brew shop.

So you will need a 150 litre drum with an airtight removable lid, those blue ones we see all over the place are ideal and not expensive. Sterilise and place in a nice cool, quiet section of your garage or house or shed and set it in place because once you start it will be to heavy to move.

Guide - Low Acid vs High Acid: Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to the wine’s longevity and also to your enjoyment. Too little can affect the wine’s quality and too much can spoil the wine.

Put 130 litres of grape juice, red or white, into the drum.

Add one heaped tablespoon of bakers’ yeast, put on the lid (but not tightly) or cover with muslin cloth or stockinet.

After 8 or 9 days measure the specific gravity, trying to get .98 or .99 if you can. You can purchase a hydrometer from any home brew shop for this purpose.

When the correct specific gravity has been achieved add one heaped tablespoon of Ssodium metabysulphide (a white powder which will make the mix go white and bubbly as it is killing the yeast).

Close the airtight lid tightly and leave for 4 days, meanwhile acquire 10 x 30 litre water drums and sterilise them. Then get ready 5 x 30 litre containers, sterilised and siphon off the brew or if a tap is installed in your drum even better.

Guide - If you have just spilled red wine, immediately pour white wine over a red wine stain. The white wine [white grape juice is fine too] dilutes the pigmentation from the red grape.

Leave to stand for 2 days, lids on tight at 75 to 79 degrees F. Get the other 5 x 30 litre drums ready.

Use filter pads, rags or cotton to siphon back into the other 5 clean 30 litre drums.

Do this at least 5 more times, until you can see that the wine is clear and by tasting, that the wine is ready.

Now this could be refined even further as long as the formula remains the same. For instance if your 150 litre drum has a tap then make sure it is high enough off the floor for movement of the smaller drums beneath the tap.

You could take it to the next step by gathering together a large collection of empty wine bottle that are not that hard to get, restaurants, hotels, clubs, just ask and you can usually receive because they are generally broken and recycled anyway so you are just adding your little bit to preserving the environment. This works, but I can not stress enough the importance of sterilisation for you to succeed.

If you feel that 130 litres to start off with is a bit daunting then you could scale it down making sure that whatever percentage you do go down to is correct in relation to the formula as a whole.

Guide - Touring options are virtually endless! Your winery tour can include a picnic to gourmet meals, and are very good for company picnics! Whether you have a small group of two, medium sized groups of less than 15, or a large group of 15 plus, a wine tour could be the perfect experience.

As the world wide prices for wine tends to climb and climb this is a great alternative and a lot of fun to do.

I wish you well in your endeavour.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Wine

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