What is Wine? || History, Basics, Explanation || Wine Basics

What is Wine?

Tacuina sanitatis (XIV century) 9-autunno

Wine is an alcoholic beverage made with the fermented juice of grapes.

Any fruit, including apples, cranberries, plums, and others, can technically be used to make wine; but, if the product simply has the word "wine" on the label, it is created from grapes.

Wine Origin

Archaeological evidence for wine may date the beverage back more than 7.5 thousand years. Any grape juice that has spontaneously fermented is wine. Representations of wine pressers from the Udimu region of Egypt, some 5000 years ago, provide the earliest evidence of international winemaking. The majority of researchers believe that southern Caucasia is where winemaking was discovered or developed. This region encompasses portions of Georgia, Azerbaijan, northern Iraq, and northwest Turkey.

Vitis vinifera, the wine grape, is grown nearby. The natural distribution of V. vinifera is closest to the likely locations of western agricultural regions along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in this area. The wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is not a significant, original component of the grape flora, despite the fact that grapes easily ferment into wine. The bark and sap exudates of oak trees could be this strain's natural habitat. The climbing habit of grapevines is advantageous for the combined harvesting of grapes and acorns, and it may promote the S. Cerevisiae inoculation of grapes and grape juice. Winemaking's discovery and subsequent development may have been influenced by the coincidental distribution of S. Cerevisiae and Vitis vinifera progenitors and the northern spread of agriculture into Anatolia and neighbouring regions. The fact that the majority of popular yeast-fermented foods and drinks (such as beer, wine, mead, bread, etc.) originated in the East may not be a coincidence.

The hypothesis of the near eastern origin and spread of winemaking is supported by the remarkable similarities between the words meaning wine in the most Indo-European languages suggesting common cultural heritage.

As compared to the major cereal crops grown in the near east (barley and wheat), cultivated grapes develop a large yeast population by maturity, though wine yeast is rarely one of them. After being left undisturbed for a few days, grape cells start to self-ferment when their oxygen supply runs out. The juice from the fruit is quickly colonised by the yeast flora when the berries burst (crushed). These proceed with the process of turning fruit sugar into ethanol, or alcohol. Before all sugars are turned into alcohol, the fermentation usually stops unless wine yeast is present to carry on. In contrast, the juice's sugar content can be fully fermented by the native yeast population.

The fermentation of the juice into wine is facilitated if the fruit is crushed first. Crushing releases and mixes the juice with yeast on the grape skins and associated equipment. Yeast fermentation is more rapid in contact with oxygen and continued exposure of air favours the growth of bacteria which can turn wine into vinegar.

Many of all the fruits that ancient people collected, only grapes store carbohydrates primarily as soluble sugars. Therefore, the primary nutritional source found in grapes is one that wine yeast can easily metabolise. The majority of other meaty fruits store carbohydrates as pectin and starch, which wine yeast does not ferment. Wine yeast creates environments that effectively grant them exclusive access to the nutrients found in grapes.

The acids that grapes contain are another special quality. Tartaric acid is the primary acid present in fully grown grapes. This acid is rarely, if ever, found in fruit and is usually only found in trace amounts in the vegetative sections of other plants. Few bacteria are able to metabolise tartaric acid, so most bacteria and fungi cannot grow as much in fermented grape juice (wine). Acidity gives the wine a new lease on life. Most potential wine spoiling organisms are suppressed in their growth and metabolism by the combined effects of acidity and ethanol accumulation.

Unlike many crop plants, the grapevine has required little modification to adapt it to cultivation. Its minerals and water requirements are low, permitting it to flourish on soil and hill sites i.e. unsuitable for other plants or food crops. It has ability to climbing as it is a type of creeper. In addition, its immense regenerative potential has allowed it to intense pruning and it is favourable for monoculture. The regenerative powers and woody structure of vine also have permitted it to withstand considerable winterkill and still produce commercially acceptable yields in cool climates. This favours the spread into central Europe and subsequent selections of grapevines.

Wine Quality

Wine quality perception is influenced by an individual's genetic composition and is subject to change with experience. That being said, there are aspects of quality that are roughly measurable. Odours that are unpleasant are typically simpler to detect and manage as negative quality factors. Positive quality factors are more difficult to find.

There are many different ways to define what makes a wine quality. It can be judged according to consumer acceptance, expert ranking, stylistic purity, ageing potential, subtlety and complexity, or varietal expression. Everyone has its own rationale and constraints. However, the opinions of experts—whether self-described or assembled from panels of skilled tasters—have had the biggest impact on winemakers. Although sales of premium wine make up a very small portion of global wine production, they have had a significant impact on the direction of viticulture and enology research. As a result, wine quality has significantly improved in the latter half of the 20th century. It has affected everything from bulk wine production to that. Additionally, it has allowed people who otherwise would not have been able to afford premium wine to have access to fine wine.

Understanding a wine's origins, whether geographical or varietal, is not always important to casual wine drinkers. Availability, cost, and prior experience are typically the most important considerations when choosing a wine. When it comes to consumption, pleasure is typically evaluated using highly personalised, subjective standards. On the other hand, wine connoisseurs' purchases and likely evaluation of a wine are greatly influenced by the wine's reputation and place of origin. For the connoisseur, perceived quality can be greatly influenced by whether and to what extent a wine lives up to expectations. The majority of appellation control laws' quality concepts are rooted in historical or traditional expectations.

Premium wine aesthetics are highly prized and have traits in common with other artistic interests. It includes components such as harmony, balance, symmetry, length, development, subtlety, interest, and originality. Because of the differences in human perception, it is difficult to define these terms precisely. Harmony and balance in wine refer to a seamless flavour and mouthfeel without interruptions. Taste and fragrance compatibility is related to symmetry. Development is the term used to describe changes in scent and intensity after pouring, preserving interest when pleasurable. The length of the aroma is essential to the way wine is perceived visually. Fragrance and flavour subtlety and complexity are highly valued, impacting memory and overall wine quality.

Wine Classification

There isn't a widely used classification scheme for wines. They can be categorised according to factors like sweetness, grape variety, colour, carbon dioxide or alcohol content, fermentation or maturation processes, or place of origin. Wines are commonly classified into three categories for taxation purposes: still wines, sparkling wines, and fortified wines, with the latter two usually subject to a higher tax rate. This division acknowledges notable variations in both production and use.

Wines are frequently separated based on their place of origin. This is linked to the custom of using specific grape cultivars and related grape-growing and winemaking methods in many European nations. While wines in the New World are categorised similarly, very few areas are consistently linked to specific styles. While much of the New World has long used European regional names, like Chablis and Burgundy, the more appropriate use of brand-name or grape-varietal designations is gradually replacing this practise.

The arrangement here is based mainly on style differences because geographic wine classifications often give the consumer useful information on the sensory characteristics of the wine. The original classification of wines is based on their alcohol content. The terms "table" (alcohol contents ranging from 9 to 14% by volume) and "fortified" (alcohol contents ranging from 17 to 22% by volume) typically indicate this. Table wines are classified as "still" or "sparkling" based on the amount of carbon dioxide in the wine.

Fundamentally, wine is more than just a drink made from grapes that have undergone fermentation. It is the product of centuries of skillful craftsmanship, human inventiveness, and the abundance of nature. It's a concoction that captures the spirit of a place, its soil, climate, and the deft touch of winemakers, transcending both space and time. Wine is more than just a beverage; it's a cultural artefact, a gathering place, and an experience that appeals to the senses of taste, smell, and emotion.