DID YOU KNOW THAT:

European wines are named for the region where they come from and the names are Capitalized. (i.e. Champagne - comes from the champagne region of France.) The rest of the world names their wines for the grape that the wine is made from and the name is in lower- cased letters. (i.e. chardonnay grape). The exception to this rule is that wine named after people is Capitalized. (i.e. Cuvee William Deutz – a Champagne named for the founder of the house Deutz.

2. When serving cheap or inexpensive wines, keeping it cold and serving it with cheese will help mask the taste of the wine.

3. The components of wine: A wine grape is 75% pulp, 20% skin and 5% seeds. The pulp is the soft juicy center that is mostly water and sugar and a small amount of acid, minerals, pectin and a trace amount of vitamins. The sugar, when yeast is added to the pulp, turns into alcohol. The skin and seeds make the tannin. The aroma, flavor and color of the wine comes from the skin. A good wine will have an excellent balance of all components.

4. The riper the grape, the more sugar is present and the higher the alcohol content is present in the wine.

5. A high alcohol content will taste sweet and produce either a full round and supple taste or a thick and chewy taste. It may also produce a burning sensation in the nose and throat. In this case, adding a high level of acidity will balance the wine.

6. As grapes ripen, the acidity lessens. The trick to making a good wine, is knowing when to harvest the grape at the right balance of alcohol and acidity for the type of wine you are trying to produce.

7. A dry wine with not enough acidity will have a dull and flat taste.

8. A sweet wine with not enough acidity will have a flabby taste.