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Wine and wine sales are very important to the hospitality and liquor industries. Restaurants,clubs, pubs,
hotels and function centres rely heavily on the responsible sale of wine to theircustomers.Although
certain establishments won't sell as much wine as beer or some RTD's (ready todrink alcohol) such as
Jim Beam & Cola in a can, there is usually more profit in a glass ofwine. This is the main reason why the
sale of wine is very important.
wine in Australia
important wine terms and information.
History of wine
'One barrel of wine can work more miracles than a church full of saints.'
Italian proverbWine has been around for thousands of years; and grapes even longer. The
earliestscientific evidence of grapes are fossil vines, which are 60millionyearsold.While archaeologists
suggest that the earliest wine production occurred in Georgia (EasternEurope) around 7,000 BC, the
earliest evidence of grape crushing and production can betraced back to Northern Greece around 6,500
years ago. Other regions that enjoyed winewere Greater Iran (4,500 BC) and Armenia (4,100 BC).In
Egypt, wine became part of recorded history and played an important role in ceremoniallife. However, it
wasn't until the time of the Phoenicians and Romans that winemaking reallytook off. Grape plantations
were established and winemaking methods improved, with theintroduction of wine presses, cultivation
techniques, different grape varieties and barrels forstoring and shipping wine.Medieval Europe
continued advancements in winemaking technology and production. TheChristian Church needed wine
for Catholic mass celebrations.Medieval Europe expanded into the Americas, South-East Asia, the South
Pacific and Africa,and wine went with them, so eventually wine growing regions were established all
aroundthe world.
GALILEO (1564-1642)
'What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile.'
WILLIAM SOKOLINCaptain Arthur Phillip is credited with bringing the first grape vines to Sydney from
Brazil andthe Cape of Good Hope.Early grape varieties were Pinot Gris, Frontignac, Gauais, Verdelho and
CabernetSauvignon. Unfortunately, Sydney wasn't a particularly suitable location for growing grapes,due
to the heat.Over time, the early settlers found better conditions for growing grapes in areas such as
theHunter Valley (NSW), Eden Valley (SA) and Geelong (VIC). By 1854, the first wine wasexported to the
United Kingdom (UK) - a meagre volume of 6,291 litres. Today, Australiaexports about 800 million litres
of wine all around the world.In the mid-1800s, Phylloxera (grape vine disease) decimated nearly all of
Australia's wineregions, with the exception of some parts of South Australia, which now lay claim to
havingsome of the oldest vines in the world.In the early 1900s,Australiamainly produced sweet fortified
wine, which is known in the UKas 'Colonial wine'. It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that tastes
changed, due to an influxof migrant immigration from Italy, Greece and Germany. Migrants brought
with them, aculture of enjoying food with table wine both in restaurants and at home.By the mid-1970s,
fortified wines no longer dominated the Australian market. By the 1980s,Australians were consuming
17.3 litres of red and white wine each year, per capita.Today, Australia has over 60 wine regions and its
wines are recognised all over the world fortheir quality and great value.
'Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.'
Winemaking process
'Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young and makes weariness forget histoil.'
LORD BYRON (1788-1824)Wine-making isn't complex, and while the process itself hasn't really changed
for hundredsof years, the technology and machinery used in the wine-making process has. We won't
becovering the wine-making process in detail in this course, but we will give you an introductionto all
facets of winemaking.
1.
Crusher
- Fresh grapes are picked from the vines and destemmed and crushed.2.
Press
- The juice is strained and drained from the grapes, stems and skin.3.
Vat/Tank
- The juice and natural yeast from the skins are added to a vat or oak barrelto ferment. The yeast
converts the grapes natural sugar into alcohol and carbondioxide, which then bubbles and dissipates.4.
Fermentation
- The juice, which is now called 'must', ferments at controlledtemperatures for up to a couple of weeks
until the sugar has dissolved.5.
Filter
Barrel
- The wine can be kept fresh or aged in a stainless steel vat or oak barrel (oakimparts a vanilla toast
taste).7.
Filter
- The remaining particles are removed from the wine through drainingand filtering.8.
Bottling
While it would be logical to assume that red wine comes from red grapes and white winecomes from
white grapes, that isn't necessarily the case. The juice from most grapes iswhite, which means it's the
grape skins that gives wine its colour.To make red wine, the dark skins of grapes are left to ferment with
the juice. As the yeastconvents the sugar into alcohol, pigment from the grape skins is released.To make
white wine, the skins are removed. Therefore, even a black grape can producewhite wine.To make rose,
it is treated much the same way as a red, except the skins are removedearlier so it becomes lighter in
colour and has less body.
If you are new to the hospitality industry or just want to improve your knowledge of wines,start reading
wine bottles for information. The label on a bottle of wine provides a wealth ofinformation, including:1.
Producer - Who made the wine, for example Tyrrells, Taylors, Evans & Tate etc.2.
Vintage - The age of the wine, which is usually based on the year it was bottled.5.
Additives - Which additives are added to the wine. This is important for people withallergies.These six
main components of a wine label are covered in more detail later in the course.
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The best way to describe the taste of a Riesling would be fresh, semi-sweet and floral, withsome fruity
characteristics.
Verdelho is a moderately vigorous vine that produces bunches of small oval berries with ahigh skin to
juice ratio. The skins of the berry can be thick and taste 'hard' when eaten. Thegrapes ripen early but
can be prone to powdery mildew; and the vines are susceptible tofrost during spring.The grape has been
successfully grown in the vineyards of Australia, particularly in theSouth Burnett wine region in
Queensland, the Hunter Valley region, Langhorne Creek,Cowra, and the Swan Valley.Australian
Verdelhos are renowned for their intense flavour, with hints of lime andhoneysuckle and an oily texture
that can develop after some aging.
Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio, is a white wine grape variety considered a mutantclone of the
Pinot Noir grape.Pinot Gris
greyish-blue appearance (
Gris
means ‘
grey
inFrench), but the grape can also be brownish pink to black or even white. The word
pinot
means
pine cone
in French, and it describes the way the grapes grow in small pinecone-shaped clusters.Wines produced
from the grape can vary in colour from deep golden yellow to copper to lightpink. It is also one of the
more popular grapes for making orange wine.Pinot Gris originated in Italy and was first introduced into
Australia in 1832 by James Busby.In Victoria, wines made from these grapes are either labelled Pinot
Gris or Pinot Grigiodepending on the sweetness of wine - dryer wines tend to be labelled Pinot
Grigio.Pinot Gris wines are now the fastest growing segment of Australia's wine industry. Thisgrowth is
due to the subtle nature of the wine, which is light-bodied, has a good balance ofsugar and acid, and has
a hint of apple, pear and melon flavours.
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Gewürztraminer is an aromatic grape variety used in white wines, which performs best incooler
climates. It is sometimes called Gewürz or written as Gewurztraminer (without theumlaut) in French.The
grape skin ranges in colour from pink to red, making it more suitable for white wine, asopposed to a
blue to black-skinned grape that is more suited to red wine.Gewürztraminer has a high natural sugar
content and usually features as an off-dry winewith a flamboyant bouquet of lychee, as Gewürztraminer
and lychee share the same aromacompounds. Dry Gewürztraminers may also contain the aroma of
passionfruit, rose andother floral notes. It isn
t uncommon to see spritz (fine bubbles) on the inside of a glass ofGewürztraminer.While Australian
Gewürztraminer is more famous for its old names (such as TraminerMusqué and Gentil Rose
Aromatique) than its quality, some fine examples of this wine arebeing produced in the cooler regions.
These regions include Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley,Tasmania, Clare Valley, Yarra Valley and vineyards
scattered throughout theAustralian Alps.If the grapes are picked early, the wine can have some acidity;
however, most wines madefrom this grape are usually sweeter with a slight hint of flowery perfume.
Red wine
Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-coloured (black) grape varieties. The actualcolour of red
wine ranges from intense violet, which is typical of young wines, through tobrick red for mature wines
and brown for older red wines. The juice from most black grapesis greenish-white, so the colour of red
wine comes from pigments (colours) present in theskin of the grape. Much of the production process
therefore involves extracting colour andflavour components from grape skins.The most common red
wine varieties in Australia are:
Shiraz
Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir
Merlot
Grenache
Zinfandel
Shiraz (also known as Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and usedprimarily to
produce powerful red wines. These wines are very popular, regardless ofwhether they are sold as Shiraz
or Syrah.Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended. Following several years of strong planting,
in2004,Syrah was estimated to be the world's 7th most grown grape.In 1831, the Scotsman James Busby
- also called 'the Father of Australian viticulture' - madea trip back to Europe to collect cuttings from
vines (primarily from France and Spain) to
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introduce into Australia. One of the varieties he collected was Syrah, although Busby usedthe spelling
'Scyras' and 'Ciras'. These cuttings were planted in the Sydney BotanicalGardens and the Hunter Valley,
and in 1839 they were also introduced into South Australia.By the 1860s, Syrah was established as an
important variety in Australia.Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied.
Wines produced fromthis grape variety contain a wide range of flavour notes, depending on the climate
and soilsin which they are grown and the viticultural practices used. Aroma characters can range
fromviolets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso andblack pepper.While no
one aroma is typical, blackberry and pepper are common. Following time in thebottle, the primary
(early/beginning) notes are moderated and then supplemented withearthy or savoury tertiary (longer
time in the bottle) notes such as leather and truffle.Secondary flavours and aroma notes are associated
with several things, but mainly withwinemakers' practices, such as oak barrels and yeast treatments.
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vitis vinifera
. The name may also referto wines created predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes. The name is derived
from theFrench words for 'pine' and 'black', alluding to the grape variety's tightly clustered darkpurple
pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot Noir grapes are a difficult variety to cultivateand transform into
wine.While Pinot Noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in cooler regions, the grape ismost
commonly associated with the Burgundy region of France. The Burgundy region iswidely considered to
produce some of the finest wines in the world.Pinot Noir is produced in several wine growing areas of
Australia, notably in the YarraValley, Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, Beechworth, South Gippsland,
Sunbury, MacedonRanges and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Adelaide Hills in South Australia,
GreatSouthern Wine Region in Western Australia, all of Tasmania, and in the Canberra District
inAustralia's Capital Territory (ACT).The wine is lighter in structure and colour and is usually very dry,
with flavours ofmixed berries.
Merlot is a dark blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and forvarietal
wines.The name Merlot is thought to be derived from the old French word
merle
, which is the namefor a blackbird, and is probably a reference to the colour of the grape.Merlot-based
wines usually have medium body with hints of berry, plum, and currant.Its softness and 'fleshiness',
combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a populargrape for blending with the sterner, later-
ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to behigher in tannin.
Grenache (pronounced gren-aash) is one of the most widely planted red wine grapevarieties in the
world.It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south ofFrance, and
in California's San Joaquin Valley.The wine is generally spicy, berry-flavoured and soft on the palate with
a relatively highalcohol content, but it needs careful monitoring for best results. It tends to lack acid,
tanninand colour, and is usually blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan, Tempranilloand
Cinsaut.
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape which is planted in over 10% of Californian vineyards.DNA
fingerprinting has revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grape,
Crljenak Kaštelanski, and also the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia (the
'heel' ofItaly), where it was introduced in the 18th century. The grape found its way to the USA in
themid-19th century, and became known by variations of the name 'Zinfandel' - a name ofuncertain
origin.
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The grapes typically produce a robust red wine, although a semi-sweet rosé (blush-style)called White
Zinfandel has achieved six times the sales of the red wine in the USA. Thegrape's high sugar content can
be fermented into levels of alcohol that exceed15%.The taste of the red wine depends on the ripeness
of the grapes from which it is made. Redberry fruit flavours like raspberry predominate in wines from
cooler areas, while blackberry,anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer
areas and in winesmade from the earlier-ripening Primitivo clone.
Sangiovese (san-jo-veh-zeh)is an Italian red wine grape variety. Its name is derived from theLatin
sanguis Jovis
, which means 'the blood of Jove'.Sangiovese is becoming increasingly popular as a red wine grape in
Australia, after it wasintroduced by the CSIRO in the late 1960s. This is part of a growing trend in
Australia to usea wider range of grape varieties for winemaking.Wines made from Sangiovese tend to
exhibit the grape's naturally high acidity, moderate tohigh tannin content and light colour, and feature
the flavours of plum and mulberry.
A Rosé (which is also known as Rosado in Spanish-speaking countries or Rosato in Italy) isa type of wine
that has some of the colour typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn itpink. The pink colour can
range from pale onion-skin orange to a vivid near-purple,depending on the grape variety and the
winemaking technique used.The three main ways to produce Rosé wine are outlined below:
Skin contact
: When making white wine the grape skins are removed. To make a Rosé theskins are left in with the
juice for a short period of time.
Blending
: Blending involves mixing red and white wine. Rosé wines can be made still,semi-sparkling or sparkling,
with a wide array of sweetness levels ranging from bone-dryProvençal Rosé to sweet White Zinfandels
and Blushes. Rosé is made from a wide variety ofgrapes that can be found in many places throughout
the world.
Saignee
: When making red wine, some wine juice is removed before the full red colourtakes hold. This
winemaking process involves bleeding off a portion of red wine after a shortperiod of contact between
the juice and the grape skins. Because the colour of red wine isderived from pigments in grape skins, the
juice is pink not red. This method is how Roséwines are made. The only exception is in the Champagne
region where Rosé may also bemade by blending red and white wines, but we think the best Rosé wines
are made by thesaignee method. The saignee method may also be used to improve the quality of red
winesas it increases the ratio of skins to juice in the vat, so that a deeper coloured wine canbe produced.
Other wines
In addition to red and white wine, there are three other important types of wine:
Sparkling wine
Fortified wine
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Sparkling wine
Wines with high levels of carbon dioxide, fizz and bubbles are called sparkling wines. Thecarbon dioxide
can result from natural fermentation (yeast giving off alcohol and carbondioxide) in a bottle or wine
tank. Carbon dioxide injection (which is a manmade process) canalso achieve the same results.The most
famous sparkling wine is from the Champagne district in France. Sparkling winecan no longer be called
Champagne unless it is made in this district in France.The two most popular grape varieties for making
sparkling wine are Pinot Noir andChardonnay. The reason these two grape varieties are preferred is
because of their lowsugar levels.
Fortified wines
Fortified wines are wines that have had spirits, usually brandy, added to them. While spiritswere
originally added to preserve wine, these days spirits are added to enrich the wine withdistinct flavours.A
normal wine may have an alcohol content of between 12to 15% ABV (alcohol by volume),whereas
fortified wines may have an ABV of up to 20%, due to the spirits added to them.The most common types
of fortified wines are:
port
sherry
marsala.Fortified wines are usually enjoyed after a meal, either with coffee, cheese or desserts.
As the name says, this is a wine to be enjoyed with dessert. Very much sweeter than youraverage wine,
and usually with an ABV over 14%, this wine contains high sugar levels whichmakes the wines quite
sweet.
Traditionally, 'Champagne' was a universal term for sparkling wine. This meant that if youordered a
Champagne you would usually be asked whether you want a French Champagne(imported) or a locally
produced sparkling wine.Producers of French sparkling wine from the Champagne district of France
didn't want theirproduct confused with wines from other regions, so a treaty was established in
1891preventing other regions from using the name Champagne. Today, you can't use the
wordChampagne on any sparkling wine unless it is produced in the Champagne districtof France.
Variations in flavour
The descriptors of the wines contained in this course are very general. Wines canvary greatly.A New
Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will, in most cases, vary great from a Sauvignon Blancmade in Western
Australia.
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While there are many reasons for this, these are the main reasons:
Different regions have different soils, weather conditions, water, sunlight andtemperature.
Winemakers have different styles and make wines to suit their growing conditions.
Consumers may prefer some wines which have a particular style. Winemakers willproduce a wine that
suits what their consumers (market) want.
The year in a which a wine is made will impact on its taste. For example, if aChardonnay was made
during a particularly hot dry year it may taste different to aChardonnay that was made during a wet year
by the same winery.
'A man who could sit under the shade of his own vine with his wife and his children abouthim and the
ripe clusters hanging within their reach in such a climate as this and not feel thehighest enjoyment, is
incapable of happiness.'
JAMES BUSBYAustralia truly is the lucky country when it comes to wines and winemaking. There are
fourmain wine producing states:
South Australia
Victoria
Western AustraliaDue to hotter temperatures in Queensland there are fewer wineries, though some
areassuch as the Granite Belt are producing more and more wine.Tasmanian wines are also gaining
momentum in the Australian market and Tasmania isincreasingly renowned for its excellent Pinot Noir.
Clare Valley
Nestled within South Australia's bushland, the Clare Valley contains some of Australia'sfinest vineyards.
Highlights of this region include perfumed Riesling, delicate Semillon,aromatic Shiraz and elegant
Cabernet Sauvignon.
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley has a strong German heritage and is full of character. While it is mainlyrenowned for
its opulent styles of Shiraz, the region also produces fine examples ofCabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and
Chardonnay.
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a region entrenched with history, fine wine and good food. The regionconsistently
produces fine wines from a number of grape varieties, most importantly Shiraz,Cabernet Sauvignon and
Chardonnay.
Coonawarra
With its terra rossa (red) soil and passionate winemakers, the Coonawarra region can't helpbut make
fine wine. While Cabernet Sauvignon is undoubtedly the star of this region, it isalso renowned for
producing some of Australia's greatest red wines.
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Heathcote
The Heathcote region is nestled between the Goulburn Valley and Bendigo; and is apremium Shiraz-
producing area.
Yarra Valley
This picture perfect region of Victoria's Yarra Valley is one of Australia's most well-knownand popular
wine regions. The Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir performparticularly well.
King Valley
The King Valley region produces a range of wine styles due to its variation in elevation. ItsChardonnay
has been highly successful with rich, yet mellow flavours, and its CabernetSauvignon is flavoursome and
generous with soft tannins.
Rutherglen
The Rutherglen region is fortified wine country. Two highlights from this remarkable wineregion include
the unique styles of fortified Muscat and Tokay.
Grampians
The Grampians region of Victoria is one of Australia's most stunning wine regions. Shiraz isparticularly
suited to the region, and the Shiraz produced is well structured with intenseregional spice.
Macedon Ranges
With its icy-cool climate, the vineyards of the Macedon Ranges are particularly suited to theproduction
of grapes for sparkling wine. High quality table wines are also produced here,with spicy Shiraz and
elegant Chardonnay being regional specialties.
Hunter
The Hunter is one of Australia's most well-known and historically important wine regions.Distinctive
styles of Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz are the hallmark of this region.
Murray Darling
The Murray-Darling vineyard region winds along the great Murray River. The constantsunshine enables
the production of wine with ripe fruit flavours and softness.
Margaret River
most inspiring wine regions. With its maritime influenced climate, Chardonnays and red andwhite
Bordeaux-style blends are particularly successful.
New Zealand
Let's not forget our neighbour across the Tasman Sea: New Zealand.New Zealand produces some of the
best wines in the world and the wines are very popularin bars, restaurants, hotels and clubs here in
Australia.New Zealand is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and Pinot Noir
fromCentral Otago.
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Now that you are familiar with the most common wine varieties in Australia, we'll discusswine tasting
and food matching.
What you will learn in this section
Wine tasting
PSLAM 104:15
Wine tasting
When it comes to tasting wine there are three key things to do:
Taste with your mouth
Always remember that colour rarely matches quality.Most young wines should be brightly- coloured and
vibrant. Reds will range from bright cherry topurple; while whites will vary greatly from bright gold to
green, to colours so pale they border onbeing clear.As wines age, red wines tend to brown or get lighter,
while white wines get darker.
Your nose will give you the first indication as to what a wine will taste like, so always take a goodsniff of
the wine.Always give your wine a little swirl in the glass, so the air mixes with the wine and gradually
movesout of the glass to allow you to smell the wine's aroma.You should try to detect fruity aromas and
non-fruity aromas. If you
necessarily a bad thing. It could be that the wine is too cold, so to get a better smell, let it warm upa
little.Other than fruit smells, try to detect the aroma of toast, butter, honey, flowers, tobacco,
leather,spices, nuts, herbs, earth/soil, minerals, olives, smoke and chocolate.
What your nose doesn't tell you about a wine, your mouth will. Not only will the mouth extract
theflavours of a wine it will also tell you about the texture of the wine (sometimes referred to as
themouth feel).
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Hospitality Institute of Australasia 2014
Don’t swallow your first sip of wine straight away. Swish the wine around in your mouth while taking
in some air as well. This enables you to taste every aspect of the wine and helps you detect the:
flavour
- Is it
texture
- Is it minerally or oily?
balance
Does it feel right? Is there the right combination of flavours? Is it what you expected?
length
- How long does the flavour remain in your mouth?When describing what you taste, the following terms
should be useful: sweetness, acidity, tannin,body, texture and alcohol.
Spoiled wine
Just like food, wine can also go off and spoil. Wine generally spoils through oxidisation.Wine oxidisation
is the random and premature ageing of wine caused by oxygen exposure.Oxidisation can occur in two
ways: either through the cork during storage or after opening awine bottle.
During storage
Corked is a term used to describe oxygen entering wine through the cork before the winebottle is
opened. Corked wine smells like wet cardboard and mould and tastes flat andnon-fruity.
After opening
When a wine bottle is opened and resealed, small amounts of oxygen enter the wine. If thewine is left
long enough, it will go off and spoil. White wine will turn gold or copper in colour;and red wine will turn
dark brown. The flavour will be non-fruity and taste more like vinegar.
A.D 17)Matching wine with food can be very subjective, so people frequently disagree about whatwine
suits with what food. We all agree however, there is a wine that can be enjoyed withevery meal.Here
are some ideas for matching wine with food:
Understand the basic tastes of wine (sweet, bitter and sour) and the different aromas.
Taste and texture (weight and intensity) are important factors when pairing foodand wine.
Consider the ingredients being used in a dish and select a grape variety to suit.
Use the principles of 'marriage' or 'contrast', which involves striking harmony betweenflavours and
textures by marrying like with like
or
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Temperature
Most wine varieties are suited to particular temperatures.Here is a guide to which wine should be
served at what temperature.
Very cold (8-10 degrees):
The 'right wine with the right food' might seem like a simple statement, but it is often hard todefine. In
reality, the right wine is one that you enjoy drinking!Below are some tried and tested ideas for matching
food and wine, so you can get more outof your dining experience. Generally, 'like goes with like', so you
could match:
white meat with white wine.There are however, many exceptions to these combinations as dining has
become far moreexotic than in the past. It is also difficult to determine which wines are acidic and which
retainbitterness. That's why, experience is key. It's important to improve your palate and yourperception
of the four primary tastes of wine and food - sour, bitter, sweet and salty (in foodonly).
'There is nothing like wine for conjuring up feelings of contentment and goodwill. It is less ofa drink than
an experience, an evocation, a spirit. It produces sensations that defydescription.'
THOMAS CONKLIN
Listed below are the most common varieties of white wine in Australia, along with somesuggested food
matches.
Chardonnay
poultry and game birds, veal, pork, rabbit, fish, pasta with cream/butterand mushrooms
Sauvignon Blanc
entrees, seafood, ethnic dishes, pastas, curries, salsas, spicy sausages,vegetable dishes, salads, olive oil-
based dishes, tomato sauces, goat's cheese
Chenin Blanc
Gewurtztraminer
spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican and Indian, mild sausages,fruit salad
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Riesling
Semillon
Verdelho
Listed below are the most common varieties of red wine in Australia, along with somesuggested food
matches.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meat, cheeses, stews, pizza, hearty pastas
Shiraz
beef fillet with tomato based sauce, rich spicy meals, veal, kangaroo, roast duck
Sparkling Shiraz
Grenache
fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken, red meat
Pinot Noir
Rosé
can be served with all food, but is best with smoked foods, quiche, pork, ham, Mexicanand Thai dishes
The Sommelier
Did you know that a person specifically trained in wine knowledge, designing wine lists andfood
matching is much more than just a waiter?They are called a sommelier. Though anyone can claim to be
a sommelier, becoming acertified sommelier requires training and education.The most important
aspects of a sommelier's role include:
wine storage
food matching
expert wine service to customers.When working in a restaurant, a sommelier is responsible for working
within the tastepreferences and budget of the establishment.
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Welcome to the final section of the course, 'Selling wine'.Wine sales are very important to the
hospitality and liquor industries. Wine is a high profititem, therefore most establishments rely heavily on
the responsible sale of wine totheir customers.
By the end of this section you will have an understanding of the basics of selling wine,including:
Selling wine
'If penicillin can cure those who are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.'
SIRALEXANDER FLEMING (1881-1955)Selling wine can seem daunting, particularly when it comes to
meeting a customer'sexpectations and matching them with the right bottle or glass of wine.Over the last
15 to 20 years, wine service has changed significantly. Traditionally, a wine listmay have featured 10
wines (five reds and five whites), but these days it can feature up to140 wines, ranging in price from $40
to $7,000 per bottle.There has also been a change in popular varietals over the same period. Where 20
yearsago wine lists would have mainly featured Cabernets, Moselles and Rieslings, these daysthere are
more than five varieties of both red wine and white wine, plus many sparklingwines and fortified
wines.Another change over the years is the sale of wine by the glass, not only in restaurants butalso in
bars. Most bars now offer a variety of wines by the glass, not just one red and onewhite, to cater for a
wider range of customers with different tastes. This is now the normrather than the exception, in better
establishments.
How to find information on the wines you sellTaste
Taste it yourself. Ask management for a wine tasting, as it is the best way to find out how awine tastes.
Label
Look at the label on the wine bottle. In most cases it will include information about wherethe wine was
made, how it will taste, and it may even list somefood matches.
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Wine rep
Ask your local wine representative (rep) who sells the product. Reps should have tastingnotes they can
give you.
Internet
Go to the internet and search for information on the wines you sell. All wineries publishextensive
information on their wines, including tasting notes and possible food matches.
Customers
While asking your customers may sound counterintuitive, they are sometimes the bestsource of
information. This is because a customer may have tried more than one brand of aparticular wine style
and are therefore able to give you a comparison.
The customer who doesn't know what they want and/or can't match wine withtheir food.
The customer who knows what they want and/or the wine style they enjoy
These customers can be fairly 'picky' about the wine they like and may not fit the norm whenmatching
food with wine. If this is the case, let the customer be the expert by:
showing them the wine list and/or telling them what you have behind the bar
advising them of other customers' preferences or what other customers thought of thewine - d
on’t try
being polite - let them feel they have good wine knowledge.
The customer who doesn't know what they want and/or can't match wine withtheir food
How do you deal with a customer who doesn't know what they want? Use the opportunity asyour time
to shine!Start by asking them these questions:
What meal are you having? (Then try to suggest one or two wines that would match withtheir
food.)Where possible choose a wine for them and encourage them to try it, especially if it is soldby the
glass.
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These customers will be relying on your knowledge of wine and food matching, so if you areunsure, ask
another staff member or manager.'
Wine drinking is no occult art to be practised only by the gifted few. Indeed, it is not an art atall. It is, or
should be, the sober habit of every normal man and women burdened withnormal desire to keep their
problems in perspective and themselves in good health.'
Serving wine
When the customer has selected a bottle of wine and you bring it to their table, you shouldfollow these
steps when serving the wine:
Show the customer the label on the bottle to ensure it is the wine they ordered.
If the customer likes the wine, continue to pour the wine, but leave the person whoordered the wine to
have the last pour.When serving wine by the glass, you should pour it to a standard amount. The volume
iseither decided by management or indicated by a small line on the glass called the'plimsoll line'.
Wine facts
'Place a substantial meal before a tired man, and he will eat effort and be a little better for itat first. Give
him a glass of wine or brandy, and immediately he feels better; you see himcome to life again before
you.'
BRILLAT SAVARIN (1755-1826)Wine is more than just fermented grape juice that tastes great with or
without food. Itinvolves a love affair with the winemaking process, the history of wine, winemaking
regionsand the way that wine is enjoyed.We have collected some fun and interesting wine facts to
broaden your understanding of thisgreat industry.
44% percent of adults surveyed prefer red wine over white wine. Of those,men are more likely to prefer
red wine (57%) than women (31%).
How many?
There are about 20 million acres of grapes planted worldwide - making grapesthe first international fruit
crop. How about that grape vines are capable of producing grapesfor over a century!
How much?
One glass of wine is made up of approximately one grape cluster or 75 grapes.There are four glasses of
wine in one bottle, ten bottles of wine per vine, and 400 vines peracre - each of which produce about
800 gallons of wine.
Sterile wine
is so complex that it contains more organic chemical compounds than bloodserum. It has very high
acidity and contains too much alcohol for pathogens to live in it,making it sterile.
Preservatives:
The two most common preservatives used in winemaking are sulphurdioxide (220/224) and sorbic acid
(200/202). They are used mainly to protect againstexposure to oxygen and bacteria, which are factors
that can severely affect the quality of thegrapes and the finished product.
Wine knowledge
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Allergies:
Prior to bottling, most wine is fined or filtered to remove impurities. Many modernfining agents are
derived from egg, fish, milk and nut products, so be careful of wines if youhave allergies to any of these
products.
Acid:
Most wines have a PH value between 3.0 and 3.8, making them quite acidic. Similarly,red wine contains
anthocyanin and tannin compounds that can stain your teeth, dependingon how much you consume.
Hangovers:
Hangovers
occur
as a result of high blood alcohol concentration. The morealcohol in the blood stream, the greater the
build up of acetaldehyde once alcohol has beenbroken down by the liver. Acetaldehyde is a highly-
concentrated toxic compound thattransfers very quickly from the blood stream to fluids in the brain and
spinal cord. It irritatesthe membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a throbbing pain
at thefront of the head.
Antioxidants:
Polyphenols are antioxidants that come from the skins and pips of grapesand are derived during the
winemaking process. Because red wine comes into contact withpips and seeds for much longer than
white wine, there are more polyphenols in the wine. It isbelieved these polyphenols reduce the
occurrence of heart disease.
'Wine nourishes, refreshes, and cheers ...Wherever wine is lacking, medicines becomenecessary.'
After all is said and done, wine is there to be enjoyed either with or without food. Winemakes a great
accompaniment to a meal, but it can also be enjoyed on its own while at a barwith friends.As with any
alcoholic beverage, wine should be enjoyed in moderation and with care.There are strict rules
throughout Australia regarding the Responsible Service Of Alcohol,and these rules must be adhered to
just like road rules.If you have need any clarification on rules relating to the service of alcohol and
itsconsumption, search the internet for the RSA in your state. They will be able to help you withall the
information you need to responsibly serve alcohol.If you have any feedback or comments, please send
them to info@hia.edu.au.
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