WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF WINE FUN FACT

There is much more to wine than just

fermented fruit juice – from where and
ABOUT 600-800 GRAPES GO
how the grapes are grown to the techniques INTO MAKING JUST ONE
used to turn them into wine to how we BOTTLE OF WINE.
experience it in the glass.
This program explores several introductory
topics through the lens of Australia’s
innovative wine community and unique
wine styles.

Introduction to wine: The ultimate guide

W H AT
IS
WINE?
An alcoholic drink made by fermenting grape juice.
Why grapes?
- Higher acidity to preserve the wine
- Higher sugar content for better fermentation

WHAT IS WINE? Wine grapes:

Wine can be both very simple and Not your average snacking grape
incredibly complex. It’s an alcoholic drink Wine grapes are very different from the
made by fermenting grape juice. Most grapes you buy in the grocery store. Around
wine as we know it is made with grapes, 90% of cultivated wine grapes worldwide
but it can technically be made from other are ‘Vitis vinifera’. Within this species there
fruits too, such as apples, blueberries and are thousands of different varieties – both
strawberries. red and white. Some varieties are more
common than others due to their ability
Why have grapes become the standard?
to produce high-quality wine.
There are two main reasons. Grapes contain
acids – malic, tartaric and citric acids – that
preserve the wine, allowing it to be aged for
decades or even centuries. Secondly, grapes
have a much higher sugar content than
other fruits, which allows them to ferment so
successfully and produce complex wines.

Introduction to wine: The ultimate guide