Wine Knowledge Handbook

Wine knowledge — For the love of wine
Wine Knowledge
Section 2: Wine varieties and regions .................................................................................................... 8
Section 3: Wine tasting and food matching ......................................................................................... 20
Section 4: Selling wine .......................................................................................................................... 24
Section 1: History of wine and winemaking

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 their
customers.
Although certain establishments won't sell as much wine as beer or some RTD's (ready to
drink alcohol) such as Jim Beam & Cola in a can, there is usually more profit in a glass of
wine. This is the main reason why the sale of wine is very important.
What you will learn in this section
By the end of this section you should have an understanding of:
• the history of wine

• wine in Australia
• the basics of winemaking and the winemaking process important wine terms and
information.
History of wine
'One barrel of wine can work more miracles than a church full of saints.' Italian proverb
Wine has been around for thousands of years; and grapes even longer. The earliest scientific
evidence of grapes are fossil vines, which are 60millionyearsold.
While archaeologists suggest that the earliest wine production occurred in Georgia (Eastern
Europe) around 7,000 BC, the earliest evidence of grape crushing and production can be
traced back to Northern Greece around 6,500 years ago. Other regions that enjoyed wine
were Greater Iran (4,500 BC) and Armenia (4,100 BC).
In Egypt, wine became part of recorded history and played an important role in ceremonial
life. However, it wasn't until the time of the Phoenicians and Romans that winemaking really
took off. Grape plantations were established and winemaking methods improved, with the
introduction of wine presses, cultivation techniques, different grape varieties and barrels for
storing and shipping wine.
Medieval Europe continued advancements in winemaking technology and production. The
Christian 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
around the world.
'Wine is sunlight held together by water.' GALILEO (1564-1642)
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History of wine in Australia

'What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile.'
WILLIAM SOKOLIN
Captain Arthur Phillip is credited with bringing the first grape vines to Sydney from Brazil and
the Cape of Good Hope.
Early grape varieties were Pinot Gris, Frontignac, Gauais, Verdelho and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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 the
Hunter Valley (NSW), Eden Valley (SA) and Geelong (VIC). By 1854, the first wine was
exported to the United Kingdom (UK) - a meagre volume of 6,291 litres. Today, Australia
exports about 800 million litres of wine all around the world.
In the mid-1800s, Phylloxera (grape vine disease) decimated nearly all of Australia's wine
regions, with the exception of some parts of South Australia, which now lay claim to having
some of the oldest vines in the world.
In the early 1900s,Australiamainly produced sweet fortified wine, which is known in the UK as
'Colonial wine'. It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that tastes changed, due to an influx of
migrant immigration from Italy, Greece and Germany. Migrants brought with them, a culture
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 for
their quality and great value.
'Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.' ERNEST HEMINGWAY (1899-1961)
Winemaking process
'Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young and makes weariness forget his toil.'
LORD BYRON (1788-1824)
Wine-making isn't complex, and while the process itself hasn't really changed for hundreds of
years, the technology and machinery used in the wine-making process has. We won't be
covering the wine-making process in detail in this course, but we will give you an introduction
to all facets of winemaking.

Flowchart of the winemaking process
Step-by-step guide to the winemaking process
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 barrel to
ferment. The yeast converts the grapes natural sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide,
which then bubbles and dissipates.
4. Fermentation- The juice, which is now called 'must', ferments at controlled temperatures
for up to a couple of weeks until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Filter - The dead yeast is now either removed or left in to add complexity.
6. Barrel - The wine can be kept fresh or aged in a stainless steel vat or oak barrel (oak
imparts a vanilla toast taste).
7. Filter - The remaining particles are removed from the wine through draining and filtering.
8. Bottling - The wine is bottled and labelled.
What gives wine its colour?

While it would be logical to assume that red wine comes from red grapes and white wine
comes from white grapes, that isn't necessarily the case. The juice from most grapes is white,
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 yeast
convents 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 produce white
wine.
To make rose, it is treated much the same way as a red, except the skins are removed earlier
so it becomes lighter in colour and has less body.
The label is a wealth of information

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 of
information, including:
1. Producer - Who made the wine, for example Tyrrells, Taylors, Evans & Tate etc.
2. Variety - The style of wine, for example Chardonnay, Merlot etc.

3. Region - Where in the world the wine is produced, for example in the Margaret River,
Clare Valley etc.
4. Vintage - The age of the wine, which is usually based on the year it was bottled.
5. Alcohol - The alcohol strength.
6. Additives - Which additives are added to the wine. This is important for people with
allergies.
These six main components of a wine label are covered in more detail later in the course.
Wine terminology
'The soft extractive note of an aged cork being withdrawn has the true sound of a man opening
his heart.' WILLIAM SAMUEL BENWELL
Before we talk about wine varieties and regions, you should familiarise yourself with the many
terms and expressions used to describe wine. It is essential that you know them so you can
understand wine better. This glossary of wine terms is also provided in the downloadable
course notes.
Acid: Acids of various types are present in wine, and are essential to a wine’s longevity and
also to your enjoyment. A wine's quality can be affected if there is too little acid; but too much
acid can spoil the wine. Acid needs to be balanced along with other components of the wine.
Aeration: is the process of letting wine 'breathe' in the open air or by swirling it in a glass.
Aeration can soften young, tannic wines; it can also fatigue older ones
Aftertaste: is the flavour that lingers in your mouth after tasting or swallowing wine. It can
either be pleasant, unpleasant or non-existent (which would indicate a neutral wine)
Alcohol: is the difference between grape juice and wine! Alcohol is produced by the action of
yeasts on grape sugars during the fermentation process. Alcohol has an important bearing on
the taste of wine
Appearance: refers to a wine's clarity, not its colour
Aroma: is the smell of a wine, and usually refers to pleasing fragrances rather than 'off' odours.
The aroma is normally associated with the grape variety. Often wood can come through in an
aroma. Young wines often have more obvious aromas
Astringent: Tannins produce astringent tastes in wine. Astringency can be detected by
involuntary 'puckering' of your mouth as the tannins hit your taste buds and produce a drying
taste in the mouth. Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and wood.
Austere: is used to describe relatively hard, highly acidic wines that lack depth and roundness.
It usually refers to young wines that need time to 'soften', or wines that lack richness and body
Backbone: is used to describe wines that are full-bodied, well-structured and balanced by a
desirable level of acidity
Balance: is used to describe wine that has flavour components in complete harmony, with no
single dominating component
Baume: is a measure of the sugar content of grapes. The Baume value roughly equals the
alcohol content in the finished wine (as a percentage of alcohol by volume). For example,
grapes at 10 Baume will produce a wine with about 10% alcohol

Big: is used to describe a wine that is powerful in flavours or bouquet

Bite: refers to a marked degree of acidity or tannin. An acid grip in the finish should be more
like a zestful tang and is tolerable only in a rich, full-bodied wine
Bitterness: is an unpleasant characteristic in wine, usually detected in the aftertaste. It is not
to be confused with acidity
Bland: is used to describe a wine without character, though the wine doesn't necessarily have
any faults
Blend: is mixing of two or more grape varieties to increase the wine quality or maintain
consistency
Body: is the impression of a wine's weight or fullness on the palate. 'Full-bodied' describes a
wine with fullness of flavour; while 'light-bodied' describes the opposite. It is an important
measure of a wine's weight that is mainly determined by its alcoholic strength - the more body
a wine has, the less it tastes like water
Botrytis cinerea (Noble rot): is a parasitic fungus that, if present in a vineyard, can attack
ripe grapes and remove water, concentrating sugar and flavour components. It helps to make
great, sweet white wines
Bottle age: refers to the time wine spends in a bottle after it is made and possibly wood aged.
The expression 'will improve with bottle age', means that the winemaker believes the wine will
taste better after several years of cellaring
Bottle variation: refers to the difference in (the same) wine's character from bottle to bottle.
These unexpected variations can be due to storage conditions, cork differences, unclean
bottles, and other factors beyond the winemakers' control
Bouquet: refers to the smell of a finished wine. It may be affected by time spent in the bottle
Breathing: is allowing a wine to come into contact with air before serving it
Bright: is perfectly clear wine with no suspended particles. Bright colour is an important aspect
of wine quality
Cigar box: refers to an aroma in red wine that is comparable to the smell it describes. It is a
result of the combination of fruit, wood and other constituents in the red wine, and isn't as
unpleasant as it might sound
Cloudy: A cloudy wine has suspended particles in it that obscure its colour. It is an indicator
of problems in a wine.
Complexity: is an element in all great wines and many very good ones, including a
combination of richness, depth, flavour intensity, focus, balance, harmony and finesse
Colour: The colour of wine is an extremely important indicator of quality and condition. Darker
colours usually indicate older wines.
Corked: refers to a wine's quality being affected because the cork has failed to keep air away
from the liquid
Crisp: is a positive term used to describe white wine with refreshing acidity
Decant: involves transferring wine from a bottle into another container, usually a glass
decanter. Decanting aerates the wine and traps any suspended particles inside the bottle

Depth: describes the complexity and concentration of flavours in a wine, as in a wine with
excellent or uncommon depth. It is the opposite of 'shallow'
Dessert wine: is wine usually consumed with sweeter foods. It is usually a richer and sweeter
style of wine
Dry: is used to describe the absence of absence of residual sugar and sweetness in a wine
Fermentation: is the process of converting sugars (in this case grape sugars) into alcohol
with yeasts
Finish: refers to the end taste of a wine after it has been swallowed. High tannin content might
produce a 'firm finish', while lack of flavour might yield a 'poor finish'
Firm: refers to the taste experience on the back of the palate, caused by tannins
Flabby: means the wine has unpleasantly big flavours on the back palate, similar to 'fat' wines.
It generally refers to high glycerine character, with soft and broad flavours Flat: is used to
describe uninteresting wine with little flavour. It can describe sparkling wine with little or no
bubbles left in it
Flavour: refers to the taste of wine
Flowery: describes an attractive scent reminiscent of flowers. 'Floral' and 'fragrant' are similar
terms used to describe pleasing, young white wines
Fortified: describes wine with an alcohol content that has been increased by adding brandy
or neutral spirits
Fruity: describes wine that has an aroma and taste of fruit
Green: describes a wine that has been made from under ripe fruit or is not ready to drink yet.
It is a wine with too much acidity
Hard: refers to the bitter and dry tastes associated with tannins on the finish of some wines
Herbaceous: is a wine taste that relates to the flavours of herbs
Honeyed: is a wine taste that relates to the flavour of honey
Hot: refers to a slightly burning sensation in the mouth produced by wines containing too much
alcohol
Late picked: refers to grapes that are picked when they are riper than usual, and therefore
have higher levels of sugar
Lees: refers to the deposits in a wine cask or bottle(e.g. the residue in champagne bottles),
left by dead yeast cells after secondary fermentation has been completed. 'Lying on lees' is
the process that helps give bottle-fermented champagne its yeasty flavour
Legs: refers to columns of wine that trickle down the inside of a glass, especially in fortified
wines, which indicate high alcohol content in a wine
Length: refers to the amount of time that taste and aroma sensations persist after swallowing
- the longer, the better
Mature: usually describes attractive, older wines with mellow flavour and good colour

Noble rot: is a fungal infection (botrytis cinerea) that attacks ripe grapes and helps make
some great sweet wines
Nose: is the smell or bouquet of a wine. To 'nose' a wine means to smell it
Oak: Wines may be stored in oak containers to impart additional, and more complex, flavours.
French, American and German oak barrels are widely used in Australia, but are becoming
more expensive as oak trees become scarce.
Oaky: describes the aroma or taste imparted by an oak barrel that a wine is aged in. It can
either be positive or negative. The terms toasty, vanilla, dill, cedar and smoky indicate the
desirable qualities of oak; charred, burnt, green cedar, lumber and plywood describe its
undesirable qualities
Oenology: is the science of winemaking
Oily: Pips and stalks in grapes can inject oily flavours into a wine - which is not good.
Oxidation: is the presence of oxygen in wine, which causes it to decompose and eventually
turns it to vinegar. Higher temperatures speed up the process
Peppery: refers to a not entirely unpleasant spicy characteristic sometimes found in young
red wines and ports. It is rather raw, biting and reminiscent of black pepper
Port: is a fortified red wine. It is an after dinner drink with a fairly high alcohol content (17 to
20%). Tawny ports are blended wines that winemakers usually keep in wood barrels for some
years in order to mature them. Vintage ports (which feature a year of origin on the label) are
usually sold early by the winemaker and the consumer is expected to do the cellaring until the
wine is mature and ready for drinking
Residual sugar: is the natural grape sugar left behind (usually by design) after fermentation
is complete. It is a characteristic of many modern white wines, which is usually pleasant though
sometimes sickly sweet if overdone
Sharp: describes an acidic taste on the palate, which is not necessarily unpleasant
Short: describes a wine with no length of flavour

Sweet: describes a wine that is more than fruity; it pertains to sugar
Tannin: is a vital ingredient (and preservative) 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
Tart: describes the noticeably acidic taste of natural grape acids
Terroir: are the special characteristics like the geography, geology and climate of a
geographical area, which influence the growth and qualities of agricultural products
Thin: describes a wine lacking body, to the extent of being watery
Varietal: refers to a wine made from a particular variety of grape
Velvety: is a description of texture usually given to wines with not much tannin and high
glycerine

Vigneron: is a grape-grower
Vintage: refers to the period that the grapes are picked or harvested each year, and also the
year in which a wine was made (vintaged)
Vintner: is a winemaker
Viscous: is the thick appearance of wine
Volatile: describes a wine that is spoiled by the presence of acetic acid
Wine: is the fermented juice of grapes
Woody: refers to a strong bouquet of wood (oak) in wine. It is not necessarily unpleasant, but
is possibly very obvious
Yeast: are single-cell organisms that convert grape sugar into ethyl alcohol
Youthful: describes wine that is showing pleasantly young characteristics and perhaps
freshness
Where have wine corks gone?

While corks have been used for centuries as a closure for wine bottles, they don't create the
best seal. It is estimated that 5% of all wine sealed with a cork will oxidise. Oxidisation is the
random and premature aging of wine that is exposed to oxygen.
The solution has been to develop alternative seals for wine bottles. The most popular seal is
the Stelvin closure - which is a screw cap. The Stelvin is very effective for sealing wine bottles
and costs about the same price as a cork.
The downside to moving away from the cork has been the loss of 'theatrics' involved in
opening a bottle of wine at a dinner table with a cork screw.
The following are other methods of sealing wine bottles:
• Agglomerates - made up of bits of cork not a whole cork. Usually made from inferior cork,
therefore oxidisation can occur
• Synthetic closures - usually made from plastic. The seal is not perfect, so wines can
oxidise. A traditionalist in winemaking would never use this product
• Vino-Seal - is a glass stopper/seal. It is very effective in stopping oxidisation, but is also
very expensive
'Wine awakens and refreshes the lurking passions of the mind, as varnish does the colours
which are sunk in a picture, and brings them out in all their natural glowing.'
ALEXANDER POPE
Section 2: Wine varieties and regions

In this section we'll discuss the most common varieties of wine available in Australia, and
outline Australia's most popular wine growing regions.
By the end of this section you should understand about:

• different varieties of wines including red, white and sparkling

• different wine growing regions of Australia, and the variety for which they are best known.
Wine varieties
'Five qualities are wine's praise advancing: Strong, beautiful, fragrant, cool and dancing.'
JOHN HARINGTON (1561-1612)
While there are many different varieties of wine, in this course we'll focus on the varieties that
are most common in Australian restaurants, pubs and clubs.
Wine varieties can be broken down into three main categories:
1. White wine
2. Red wine
3. Other
Each of these categories will be discussed in further detail in this section.
White wine
White wine can vary in colour from straw-yellow to yellow-green to yellow-gold. It is
produced through alcoholic fermentation of the non-coloured pulp of grapes which either
have a white or black skin.
The most common white wine varieties in Australia are:
• Chardonnay
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Semillon
• Riesling
• Verdelho
• Viognier
• Pinot Gris
• Gewürztraminer
White wine - Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. While this grape
variety originated in the Burgundy region of eastern France, it is now grown wherever wine is
produced, from England to New Zealand.
The grape itself is very neutral, with many of its flavours associated with the influences of
terroir and oak.
Chardonnay is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including
Champagne. A peak in the popularity of Chardonnay in the late 1980s gave way to a backlash
among wine drinkers who considered that Chardonnay was negatively leading to the
globalisation of wine.
Nonetheless, it remains one of the most widely-planted grape varieties, with over 160,000
hectares (400,000 acres) worldwide. It is second only to the Airén (white wine) grape but is
planted in more wine regions than any other grape – including Cabernet Sauvignon.

There are two types of chardonnay:
• Wooded chardonnay is fermented in wooded vats and tends to have a woody and
buttery flavour and texture.
• Unwooded chardonnay is fermented in metal vats and has a more crisp and, some
would say, less complex taste.
Flavours vary greatly in Chardonnays, from rich, buttery, woody and dry in a wooded
Chardonnay, to fresh, smooth, crisp and sometimes carrying overtones of peach in unwooded
Chardonnays.
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White wine - Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is made from a green-skinned grape originating in France's Bordeaux region.
The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage (meaning wild) and Blanc
(meaning white) due to its early origins as an Indigenous grape in south-west France.
Sauvignon Blanc is planted in many of the world's wine regions, and produces a crisp, dry and
refreshing white wine.
Sauvignon Blanc can be described as having a zesty taste with a hint of lemon and lime. The
flavours of melon and passionfruit may also be added, depending on where the grapes are
grown.
White wine - Semillon

While the actual origin of the Semillon grape is unknown, we know that it was introduced to
Australia in the early 19th century.
It was once considered the most planted grape in the world; however, this is no longer the
case.
Semillon wines are generally classified into two categories:
• Semillons over five years old

• Semillons less than five years old
The younger wines tend to be very dry, acidic and crisp; while older wines tend to be dry, rich
and buttery.
Semillon wines keep for a long time and some are aged for up to 15 years. The older wines
tend to become a dark yellow colour and are particularly rich.
White wine - Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (SSB) is often referred to as a classic dry white.
This blend of grape variety creates a lovely, dry wine with overtones of stone fruit and melon,
and usually features a crisp finish.
White wine - Riesling

Riesling is a white grape variety that originated in Germany's Rhine region. It is an aromatic
grape displaying flowery, perfumed aromas and high acidity. The grapes are used to make
dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
Riesling wines are usually varietally pure and are seldom oaked (stored in wooded vats).
In2004, Riesling was estimated to be the world's 20th most grown variety, but in terms of
importance, it is usually included in the top three white wine varieties which also include
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Riesling is a variety which is highly 'terroir-expressive', meaning that the character of a Riesling
wine is greatly influenced by its place of origin. Riesling is more commonly grown in colder
regions.

The best way to describe the taste of a Riesling would be fresh, semi-sweet and floral, with
some fruity characteristics.
White wine - Verdelho

Verdelho is a moderately vigorous vine that produces bunches of small oval berries with a high
skin to juice ratio. The skins of the berry can be thick and taste 'hard' when eaten. The grapes
ripen early but can be prone to powdery mildew; and the vines are susceptible to frost during
spring.
The grape has been successfully grown in the vineyards of Australia, particularly in the South
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 and honeysuckle
and an oily texture that can develop after some aging.
White wine - Viognier

Viognier (pronounced VEE-ohn-yay) was once fairly common, but now it is a rare white grape
grown almost exclusively in the northern Rhône regions of France. In 1965, the grape was
almost extinct when there were only eight acres of it in Northern Rhône, producing just 1,900
litres of wine. The popularity and price of this wine has risen, and the number of plantings has
increased.
Viognier can be a difficult grape to grow because it is prone to powdery mildew. It has low and
unpredictable yields and should only be picked when it is fully ripe.
While the grape prefers warmer climates and a long growing season, it can also grow in cooler
climates.
Yalumba is Australia's largest producer of the grape, making a white wine varietal and also
using the grape extensively in its Shiraz blends.
While it can be difficult to pin a particular taste to Viognier, it is known to be dry with floral
overtones, and is crisp with low acidity.
White wine - Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio, is a white wine grape variety considered a mutant clone
of the Pinot Noir grape.
Pinot Gris gets its name from the grape’s greyish-blue appearance (Gris means ‘grey’ in
French), 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 pine cone-shaped
clusters.
Wines produced from the grape can vary in colour from deep golden yellow to copper to light
pink. 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 Grigio
depending 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. This growth
is due to the subtle nature of the wine, which is light-bodied, has a good balance of sugar and
acid, and has a hint of apple, pear and melon flavours.
White wine - Gewürztraminer

Gewürztraminer is an aromatic grape variety used in white wines, which performs best in
cooler climates. It is sometimes called Gewürz or written as Gewurztraminer (without the
umlaut) in French.
The grape skin ranges in colour from pink to red, making it more suitable for white wine, as
opposed 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 wine with
a flamboyant bouquet of lychee, as Gewürztraminer and lychee share the same aroma
compounds. Dry Gewürztraminers may also contain the aroma of passionfruit, rose and other
floral notes. It isn’t uncommon to see spritz (fine bubbles) on the inside of a glass of
Gewürztraminer.
While Australian Gewürztraminer is more famous for its old names (such as Traminer Musqué
and Gentil Rose Aromatique) than its quality, some fine examples of this wine are being
produced in the cooler regions. These regions include Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, Tasmania,
Clare Valley, Yarra Valley and vineyards scattered throughout the
Australian Alps.
If the grapes are picked early, the wine can have some acidity; however, most wines made
from 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 actual colour
of red wine ranges from intense violet, which is typical of young wines, through to brick red for
mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most black grapes is greenish-
white, so the colour of red wine comes from pigments (colours) present in the skin of the grape.
Much of the production process therefore involves extracting colour and flavour components
from grape skins.
The most common red wine varieties in Australia are:
• Shiraz
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Grenache
• Zinfandel
• Sangiovese
Each of these wine varieties will be discussed in more detail.
Red wine - Shiraz

Shiraz (also known as Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used
primarily to produce powerful red wines. These wines are very popular, regardless of whether
they are sold as Shiraz or Syrah.

Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended. Following several years of strong planting, in
2004,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' - made
a trip back to Europe to collect cuttings from vines (primarily from France and Spain) to
introduce into Australia. One of the varieties he collected was Syrah, although Busby used the
spelling 'Scyras' and 'Ciras'. These cuttings were planted in the Sydney Botanical Gardens
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 from
this grape variety contain a wide range of flavour notes, depending on the climate and soils in
which they are grown and the viticultural practices used. Aroma characters can range from
violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper.
While no one aroma is typical, blackberry and pepper are common. Following time in the bottle,
the primary (early/beginning) notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy 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 with winemakers' practices,
such as oak barrels and yeast treatments.
Red wine - Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognised red wine grape varieties. It
is grown in nearly every major wine producing country, in a diverse range of climates, from
Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley.
Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognised through its prominence in Bordeaux
wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape
spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like
California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley. For most of
the 20th century, it was the world's most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was
surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s.
Unlike other clay-based soils, the free-draining terra rosa (soil) of Australia's Coonawarra
region contributes to a unique style of Cabernet Sauvignon.
In the 1970s, the Coonawarra region first brought international attention to Australian Cabernet
Sauvignons with intense fruit flavours and subtle minty notes. The Margaret River region soon
followed with tightly-structured wines containing pronounced black fruit notes. In the 1980s,
Australia followed California's contemporary trend in producing lighter, more 'food friendly'
wines with alcohol levels of around 11-12%. But, by the early 1990s, the styles changed once
again to focus on balance and riper fruit flavours. Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is the second
most widely planted red wine grape in Australia following Shiraz, with which it is often blended.
It can be found in several wine regions with many large producers using grapes from several
states. Notable regional differences characterise Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition
to the wine styles of Coonawarra and Margaret River, the Barossa Valley produces big, full-
bodied wines, while the nearby, cooler Clare Valley produces wines with more concentrated
fruit. Wines from Victoria's Yarra Valley wine region are renowned for their balance of acidity,
tannins and fruit flavours.
To describe the type of flavour one could expect from this style of wine it would be medium-
to full-bodied, elegant and dry, with a possible hint of mint and eucalyptus flavours as a

backdrop. The flavours of fruit, cherries and raisins, with a hint of leather could also come
into play.
Red wine - Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is a black grape wine variety of the species vitis vinifera. The name may also refer
to wines created predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes. The name is derived from the
French words for 'pine' and 'black', alluding to the grape variety's tightly clustered dark purple
pine-cone shaped bunches of fruit. Pinot Noir grapes are a difficult variety to cultivate and
transform into wine.
While Pinot Noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in cooler regions, the grape is
most commonly associated with the Burgundy region of France. The Burgundy region is widely
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 Yarra Valley,
Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, Beechworth, South Gippsland, Sunbury, Macedon Ranges
and Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Adelaide Hills in South Australia, Great Southern Wine
Region in Western Australia, all of Tasmania, and in the Canberra District in Australia's Capital
Territory (ACT).
The wine is lighter in structure and colour and is usually very dry, with flavours of mixed
berries.
Red wine - Merlot

Merlot is a dark blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal
wines.
The name Merlot is thought to be derived from the old French word merle, which is the name
for 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 popular grape
for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in
tannin.
Red wine - Grenache

Grenache (pronounced gren-aash) is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties
in the world.
It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France,
and in California's San Joaquin Valley.
The wine is generally spicy, berry-flavoured and soft on the palate with a relatively high alcohol
content, but it needs careful monitoring for best results. It tends to lack acid, tannin and colour,
and is usually blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan, Tempranillo and Cinsaut.
Red wine - Zinfandel

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' of
Italy), where it was introduced in the 18th century. The grape found its way to the USA in the
mid-19th century, and became known by variations of the name 'Zinfandel' - a name of
uncertain origin.
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. The grape'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. Red
berry 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 wines made
from the earlier-ripening Primitivo clone.
Red wine - Sangiovese

Sangiovese (san-jo-veh-zeh)is an Italian red wine grape variety. Its name is derived from the
Latin sanguis Jovis, which means 'the blood of Jove'.
Sangiovese is becoming increasingly popular as a red wine grape in Australia, after it was
introduced by the CSIRO in the late 1960s. This is part of a growing trend in Australia to use
a wider range of grape varieties for winemaking.
Wines made from Sangiovese tend to exhibit the grape's naturally high acidity, moderate to
high tannin content and light colour, and feature the flavours of plum and mulberry.
Red wine - Rosé

A Rosé (which is also known as Rosado in Spanish-speaking countries or Rosato in Italy) is
a type of wine that has some of the colour typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it
pink. 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 the
skins 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-dry
Provençal Rosé to sweet White Zinfandels and Blushes. Rosé is made from a wide variety of
grapes that can be found in many places throughout the world.
Saignee: When making red wine, some wine juice is removed before the full red colour
takes hold. This winemaking process involves bleeding off a portion of red wine after a short
period of contact between the juice and the grape skins. Because the colour of red wine is
derived from pigments in grape skins, the juice is pink not red. This method is how Rosé
wines are made. The only exception is in the Champagne region where Rosé may also be
made by blending red and white wines, but we think the best Rosé wines are made by the
saignee method. The saignee method may also be used to improve the quality of red wines
as it increases the ratio of skins to juice in the vat, so that a deeper coloured wine can be
produced.
Other wines
In addition to red and white wine, there are three other important types of wine:

• Sparkling wine
• Fortified wine
• Dessert wine (Stickies)
Sparkling wine
Wines with high levels of carbon dioxide, fizz and bubbles are called sparkling wines. The
carbon dioxide can result from natural fermentation (yeast giving off alcohol and carbon
dioxide) in a bottle or wine tank. Carbon dioxide injection (which is a manmade process) can
also achieve the same results.
The most famous sparkling wine is from the Champagne district in France. Sparkling wine can
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 and
Chardonnay. The reason these two grape varieties are preferred is because of their low
sugar levels.
Fortified wines
Fortified wines are wines that have had spirits, usually brandy, added to them. While spirits
were originally added to preserve wine, these days spirits are added to enrich the wine with
distinct 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.
Dessert wine (Stickies)

As the name says, this is a wine to be enjoyed with dessert. Very much sweeter than your
average wine, and usually with an ABV over 14%, this wine contains high sugar levels which
makes the wines quite sweet.
Why is Champagne not Champagne?

Traditionally, 'Champagne' was a universal term for sparkling wine. This meant that if you
ordered 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 their
product confused with wines from other regions, so a treaty was established in 1891
preventing other regions from using the name Champagne. Today, you can't use the word
Champagne on any sparkling wine unless it is produced in the Champagne district of France.
Variations in flavour
The descriptors of the wines contained in this course are very general. Wines can vary greatly.

A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will, in most cases, vary great from a Sauvignon Blanc made
in Western Australia.
While there are many reasons for this, these are the main reasons:
• Different regions have different soils, weather conditions, water, sunlight and
temperature.
• Winemakers have different styles and make wines to suit their growing conditions.
• Consumers may prefer some wines which have a particular style. Winemakers will
produce 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 a
Chardonnay was made during a particularly hot dry year it may taste different to a
Chardonnay that was made during a wet year by the same winery.
Australia's wine regions

'A man who could sit under the shade of his own vine with his wife and his children about him
and the ripe clusters hanging within their reach in such a climate as this and not feel the highest
enjoyment, is incapable of happiness.' JAMES BUSBY
Australia truly is the lucky country when it comes to wines and winemaking. There are four
main wine producing states:
• South Australia
• Victoria
• New South Wales
• Western Australia
Due to hotter temperatures in Queensland there are fewer wineries, though some areas such
as the Granite Belt are producing more and more wine.
Tasmanian wines are also gaining momentum in the Australian market and Tasmania is
increasingly renowned for its excellent Pinot Noir.
Australian wine regions - South Australia

Clare Valley
Nestled within South Australia's bushland, the Clare Valley contains some of Australia's
finest 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 mainly
renowned for its opulent styles of Shiraz, the region also produces fine examples of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Chardonnay.
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is a region entrenched with history, fine wine and good food. The region
consistently 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 help
but make fine wine. While Cabernet Sauvignon is undoubtedly the star of this region, it is also
renowned for producing some of Australia's greatest red wines.
Australian wine regions - Victoria

Heathcote
The Heathcote region is nestled between the Goulburn Valley and Bendigo; and is a premium
Shiraz-producing area.
Yarra Valley
This picture perfect region of Victoria's Yarra Valley is one of Australia's most well-known
and popular wine regions. The Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perform
particularly well.
King Valley
The King Valley region produces a range of wine styles due to its variation in elevation. Its
Chardonnay has been highly successful with rich, yet mellow flavours, and its Cabernet
Sauvignon is flavoursome and generous with soft tannins.
Rutherglen
The Rutherglen region is fortified wine country. Two highlights from this remarkable wine
region 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 is
particularly suited to the region, and the Shiraz produced is well structured with intense
regional spice.
Macedon Ranges
With its icy-cool climate, the vineyards of the Macedon Ranges are particularly suited to the
production of grapes for sparkling wine. High quality table wines are also produced here,
with spicy Shiraz and elegant Chardonnay being regional specialties.
Australian wine regions - New South Wales

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 constant
sunshine enables the production of wine with ripe fruit flavours and softness.
Australian wine regions - Western Australia

Margaret River
Margaret River, with its stunning coastline and world-class wineries, is one of Australia’s
most inspiring wine regions. With its maritime influenced climate, Chardonnays and red and
white 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 popular in
bars, restaurants, hotels and clubs here in Australia.
New Zealand is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and Pinot Noir from
Central Otago.
Section 3: Wine tasting and food matching

Now that you are familiar with the most common wine varieties in Australia, we'll discuss wine
tasting and food matching.
By the end of this section you should have an understanding of:
the basic principles of tasting a

wine common food matches for
wines the role of a sommelier.
Wine tasting
'Wine maketh glad the heart of a man.' PSLAM 104:15
Wine tasting
When it comes to tasting wine there are three key things to do:
• Taste with your eyes
• Taste with your nose
• Taste with your mouth
Taste with your eyes
Always remember that colour rarely matches quality.
Most young wines should be brightly- coloured and vibrant. Reds will range from bright cherry to
purple; while whites will vary greatly from bright gold to green, to colours so pale they border on
being clear.
As wines age, red wines tend to brown or get lighter, while white wines get darker.
Taste with your nose

Your nose will give you the first indication as to what a wine will taste like, so always take a good
sniff of the wine.
Always give your wine a little swirl in the glass, so the air mixes with the wine and gradually moves
out 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 don’t smell anything that is not
necessarily a bad thing. It could be that the wine is too cold, so to get a better smell, let it warm up a
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.
Taste with your mouth
What your nose doesn't tell you about a wine, your mouth will. Not only will the mouth extract the
flavours of a wine it will also tell you about the texture of the wine (sometimes referred to as the
mouth feel).
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 sweet, sour, bitter, acidic, salty, dry or hot?
• 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 a
wine bottle.
During storage
Corked is a term used to describe oxygen entering wine through the cork before the wine bottle
is opened. Corked wine smells like wet cardboard and mould and tastes flat and non-fruity.
After opening
When a wine bottle is opened and resealed, small amounts of oxygen enter the wine. If the
wine 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.
Matching wine with food

'Wine gives courage and makes men apt for passion.' OVID (43 B.C –A.D 17)
Matching wine with food can be very subjective, so people frequently disagree about what
wine suits with what food. We all agree however, there is a wine that can be enjoyed with
every meal.
Here are some ideas for matching wine with food:
• Remember, there are no hard and fast rules!

• 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 food and 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 between
flavours and textures by marrying like with like or creating balance through the interaction
of contrasting flavours.
• Don’t get hung up on the colour of the wine.
• Experiment and enjoy food and wine.
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): Non-vintage Champagne, sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc,
Riesling
Cold (11-15 degrees): Vintage Champagne, Chardonnay, Semillon, Viognier, Pinot Gris,
Pinot Noir
Room temperature (15-17 degrees): Medium to full-bodied red wines
Matching wine with food

The 'right wine with the right food' might seem like a simple statement, but it is often hard to
define. 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 out
of your dining experience. Generally, 'like goes with like', so you could match:
• sweet food with sweet wine

• sour food with acidic wine
• bitter food with bitter wine
• salty food with acidic wine red meat with red wine white meat with white
wine.
There are however, many exceptions to these combinations as dining has become far more
exotic than in the past. It is also difficult to determine which wines are acidic and which retain
bitterness. That's why, experience is key. It's important to improve your palate and your
perception of the four primary tastes of wine and food - sour, bitter, sweet and salty (in food
only).
'There is nothing like wine for conjuring up feelings of contentment and goodwill. It is less of a
drink than an experience, an evocation, a spirit. It produces sensations that defy description.'
THOMAS CONKLIN
Matching white wine with food

Listed below are the most common varieties of white wine in Australia, along with some
suggested food matches.

Chardonnay poultry and game birds, veal, pork, rabbit, fish, pasta with cream/butter and
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 braised chicken, poultry, pork, sushi and other oriental dishes
Gewurtztraminer spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican and Indian, mild sausages, fruit
salad
Riesling appetizers and finger foods, crab, pork, salads
Semillon grilled fish, pasta and other food with creamy sauces
Verdelho yabbies, grilled fish, fruit platters, pasta with creamy sauces
Matching red wine with food

Listed below are the most common varieties of red wine in Australia, along with some
suggested food matches.
Cabernet Sauvignon beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meat, cheeses
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 pastries and puddings
Grenache fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken, red meat
Pinot Noir lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses
Rosé can be served with all food, but is best with smoked foods, quiche, pork, ham, Mexican
and Thai dishes
The Sommelier
Did you know that a person specifically trained in wine knowledge, designing wine lists and
food matching is much more than just a waiter?
They are called a sommelier. Though anyone can claim to be a sommelier, becoming a
certified sommelier requires training and education.
The most important aspects of a sommelier's role include:
• wine procurement (purchasing)

• wine storage
• food matching
• expert wine service to customers.

When working in a restaurant, a sommelier is responsible for working within the taste
preferences and budget of the establishment.
Section 4: Selling wine

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 profit item,
therefore most establishments rely heavily on the responsible sale of wine to their customers.
By the end of this section you will have an understanding of the basics of selling wine,
including:
• the two types of wine customers

• how to sell to both types of wine customers.
Selling wine
'If penicillin can cure those who are ill, Spanish sherry can bring the dead back to life.' SIR
ALEXANDER FLEMING (1881-1955)
Selling wine can seem daunting, particularly when it comes to meeting a customer's
expectations 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 list
may have featured 10 wines (five reds and five whites), but these days it can feature up to 140
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 years ago
wine lists would have mainly featured Cabernets, Moselles and Rieslings, these days there
are more than five varieties of both red wine and white wine, plus many sparkling wines and
fortified wines.
Another change over the years is the sale of wine by the glass, not only in restaurants but also
in bars. Most bars now offer a variety of wines by the glass, not just one red and one white, to
cater for a wider range of customers with different tastes. This is now the norm rather than the
exception, in better establishments.
How to find information on the wines you sell

Taste
Taste it yourself. Ask management for a wine tasting, as it is the best way to find out how a
wine tastes.
Label
Look at the label on the wine bottle. In most cases it will include information about where
the wine was made, how it will taste, and it may even list some food matches.
Wine rep
Ask your local wine representative (rep) who sells the product. Reps should have tasting
notes they can give you.
Internet
Go to the internet and search for information on the wines you sell. All wineries publish
extensive information on their wines, including tasting notes and possible food matches.
Customers
While asking your customers may sound counterintuitive, they are sometimes the best
source of information. This is because a customer may have tried more than one brand of a
particular wine style and are therefore able to give you a comparison.
Types of wine customers

There are two types of wine customers:
1. The customer who knows what they want and/or the wine style they enjoy.
2. The customer who doesn't know what they want and/or can't match wine with their 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 when
matching 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
• letting them select a wine
• advising them of other customers' preferences or what other customers thought of the wine
- don’t try to make them feel you know better than they do 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 with their
food
How do you deal with a customer who doesn't know what they want? Use the opportunity as
your time to shine!
Start by asking them these questions:

• What wine have you had before that you liked?

• Do you prefer sweet or dry, red or white?
• What meal are you having? (Then try to suggest one or two wines that would match with
their food.)
Where possible choose a wine for them and encourage them to try it, especially if it is sold by
the glass.
These customers will be relying on your knowledge of wine and food matching, so if you are
unsure, 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 at
all. It is, or should be, the sober habit of every normal man and women burdened with normal
desire to keep their problems in perspective and themselves in good health.' ALLAN SICHEL
(1900-1965)
Serving wine
When the customer has selected a bottle of wine and you bring it to their table, you should
follow these steps when serving the wine:
• Show the customer the label on the bottle to ensure it is the wine they ordered.
• Open the wine at the table in front of the customer.
• Give the customer a taste of the wine to ensure it is to their liking.
• If the customer likes the wine, continue to pour the wine, but leave the person who ordered
the wine to have the last pour.
When serving wine by the glass, you should pour it to a standard amount. The volume is either
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 it
at first. Give him a glass of wine or brandy, and immediately he feels better; you see him
come to life again before you.' BRILLAT SAVARIN (1755-1826)
Wine is more than just fermented grape juice that tastes great with or without food. It
involves a love affair with the winemaking process, the history of wine, winemaking regions
and the way that wine is enjoyed.
We have collected some fun and interesting wine facts to broaden your understanding of this
great industry.
Red vs. white: 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 grapes
the first international fruit crop. How about that grape vines are capable of producing grapes
for 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 per
acre - each of which produce about 800 gallons of wine.

Sterile wine is so complex that it contains more organic chemical compounds than blood
serum. 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 sulphur
dioxide (220/224) and sorbic acid (200/202). They are used mainly to protect against
exposure to oxygen and bacteria, which are factors that can severely affect the quality of the
grapes and the finished product.
Allergies: Prior to bottling, most wine is fined or filtered to remove impurities. Many modern
fining agents are derived from egg, fish, milk and nut products, so be careful of wines if you
have 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, depending
on how much you consume.
Hangovers: Hangovers occur as a result of high blood alcohol concentration. The more
alcohol in the blood stream, the greater the build up of acetaldehyde once alcohol has been
broken down by the liver. Acetaldehyde is a highly-concentrated toxic compound that
transfers very quickly from the blood stream to fluids in the brain and spinal cord. It irritates
the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord, resulting in a throbbing pain at the
front of the head.
Antioxidants: Polyphenols are antioxidants that come from the skins and pips of grapes and
are derived during the winemaking process. Because red wine comes into contact with pips
and seeds for much longer than white wine, there are more polyphenols in the wine. It is
believed these polyphenols reduce the occurrence of heart disease.
'Wine nourishes, refreshes, and cheers ...Wherever wine is lacking, medicines become
necessary.' FROM THE TALMUD
The final crush

After all is said and done, wine is there to be enjoyed either with or without food. Wine makes
a great accompaniment to a meal, but it can also be enjoyed on its own while at a bar with
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 its consumption,
search the internet for the RSA in your state. They will be able to help you with all the
information you need to responsibly serve alcohol.
If you have any feedback or comments, please send them to info@cleartowork.com.au

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Wine knowledge — For the love of wine

Section 1: History of wine and winemaking

• the history of wine

Page 1 of 27 © Clear to Work Pty Ltd 2017

History of wine in Australia

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Flowchart of the winemaking process

Step-by-step guide to the winemaking process

What gives wine its colour?

The label is a wealth of information

Page 3 of 27 © Clear to Work Pty Ltd 2017

Page 4 of 27 © Clear to Work Pty Ltd 2017

Big: is used to describe a wine that is powerful in flavours or bouquet

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Honeyed: is a wine taste that relates to the flavour of honey

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Nose: is the smell or bouquet of a wine. To 'nose' a wine means to smell it

Oenology: is the science of winemaking

Short: describes a wine with no length of flavour

Tart: describes the noticeably acidic taste of natural grape acids

Thin: describes a wine lacking body, to the extent of being watery

Varietal: refers to a wine made from a particular variety of grape

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Volatile: describes a wine that is spoiled by the presence of acetic acid

Wine: is the fermented juice of grapes

Where have wine corks gone?

The following are other methods of sealing wine bottles:

Section 2: Wine varieties and regions

By the end of this section you should understand about:

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• different varieties of wines including red, white and sparkling

Wine varieties can be broken down into three main categories:

Each of these categories will be discussed in further detail in this section.

White wine - Chardonnay

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There are two types of chardonnay:

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White wine - Sauvignon Blanc

White wine - Semillon

Semillon wines are generally classified into two categories:

• Semillons over five years old

White wine - Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

White wine - Riesling

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White wine - Verdelho

White wine - Viognier

White wine - Pinot Gris

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White wine - Gewürztraminer

The most common red wine varieties in Australia are:

Each of these wine varieties will be discussed in more detail.

Red wine - Shiraz

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Red wine - Cabernet Sauvignon

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Red wine - Pinot Noir

Red wine - Merlot

Red wine - Grenache

Red wine - Zinfandel

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Red wine - Sangiovese

Red wine - Rosé