Table Of ContentGet Started
Wine
Appreciation
Learn Something New
Get Started
Wine
Appreciation
Get Started
Wine
Appreciation
LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH,
MELBOURNE, DELHI
Written by David Williams
Senior Editor Alastair Laing
Project Art Editor Gemma Fletcher
Managing Editor Penny Warren
Managing Art Editor Alison Donovan
Senior Jacket Creative Nicola Powling
Jacket Design Assistant Rosie Levine
Pre-production Producer Sarah Isle
Senior Producers Seyhan Esen, Jen Lockwood
Art Directors Peter Luff, Jane Bull
Publisher Mary Ling
DK Publishing
Editor Nichole Altorfer
Senior Editor Shannon Beatty
DK India
Art Editors Devan Das, Prashant Kumar
Senior Art Editor Ivy Roy
DTP Designers Rajesh Singh Adhikari, Sourabh Challariya
DTP Manager Sunil Sharma
Tall Tree Ltd
Editors Joe Fullman, Camilla Hallinan, Catherine Saunders
Designer Malcolm Parchment
First American Edition, 2013
Published in the United States by DK Publishing,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001—187847—Jan/2013
Copyright © 2013 Dorling Kindersley Limited
All rights reserved
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above,
no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or
by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the
copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.
A catalog record for this book is available from the
Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4654-0201-1
DK books are available at special discounts when purchased
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educational use. For details, contact: DK Publishing Special
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Contents
Build Your Course 6 • How to Host a Wine Tasting 8
How to Choose the Right Glassware 10 • How to Serve Wine 12
The Science of... Growing Grapes 14 • Winemaking 16
1 2 3
Start Simple Build On It Take It Further
The Key Taste Areas White Grape Varieties 66 The Effect of Oak 140
of Wine 20 Chardonnay • Sauvignon Blanc Unoaked and Barrel-fermented
Acidity • Sweetness Riesling • Chenin Blanc • Pinot White Wines: New Zealand
Tannin • Alcohol Grigio/Gris • Gewürztraminer Sauvignon Blanc • Unoaked
and Barrel-matured Red Wines:
The Range of Flavors Red Grape Varieties 78 Argentinian Malbec
and Aromas in Wine 24 Cabernet Sauvignon • Merlot
White & Sparkling • Red & Rosé Syrah/Shiraz • Pinot Noir The Effect of Climate 148
Grenache/Garnacha • Tempranillo Cool-climate White: Vinho
How to Taste Wine 30 Verde • Warm-climate White:
White Wine • Red Wine Classic European Whites 90 Languedoc Viognier
Rosé Wine • Sparkling Chablis • Sancerre • Riesling Cool-climate Red: Loire Valley
Albariño • Grüner Veltliner • Soave Cabernet Franc • Warm-climate
White Wine Styles 38 Red: Californian Zinfandel
Crisp and Dry • Fruity and Dry Classic European Reds 102
Rich and Dry • Gently Sweet Burgundy • Bordeaux • Rhône The Effect of Age 156
Rich and Sweet Valley • Chianti • Barolo • Rioja Young and Aged Whites: Hunter
Valley Sémillon • Young and
Red Wine Styles 48 Classic New World Whites 114 Aged Reds: Bordeaux
Light and Elegant • Fresh and Californian Chardonnay • New
Fruity • Smooth and Fruity Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Something Completely
Rich and Powerful Australian Riesling • South Different 164
Sweet and Fortified African Chenin Blanc Traditional White Rioja
Vin Jaune • Retsina
Rosé Wine Styles 58 Classic New World Reds 122 Sparkling Shiraz • Amarone
Crisp and Light • Medium-bodied Californian Cabernet Sauvignon Pedro Ximénez Sherry
and Dry • Medium Sweet Australian Shiraz • New Zealand
Pinot Noir • Argentinian Malbec How to Match Wine
and Food 176
Sparkling Wines Fish and Seafood
of the World 130 White Meat • Spicy Food
Champagne • Prosecco • Cava Red Meat • Cheese • Dessert
English Sparkling
Index 188
Acknowledgments 192
Build Your Course
This book is divided into three sections: Start Simple
explores the range of flavors and aromas, and the main
styles of wine. Build On It looks at famous grape varieties
and classic styles produced across the world. Take It Further
examines the wider factors that can affect wine, such as
age or climate, and looks at how to match wine with food.
Getting started
Each section of the course is structured wine style then receives detailed tasting
around a series of tutored tasting sessions. notes, explaining what to expect from wines
These tastings are designed to illustrate of this style and why; having picked your
particular themes, and as you taste you favorites, the session then concludes with
will be learning about wine and developing buying advice and food pairings, and ideas
your own palate at the same time. With each for similar or contrasting wines to discover.
tasting session, “Explore” pages first examine Before you start to taste, whet your appetite
the theme of the tasting; these are followed with the introductory section, where you’ll
by pages that introduce each of the wine find out how grapes are grown, how wine
styles selected for the tasting session. Each is produced, and how best to serve it.
The ideal temperature
for serving the wine Map identifying the region
where the wine is produced
1CRISP AND DRY
Muscadet
To help plan the tasting session,
Paris
a bottle list provides quick notes Serve at
on each wine style, with a map 54˚F (12˚C) Muscadet
Nantes
locating the region of origin, plus
details of grape(s) used and
optimum serving temperature.
Grape Variety
Look for Recommended wines Melon de Bourgogne
France
to buy are listed here.
Wines can also be made
from a blend of different
grape varieties
6
2
PINOT GRIGIO
Northeast Italy
Each wine has Appearance can often be
tasting notes determined by the grape variety
interpreting the or winemaking method. Each
four key aspects
style has a unique color.
of appearance,
aroma, flavor,
Aroma is an important and
and texture
often very personal aspect of
wine appreciation. What will
you be able to detect?
Flavor is closely linked to
aroma. Again, you might detect
some unexpected notes in your
Symbols
wine.
Annotations represent the
help to explain four aspects
wine labels of tasting Texture is surprisingly varied
in wines, from light and subtle
whites to heavy, viscous reds,
with everything in between.
3
FRANCE
Champagne
When you have learned about the key wine
styles, flavors, and areas of production, and
developed a keener understanding of your
own palate, it’s time to use your knowledge.
Buying advice Recognize the best producers,
get tips on what’s well-priced, and find out
whether to drink young or lay down to mature.
Food pairing Get expert advice on what type
of food will go best with each wine.
Also try If you like a particular wine in the
tasting, be inspired to explore similar or
contrasting wines and set up your own tastings.
By the time you finish
this book you’ll be toasting
your wine expertise
7
INTRODUCTION
How to Host
a Wine Tasting
A fun way for you and your friends to get to
know more about wine and explore the styles
you like is to host a wine-tasting party. If you
enjoy it, you can make it a regular event,
choosing a different theme each time.
1Choose a theme. The tasting sessions in this book
are a great place to start, and once you have tried
them all you will be knowledgeable enough to devise
your own themes. It could be based on season, style,
geography, or something more quirky, but try to make
it as focused as possible. Christmas, for example, is a
great time to taste wines that you’re likely to buy for the
season—Port or Champagne, perhaps. Or you could try
several wines from several different producers in a
particular region that interests you, or a specific grape
variety made in different regions around the world.
2Invite your guests. To spread the cost, work,
and fun, invite a group of friends (four to eight
people or couples is a good number) and get them
each to bring a bottle that fits in with the theme—
making sure in advance that none of you bring the
same bottle! It’s also worth asking your guests to
bring their own glasses, unless you already have a big
collection and a good dishwasher.
For a truly “blind” and
unbiased tasting, hide all
traces of the brand
8
