Wines, what you need to know!

2007-07-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

WINE PROGRAM

While most restaurants are literately famous for their drinks, we also offer a limited selection of wine from the major vinicultural areas of the world.

The study of wine is taken very seriously by most food and beverage professionals. It is a subject that has filled thousands and thousands of volumes throughout history. Modern magazines on the subject fill whole racks at the news stand. Poets, artists and musicians have been inspired both by it’s lore and it’s effects, and of course many of us here owe our existence on this earth to it’s aphrodisiac qualities. Yet to most people, wine remains a total mystery.
For the purposes of this manual, it will have to pretty much remain that way. We will try to skim the surface in order to give some basic instruction on selling and serving wine, as it pertains to restaurants.

Wine Program overview
During your wine program training we will cover the following:

What is wine?
The winemaking process.

Types of wine.

Styles of wines.
Reading the label.

Bar wine service notes.

Using your wine list.
Wine list presentation.
Taking a wine order.
Presenting and opening wine

Wine pouring tips.

Tips on older wines.

What is Wine?
Most simply put, wine is the fermented juice of any of various types of grapes. Usually containing between 10 and 15 per cent alcohol by volume.

Winemaking Process
The process of making wine has varied little throughout history. The simple reason for this is because it is a totally natural process. You see, the skin of a grape naturally becomes coated with a small amount of yeast, so when grapes are crushed they ferment. The yeast eats at the sugars and creates CO2 and alcohol. When the alcohol levels reach between 10 and 15 %, the yeast dies, leaving, basically, wine.
Of course through the years this process has been refined and due to modern technology, the wine makers art is becoming more of a science then the alchemy it used to be, however the basic process is still necessary.

Types of Wines
For all intents and purposes there are two ways of distinguishing types of wine, by region, and by varietals.

The most common wines in our markets are what are called varietals the name comes from the word variety, and that’s is all it means. The variety of grape that is predominantly or exclusively used in the wine. The most common red varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot, while the most common whites are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (also known as Fume Blanc) and Pinot Grigio. Another popular varietal is Zinfandel, which is an American hybrid of an Italian red wine grape. For years it was a very minor player, until the recent advent of “White Zinfandel” a sweetish rose made from this grape.

These are all European varieties of grapes, but wines are produced using these varieties across the globe. Each producing area has different laws as to what percentage of a variety must be used in order to give the wine the name, but most quality producers use between 90 and 100 per cent, with other varieties used to add to the character of the wine.

In most older wine producing countries the better wines are noted by region. For the purpose of simplicity in this manual we will discuss France. The French laws known as Apellation Controlee (A.C.) meaning “controlled place name” are very strict as to what regional name can be placed on a label, for instance, if it is labeled “Gevry Chambertin” it must be from a vineyard that is in this specific region of the Burgundy, and it must have been produced under the strict limits set by the government.

The more popular regional French wines are the whites from Burgundy such as Chablis, Meursault and Pouille Fuisse, Burgundy reds such as Aloxe Corton, Pommard, and Chassagne Montrachet.. It should be noted that all Burgundy whites are made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, and all reds from 100% Pinot Noir.

Also popular are the reds of Bordeaux, especially the wines of Pauillac, Margeaux and St. Julienne. Red Bordeaux’s are basically made from varying blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. White Boedeaux comes mostly from the Graves region, is predominantly made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The dessert wines from Sauternes are also quite well known, The most famous being Chateau D’Yquem.

Other popular French wines are Chateaunuef du Pape from the Rhone Valley, the Beaujolais, such as Morgon, Bruilly and Moulin a Vent, and the Loire River wines like Sancerre Muscadet.
4. Styles of Wines

There are five basic styles that all wines fall into they are:
Table Wines – These wines are the type we typically drink with an entrée. They can be red, white, or pink, Usually somewhat dry, and usually with an alcohol content of 14% or less.
Sparkling wines – this group includes French Champagne, Italian Spumante, Spanish Cava and the various California sparklers. The alcohol content of these wines is usually 14% or less.
Apéritifs - these wines that are infused with a flavoring, usually herbs and spices they include Vermouth (both Italian (sweet) and French (dry), Campari, and Dubonnet. The alcohol content usually ranges from 15.5 to 20%.

Fortified wines – A process in which the fermentation process is stopped by the addition of brandy, in order to retain the natural sugars of the grape. This style includes include Sherry, Port, Madeira, and Marsala. The alcohol content of these wines is over 15% but usually less than 24%.

Dessert wines – Classically made from grapes that are allowed to turn to raisins in order to increase their residual sugar content. The alcohol content is similar to that of a strong table wine, but the sugar is content is at around 21º brix.

Reading the Label
Each major wine producing country and region has laws governing the winemaking process. Knowing what must, by law, be on the label of a wine is a very important tool in judging the quality and potential of a wine. Below are examples of labels from the 5 major wine producing countries.

U.S.A.
France
Germany
Italy
Spain

Wine maker or winery: The company or firm that made the wine or, in some cases, the wine's trademark name.

Appellation: The country or region where the grapes for this wine were grown. This may be as broad as "California" or as narrow as a specific vineyard like "Erdener Treppchen." Note, however, that the California wine pictured also lists its specific vineyard source ("Pagani Ranch" and, in small print at the bottom of the label, "Sonoma Valley") while the German wine also mentions its region ("Mosel-Saar-Ruwer"). In most countries, wine-growing regions ("appellations") are defined by law, and wines made in these regions will carry legal language on the label such as "Appellation Controlée" in France or "Denominazione della Origine Contrallata (DOC)" in Italy. Most regulations allow up to 15 percent of the wine to be made from grapes grown outside the area.

Vintage: This is the year in which the grapes were harvested, not the year in which the wine was bottled, which for some wines may be years later. Note that some countries add the local word for "vintage" to the label: "Cosecha" in Spain, "Vendemmia" in Italian. (Most national wine laws require that at least 85 percent of the wine be harvested in the year of vintage; up to 15 percent may be blended in from other years.)

Variety: The specific kind of grapes from which the wine was made. Not all wines disclose varietal content. Most French and Italian wines do not do so, for example, because the wine laws require the wines of each region be made from traditional varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec in Bordeaux, for example (the Chateau Coufran pictured is primarily Merlot); Sangiovese and others in the case of Chianti, and Tinto Fino (a variant of Rioja's Tempranillo) in Ribera del Duero. Most countries allow the use of some non-varietal grapes in the blend. In most states of the U.S., for example, only 75 percent of the wine's content must be of the named varietal. In Europe and Australia, the rule is usually 85 percent.

Ripeness: In a tradition known primarily in Germany and, in somewhat different form, Austria, some wines use special terminology to reflect the ripeness of the grapes and the quality of the finished wine. The German wine pictured, for instance, is a "Kabinett," the lowest ripeness level in "Qualitätswein mit Prädikat," the highest quality level.. Some German wine labels will also show "Trocken" ("Dry") or "Halbtrocken" ("Half Dry") to denote wines vinified to less natural sweetness.

Estate bottling and winery information: If the wine is "estate bottled" (made from grapes grown and harvested in the winery's own vineyards), this will be disclosed with language on the label such as the French "Mise en bouteille(s) au Chateau;" the German "Gutsabfüllung" (a newer and more specific term than the older "Erzeugerabfüllung"); or the English "estate bottled" or "grown, produced and bottled."

Other required information: This may vary widely depending on national regulations. German wines, for example, carry an "Amptliche Prüfungs Nummer (AP Number)," the serial number it received during official testing. French wines may carry their ranking from traditional classifications (such as "Cru Bourgeois" on the Bordeaux pictured). The back labels of wines sold in the U.S. are typically decked out with required consumer warnings such as the notorious "Surgeon General's Warning" and notices that the wines contain sulfites. Wine labels also carry small print disclosing the wine's approximate alcoholic content and the size of the bottle, as highlighted on the Spanish and U.S. wine labels; and imported wines in the U.S. normally bear information (often on a separate label, as seen on the French wine label) about the company that imported it.

Additional Infromation: Additional information that may range from winemaker's notes or detailed analytical and tasting information to advertising hype are often featured on labels, especially the back label. Not to mention the ubiquitous UPC bar code!

General Wine service notes
· When a customer inquires about wines available, inform them of the glass wines, and show them our list of wines by the bottle.
· Always serve wine in a proper stem glass.
· Be sure the wine you are serving is at the proper temperature. White and pink wines should be chilled in the refrigerator, most reds are optimum between 65 and 68º F., while lighter reds like a Beaujolais or a Gamay, should be slightly chilled.
· When opening a new bottle of pour wine, always wipe the rim with a clean napkin.
· When opening a fresh bottle of sparkling wine, do not let the cork fly.
· If you get a little cork in a glass, remove it with a clean spoon.
· If a customer asks for some ice with their wine, serve it on the side in a second wine glass. Don’t make a face.
· If you are serving or mixing a sparkling wine from a previously opened bottle, be sure it hasn’t lost its sparkle.
· If a guest spills red wine on their clothes, offer a bar nap, moistened with club soda to prevent the stain from setting.
· If the guest is not sure of a glass wine, offer them a small taste, and then pour about an ounce into a wine glass for them to try.
· Customers asking simply for “red or “white” are a perfect candidate for a quick up-sale.

Using your Wine List
The wine list has been created as a sales tool for you. Its only purpose is improve your ability to merchandise our wine selections.

To make this happen you will need to:
Thoroughly learn the wine list. You must become as comfortable using the wine list as you are using the lunch and dinner menus. You need to be knowledgeable of the wines and you need to be able to describe these wines in “selling terms” that will make them appetizing to a wine drinking novice as well as the more experienced wine consumer.

Identify a wine or two you can recommend from each of the basic categories of red, white and pink dinner wines. This should provide you a good beginner’s selection to compliment most items on our menus.

Don’t make selections based too heavily on their prices. Instead you should make your suggestions based on your knowledge of the patron’s drinking pattern, the item(s) selected and the wine’s taste characteristics.

Suggest mid priced wines. Wines are usually priced according to quality. If the host asks for your choice, try to meet this need with a mid priced product. This will allow the host to adjust if the pricing is too high or if it doesn’t have enough “snob appeal” for the occasion.

Be prepared to answer questions about your choice(s). If you do make a suggestion, be ready to tell the patron(s) why you have made that selection. You should also be ready to describe the choice in those “selling terms” which will help the patron(s) solidify the choice(s).

Wine List Presentation
An important question is when do you sell wine? The most logical time for a wine order is while you are taking the food order. This will help you ensure the patron receives a complementary wine for the meal. To execute this efficiently you should:

Hand the wine list to the hosts when giving them their own menus.
If the wine list is stored on the table, be sure to pick it up and hand it to the party’s
host with their menu.

Ask the host what type of wine he or she would like with dinner. This is as easy and natural as asking the patron for a choice of salad dressing. In addition, this question will place money in the pocket where the choice of dressings, while necessary, won’t “ring the register” for either you or the restaurant.

Remember, if you don’t make the attempt to sell that bottle of wine you have a 99% sure chance you will miss the additional sale and the patron won’t get that “little extra” to complete the dining experience.

Taking a Wine Order
Taking the wine order requires both skill and attention to detail to satisfy your patrons. A wine order can occur when:

You are asked to select the wine. If this happens, be sure to remember the drinks they have already ordered. This will be a good tip on their taste(s)in alcohol. Example – Rarely will the individual ordering very dry drinks order a sweet, fruity wine. Additionally, always remember the food item(s) being ordered by the party(ies). Example-A red wine should not be suggested for lobster nor should a white be suggested for red meat (prime rib or steaks).

The host makes the selection. Whenever this occurs you should be sure to: ALWAYS REPEAT the patron’s order. This will help ensure you avoid bringing the wrong wine to the table.
Compliment the host’s selection. If the selection worthy be sure to note the excellent selection. This will help build rapport with the host.

Pay attention to your hosts’ choices. You will find you can learn a great deal from the selections your patrons make. Many of our patrons are very knowledgeable about wines and many are very willing to share some of their knowledge with those who listen.

Presenting and opening wine
Present the wine to the host, label up, about chest high.
Make verbal contact with the host by saying “your wine selection”, wait for his verification.
If the wine bottle is capped with a foil “capsule” cut it away with the knife on your opener, just below the rim band. Try to do this in one motion without spinning the bottle. Remove the top of the capsule. If the bottle is sealed with a wax seal, remove it by prying it out with the tip of your knife.

Wipe the rim with a clean napkin.
Place the tip of your corkscrew in the center of the cork and press it in while turning it clockwise.

Work the screw into the cork until only the last ring is showing.
Place the notched fulcrum on the rim of the bottle and gently pry the cork ¾ of the way out.
Grasp the cork in your hand and remove from the bottle.
Wipe the rim again with your napkin.
Pour about an ounce for the host and wait for approval.
Pour for the rest of the guests.
In the case of Champagne, ignore steps 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Remove the foil and the wire cork retainer. Grasp the cork in your left hand with your napkin, and grasp the body of the bottle in your right. Gently twist The bottle, not the cork until the natural pressure forces the cork gently out of the bottle. No noise, no flying corks.

Wine Pouring Tips
An important part of the patron’s experience with our wine service is the manner in which it is handled when it arrives at the table. After the host has approved the wine:
Pour ladies first, and oldest to youngest.
Pour from the right. You must always attempt to avoid reaching across the patron’s serving plate.
Keep the bottle one to two inches above the rim of the glass. This helps pouring but it also keeps the rim of the glass sanitary for the patron.
Fill glasses 1/2 to 2/3 full. This procedure allows room for the wine’s full aroma to fill the remainder of the glass.

Avoid drips by:
Slightly twisting the bottle as it is lifted from the glass.
Using a folded napkin in your free hand to catch any unavoidable drips.

When you have finished pouring:
Place red wines to the right of the host on the table. Be sure the label is turned so the host can see it.

Place white wines in an ice bucket or chiller and wrap a folded napkin around the neck of the bottle. This will provide a grip for you or the patron when further drinks are to be poured from the bottle.

Try to determine whether or not the host wants to be self-sufficient. Watch the patron’s behavior at the table for hints.

If a second bottle is ordered be sure:
All used glasses are removed before serving the second bottle.
Clean glasses are brought to the table. If the table is pre-set with a second set of glasses, you need not bring the second set out.

Wine is an alcoholic beverage. All state and federal laws apply, no matter what the circumstances.

Tips on Older Wines
Older red wines need gentle handling because they “throw” sediment which we do not want to end up in the patron’s glass(es). The process for serving an older red wine is:
If available, you should use a wine basket to carry the wine to the table. Uncorking and service are similar to other wines except:
The wine is uncorked and served while resting in the basket.
A napkin is used to control drips versus using the twisting motion.
Sometimes wine will be decanted to rid it of the sediment before serving.

This is accomplished by:
Setting the bottle upright for a period of time.
Opening and pouring the wine into a decanter using a light source (usually a candle or alcohol burner) behind the neck while the bottle is poured into the decanter.
The pouring ends when the sediment is reached in the original bottle.

Chef Michael Bennett's Wine "Basics" training

Wines, what you need to know!