ABQ Lodging, Hospitality & Wine: The Substance of Wine

It's interesting to me that to drink wine and enjoy it one must publicly validate their knowledge of wine. When I'm in public, enjoying a glass of wine, people ask me wine questions. People are sincerely interested in my choice of red over white and the type of red I am drinking. When I have a margarita people do not ask me about my knowledge of tequila. But for some odd reason with wine it seems to bring serious conversations. I was annoyed with myself for not knowing about my favorite wines. Its simply not okay to just like your wine. One must know exactly what it is, who made it and where did it come from. A winemaker put his heart and soul into that delicious wine and damn it, I must know the answer as to why I am drinking, Cabernet Franc. Starting with the basics of wine was the beginning step to my wine knowledge.

I have learned that wine is more then just crushed grapes. Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. During this fermentation process, the sugars are converted into alcohol. I recently read that some amateur wine enthusiast put grapes in a jug and buried it, waiting for it to ferment. I sincerely hope they did not drink it. The wine making process is a precise method. I have heard that yeast spores from the air can be used to make wine but I do not think that would be drinkable or likeable.

When it comes to the sweetness of wine that is determined by the amount of residual sugar in the wine after fermentation and the acidity present in the wine. Interestingly, where the grapes are grown affects these variables and each grape variety will produce different flavors, aromas, and even textures. Also, this is where the art of wine making comes in effect, the wine maker can control various things by the technique, temperature, yeast used during fermentation and flavor additives. Storing in oak barrels will also affect the color and taste. Wine aroma is the result of the interaction between components of the grapes and those produced during wine making process, fermentation, aging and storage. When it comes to wine tasting, specific flavors can also be sensed, such as esters and terpenes that grape juice and wine can contain.

Learning that wine is more than aged grapes has inspired me to discover the complete substances, processes and origins of my favorite wines. Now, I enjoy that glass of wine even more and I don't mind publicly discussing my wine preferences. One of my favorites is Cabernet Franc. This lovely wine has a fruity, berry-like flavor that is soothing and refreshing. Cabernet Franc is usually mixed with varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I enjoy this wines light red color, its soft fruity bouquet and it has low traces of tannin.

Basic Wine Composition : 86% water, 11.2% alcohol, 2.8% other. Over 250 compounds have been identified in "other". That is why wine making is an art and not a science.

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

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