| Although millions of people across the globe | | | | |
| enjoy wine, very few of them know exactly | | | | Acid |
| what it is about a particular wine that they | | | | |
| enjoy. By understanding each of the different | | | | Acid found in wine balances against the |
| components of wine, you can quickly establish | | | | residual sugar that is left after the |
| the parts you prefer, and therefore choose | | | | fermentation process has finished. There are |
| your next bottle with more confidence. | | | | three key types of acid in wine, tartaric, |
| | | | malic and citric. All of these acids are |
| Sugar | | | | found in varying quantities in the skins of |
| | | | grapes |
| Sweeter wines have more sugar than dry wines. | | | | |
| During the fermentation process a lot of the | | | | Alcohol may react with bacteria within the |
| natural fruit sugar is fermented. However, in | | | | wine to create acetic acid; this is not |
| some wines, residual (remaining) sugar may be | | | | generally a good thing as too much acetic |
| higher and therefore a sweeter wine is | | | | acid will make a wine taste more like vinegar |
| produced. | | | | than anything else! |
| | | | |
| Alcohol | | | | Fruit |
| | | | |
| Most people know that one of the key | | | | This is what tends to differentiate one wine |
| components of wine is alcohol! Alcohol is | | | | from the other. Fruity tastes are what we |
| fundamental to the taste of wine. The alcohol | | | | look for in a wine and different grapes will |
| volume most wines range between nine and | | | | produce a myriad of fruit flavors. It is the |
| fifteen per cent. Fortified wine can be as | | | | combination of tastes that makes each wine |
| high as twenty per cent alcohol. | | | | unique and special. |
| | | | |
| Tannin | | | | Carbon Dioxide |
| | | | |
| Tannin comes from the skin of grapes. | | | | During every fermentation process, carbon |
| Therefore, tannin is much more fundamental as | | | | dioxide is produced. Most of this is normally |
| a taste component in red wine than in white. | | | | released, however, in some wines a degree of |
| | | | fizz can be left in a wine to add a little |
| Too much tannin in a wine is not a good thing | | | | extra to an otherwise very ordinary wine. Of |
| and can result in the wine tasting spoiled. | | | | course, in sparkling wines, the carbon |
| | | | dioxide is retained and is fundamental to the |
| However, tannin helps to preserve a wine, | | | | taste. |
| which means that some wines can be kept for | | | | |
| years and even improve with age. | | | | Oak |
| | | | |
| A small amount of tannin is also a positive | | | | No longer an essential component of everyday |
| taste characteristic to regular wine | | | | quaffing wines, oak barrels are still used on |
| drinkers, if a little over-whelming for | | | | occasions to add a vanilla, oaky flavor. Oak |
| novice wine drinkers. | | | | barrels can add an extra dimension to plain |
| | | | wines that will make them much more saleable |
| Water | | | | and enjoyable. |
| | | | |
| All wines contain water that has been | | | | All of these components make the wine that we |
| extracted naturally from the grapes from | | | | see in our glasses. Next time you pour |
| which they were produced. Very rarely, if | | | | yourself a glass of wine, take some time to |
| ever, would extra water be added to a wine. | | | | think about which elements are supporting |
| In fact, some wines will be criticized for | | | | your enjoyment, and which you could do |
| being excessively watery if the other flavors | | | | without. |
| are not sufficiently powerful. | | | | |