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