Wine is analcoholic beverage made fromfermentation ofgrapejuice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition ofsugars,acids,enzymes, or othernutrients. Although fruits other than grapes can also be fermented, the resultant wines are normally named after the fruit from which they are produced (for example,apple wine) and are known asfruit wine (or country wine). Others, such asbarley wine andrice wine (e.g.sake), are made fromstarch-based materials and resemblebeer more than wine;ginger wine isfortified withbrandy. In these cases, the use of the term "wine" is a reference to the higher alcohol content, rather than the production process. The commercial use of the word "wine" (and its equivalent in other languages) is protected by law in manyjurisdictions. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types ofyeast which consume the sugars found in the grapes and convert them intoalcohol. Various varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the types of wine produced.
Orange wine, also known asskin-contact white wine,skin-fermented white wine, oramber wine, is a type ofwine made fromwhite wine grapes where the grape skins are not removed but stay in contact with the juice for days or even months, as is more typical with red wines. This contrasts with conventional white wine production, which involves crushing the grapes and quickly moving the juice off the skins into thefermentation vessel. The skins containcolor pigment,phenols andtannins that would normally be considered undesirable for white wines, while for red wines skin contact andmaceration is a vital part of the winemaking process that gives red wine its color, flavor, and texture. Orange wines tend to benatural (a.k.a. minimal intervention) wines.
Pinot gris (French pronunciation:[pinoɡʁi]ⓘ),pinot grigio (US:/ˈpiːnoʊˈɡriːdʒioʊ,-dʒoʊ/,UK:/ˈɡrɪdʒioʊ/), orGrauburgunder (German pronunciation:[ˈɡʁaʊbʊʁˌɡʊndɐ]ⓘ) is a whitewine grape variety of the speciesVitis vinifera. Thought to be amutant clone of thepinot noir variety, it normally has a pinkish-gray hue, accounting for its name, but the colors can vary from blue-gray to pinkish-brown. The wordpinot could have been given to it because the grapes grow in smallpinecone-shaped clusters. The wines produced from this grape also vary in color from a deep golden yellow to copper and even a light shade of pink, and it is one of the more popular grapes forskin-contact wine.
Pinot gris is grown around the globe, with the "spicy"full-bodiedAlsatian and lighter-bodied, moreacidicItalian styles being most widely recognized. The Alsatian style, often duplicated inNew World wine regions such asMarlborough,Oregon,South Africa,South Australia,Tasmania, andWashington, tend to have moderate to lowacidity, higheralcohol levels, and an almost "oily" texture that contributes to the full-bodied nature of the wine. The flavors can range from ripetropical fruit notes ofmelon andmango to somebotrytis-influenced flavors. In Italy, pinot grigio grapes are oftenharvested early to retain the refreshing acidity and minimize some of the overt fruitiness of the variety, creating a more neutral flavor profile. This style is often imitated in otherOld World wine regions, such asGermany, where the grape is known asRuländer or more commonly,Grauburgunder. (Full article...)
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Oak wine barrels
Oak is used inwinemaking to vary the color, flavor,tannin profile and texture of wine. It can be introduced in the form of abarrel during thefermentation oraging periods, or as free-floating chips orstaves added to wine fermented in a vessel like stainless steel. Oak barrels can impart other qualities to wine throughevaporation and low level exposure tooxygen. (Full article...)
The sole variety used to produce Muscadet, Melon de Bourgogne, was initially planted in the region sometime in or before the 17th century. It became dominant after a hard freeze in 1709 killed most of the region's vines.Dutch traders, who were major actors in the French wine trade, encouraged the planting of this variety; theydistilled much of the wine produced intoeau de vie for sale inNorthern Europe. (Full article...)
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French wines are usually made to accompany food. French wine is produced throughout all of France in quantities between 50 and 60 millionhectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largestwine producers in the world. French wine traces its history to the 6th century BCE, with many of France's regions dating their wine-making history toRoman times. The wines produced range from expensive wines sold internationally to modest wines usually only seen within France such as theMargnat wines of the post-war period.
Two concepts central to the better French wines are the notion ofterroir, which links the style of the wines to the locations where the grapes are grown and the wine is made, and theProtected designation of origin (Appellation d'Origine Protégée, AOP) system, namedAppellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) until 2012. Appellation rules closely define which grape varieties and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover regions, villages or vineyards. France is the source of many grape varieties (such asCabernet Sauvignon,Chardonnay,Pinot noir,Sauvignon blanc,Syrah) that are now planted throughout the world, as well as wine-making practices and styles of wine that have been adopted in other producing countries. Although some producers have benefited in recent years from rising prices and increased demand for prestige wines fromBurgundy andBordeaux, competition fromNew World wines has contributed to a decline in the domestic and international consumption of French wine to 40 liters per capita. (Full article...)
A pairing ofvin jaune withwalnuts andComté cheese Wine and food pairing is the process of pairingfood dishes withwine to enhance the dining experience. In many cultures, wine has had a long history of being astaple at the dinner table and in some ways both thewinemaking andculinary traditions of a region have evolved together over the years. Rather than following a set of rules, local cuisines were paired simply with local wines. The modern "art" of food pairings is a relatively recent phenomenon, fostering an industry of books and media with guidelines for pairings of particular foods and wine. In therestaurant industry,sommeliers are often present to make food pairing recommendations for the guest. The main concept behind pairings is that certain elements (such as texture and flavor) in both food and wine interact with each other, and thus finding the right combination of these elements can make the entire dining experience more enjoyable. However,taste and enjoyment aresubjective and what may be a "textbook perfect" pairing for one taster could be less enjoyable to another.
While there are many books, magazines and websites with detailed guidelines on how to pair food and wine, most food and wine experts believe that the most basic element of food and wine pairing is understanding the balance between the "weight" of the food and the weight (orbody) of the wine. Heavy, robust wines likeCabernet Sauvignon can overwhelm a light, delicate dish like aquiche, while light-bodied wines likePinot Grigio would be similarly overwhelmed by a heartystew. Beyond weight, flavors and textures can either be contrasted or complemented. From there a food and wine pairing can also take into consideration thesugar,acid,alcohol andtannins of the wine and how they can be accentuated or minimized when paired with certain types of food. (Full article...)
The first definition of a wine area calledChianti was made in 1716. It described the area near the villages ofGaiole,Castellina andRadda; the so-calledLega del Chianti and laterProvincia del Chianti (Chianti province). In 1932 the Chianti area was completely redrawn and divided into seven sub-areas: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. Most of the villages that in 1932 were added to the newly defined Chianti Classico region addedin Chianti to their names, for exampleGreve in Chianti, which amended its name in 1972. Wines labelled Chianti Classico come from the largest sub-area of Chianti, which includes the original Chianti heartland. Only Chianti from this sub-zone may display the black rooster (gallo nero) seal on the neck of the bottle, which indicates that the producer of the wine is a member of the Chianti Classico Consortium, the local association of producers. Other variants, with the exception of Rufina north-east of Florence and Montalbano south ofPistoia, originate in the named provinces:Siena for the Colli Senesi,Florence for the Colli Fiorentini,Arezzo for the Colli Aretini andPisa for the Colline Pisane. In 1996 part of the Colli Fiorentini sub-area was renamedMontespertoli. (Full article...)
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Greek influence in the 6th century BC The influence ofwine inancient Greece helped ancient Greece trade with neighboring countries and regions. Many mannerisms and cultural aspects were associated with wine. It led to great change in Ancient Greece as well. The ancient Greeks pioneered new methods ofviticulture andwine production that they shared with early winemaking communities in what are nowFrance,Italy,Austria andRussia, as well as others, throughtrade andcolonization. Along the way, they markedly influenced the ancient European winemaking cultures of theCelts,Etruscans,Scythians and ultimately theRomans. (Full article...)
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Gamay (French pronunciation:[ɡamɛ]ⓘ) is a purple-coloredgrape variety used to makered wines, most notably grown inBeaujolais and in theLoire Valley aroundTours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very oldcultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century. It has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production; however, it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape's naturally high acidity. (Full article...)
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TuscanChianti in a traditionalfiasco Italian wine (Italian:vino italiano) is produced in everyregion of Italy. Italy is the country with the widest variety of indigenousgrapevine in the world, with an area of 702,000 hectares (1.73 million acres) under vineyard cultivation, as well as theworld's largest wine producer and the largest exporter as of 2024[update]. Contributing 49.8 millionhl of wine in 2022, Italy accounted for over 19.3% of global production, ahead ofFrance (17.7%) andSpain (13.8%); the following year, production decreased by 11.5 million hl, and Italy was surpassed by France. Italian wine is also popular domestically among Italians, who consume a yearly average of 46.8 litres per capita, ranking third in world wine consumption.
Grapevine fromYanghai, said to be the ancestor of wine in China.Turpan Museum. Wine (Chinese:葡萄酒pútáojiǔlit. "grape alcohol") has a long history in China. Although long overshadowed byhuangjiu (sometimes translated as "yellow wine") and the much stronger distilled spiritbaijiu, wine consumption has grown dramatically since theeconomic reforms of the 1980s. China is now numbered among the top ten global markets for wine. Ties withFrench producers are especially strong, andNingxia wines have received international recognition. (Full article...)
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Mount Hope Estate is a Federal-style house with significant Victorian additions.
Mount Hope Estate is aNational Register of Historic Places-listed property in Rapho and Penn Townships,Lancaster County,Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of theGrubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over 2,500 acres (1,000 ha), a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill, housing for employees and tenants, plus supporting structures such as a post office, a general store, a railroad station, a school and a church. The existing mansion and grounds remain from what was once a thriving industrial headquarters complex and small village.
The mansion itself was originally constructed as a Federal-style home by the prominent family of iron masters; an 1895 remodeling transformed the structure with the addition of Victorian features. The mansion is constructed of locally quarried red sandstone, as are the outbuildings, which at one time numbered nearly 30. The grounds is also notable for its pre-1840 Americanformal garden, of which there are very few surviving. The estate currently hosts the Mount Hope Estate and Winery, the Swashbuckler Brewing Company, thePennsylvania Renaissance Faire, and other events held throughout the year (see below). (Full article...)
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Tempranillo in Viala & Vermorel
Tempranillo (also known asUll de Llebre inCatalonia,Cencibel,Tinto Fino andTinta del País inSpain,Aragonez orTinta Roriz inPortugal, and several other synonyms elsewhere) is a blackgrape variety widely grown to makefull-bodied red wines in its nativeSpain. Its name is thediminutive of theSpanishtemprano ("early"), a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes. Tempranillo has been grown on theIberian Peninsula since the time ofPhoenician settlements. It is the main grape used inRioja, and is often referred to as Spain'snoble grape. The grape has been planted throughout the globe's wine regions.
In 2015, Tempranillo was the fourth most widely planted wine grape variety worldwide with 232,561 hectares (574,670 acres) under vine, of which 87% was in Spain where it is the most planted red grape variety. (Full article...)
Schloss Johannisberg is a winery in theRheingau wine-growing region in Germany, that has been makingwine for over 900 years. A mountain on the north bank of the RiverRhine nearMainz has been associated with the Church and with winemaking since the Dark Ages, when Ludwig der Fromme ("Louis the Pious") made 6000 litres of wine during the reign ofCharlemagne. In 1100,Benedictine monks completed a monastery on the Bischofsberg ("Bishop's") mountain, having identified the site as one of the best places to grow vines. 30 years later they built a Romanesque basilica in honour ofJohn the Baptist, and the hill became known as Johannisberg (John's mountain). It was constructed according to similar floor plans as its mother house,St. Alban's Abbey, Mainz. As such the monastery was a prime target for theAnabaptists in theGerman Peasants' War of 1525, and it was destroyed.(Full article...)
Image 7Anatomy of a grape, showing the components extracted from each pressing (fromWinemaking)
Image 8Shipping wine in Roman Gaul:amphoras (top) were the traditional Mediterranean vessels, but the Gauls introduced the use of barrels. (fromHistory of wine)
Image 9In ancient times, berries were crushed by foot in a barrel or pit (fromWinemaking)
Image 10Central component of a mechanical destemming. Paddles above the small circular slots rotate to remove the larger chunks of stems. Grapes are pulled off the stems and fall through the holes. Some small amount of stem particles are usually desired to be kept with the grapes for tannin structure. (fromWinemaking)
Image 17The corkscrew-shaped feedauger sits on top of a mechanical crusher-destemmer. Grape clusters are fed into the machine, where they are first crushed, then destemmed. Stems exit at the end, while juice, skins, seeds, and some debris exit the bottom. (fromWinemaking)
Image 23Stainless steel fermentation vessels and new oak barrels at the Three Choirs Vineyard,Gloucestershire, England (fromWinemaking)
Image 24Dionysus in a vineyard, depicted on anamphora from the late 6th century BC. (fromHistory of wine)
Image 25The world wine export 2020 shows the annual wine export production of various countries. (fromWinemaking)
Image 26Entrance to the Areni-1 cave in southern Armenia near the town ofAreni where a winery dated to c. 4100 BC was found in 2007. (fromHistory of wine)
Photo request: Just about all of them! Any pictures of wine regions, grape varieties or wine would be useful. In particular we need wine region maps that can belicensed for Wikipedia.
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