BEVERAGES

CLASSIFICATION OF BEVERAGES

BEVERAGES

ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES

FERMENTED

NON- ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGES

DISTILLED

COMPOUNDED
GRAINS

GIN

SUGARCANE
BI-PRODUCTS

AQUAVIT

GRAPES

GRAINS

OTHER FRUITS
MISCELLANEOUS

LIQUEURS
PLANTS AND
ROOTS

FRUITS

ABYSINTHE
TYPES
BITTERS

DEFINITION :
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
Any potable liquid containing 1 to 75.5 percent of ethyl alcohol by volume is an alcoholic
beverage. They are classified into 3 types - Fermented, Distilled and Compounded.
FERMENTED BEVERAGES - Fermented beverages are liquors obtained by the action of yeast
on the juices/ liquids obtained from fruits or grains, with an alcoholic strength ranging from 4%
to 14% by volume.
Examples: Wine, Beer.
DISTILLED BEVERAGES - Distilled beverages are spirits obtained from distillation of
fermented beverages obtained from fruits, grains, sugarcane bi-products, plants and roots.
Examples: Whisky, Gin, Brandy, Vodka etc.
COMPOUNDED OR RE-DISTILLED BEVERAGES - Compounded beverages are re-distilled
or are a combination of beverages with added flavourings. They are made by combining either a
fermented beverage or spirit with flavouring substances.
Examples: Liqueurs, Fortified Wines, Aquavit.

FERMENTED BEVERAGES
WHAT IS A WINE?
Wine is a naturally fermented juice of freshly gathered grapes.
Classification of wines

By Nature
1.
1.
1.
1.

Natural still wine.

Sparkling wine
Fortified wine
Aromatised wine.

By Taste
1. Sweet wine.
1. Dry wine

By Colour

1. Red wine.
1. Rose or Pink wine
1. White wine
WHAT IS A BEER?
Beers - are light coloured brews made from grains (usually Barley) and flavoured with the
flower of the Hop plant. There are two major types of Beer- Lagers and Ales
Lager: The alcoholic strength of lager is about 4% by volume. These beers are lightly flavoured
and their character is mainly determined by the type of hops and malt used. Malt is a mixture of
germinated barley and water, where the insoluble starch is converted to soluble sugars, to aid
fermentation.
Examples: Budweiser, Heineken, Coors, Fosters etc.
Ales - are darker and more bitter brews with an alcoholic strength about 4.5% by volume.
Porter and stout are very full-bodied, rich ales.
Examples: Basss Ale, Machisons Stout, Whitbred Ale.
Sake- is a specially treated and re-fermented brew made from rice, in Japan. It has an alcoholic
strength of 14% to 16% by volume.

WHAT IS A SPIRIT?
It is a potable alcoholic beverage obtained from the distillation of a liquid (wash), which contains
alcohol. The fermented mixture, containing alcohol, is generally termed as Wash, which is
further distilled to obtain spirit. The character which is unique to each spirit, develops after the
spirit has been matured in wooden casks.
CLASSIFICATION OF SPIRITS

SPIRITS

BRANDY

WHISKY
OR WHISKEY

RUM

GIN

VODKA

OTHER SPIRITS
Aquavit, Tequila, Bitters, Liqueurs.
Liqueurs
The generic types such as Creme de menthe, Creme de cacao, Anise, Blackberry, Curaao, creme
de poire etc. are produced in many countries. In addition, there are a large number of proprietary
specialties such as Benedictine, Drambuie, Galliano, Chartreuse, Southern Comfort, Kahlua etc.
NON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
These are basically fruit juices, squashes and syrups which contain either natural fruit juice or
essences. The whole variety of aerated beverages also come under this category.

WINES
CLASSIFICATION OF WINES
1. Natural still wines:
These are light beverages with an alcoholic content around 14% or less.
Examples: Red and White Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italian, Rhine, Moselle, Alsatian, Spanish,
Portugal, Hungarian, Californian, and Australian table wines.
2. Sparkling wines:
Sparkling wines are those wines, which have a sparkle or a fizz. This is due to carbondioxide
produced during fermentation, which is not allowed to escape from the wine. Best results are
obtained by employing the Methode Champenoise for the sparkling wines. The Alcoholic
percentage is less than 14 per cent.
Examples: Champagne, Sparkling Saumur, Sparkling Vouvray, Sparkling Burgundy, Asti
Spumanti, Sparkling Mosselle.
3. Fortified Wines
These are produced by adding brandy to blended wines giving the wines a fairly high alcoholic
content of over 14% but not more than 24%.
Examples: Sherry, Port, Madeira, Marsala, Malaga etc.
4. Aromatised Wines:
These are blended wines with added flavourings and fortified with brandy to bring the strength
up to 18% alcohol.
Examples: Vermouth and Aperitif wines.
INTRODUCTION TO WINES - HISTORY OF WINE-MAKING
There is archeological evidence that wine making was practiced some ten thousand years ago.
The first definite mention of making wines from grapes occurs in the literature of ancient Greece
and Rome.
The formula travelled through Babylon, Egypt, Greece and Rome where the Romans brought it
with their empire building to France, Germany and Spain. From Europe, wine making was
extended to America, Africa, Asia and Australia and in every country, the wines produced are
different.

HOW IS WINE MADE?

Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the natural fermentation of the juices of freshly
gathered grapes, made according to the local customs and traditions.
All table wines from the wine producing areas of the world are produced by the same
fundamental process - though there are many variations to the main theme. The three main steps
are (i) Viticulture, (ii) Fermentation of the Grapes and (iii) The care of the Wine.
The process of fermentation and the care of the wine is also called Vinification.
(i)Viticulture
It is the science of growing the vine that bears the grapes.
The Vines
The most popular vine species grown are- Vitis Vinifera and Vitis . The vines and of course, the
grapes need a temperate climate - a balance of sun and rain, plus constant care. A strong sun dries
the pulp, too much rain limits the crop and frost can ruin the harvest. At the harvest, the grapes
are gathered and taken to the fermenting vats. When the grapes are ripe, the natural acid
decreases, while the sugar content increases.
(ii)Fermentation
Wine is made by fermentation of grape sugar. It is a natural process, needing very little
interference from man. The grapes are gathered when they are fully ripe with their maximum
sugar content. They are then carted to the wine shed, pressed, and left in large vats until the grape
sugar is converted to alcohol through the process of fermentation.
The basic ingredient of wine is clearly the grape. At perfect maturity, it will have certain specific
characteristics. The skin, pulp and seeds, each contribute certain qualities to the wine. The waxy
bloom which consists of millions of microscopic yeast cells called ferment develops on the
skin of the grapes. The grape skin gives mainly tannins and colouring to the wine. The colour
and tannin are generally in the of skin cells.
The time chosen for harvest or vintage may have an important effect upon the quality of the
wines. The grapes are tested for maturity with great care and are picked only at the latest possible
moment. The bunches of grapes are cut off the vine with secateurs and are placed in small
baskets which, when full, are emptied into large wooden receptacles known as hottes. The
porte-hotte (porter) takes this full hotte to the wagon or truck which has two tubs called douils,
into which he puts the grapes. When the douils (one douil of grapes yields 225 litres of wine) are
filled, the cart proceeds to the pressing house, where the pressing operation takes place.
The de-stalking or grappe operation takes place in a special apparatus called the grappoir
which removes the stems. Then the grapes are pressed through a mechanical pressing device
above a large fermenting vat. The purpose of crushing is simply to break the skins so that the
juice will run out freely. The grapes without further pressing, together with the free flowing
juice. drop down into the vat. The juice is now known as must in English or mout in French.
The grape skins and pips remain in the must during fermentation, to give the wine colour and
body.

The juice of wine grapes is colourless. The colour of the red wine is obtained from the colouring
pigment present in the inner side of the grape skin. The juice cannot dissolve the pigment, but
alcohol can and it is the alcohol formed during fermentation that extracts or dissolves the colour
in the skin. For white wines, the skins are removed at the earliest possible moment. Fine white
wines are made only from the free-run juice of the earliest pressing. It is for this reason that a
white wine can also be made from black grapes by simply removing the skin from the juice.
If a white wine is made from white grapes, it is called Blanc de Blanc or White wine of white
grapes.
If a white wine is made from Black grapes, it is called Blanc de noir or White wine from Black
grapes.
The saccharomyces or yeast which is present on the skins of the grapes begin to multiply rapidly
in the favourable element of grape juice and plenty of air, and fermentation begins at once. At
first, it is violent, in fact the verb to ferment comes from the Latin word fervere - to boil and
if one looks into the fermenting must, it resembles like a boiling liquid. The escaping gas, causes
the surface to boil, bubble and hiss. However, it gradually simmers down as less and less sugar
remains, until there is hardly any left.
In the case of white wine, the fermentation is slow, cooler and controlled. During the period of
violent fermentation, the skins, pips and all other residue in the must float to the top, forming a
cap or chapeau, three or four feet thick. If the cap forms too quickly, it will be broken up with
wooden appliances to ensure plenty of air for the yeast. The must which is slowly becoming
wine remains at the bottom. This first or violent fermentation may take from a week to a month,
depending on temperature and climatic conditions. The average time is two weeks.
Ten percent alcohol content produced is a good average for European wines. The action of yeast
upon grape sugar which produces alcohol also produces its own destruction since alcohol at a
level of about 15 - 16 per cent of the volume kills the yeast. As the alcohol content rises, the
fermentation process slows down - but the grape sugar has been converted before there is
sufficient alcohol to kill the yeast. Under normal conditions the yeast will go on working until all
the sugar in the must is converted to alcohol, or until the alcohol level in the wine reaches about
15% - on the rare occasions when the grapes are so sweet that this happens naturally, the yeast is
killed and fermentation stops. Left to nature, therefore, all wines would be dry. But it is possible
to stop the fermentation before all the sugar is used up; either by adding alcohol to raise the level
up to 15% or, by adding sulphur dioxide (the addition of sulphur is slowly being eliminated as a
process as it affects the taste) - both these inactivate the yeast, or by filtering the wine, through a
very fine filter to remove the yeast cells.
(iii) Care of the wine:
As soon as the first fermentation is completed, the new wine is racked or drawn off into clean
casks which are placed in the chai - warehouse or the cellar, under the responsibility of the
cellar -master (maitre de chai).
During the first few months, because of evaporation, there will be a certain loss of wine. The
cask should be filled up to the brim with sound wine, twice a week in winter and three times a
week in summer.

Racking - During this period of continued activity, the wine throws off certain impurities and
superfluous solid matter which is deposited at the bottom of the cask and is known as lees. It is
not good for new wines to remain too long in contact with the lees, so the process of racking
is done for the new wines.
After racking is completed, the bung ( a water seal which permits the gas to escape, but does not
allow any fresh air inside the cask) is fixed, and the cask stacked so that the bung is on the side
entirely covered with wine. This ensures complete closure and prevents any entrance of air.
However, while the wine is in the wood, it will be in contact with the air it breathes through the
porous wood, and its development continues. Ordinary wines, which may be drunk within the
year after making it, may be simply filtered, but for good wines, maturation and the care given to
the development of the wine means a slower process. Generally, red wine takes 3 years and white
wine takes 8 months to mature.
Fining - Before bottling, the wine is subjected to one last operation, which is fining. A small
amount of albuminous material or colloidal matter like isinglass (a proteinacious substance
obtained as a bi-product from the fish industry), gelatin, ox-blood or white of egg beaten with
little wine is poured in. A film which slowly precipitates, acting as a filter, carries with it all
suspended matter to the bottom. This fining process thus clears the wine to a brilliant condition
for bottling.
The fining process takes 1 to 2 weeks. A clear, dry day must be selected for bottling and once a
cask is opened, the entire contents must be bottled and corked.
Ageing - After processing, all wines are aged. This ageing lasts for 1 to 4 or more years for
maturing the wine. However, age need not necessarily be a sign of superior wine,.
After a wine is racked, nature begins its mysterious aging process. During this time, many things
happen to the wine. Wine is a living substance and in time it dies. During aging, it breathes air
through the pores in the wood which helps it to mature. Some wines require long aging periods,
while others, can be spoiled if aged for more than a year or two.
After proper ageing, bottling is done for shipping. In some cases, blending might be required to
achieve, certain consistant quality or character.
Corks must be carefully selected. Constant contact with the wine is absolutely imperative.
Otherwise, they will dry out and shrink, letting too much air into the bottle and rendering the
wine vinegary. They also collect particles of lees that are still in the bottle. These are the reasons
why a wine bottle must be stored horizontally.
The making of a wine is a delicate and often lengthy process. Apart from some variations, all
wines are produced in the same basic way and their degrees of quality are dependent upon many
of same basic factors.
Climate : The grapes used for producing wines grow best in temperate climates where summer
are not too hot and winter are not too severe. The vines, to produce grapes of the highest quality
need a certain amount of sunshine and moisture. Too much or too little of either of these
elements will adversely affect the quality of the grapes. When these elements are just right,

during a given growing season, an exceptional or vintage year results. In other words, the
elements of nature have co-operated to the fullest and the grapes are perfect for wine making.

Soil: The type of soil in which the vine grows, has a very definite effect on the quality and
character of the grape. The vine is not at its best in a rich black soil, but rather in a soil which is
sandy or rocky with limestone. In India, certain parts of Maharashtra- Narayangaon and Sahyadri
hills and in Karnataka - Mysore and Bangalore where the soil and the climatic conditions are just
right.
Therapeutic value of wine:
Not only is wine a delight to the palate of people all over the world, it is also a great asset to the
health of the human body. Wine has a great deal of food value and it also has many medicinal
benefits.
In ancient times wine was a valuable medicine. Today too, it is prescribed by physicians. It is
also used in making certain medicines.
All wines, particularly light wines, have important vitamins - B and C. These are especially
helpful in digestion. Wine is stimulating to the appetite and it is even an antiseptic.
Wine is also high in calorie content. A quart of wine with a 10% alcohol content has about 850
calories or the equivalent of 20 oz. of milk.
FRANCE
France is well known across the world for the various wines that it produces. The wines of
France are produced in the following districts:
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.

Alsace
Anjou
Bordeaux
Burgundy
Champagne
Cte -du - Rhone

Lesser known Districts are:

1. Ctes - du - Provence
2. Ctes - du - Jura
Appellation Controlee:
The regulatory laws guaranteeing the authenticity of origin and place names are commonly
found on wine labels. The first delimitary laws were passed after the 1911 Champagne war.
Alsace
The names of the Alsatian wines is generally determined by the grape variety from which it is
made instead of from the name of the place or vineyard in which the wine is produced. There are
a few exceptions, and often the name of the nearest town or village is used in conjunction with
the grape name, as is the case Traminer of Ribeauville. The label on a true Alsatian wine will
include,
1. The words Vin d Alsace

1. The grape variety name

1. Shippers or growers address.

In addition, it has 11% or more alcohol. Alsatian wines are delicate, flowery wines, particularly
attractive as luncheon wines. They are generally bottled when very young, since freshness is one
of their most pleasant characteristics. They must be bottled in the green Alsace flute, a tall slim
bottle.
Appellation controllee vin d Alsace are:
White: Riesling, Riquewihr Traminer (Gewurz)
Ribeauvill - Pinot Blanc (Tokay), Pinot Gris
(Tokay dAlsace) Muscat and chasselas (Gutedel).
Red: Pinot Noir
Ros: Clairet -Schillerwein, Pinot Noir.
Anjou (the Loire valley)
The entire length of the valley of loire is a series of wine producing vineyards from which come
a variety of pleasant wines, none of which are bone-dry. On the contrary, one of their most
charming characteristics is the touch of sweetness.
The district around Anjou produces white table wines, medium sweet roses, red table wines and
sparking wines. The district includes:
a) Cteaux de Loire.
b) Cteaux de Layon
c) Cteaux Saumur
Cteaux de Loire - Produces the best wine (white)such as Chateaux de Savenniers, la Roche aux
Roines.
Cteaux de Layon - Produces strong active wines which are among the best of Anjou. The
premier Grand cru is quart de chaune - Produced on the banks of Lyon river a tributary of the
loire made from chenin blanc grapes.
Cteaux Saumur - Produces white wines such as Saumer, Parmay, Tarquart.
Touraine This region produces red table wines like Chinon and Bourgueil and Sparkling Vouvray which
ranks 4th in the sparkling wines of France, near towns in Touraine. Sparkling Saumur from
Saumur - a medium dry sparkling wine, made following the methode Champenoise ranks 2nd
only to Champagne among Sparkling wines.
Ros wines are popular for their touch of sweetness Eg : Anjou Ros.
Pouilly fum - from the town Pouilly Sur-Loire.

Bordeaux:
The Bordeaux viticulture region is divided into five main districts.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Medoc
Graves
Sauternes
Entre - deux - Mers.
St Emilion and Pomerol and two lesser known regions.

Bordeaux wines are sold under any of these district name and may be a blend of different wines.
The name of the commune on the label indicates that the product is from the vineyard within
that commune.
The name chateau indicates that the wine is the product of that individual vineyard alone.
What is a Claret?
The term is applied to the red wines produced in the region of Gironde. Bordeaux is the main
city and seaport of the district. Therefore while Claret is a type of wine, it also has a very definite
geographical origin.
a. Medoc - Medoc is one of the most important regions of the Bordeaux. It lies between the
Garonne and Gironde rivers on the east and the sea on the west. Mainly red wines, which are the
finest of the Bordeaux Region are produced here.
b. Graves - Produces red and white wine, but the red is a better quality although more white
wine than red is made in graves. The white wines are clean, dry, fresh and have a pleasant fruity
bouquet of their own. The outstanding chateau bottled white wines are Chateaux Oliver, HautBrion Blanc.
c. Sauternes - Wine produced from grapes grown in four of these parishes is legally permitted to
be called Sauternes except Barsac whose growers insist that their wines be known by the name
of their parish.
There is a pronounced difference in the way the white wines of sauternes are made as compared
to Graves. The grapes are picked when they reach a certain stage of maturity, beyond the full
stage of ripeness, a new mold settles upon them - technically known as `Botrytis Cinerea. This
condition of over ripeness or noble rot has the following result. The water in the grapes is
evaporated by the sun and the grapes shrivel up, which increases proportionately the sugar
content. Thus sauternes are very rich, sweet, luscious and highly perfumed wines.
Following are some famous wines from Sauternes and Barsac according to growth:
The premier Grand Cru (first great growth) is Chateau d yquem of Sauternes which is
considered the finest white sweet table wine in the world, and is always served chilled.

d. Entre-Deux Mers - Following are some important communes producing red and white wines:
Red - Cenon, Quinsac, Cambes, Laffite
White - Haux, Rion, Tabanac, Cadillac
e. St.Emilion and Pomerol - Still considering only red Bordeaux, we come to the district of
St.Emilion and Pomerol round the old city of St.Emilion., one of the loveliest wines found in the
world. These wines are equal to that of Medoc but lack the keeping qualities of a Medoc.
The wines are divided into:
1. St.Emilion
1. Graves de St.Emilion
1. Pomerol
Bourgogne (Burgundy)
First known as wine of Auxerre and later as wine of Beaune, this wine producing region lies in
the East of France and includes four separate districts. The clearly defined sections according to
Appellation d-origine controle are:
1.
1.
1.
1.

Haut Bourgogne
Basses Bourgogne - Chablis
Maconnais
Beaujolais

1. Haut Bourgogne - is sub-divided into two main divisions i.e.

(a) Cte d or
(a) Cte Chalonnais.
Cte dor - divided into 2 regions :
1. Cte de Nuits
1. Cte de Beaune
Cte de Nuits
The famous wine produced in Cte de nuits is :
Romanee - Conti: The accepted king of Burgundy, and has all qualities of a great wine.
Cte de Beaune
These wines have less body and develop for drinking sooner.
Pomard (red), Mursault (white), Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet (white) are the
more popular wines produced here.

2. BASSES BOURGOGNE -Chablis

The wine which the world knows as Chablis is unique and possesses a character all of its own.
Chablis is made from the Chardonay grapes. The distinguishing characteristic which is not to be
found in every vintage is an austere, flinty (sharp, metallic tang) quality much prized, as it is the
driest and palest of table wines. Its colour is pale straw-gold. Chablis should be dry and crisp.
There are four categories of Chablis. They are (in their order of merit):
1.
1.
1.
1.

Chablis Grand Cru

Chablis Premier Cru
Chablis
Petit Chablis

3. Cte Maconnaise:
Pouilly Fuisse (white) is a wine from this region
4. Beaujolais
Beaujolais are wines which are red & drunk young. Beaujolais are the only reds which are
served chilled.
RHONE WINES
The Rhone valley is from Lyons to Avignon along the Rhone River. It produces robust red wines
which are deep in colour and strong in taste. The red wines of Chateau neuf-du-pap are
traditionally, slow to develop. The white wines are pleasant, have body, flavour and character.
Hermitage - These are AOC red and white wines from the left bank of the Rhne River.
Tavel - (Vin ros) - it is a delightful luncheon wine served chilled and is probably the best known
ros wine in the world. Its colour resembles that of onion skins.
CHAMPAGNE
The word Champagne is synonymous with celebrations. Champagne is a sparkling white wine
where the sparkle is a natural product of a fermentation that takes place within the lightly corked
bottle. The name is derived from a former province of France of the same name La Champagne
and the wine is known as Le Champagne.
The main grape varieties used are Chardonnay and Pinot noir.
It can be surely said that Dom Perignon perfected the means of sealing the sparkle in a
Champagne bottle, whose wines, till his times were either still or with a poor sparkle. The
method he employed was to replace the stoppers, which were made with cork, from the cork oak
(Querques) tree. Therefore, Dom Perignon can be credited with discovering a method of keeping
the sparkle in the bottle.

There are many other sparkling wines made in France but all bear their geographical names only.
For the term Le Champagne to be used to describe a sparkling wine, it must always mean
French Champagne and from the limited Champagne district only. Secondly, the wine should be
made using the Methode Champenoise. These were regulations laid down in a legal decision in
London after the Champagne war of 1911.
Methode Champenoise
Champagne is made by the Methode Champenoise, which causes a secondary fermentation to
occur within the bottle.
After the coupage, i.e. the blending to achieve a balanced and harmonious product, the wine is
bottled and it is then that the sugar content is decided. If it is considered insufficient a Liqueur
de tirage or dosage de tirage consisting of sugar, especially rock candy dissolved in old wine is
added. The fermentable sugar may also be cane sugar, mixed with some yeast culture. After this,
the bottle is corked and secured by a metal topped wire mesh known as an agrafe.
The bottles are then placed in deep vaults, away from light and noise at 65 F. where they will be
kept for three years. Prior to the end of the secondary fermentation, the temperature is lowered to
50 F.
When the second fermentation is complete, the sediment will have settled in the bottle. Now
comes the long and difficult job of removing the sediment, i.e. dead yeast cells and other matter.
In order to leave a crystal clear wine without losing the sparkle, the bottles are placed in
adjustable racks or Pupitre, and are gently twisted everyday to bring the sediment to the bottle
neck. This is known as Remuage and the skilled worker performing it a Remmuer.
After 2 to 3 months, the bottles are standing upside down and all the sediments are in the neck of
the bottle near the cork. Next follows the most difficult job of all operations i.e. disgorging or
degorgement. The objective is to remove the cork and let the sediment fly out with the least
possible leakage of gas and the clear liquid. This is a highly skilled and highly paid job. The
system is to freeze the bottle neck in a solution of brine until the sediment containing wine
freezes in the neck of the bottle. The bottle is uncorked and the block of ice, by the help of gas
pressure developed inside the bottle by the Carbon di oxide gas is ejected. Now it may require
Liqueur d expedition i.e. the French term for adding sweetening, to make up for the loss of wine
during degorgement to the Champagne before it is dispatched. Sometimes Champagne may be
laced with brandy and this is known as dosage.
Vintage Champagne
Vintage is the wine made in particular good year when the quality is such that there is no need to
blend it with other wine before bottling. A vintage year will be indicated on the label and they
are more expensive than non-vintage wines.

Non-vintage
These are a product of a blend of wines made in those years when there is insufficient amount to
make vintage wines. It is a blend of several years wines and is less expensive on a wine list. A
non-vintage champagne is denoted by to letters N.V.
On a Champagne bottle, some terms are used to determine the degree of sweetness of the wine.
These are
NOMENCLATURE
Doux - Sweet
Demi-doux Sweet
Demisec Sweet
Sec-Dry
Extra-sec-Extra dry
Brut -very dry
Nature -Natural

sweetness upto 12%

sweetness upto10%
sweetness upto 8%
sweetness upto 5%
sweetness upto 3%
sweetness upto 1%
sweetness not at all added.

Leading producers of Champagne are

Bollinger
Those from Reims are - Cliquot, Veuve -Cliquot Ponsardin, Hied Sieck Monopole, Charles
Hied Sieck, Lanson, Krug, Mumm, Pommery, Ruinart, Taittinger.
Those from Epernay are - Mercier, Moet et Chandon.
ITALY
Italian wines have an earthiness and are strong, masculine wines. The lighter wines may be
served in the same manner as any light white or red wine though the stronger wines will be found
to give the greatest enjoyment when served with rich, well seasoned food. The dessert wines may
be enjoyed after dinner.
WINE CONTROL
Italian wines have suffered not only from haphazard method of viticulture but also from an easy
going attitude towards nomenclature which has made it possible for wines which did not even
deserve the name of Tuscan to be sold under the label of Chianti.
In July 1963, regulation for controlling place names or denomination of origin was made law.
The law delimits zones of production so that the same type of natural environment is provided
for the production of grapes for a specific type of wine. There are three different denominations
graded as follows:
1. Denominazioni di origine samplici: This is just a simple statement of the region of
production.
2. Denominazioni di origini Controllate: This is an appellation reserved for wines which have
set stipulation for standards of quality.

3. Denominazioni di origine controllate e Garantita: This is awarded to the fine wines attaining
certain quality of excellence required by the Government.

WINE NAMES
Some Italian wines are named after the grapes from which they are produced such as Nebbiolo,
Fricolo, Barbera, Moscoto, Braceheto while others like Capri, Asti, Marsala etc. are named after
the places of production. Some others again are given such fancy names as Lacrima Christi
(Tears of Christ). The main terms used in connection with description of Italian wines are
Abbocato - Sweet
Beva Fresca - made by adding grape juice to mature finely.
Secco - Dry
Spumanti - Sparkling
Vino ferzati- Wine made from over ripened grapes.
Rossi - is red wine
CHIANTI:
Chianti is from the Tuscany region near Florence and Siena. The young wine is sold in strawsheathed flasks; the better wines, called Chianti Classico, are sold in dated bottles. The largest
grower of Tuscany is the vineyard of Barone Ricasoli, which sells Chianti under the brotio brand,
Chianti is made from 30% of Trebbiano or Malvasia or Canaidonero and 70% of Sangiovese. It
contains 10 to 13% of alcohol by volume. They are available in three qualities:
1. Wine for early house consumption
2. A better quality for bottling in the traditional fiaschimat.
3. Best quality for long ageing i.e. chianti kept in vats for 6 years before bottling.
Chianti is produced in the traditional way under Governoprocess. In this process, a small
amount of harvest is kept aside to become raisins. These are then pressed, and the fermenting
juice added to the new chianti. This provokes slow secondary fermentation which imparts the
typical, tangy chianti taste. All chianti is must acquire bottle ripeness during which they throw
off their youthful roughness.
Wine Region

Name of the Wine

Piedmont
Lombardy
Venetia
Tuscany

Borolo, Barbera, Barbesco Cartese, Malvasia

Inferno, Freicchairosa, Grumello, Sassella
Valpolocella, Valpantena
Brolio, Chianti

GERMANY
Eighty five percent of all the German wines are white. Some red wines grown which are well
known abroad, are Assmannshanse from Rheingau and Ahrweiler and Walpoucheimer from Ahr.
The German wines are grouped under the general heading of Hocks (Rhine Wines) and Moselle
or Steinwein.
Hocks are produced in 3 well defined districts of the Rhine Valley. Rheingau on the East bank of
the River rhine, Rheinhessen and Rheinpfalz or Palatinate both of which are in the central region
of the river Rhines course.
Rheingau- This region is sometimes called The German Riviera . Some of the wines here have
been affected by Botrytis Cinerea and are outstanding and delicately luscious.
The grape of the Rhine and the Moselle Valley is the Riesling which gives a glorious wine, full
of character, perfume and body. Sylvaner and Traminer are also grown. The Pinot Noir variety of
France is also used in the making of red hocks.
SPAIN
SHERRY
Sherry is a blended, fortified wine produced in the area around Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia
that is the southern most part of Spain. Jerez, anglicised to sherry gave its name to the wine.
The soil is primarily composed of chalk, magensium, clay and lime which gives the wine its
distinctive taste.
Grape Varieties:
The palomino grape is used in the manufacture of sherry. Very sweet wines used for blending
purposes are made from pedroximenez.
Vintage
The Grapes are gathered when they are fully ripened and are dried on round woven mats for 12 14 hours. They are then placed in wooden troughs and pressed lightly by wearing hob-nailed
boots. After a short fermentation, the pulp is again pressed and native soil which contains a large
amount of gypsum is burnt to dust and sprinkled over it. This is done to increase the tartaric acid
content of the wine.
Then comes the actual pressing which is done by a mechanical press where the grapes are tied
around wooded poles with the help of Esparto ropes.
Fermentation, in the beginning is very violent. Around December, the Wines fall bright, i.e. the
insoluble sediment and the wine has clarified itself. Then the masto is racked off into fresh
casks to become sherry.

For this to occur a unique phenomenon takes place that is flor (flowering). Flor is nothing, but
the yeast film which develops and grows on the surface of the wine. The flor contributes to
sherrys distinctive flavour especially its delicacy and aroma. Then, it is left to a secondary
fermentation and subsequently, fortified.
Classification of sherry
According to taste, there are dry and sweet sherries.
According to colour - Fino - pale and delicate
Oloroso - deeper colour, full bodied.
Blending of sherry:
This process is complicated and peculiar to sherry and is carried out by the Solera System. This
system ensures the uniform quality and standard of the different varieties of sherry produced
right through the year. It is created by laying down a number of casks of particularly fine quality
of wine of a given style. The next year an equal number of casks of wine of the same style and
character are set aside to form a second tier. The third year, another set of wine is placed on top.
The solera is three tiers. When a shipper wants to sell wine he removes wine from the lowest
cask which is replaced from the upper casks. Not more than 75% of the wine can be sold in a
year and the wine is drawn, not more than three times a year. This ensures the quality of the
sherry. The top most casks are refilled from wines in the criadera - a nursery for wines. Never
more than half of the wine in the oldest tier is withdrawn. Once a solera is started, it can go on
forever. Wine that is produced this year will take about 6 to 8 years or longer to travel through a
solera before it reaches the bottom. In this way, a constant process of blending goes on year after
year and thus a definite standard of quality can be maintained, indefinitely. Basically, all sherries
are dry. The various degrees of sweetness are the result of careful using of the sweetening wine
made from the pedroximenez grape.
Types of sherry:
TYPE

DESCRIPTION

FINOS

Manzanilla
Fino
Amantillado

Very dry, very pale, light in taste

Very pale, very dry, medium body
Dry, Pale, full-bodied.

OLOROSOS

Olorosos
Cream (Bristol Cream)
Brown
Amorose

Sweet, fresh full bodied, nutty.

Sweet, deep golden, full-bodied
Very sweet, dark walnut brown, full bodied.
Sweetest of all , golden brown.

1. TIO PEPE: A blend of selected finos of great age. One of the very finest dry sherries. Tio
Pepe in the largest selling dry sherry both in Britain and Spain.
2. CELEBRATION CREAM : It is a blend of fine Oloroso wines of great age and distinction,
resulting in a pale, full bodied mellow wine produced to meet every growing demand for
cream sherry.
3. BRISTOL CREAM AND BRISTOL MILK : Are full bodied sherries which are blended in
the solera system in Harveys bodegas from olorosos of great age. It was developed in 19th
century as a dessert sherry blended with very old olorosos.
4. DRY SACK: It is a popular dry wine but not as dry as dry sherry.
The following names represent a guarantee of quality.
1. Domecq
3. Harvey
5. Gonzales Byass

2. Sandeman
4. Mackenzie
6. Williams and Humbert

PORTUGAL
The Portuguese are great wine drinkers and export a great quantity of wine. Port is the most
famous wine of Portugal besides the Madeira, which comes from the island of Madeira.
Madeira Wine
Madeira means Isle of trees. The principal vine variety grown on the island are verdelho
which makes up 2/3rds of the planted vines. The sercial resembling Riesling, bual & Malmsey,
are the other varieties of vines planted.
Fermentation
The process of production of Madeira wines differs from that of other wines. When the must
has fermented and has become cintro claro (new wine), it is heated in chambers known as
estufas to reduce the harshness to become vinho estufado. This is then bottled and after good
rest becomes vinho Tras fugado which, on subsequent fortifying becomes vinho Generoso which
is the fortified wine. The vinho Generoso are first blended among themselves and then with the
older wines, They are then left to be perfected by time. The fortifying spirit is not brandy but
cane spirit. Blending is done in lots, in dated soleras where the wine is given time to marry
before it is shipped.
Types of Madeira
There are four distinct types named after the grapes from which they are produced.
Sercial : The best of the dry Madeiras, excellent with soups, the proverbial companion to turtle
soup.

Verdelho - Medium rich, golden wine with a dry finish, sweeter and softer than sercial. It is
distinctly a dessert wine.

Bual - Fuller and sweeter than either of the above, and is rust brown in colour. It is distinctly a
dessert wine.
Malmsey - A rich, lucious, generous wine with considerable body, balance and bouquet. It is the
sweetest of all Madeiras, almost like a liqueur. Dark brown in colour.
PORT WINES
Port is one of the great wines of the world. It is a wine made from a variety of grapes blended
together, that has its fermentation arrested by the addition of brandy. When the brandy is added
to cease fermentation, the port will vary in its sweetness. This sweetness will depend upon the
amount of natural grape sugar retained in the wine. The famous wines of Portugal comprise of
vintage port, ruby port and tawny port. Almost 98% of port wine leaves Portugal to be bottled in
the country of its consumption.
Grape varieties
The grapes are touriga, Menrisco and bastardo.
VINTAGE PORT
It is a wine made from grapes in an exceptional year. The shipper may decide to make a limited
quantity or vintage from the best wine of the harvest. These are blended together in a cask in
Oporto ( a sea port - from which the Port wine takes its name) for about 2 to 3 years before it is
sent to the country of consumption for bottling.
Vintage port usually bears two dates on the label:
the vintage date and

the bottling date.

This wine must rest in the bottle to mature for a considerable period of time- at least 8 to 10
years are required for this, and it will continue developing for many more years. Vintage port is a
generous port wine and throws a heavy deposit as it matures. Vintage port is aged in glass, while
other ports are aged in wood. They are served at room temperature, mostly after dinner and they
must be carefully decanted in order to bring the clear wine safely off the crust.
CRUSTED PORT
A wine which is not necessarily of a single vintage. Sometimes, it is a blend of vintage wines of
several harvests, but it is handled in the same way. It is called crusted because of the sediment
which is formed inside the bottle. Crusted Port is sold without any date and is less expensive than
Vintage Port.

RUBY AND TAWNY PORT

They are blended ports. In other words, these are blended wines matured in wooden casks. The
objective of blending is to balance the qualities by ensuring that what is lacking in one wine is
present in the others in the blend.
While the wine is maturing, sediments deposit, some precipitate, some remain in suspension
causing the wine to have a dull colour. This is overcome by fining with the white of egg. As the
film formed by the fining process settles, it carries down with it, not only the sediments but also
certain amount of colouring matter. When the wines enter the wood, it is called Red port
although it is purple in colour. It gradually turns to ruby colour after fining and is bottled as
Ruby Port.
The longer the wine is kept in the wood, the greater will be the loss of colour. Consequently, a
pale coloured wine with the tawny golden colour appears. This is bottled as Tawny Port. Ruby
port aged gives rise to Tawny Port.
WHITE PORTS
This is the fifth type of wine produced in Portugal except for the fact that white grapes are used.
It is made in the same way as red port. It is matured in wood and is known as vinho verdi.
Brand names
Ruby Port - Gold cap, Annerter
White Port - Harreys No.1.
Tawny Port - White Cap, Club
Port with the meal
Port is usually drunk after the meal, accompanied by nuts and certain fruits. White port, however,
is an exception to this rule, and is drunk as an aperitif. White port is chilled before serving.
Vintage port should be decanted, to permit the fine colour to be seen, without being clouded by
deposit.
Ruby port and Tawny Port may be enjoyed at any time.
Port makes an excellent accompaniment to Stilton cheese.

SERVICE OF WINES AND SPIRITS

Wine sales give considerable profit in licensed restaurants. Most wine sales are initiated by
means of a wine list. This should be presented at the proper time i.e. before the food order is
taken. The wine waiter (Sommelier) will present the wine list from the left hand side. When the
guest has ordered, write out a cellar check.
Presenting the bottle
Present the bottle to the customer from the right hand side with the label facing him so that the
customer can read the label easily. It is advisable to present the bottle on a folded napkin, which
will serve as a back ground. Mention the name of the wine and vintage (if it is a vintage wine),
for example Your Chateau Latour 1978, Sir. Take care not to shake the bottle.
N.B.: Never present an opened wine bottle. A wine bottle will be opened only after the guest has
approved of it.
Drawing the cork
After the approval by the guest it is taken to a sideboard for opening. Remove any wax or cut
the foil round the bottles lip with a wine knife. Carefully wipe the lip of the bottle. Correct use
allows a cork to be drawn quietly and smoothly with no fear of breaking the neck of the bottle.
Turn the screw clockwise, not right through the cork or pieces may fall into the wine. Now screw
the cork to within 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the end and then withdraw it with a slight twist of the thumb
and fingers. This helps to prevent any last minute jerk of the bottle and allows air to take the
place of the cork more steadily. Holding the bottle steadily in your left hand, cover your right
hand forefinger with the corner of a clean waiters cloth, insert it in the opening of the bottle
neck and gently wipe inside. This is done to remove any particles in the neck. Allow the wine to
breath for a while before serving.
Opening a Chilled wine
When white or ros wine is served from a wine chiller, the bottle may be opened in the chiller.
Before service, dry the bottle but never wrap it in a napkin, for the label should always be visible
to the guest.
Serving the wine
First, pour a little wine into the hosts glass. He will sample the wine to approve that it is in good
condition.
Sequence of service
When the wine has been approved, continue to serve the guests from the right, of the host First
to the ladies, then from the right again to the gentlemen. The host is served last.
Technique of pouring:

To pour wine in a glass, stand to the right of the guest and bend sufficiently forward. Body
balance is often aided by placing the left hand behind your back. Pour carefully and steadily.
Hold the bottle label uppermost, so that, it can be read.

With the bottles lip just over the edge of the glass, tilt it downward with a movement of the wrist
until the wine begins to flow. This precise action keeps pouring under control, thus avoiding
hasty spurts of large quantities of wine. Pouring can be stopped by raising the hand upwards. A
twist of the bottle to the right at each glass helps avoid drips. In case of any drips persisting, wipe
the lip of the bottle with a clean napkin.
N.B.: Never pick up a glass from the table to fill or refill. Always pour only 3/4th of the glass for
white wine and between 1/2 & 2/3rd for a red wine. Do not touch the lip of the bottle to the edge
of the glass.
Placing the bottle after serving
When all the guests are served :
i. A White or ros wine is replaced in the wine chiller and a folded napkin is placed over the
bottle neck. (when a white wine bottle is empty it is usually turned upside down in the wine
chiller, before removal to indicate that it is empty to the host.)
ii. A Red wine bottle is placed on the side table unless, it is requested (or the house custom), to
leave it on the customers table.
When placing a bottle on the table it should be placed to the left of the hosts wine glass, with the
label facing him.
WINE GLASSES AND EQUIPMENT
Choosing glassware
Glassware is extremely important to the appearance of the drink and the glasses must be
attractive, clear and appropriate. Glassware, as we know, can be crystal, blown, cut or pressed
depending on various factors. Crystal and cut glasses are very expensive and blown glass is
fragile. Pressed glasses are less expensive and more durable and look presentable. The trend
today is to use an all purpose wine glass rather than a different type of glass for each type of
wine. What is important is that the glass that is chosen is clear, stemmed, slightly tulip shaped
(to keep in the bouquet) for all wines. The clarity of the glass allows one to see the colour of the
wine. Small wine glasses are inappropriate. They should be filled not more than 2/3rd so that
they will hold the aroma of the wine and decrease the chance of spillage.

Equipment
They are : (1) Wine rack, (2) Wine cradle or basket, (3) Wine bucket or chiller, (4) Wine
decanter, (5) Taste-vin, (6) Corkscrew. (Waiters friend or Angels wing), (7) Champagne bottle
stopper.
1. Wine Rack: Storing wines properly is one aspect which requires a great deal of attention.
The bottles are arranged horizontally so that the corks remain in contact with wine. Wine
racks are usually made of wood.
2. Wine cradle or basket: Needed for the service of wine with sediment to ensure that the
sediment is not disturbed. This should ideally be lined with a napkin before the wine bottle
is placed in the wine basket. They could be wood or cane or wicker or metallic baskets.
3. Wine decanter or carafe: Generally used in operations where wine is also sold by the glass.
They usually come in several sizes.
4. Wine bucket or chiller: Used for the service of white or ros wine where the wines have to be
chilled for service.
5. Tastevin: This is a wine tasting cup of French origin. Wine makers and wine tasters find that
the silver tastevin shows the wine with more perfect clarity than a glass could give. Also
silver does not impart a foreign taste to the wine. The round indentation on one side reflects
the colour of wine at different depths. The ridges on the other side reflect the shimmer of
light thorough the wine. In the center is a raised knob. A ring and thumb rest are affixed to
one side. A ribbon or chain is run through the ring to keep the tastevin handy around ones
neck.
6. Corkscrew: These are of many types Eg : waiters friend, angels wing etc.
7. Champagne bottle stopper and champagne bottle opener tongs - equipment which is not very
commonly used. This equipment, as the name indicates, will be used when Champagne or
some other sparkling wine is opened. The main objective is to hold the cork properly when
the bottle is being opened.
CARE AND STORAGE OF WINE
In handling wine, one must remember that wine is a living thing. If it is kept for too long in a
bottle, it loses its qualities. A good wine can be ruined before it reaches the table if it is not
properly stored.
The very first essential point of wine storage is an appropriate location. Wine must be kept in a
place where it is not subject to temperature fluctuation or sunlight or fluorescent light. The
location should be such that the wine will not be moved. The bottles should rest quietly until
they are ready to be opened. Frequent movement is damaging to wine. Cellars should also be
somewhat dark, free from vibration and well ventilated.

For other wines, the ideal condition under which to store them, particularly vintage wines that
are slowly maturing in the bottle are summarised as follows:
1. The wines should be placed horizontally so that the cork is always in contact with the wine.
The damp cork prevents air getting into the wine and spoilage. The horizontal position also
prevents the cork from drying out and facilitates the wine to breathe. When vintage ports are
stored, a white mark is made on the punt end that should always be uppermost.
2. Bottles should be kept completely still and there should not be any vibration of the rack and
even on the floor.
3. There should be in darkness, away from sunlight as it will affect the color and darken the
wine, especially, if the wine is a white.
4. They should not be subjected to any sudden draughts of air or sudden temperature changes.
5. For white wines, the ideal storage temperature is 47F and for red wines, it is 50F for
fortified wines it is 58 F.