What is wine?

Wine has been made for centuries from just a couple simple ingredients: yeast and grape juice. Actually, just about any fruit juice can be used, but by far the majority of all wine is made from the juice of the grape.

We tend to think of wine as a special treat, a gracious gift (as in a wine and cheese gift basket), a beverage of celebration or a drink to serve with a special meal. For much of history, though, it was a drink of necessity due to the often poor standards of the available water.

Since there are yeast spores in the air, wine could be made without effort simply by allowing grape juice to stay in an open container for an extended period of time. You probably wouldn’t find that so enjoyable, though.

Yeast is a living organism. In wine making, the yeast feeds off the sugars. That process is called fermentation. The action of fermentation converts the sugars in the juice into alcohol with a biproduct of carbon dioxide. In contemporary times, special types of yeast have been cultured solely for their use in wine making. The particular strain of the yeast, along with other factors, determines the flavor of the wine.

Once all of the fermentable sugars have been consumed, the yeast will fall to the bottom of the container. The wine is removed from the container, leaving the yeast, and is trasferred to another container to mature while waiting to be bottled.

How does wine get its color?

There are black grapes and green grapes and grapes of various gradations in between. Regardless of the color of the grape the juice is always clear, or nearly so. If the skins are left in the juice during fermentation, a red wine is the result. A white wine results when the skins are removed.

Even though there are very few ingredients, there are many things which influence the taste of wine. First of all, there are many varieties of grapes. Each grape variety will produce different flavors, aromas, and even textures. In addition, the soil and climate where the grapes are grown drastically affect these variables. Not only that, but the wine maker can control various things by the technique, temperature and yeast used during fermentation. Other variables such as fermenting or storing in oak barrels will also affect the taste.

Never fear, with all of these factors considered even the most avid wine drinker would ever be able to experience all of the different varieties of wine on the market today. Let the treasure hunting begin!

All wines have tannin. That is the component that provides that sort of drying feeling on the tongue. It comes from the stems, seeds and skins, so red wines will have more tannin than will white wines. That accounts for the different tactile feeling between reds and whites.

Clearly, this has been a quick overview of wine, but hopefully it has filled some of the voids in your understanding of this historic drink.

We don’t often think of Michigan as a wine producing State do we, but look at the facts:

• Michigan has 13,500 acres of vineyards making Michigan the fourth largest grape-growing state.

• Almost all of this acreage is devoted to juice grapes such as Concord and Niagara.

• About 1,500 acres are devoted to wine grapes, making Michigan the eighth in wine grape production.

• Vineyard area has increased 24% since 1997.

• Michigan’s 45 commercial wineries produce more than 200,000 cases of wine annually, making the state 13th in wine production. Just about all of the production is from Michigan-grown grapes.

• Wineries are popular tourist destinations, attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually. Some of these wineries also have retail stores where it’s possible to purchase anything from a wine cellar kit to a wine cooler refrigerator.

• Wine production and winery tourism annually contribute $75 million to the state’s economy.

• Three types of grapes are used for wine in Michigan:

• • Vinifera varieties — these are the classic European varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling (the most widely planted white), Pinot Noir (the most widely planted red), Pinot Grigio/Gris and Cabernet Franc; 58% of Michigan’s wine grapes are vinifera. Since 1998, 71% of the new plantings in Michigan have been vinifera varieties.

• • Hybrid varieties (sometimes called French/American hybrids) — these are botanical crosses between vinifera varieties and grapes native to North America. Typical names are Vidal, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch and Vignoles; 39% of Michigan’s wine grapes are hybrids.

• • Native varieties — actually close relatives of true native varieties. Typical names are Concord and Niagara. Only 3% of Michigan’s wine is made from these varieties.

• Most of Michigan’s quality wine grapes grow within 25 miles of Lake Michigan. Here, the “lake effect” protects the vines with snow in winter, retards bud break in spring helping avoid frost damage, and extends the growing season by up to four weeks.

• Michigan has four federally approved viticultural areas (AVAs). In the northwest part of the state, near Traverse City, lie the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. This area has a growing season averaging 145 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,350 growing degree days; 51% of Michigan’s wine grapes grow here. In the southwest part of the state lie the Lake Michigan Shore and Fennville appellations, where 45% of Michigan’s wine grapes are grown. This area has a growing season of about 160 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,750 growing degree days. Both are Region 6 on the USDA plant hardiness zone map.

• Harvest begins for early hybrid varieties at the end of August in the southwest and may extend into November for late-ripening vinifera varieties in the northwest.

• Michigan wines win numerous medals at prestigious competitions every year. More than 16% of the wines entered in the Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition had already won Gold Medals in regional, national and international competitions. A list of winners is available upon request.

• Michigan wineries make many styles of wine, from dry to sweet including Ice Wine, sparkling, fortified, fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).

• Michigan wines are typically “cool climate” – clean, crisp, balanced wines that exhibit real varietal character.
• Michigan Wines are very popular choices in the offerings of Wine Clubs
  where you set up a monthly subscription to order wine online

Next time you’re savoring your favorite Chardonnay, check the label. It just may not have come from California!

California wine is an example of the farmers and artisans who craft their wine.  The warm summer and rainy winter and spring in the coastal areas produce superior tasting wines. California wine growers produce some of the finest wines in the world due to the attention winegrape growers give to matching grape varieties to climate and location.

The original Spanish pioneers had a large effect on the California wine growers. The Spaniards first planted vineyards in the 18th century as each mission was established. The grapes were grown for use in religious sacraments as well as for daily life. The vineyard would be sown with the common black grape that was transplanted from Mexico. The original mission grape plantations would primarily use the common black grape or “Mission Grape” as it was often called.

The gold rush period in California saw the biggest growth in residents as well as wineries in the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Notable wine producers like Buena Vista Winery, Charles Krug Winery, Inglenook Vineyards, and Schramsberg Vineyard were created during this period.

California Wine Regions

There are distinct California wine zones. There are 4 vicinities in particular.  First, there is the North Coast region that refers to an area north of San Francisco that includes the Sonoma and Napa Valleys as well as Mendocino and Lake County. Second is the Central Coast of California that are areas west of San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara County that includes well known places such as the Paso Robles, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and more. Third on the list is the South Coast region which denotes the area south of Los Angeles all the way to Mexico which includes the Temecula Valley, Antelope Valley, San Pasqual, Ramona Valley, etc. The central valley areas of the Sierra foothills and Lodi are the fourth section.

Varieties of Grapes and Wines

There are a number of types of grapes cultivated in the California wine regions. You will find fine French, Italian and Spanish grape varietals and flavorful combination grapes coming from the agricultural community quite often.

You will recognize such names as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot noir and more. They also grow red wine grapes that you may be familiar with such as the Barbera, Grenache, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Sangiovese. Some white grapes are the Chenin blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, and Riesling to name just a few.

California Wine Known as “New World Style”

California winemakers produce “Old World” wines as well as their trademark “New World” wines.  California wine is produced with a riper grape which gives it a rich, fruity flavor and higher alcohol content. California wines achieve a full bodied flavor by making wine using oak aging process.

Rave Reviews for California Wine

More attention and rave reviews have been coming from the international arena as California wine producers craft higher quality wines each year. California wineries compete in wine events all over the world and consistently earn high marks making California one of the sources for premier international wine of the month club.

Although position is important when storing wine, temperature is the most important storing factor overall.  Even though you may not have the ideal conditions for storage, you should always have the optimal level of temperature.As it affects the overall flavor, longevity and quality of the wine so storing wine temperature is very important,.  Most wines need to be stored for long periods of time, which is why the temperature is so very important.

The temperature for storing wine should always be between 50 and 65 degrees F. When stored in this range, the wine will develop quite nicely.  In the days before refrigeration, wine was stored in underground cellars and caves.  When refrigeration came along, it quickly became the easiest and most preferred way to store wine, as it allowed you to maintain the same desired temperature.

In this day and age, science plays a major role with wine making.  Science has proved over the years that aging is actually a chain of chemical reactions that occur over time.  Depending on the temperature, the chemical reactions can either be good or bad.  Chemical reactions all have unique energy factors that need to be met for each individual reaction to happen. If the temperature isn’t right, the chemical reactions in the wine won’t occur.

If wine is stored in direct sunlight or in a hot area, the increase in temperature can result in a chemical reaction that can damage both the flavor and the quality of the wine.  Wine that has been damaged from heat will normally turn brown due to the oxidation.The quality and flavour of the wine would not be good if it happens.  Wine that is damaged from heat loses all of it’s flavor and color, making it virtually impossible to drink - or sell.

Colder temperatures on the other hand may slow the aging process, although it can also prevent the wine from getting the chemical reactions it needs as well.  Lower temperatures may not affect the quality or taste of the wine, although it isn’t recommended.  All bottles of wine, until they have been opened, should be stored in a location with a temperature above 50 degrees F.  This way, the wine will be in the proper temperature for storage and able to get the chemical reactions it needs.

You should keep any open bottles in your refrigerator, as the average temperature is normally 41 degrees F.  You shouldn’t keep bottles that you haven’t opened in the fridge, as the temperature is much too cold.  If you follow the above tips when storing your wine, you’ll find the taste to be spectacular.  Storing wine will always raise the value and add to the taste - providing you store it the right way.