Wine knowledge
“Every empty bottle is filled with a great story”
At WHOLE WINE MARKET, we believe that drinking wine is enjoyable, fun and social. We like it to be accessible. Therefore, we propose a selection of affordable and easy to drink wines for any occasion. Moreover, our wines are made with care for the environment and the people who work in it.
But here are few hints & tips to understand a bit about wine characteristics and most of all, how to enjoy it.
Each bottle of wine is produced by the traditional method of harvesting, crushing, fermenting, clarifying and aging. Have you ever wondered how the wine is made?
Step 1 – Harvesting
The grapes are not only the key ingedient which contain all the required esters, tannins and acids to make delicious wine. Beside the affect of weather, the vineyards’ famers must pick the grapes at the right moment to have the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity, which enhance the wine’s flavour. Some winemakers prefer to do it by hand as machines are known to negatively affect the grapes and the vineyard. Once grapes are picked, they are taken to winery and are then sorted in bunches. Under ripe and rotten grapes are removed.
Step 2 – Crushing
Once the grapes are sorted in bunches, de-stem and crush processes are commenced. In the past, this process used to be done by feet. While the machines are not preferred to use in harvesting process as it affects the grapes negatively. In the crushing process, machines make the process more sanitary and also enhance the quality and longevity of the grapes. There are mechanical presses available which trod or stomp the grapes into ‘must’. Must is nothing but fresh grape juice which is the outcome of the crushing process and contains seeds, solids and skins of the grapes. For white wine, the seeds, solids and skins are quickly separated from the grape juice to prevent the tannins and color fro leaching in the wine. In contrary for red wine, the seeds, solids and skins are stayed in contact with juice to additional tannins, flavour and colour.
Step 3 – Fermentation
“Must” naturally starts fermenting within 6 to 12 hours when wild yeast is added to it. But many of winemakers add cultured yeast to the “must” to predict the final outcome and ensure consistency. The total fermentation process can take about a week to a month and even more. This fermentation process continues until all the sugar is transformed into alcohol, resulting in the production of dry wine. If sweet wine, winemakers halt the process in between to prevent entire sugar from converting.
Step 4 – Clarification
In this process, tannins, proteins and dead yeast is removed from the wine. For this, the wine is transferred into stainless steel tanks or oak barrels. Filtration or fining process is used for clarification. Substances are also added to result in the fining process. In the filtration process, filters are used to catch the larger particles. After the clarification process, the wine is transferred into other tank and prepared for aging or bottling.
Step 5 – Aging and Bottling
The wine can be instantly bottled or the winemaker can give additional aging to the wine. For aging, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, stainless steel tanks or bottles. Many of the winemakers prefer using oak barrels for aging as it is known to add a rounder, smoother and more vanilla-like flavour to the wine. Moreover, it also helps in increasing their oxygen exposure to reduce the tannins and enable the wine to reach to an optimal flavour. For white wines, steel tanks are generally preferred. The wine is bottled with screw cap or cork after aging process.
How to pair?
Natural wine & food pairings can be easy if you just follow a few simple rules. Literally, pairing is defined as matching two things that complement and benefit one another. This definition also works with regards to the right wine and food pairings. Selecting the optimal pairing helps ensure ultimate palate satisfaction. There are many advantages of matching food and wine. It can be a simple process with the right knowledge. In pairing wines with food, factors such as flavor and texture are elements to consider. As you think about your favorite dishes, here are some tips for finding the best wines for each meal.
Red wine:
Most people pair red wine with bold flavors because of its stronger taste. As a rule of thumb, the food you choose should be equally bold as the wine.
Pairings include:
Merlot: Match this wine with roasted chicken or turkey.
Malbec: Serve alongside spiced vegetarian stews and tomato-heavy meat dishes.
Cabernet Sauvignon: This fuller-bodied wine goes great with red meat and roasted/grilled lamb.
Pinot Noir: This is a lighter wine and is best paired with seafood, salads, or mushroom flatbread.
White wine:
DRY WHITE WINE
If you prefer white wine and don’t want anything too sweet, a dry white is a great pick. Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are both dry white wines. Dry whites pair the best with vegetables, especially roasted vegetables, and fish. Try a white fish, like halibut, with roasted carrots or zucchini.
SWEET WHITE WINE
If you want a white without the bitterness of a dry white, a sweet white is perfect. Sweet wines pair well with both hard and soft cheese. A dish of smoked sausage or a cheese platter would be a wonderful pair with this type of wine.
RICH WHITE WINE
More savory, a rich white wine gives great flavor. Chardonnay is a popular full wine. This type goes great with soft cheeses like Havarti, rich fish such as trout and salmon and white meat like chicken, duck, and turkey. A dinner of salmon in cream sauce and another side will create an amazing meal paired with a rich white wine.
Champagne:
You don’t have to save a sparkling wine like Champagne for a special occasion. This type pairs perfectly with potatoes, pasta, rice, vegetables, and cheese. Try a cheesy risotto or chicken alfredo for a great combination of flavors.
Rosé:
There may be better wines for individual component parts of your Chinese takeout – dim sum pairs beautifully with fizz (for example) and Cantonese duck likes a delicate Pinot Noir. Which is why rosé works so well. You see Pinot Noir rosé can follow you comfortably through the entire meal, from starter to dessert, from prawn toast to sweet and sour chicken and onto the fortune cookies. A good rosé can take it all.
Top 5 Tips for Food and Wine Pairing
#1 Never Mix Bitter and Bitter: If you choose to have bitter food on your plate, then never have a bitter wine. Our taste buds are the most sensitive to bitterness; hence they will get overwhelmed very easily. Wine is more bitter if it has more tannins. For a bitter wine, pair it with a fatty, umami food.
#2 Pair an Earthy Wine with Earthy Food: While a combination of bitter + bitter is a big NO, a combination of earthy and earthy is a big YES. Old World wines are good with food because of their tart and earthy flavors.
#3 Keep your Wine Sweeter than your Food: If you pair less-sweet wine with sweeter food, it will taste bitter and tart. Thus, always pair a sweeter wine with your desserts.
#4 Match the Sauce, If There is Any: This tip is an exception. Mostly food and wine pairing tips are designed in a way to match wine with the meat. But if there is sauce involved, that trumps pairing wine to the meat. The idea behind this is, the meat has either been soaked in the sauce for some time and has taken on the essence of the sauce.
#5 Champion the Wine: Every wine has different characteristics, so determine the best characteristics of choice. Then, focus on complimenting – not overpowering – those features with your food choices.
