DEFINITION OF WINE
Wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermented juice of freshly gathered grapes. It is prepared from both white and black grapes.
CLASSIFICATION OF WINE
Wine is classified on the basis of color, taste and content.
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO COLOUR
Wine is classified according to colour, such as
White wine,
Red wine,
Rose wine (pink wine), and
Blush wine.
WHITE WINE
It is produced from both white and black grapes. The colour of white wine ranges from pale straw with a green tinge to dark gold. If produced from black grapes, the skin of the grapes must be removed soon after crushing, to prevent the ‘must’ (pressed grapes). Still wines may by red, white or rose and may be sweet, dry or medium, according to the manufacturer’s decision.
RED WINE
The colour of red wine ranges from purple when young and to brick red as it ages. It is produced from red grapes. The skin is allowed to remain with the fermenting must either throughout the process or half way through. The colouring pigments present in the skin give colour to the wines.
ROSE WINE
This wine is light pink in colour which is produced from the mixture of white and red grapes or only from red grapes. The skin of the black grapes is allowed to remain in contact with the must, the required tinge is obtained. It takes 24 – 36 hours depending on the intensity of rose color required. Once the color is obtained, the skin is removed. In some countries, it is legally permitted to blend small quantity of red with white wine to make rose wine.
BLUSH WINE
It is a new style of rose wine developed in California. Skins of black grapes are allowed to macerate with the must for a very short period which produces a very light pink coloured wine.
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO TASTE
Dry
Medium
Sweet
DRY WINES
It is produced when all the sugar is converted to alcohol.
MEDIUM WINES
It is neither too dry nor too sweet. It has traces of sugar left after the fermentation.
SWEET WINE
It is obtained when there is some sugar left after fermentation, stopped naturally or intentionally by the manufacturer.
(Red wines are dry and white wines are both dry and sweet in taste.)
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO CONTENT
- Still wine
- Sparkling wine
- Fortified wine
- Aromatized wine
- Tonic wine
STILL/TABLE WINE
It is a kind of wine obtained by the natural fermentation process without adding anything else. The carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during fermentation is allowed to escape. This type of wine is also termed as table wine. The alcoholic content is 10-14% abv. For e.g. Cabarnet Sauvignon.
SPARKLING WINE
These wines contain Carbon dioxide gas (CO2) produced during fermentation. The gas is prevented from escaping. The trapped gas is the result of secondary fermentation either in the bottle or in the sealed tank. Some manufacturers impregnate the wine with the gas. It gives effervescence or sparkle to the wine. The alcoholic % is 10-13%. For e.g. Champagne.
FORTIFIED WINE
These wines are manufactured with the addition of brandy either during or at the end of the fermentation to increase the alcoholic strength i.e. 16-22% abv. This type of wine is also termed as heavy wine. For e.g. Sherry, Port, Madeira, and Marsala.
AROMATIZED WINE
These wines are fortified and aromatized with herbs, bark, spices, roots etc. The alcoholic content is 14-20% abv. Vermouth is the most popular aromatized wine.
TONIC WINE
This wine has health improvers added to it.