International Sommelier Guild

IWC

Welcome!
History of Wine
Origins of Wine
Transcaucasia
Mesopotamia and Egypt
 Sumerian culture
 Evidence in Egyptian tombs
Phoenicians
 1100 B.C.
 Mercantile society
 Started to transport vines around Europe
The First Sommelier
'Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You
will never find the life for which you are
looking. When the gods created man they
allotted to him death, but life they retained in
their own keeping. As for you, Gilgamesh,
fill your belly with good things; day and night,
night and day, dance and be merry, feast and
rejoice. Let your clothes be fresh, bathe
yourself in water, cherish the little child that
holds your hand, and make your wife happy in
your embrace; for this too is the lot of man.'
Origins of Wine
Phoenicians
 1100 B.C.
 Mercantile
society
 Started to
transport vines
around Europe
Origins of Wine
Greeks
 Colonized Europe
 Brought vines to their permanent homes
 France, Italy, Spain
Romans
 Followed Greeks
 Improved grape-growing and wine-
making
The Middle Ages
Wine linked to the Roman Catholic Church
 Essential to Religious rituals
 Luxury and comfort
Benedictine Monks
 Produced top-quality wine
 Kept detailed records
Cistercian Monks
 Founded many great vineyards
Modern History of Wine

New World
 Colonization of countries outside
Europe
 Australasia, South Africa, the
Americas
Movements in the Age of
Exploration
Modern History of Wine
Late 1800’s
 Widespread disease and pest
damage in Europe
Early 20th century
 Wine laws created to prevent fraud
and guarantee authenticity
Late 20th century
 Vast improvements in technology
Major Influences on Wine
Major Influences on Wine
Climate
 General to area
 Grapes need sunshine and warmth to
ripen
 Vines need period of dormancy
 Quality wine-growing regions between
30 and 50 degrees latitude N. and S.
Weather
 Varies by season (vintage)
Major Influences on Wine
Climate
 Macroclimate
Maritime
Continental
Mediterranean
 Mesoclimate
 Microclimate
Major Influences on Wine
Soil
 Affects
vine
growth
and grape
quality
Major Influences on Wine
Grape Variety
 The focus of IWC
 Most grape varieties for wine belong
to the Vitis Vinifera species
Major Influences on Wine

Viticulture
 Growing grapes
 Maintaining a vineyard
Vinification
 Wine-making
 Turning grape juice into wine
Approaching Grape Varieties
Major Influences on Wine
In the World

In the Vineyard

In the Winery

In the Glass

In the Mouth
Wine Production
Viticulture
Wine Production-Viticulture
Life cycle of the vine
 Dormancy
 Budbreak
 Shoot growth
 Flowering
 Fruit set
 Veraison
 Harvest
Wine Production-Viticulture
Grafting
 Melding rootstock from one variety
with the scion of another
Pruning
 Removing unwanted parts of
the vine
Training
 Manipulating the vine shape
Grafting
Wine Production-Pests

Phylloxera
 Root-feeding aphid
 Present in most wine regions but
native to Eastern North America
 North American rootstock is
resistant
Phylloxera
Wine Production-Pests

Glassy-winged sharpshooter
 Spreads Pierce’s Disease
Nematodes
 Roundworms which live in the soil
and can spread viruses
Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter
Nematode
Wine Production-Diseases

Botrytis
 Fungal disease
 Beneficial and
detrimental
forms
 Gray rot
 Noble rot
Wine Production-Diseases

Powdery Mildew
 Oïdium
 Cobweb growth on green parts
and bunches on grapevine
 Susceptibility varies by vine
variety
Powdery Mildew
Wine Production-Diseases

Downy Mildew
 Peronospera
 Green parts and
young berries of
grapevine affected
 Susceptibility
varies by grape
variety
Wine Production-
Vine Conditions

Coulure
 Poor fruit set
 Berries fall off shortly after flowering
Millerandage
 Abnormal fruit set
 Large and small berries in the same
bunch
Coulure
Millerandage
Wine Production
Vinification
Wine Production-Vinification

Sugar in grapes is
converted into alcohol by
yeast
Wine Production-Vinification

White wines are fermented without the

skins and other solids

Red wines are fermented in contact

with skins and other solids
Wine Production-Vinification

Color
 Contained only in grape skins
Tannins
 Compounds that cause gritty
texture
 Act as preservatives
 Contained in skins and other
grape solids
Wine Production-Vinification

White Wine-Making
Harvest
 Grapes are picked
Crushing
 Grape skins are broken open
Pressing
 Juice is separated from the skins
Wine Production-Vinification

White Wine-Making
Fermentation
 Yeast converts sugar to alcohol and
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Aging
Bottling
Wine Production-Vinification

Red Wine-Making
Harvest
Crushing
Fermentation
 Maceration on the skins
 Various methods used to extract
color
Free Run Wine
Wine Production-Vinification

Red Wine-Making
Pressing
Aging
 Often done in oak barrels
Bottling
Wine Production-Vinification

Rosé wine
 Minimal contact of clear juice with
pigmented solids
Fortified wine
 High alcohol spirit is added to wine
Sparkling wine
 Carbon dioxide is trapped in the
wine
Introduction to Wine Tasting
Wine Tasting

Professional wine tasting

 Examine wine in a systematic
fashion
 Write structured notes
 Always spit wine
Wine Tasting
Tasting Note
Appearance
 Visual aspects
Nose
 Smell
Palate
 Texture and taste in the mouth
Conclusion
 International Sommelier Guild Tasting Sheet

ISG Tasting Sheet

Wine # Date: Wine # Date:

Producer___________________________________________ Producer___________________________________________
Country____________________________________________ Country____________________________________________
Growing Region_____________________________________ Growing Region_____________________________________
Vintage____________________________________________ Vintage____________________________________________
Alcohol____________________________________________ Alcohol____________________________________________
Retail Price_________________________________________ Retail Price_________________________________________

Appearance: Clarity, Intensity, Color at Rim vs. Core Appearance: Clarity, Intensity, Color at Rim vs. Core

Nose: Condition, Intensity, Development [Aroma/Bouquet], Aromatic Nose: Condition, Intensity, Development [Aroma/Bouquet], Aromatic
Character Character

Palate: Sweetness, Acidity, Tannin, Weight/Alcohol, Flavor Character, Palate: Sweetness, Acidity, Tannin, Weight/Alcohol, Flavor Character,
Length Length

Conclusion: Quality, Maturity Conclusion: Quality, Maturity

Wine Tasting
Terminology
Wine Tasting Terminology
Appearance
Clarity
 Absence of cloudiness or haziness
 Wine can be both opaque (difficult
to see through) and clear (lack of
visible haze or suspended
sediment)
Depth or Intensity of color
 Pale, moderate or intense
Wine Tasting Terminology

Appearance
Color
 Hue
 Straw, yellow or gold
 Brown/red, ruby or purple
Wine Tasting Terminology

Nose
Cleanliness or Health
 Absence of off-odors (flaws)
Intensity of smell
 Low, medium or intense
Character
 Fruity, floral or earthy
Wine Tasting Terminology

Palate
Sweetness
 Dry, off-dry or sweet
Acidity
 Mouth-watering
 Tingling sensation on
sides of tongue
 Sour taste
 Low, medium or high
Wine Tasting Terminology
Palate
Tannin
 Only necessary in a red tasting note
 Drying sensation on palate and gums
 Low, medium or high
Alcohol
 Heat in the mouth and throat
 Low, medium or high
Wine Tasting Terminology

Palate
Finish
 Persistence of flavor and other
components in the mouth
Wine Tasting Terminology
Conclusion
Balance
 Harmony of flavor and other
elements
Maturity
 Will the wine improve with age?
 Requires aging, ready-to-drink
or over-the-hill
Wine Tasting Terminology

Quality
 Assessed using length, balance
and range of flavor characteristics
 Average, good or very good