Wine Trivia That May Surprise You

With holiday parties rapidly approaching, here are some tidbits for cocktail trivia with fellow wine lovers:

How many varieties of wine grapes exist in the world today?

>10,000

What grape varieties are the most planted on the globe?

• White:  Airen from Spain tops the list.  Next, is Chardonnay, then Ugni Blanc (a grape from France)

• Red:  Merlot snags the numero uno spot, closely followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, then Grenache (if this last one surprises, you can blame it on Spain again.)

How many grapes go into the making of a bottle of wine?

Bordeaux’s Chateau Yquem claim that one grape vine yields one bottle of their Sauternes.  Other high-end producers state that one grape vine produces 2 bottles of wine.  Still yet other indicate that it takes about 2.5 lbs of fruit to make a bottle of wine.

How is wine heart healthy?

The dark color pigments found in red grape skins are responsible, thus only red wines exert a protective cardiac function.

How many bottles are in a barrel?

The standard barrel contains 300 bottles of wine.

What are the culprits that can taint a wine?

There are 2 that can especially wreak havoc.  Brettanomyce (aka “Brett”) is a spoiling yeast that causes barnyard smells in wine.  It can destroy an entire winery’s inventory as it’s difficult to eradicate.  The other is a chemical compound called TCA.  This culprit is often found in flawed corks, thus when TCA ruins a wine the wine is referred to as “corked.”

Top 10 Wine Trivia for 2014

These are tidbits that a wine aficionado should know.  They range from terminology used in the vineyard and wine-making process to pests that can destroy wine.  Also included is information such as the health benefits of wine. Let’s start with the most destructive first, and end on a positive note.

    1.   Brettanomyce:  “Brett” is a wine spoiling yeast that causes barnyard 

          smells.  It can destroy an entire winery’s inventory as it’s difficult to 

          eradicate.

    2.  TCA:  a chemical compound (often found in flawed corks) that ruins a 

         wine and causes it to be “corked.”

    3.  Green harvest:  to cut off grape clusters from the vine in order to 

         intensify the flavor of those grapes that are left.

    4.  “On the lees”:  the lees are the dead yeast leftover after fermentation.  

        Some wines (usually whites) are left in contact with their lees to increase 

        the complexity of the wine.

    5.  Malolactic fermentation:  commonly referred to as “ML,” this is a 

         chemical process that converts harsh malic acid to a softer lactic acid. 

    6.  “Rack a wine”:  to siphon wine into a new, clean barrel…leaving all the 

         sediment  in the old barrel.

    7.  Cap:  a very hard top that forms during fermentation at the top of the 

         tank (it’s composed of grape skins which are where many flavor                         components and color pigments are located).

    8.  Pump-over:  to pump juice over the hard cap (to break it up) during 

         fermentation to extract color, flavor & tannins.

    9.  Fine:  to clarify or make the wine more clear.

  10.  Heart healthy benefits of wine:  due to dark colored pigments found 

         in red grape skins, thus only red wines are cardiac protective.

Waiter! There's a Flaw in My Wine!

We’ve all been there….an inordinate amount of time perusing the wine list and finally finding the perfect bottle.  The first course is on its way…the sommelier uncorks the wine and presents a small amount for tasting.   But, there’s a problem with the wine---you gotta be kidding!   Today I’m ranting about two things that can ruin a wine: cork taint and Brettanomyces (aka “brett”).  Both of these can wreak havoc on wines, irrespective of the wine’s price or quality.

A “corked” wine has an undesirable smell that is caused by a chemical compound called 2,4,6-trichloroanisol, or TCA.  The compound can develop in corks themselves which is the reason for the name (but it can also come from cardboard cases or wooden pallets; in fact, entire wineries can be contaminated with TCA.)  A corked wine smells musty or moldy and reminds many oenophiles of old musty books, wet cardboard, or a damp cellar.  Interestingly, it is estimated that as high as 8% of wines are corked.   

Brettanomyces, or "brett," is an unfriendly yeast….a close relative of the most common winemaking yeast.  Brett, like TCA, can ruin a wine.   At low levels, some feel this yeast can add complexity to the wines;  in young reds, for example, it can give bacon-clove-leather notes reminiscent of older reds.   At higher levels, however, it contributes obnoxiously strong barnyard notes, or the smell of dirty socks.

Brett is a winemaker’s worse nightmare.  It multiples quickly and is often difficult to recognize before it’s too late.  Once it sets up housekeeping in a winery it can be super tricky and very costly to eradicate.  Brett can permeate walls, floors and ceilings…it essentially has no barriers. In some cases the only answer has been to build a new winery.  The best way to prevent this yeast is immaculate sanitation practices throughout the winery.

The threshold of perception (and tolerance) for both TCA and brett vary from person to person.  There are some people who don’t notice these flaws, some who notice but don’t find them offensive, and others who might mistake one for the other.  Regardless, it’s up to the individual to decide if the wine is drinkable or should be sent back.