Wine By Nine

Toronto, Canada has an entire convention devoted to Wine and Cheese, now going on for more than 20 years. But perhaps one shouldn’t get too excited, since the pairing goes back at least 4,000 years.

Both products are made from living substances and improve with age, both are a product of fermentation, the process by which yeast cells introduce chemical changes and both reflect their terroir. ‘Terroir’ refers to the combination of soil, climate and region from which the product comes.

Traditionalists suggest that the wine and cheese be paired according to region or strength, thus preventing one from overpowering the other. Part of the reason is the tannin levels. Red wines, fermented with the skins, have a higher concentration than white and this affects the pairing characteristics. The protein and fat in cheese helps coat the palate, reducing the harshness of excess tannin.

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Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. – Aristophanes

For those more interested in finding a delectable drink to savor than being clever, the following might be useful.

Obviously the selection of a specific type, year and brand of wine is a matter of individual taste. But differences aside, there are some broad guidelines on which there is agreement, within the confines of price.

Happily, with the growth of vineyards around the world and wine-related Internet sites, availability is no longer a problem. A person in California or Caracas can order a New Zealand Syrah not carried by a local merchant as easily as anyone in Auckland.

Ignoring questions of pairing with food, are you looking for a full red or a light white? Some find Madeira too heavy, others see a German Riesling as too dry. Most readily available wines are meant to be consumed shortly after purchase, but those with the desire to taste the finest, patience really is a virtue. Cabernet Sauvignon would better suit those willing to age than a Pinot Noir.

A cool climate Chardonnay, such as those from Canada, will interest those who enjoy a young wine with prominent acidity. But it can also be favored by those who want to experience it’s nutty, honeyed character that comes with aging.

Descriptions by class can be helpful. Class 1 wines, often labeled ‘Light Wine’ or ‘Red Table Wine’ will have an alcohol content between 7% and 14% by volume. Class 7, by contrast, will have an alcohol content of not less than 15% by volume. This type has usually been compounded with Brandy and flavored with herbs. Those with greater concentrations are considered ‘fortified’.

Look on the label for a declaration of the amount of sulfites. Sulphur is often added during the winemaking process to guard against growth of unwanted organisms, but some may introduce more than an individuals taste prefers. Sulphur dioxide is also sometimes sprayed on the grape itself to reduce pests and can leach into the skin. Some wine drinkers are unknowingly sensitive to sulfites and can experience an allergic reaction. Concentrations of below 10 parts per million are fine for most.

When testing a wine, cool to the proper temperature — around 52F (11C) for whites, 65F (18C) for reds — and use a thin rimmed glass that is free of dust. You can clean it by rinsing carefully and drying with a lint free cloth.

Pour to no more than about 1/3 of a glass, held by the stem to keep fingerprints away from the rim and to prevent heating the bowl.

Look for a clear color by viewing against a white background. A Pinot Noir will have the lightness of a ruby, Cabernet Sauvignon more violet. Those from grapes grown in a hot summer and dry fall will result in a darker color; those from a cool summer and rainy fall will be lighter.

Wine, like anything else, will always change over time. The trick is to control the rate and types to produce desirable changes and avoid harmful ones. The variables needing to be controlled are air, temperature, light, vibration and humidity.

Nothing spoils good wine faster than too much air — it causes wine to age rapidly, oxidizing and losing freshness. Before long you have vinegar. Fortunately it’s not necessary to build a vacuum chamber, glass is impermeable to air for centuries and a good cork will keep air exchange to a minimum for years.

Still, there’s some air in the bottle to begin with — this is good, since it’s essential to a proper aging process — and corks can go bad. Keeping wine bottles stored horizontally helps keep corks moist, preventing cracking or shrinking that admits air.

Storing wine at around 70 percent humidity is important to keep corks properly moistened — too low humidity dries them out, but higher humidity encourages growth of mold and mildew which injures racks, casks and spoils cork tops.

Even more importantly, proper temperature keeps corks from shrinking when too cold and wine from aging too quickly when too warm. In a cellar of 25 percent whites, 75 percent reds, 45-55F (7C-13C) is preferred. Some areas are blessed with natural conditions in this range, but most will need some kind of refrigeration unit. For smaller collections, wine cabinets can be purchased.

Almost as important as the actual temperature is the rate of change. A ten degree change over a season is harmless, but frequent and rapid changes can severely damage wine, even when stored within the desired range.

Not surprisingly, the higher the storage temperature the faster a wine will age. Conversely, colder storage temperatures slow the aging process. Adjust for the type of wine stored.

Along with controlling temperature and humidity, light exposure should be kept to a minimum. Though modern bottles have good UV filters, some can still penetrate — leading to a condition called ‘light struck’, which shows up as an unpleasant aroma. Incandescent bulbs produce less ultra violet light than fluorescents, so the former are preferable.

Vibration interferes with aging, stirs up sediments and in extreme cases can cause racks to deteriorate faster. Try to avoid moving bottles until ready to be served.

Bottle size plays a small part, since a larger bottle has a smaller ratio of air to wine. Purchase or use larger bottles when possible. Once a bottle has been opened transfer the leftover wine to a smaller bottle if the remainder isn’t consumed within a few days.

The Loire Valley, near Nantes in western France, is one of the most beautiful winemaking areas in Europe. A narrow, but wide region following the Loire river, it meanders from Auvergne and the Massif Central mountains to the Atlantic coast.

Vines producing wine grapes existed here as far back as the Roman invasion into the Loire Valley. Historians assert that as long ago as 380 AD reds were made in the surrounding hills and whites were fermented on the river banks.

The climate varies considerably over this wide region, with mild Atlantic weather winter and summer in the west, and cold winters and warm summers in the interior area.

In contrast to Bordeaux where 75% of the production is red, in the Loire three quarters goes to the creation of whites, with the main grapes being Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon. Most of the remaining quarter of red is produced from Cabernet Franc, with some Gamay and Pinot Noir.

Total production reaches 400 million bottles, the end product of grapes grown in clay-limestone, siliceous and chalky soils. Types range from dry whites to sweet, and rosé to fruity reds.

In the eastern part of the valley, around Pouilly and Sancerre, most of the grapes used for winemaking are Sauvignon Blanc. These go into making the delicious dry, white Pouilly-Fumé. The other bank around Sancerre produces the robust, dry eponymous white.

Further west in the province of Touraine, one finds predominantly Chenin Blanc, which forms the starting point of the fruity Montlouis. Also made here are the glorious red Loire wines, Bourgueil and Chinon, mostly from Cabernet Franc.

And on the right bank of the Loire river, close to Tours don’t miss out on a lovely dry Vouvray. The product of Chenin Blanc grown in clay infested limestone and chalk, 13 million bottles are produced in the area on almost 5,000 acres.

Touraine’s neighbor to the west, Anjou-Saumur, also produces a delectable white from Chenin Blanc, famed for its smooth quality. Winemakers cluster around Angers as they have since the 6th century. Famous for the Rosé d’Anjou, it’s reported to have been enjoyed by King Henry II of England. But the commoner can also enjoy the oak aged whites. With fifty-five million bottles produced from land covering 22,000 acres, there’s no fear of running out.

Coteaux du Layon is the widest wine area of the Anjou region lying along the Layon river where the vines are protected by the hills. Best known for a sweet wine purported to be from a recipe 15 centuries old. Harvest here is late, where the growers leave the grapes on the vines until they begin to over-ripen. Nearly 7 million bottles are produced from 4,450 acres.

Last, but certainly far from least, we finish our tour with the well-known Muscadet, which sits at the far west of the Loire Valley. Here is produced a pale white, lovely in its dry, astringent taste. Best drunk when fresh and young, by connoisseurs of any age. From its 31,000 acres of granite soil rises vines which produce grapes that fill nearly 100 million bottles, so take your time.

By international standards, South Africa is a small producer: only 1.5% of global plantings; slightly over 105,000 hectares (260,000 acres). But recent years have seen significant growth, with over 140 million liters exported per year from 830 million liters produced.

A producer of both whites and reds, 80% of new plantings are Shiraz, Cabernet, and Merlot and a sprinkling of others. Over 20% of the white is predominately Chenin Blanc, and white varieties are still in the far majority.

Though new to the international scene, South Africa has been under cultivation for 350 years, since the arrival of Dutch settlers. With 60 appellations, the area has fewer than a dozen major regions.

The Cape area has seen vintages since the arrival of Europeans, with the Stellenbosch region serving as the modern hub of production. Though the region knows several common varieties, it also produces an indigenous hybrid called ‘pinotage’, which is well suited to local conditions.

Walker Bay is one of the newer, cooler areas on the Whale Coast south of Cape Town. Classic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir form the bulk of the production here. To the north is Swartland, where rainfall is limited so efforts are fed mostly by artificial irrigation.

In the suburbs is the small Constantia, where vineyards reside on the slopes of the eponymous mountain. The historic center of winemaking, it boasts a Semillon made from ideal climatic conditions.

East of Stellenbosch is Elgin, where the high altitude produces cooler temperatures than most other regions. Inland to the west, surrounded by the Drakenstein mountains, is the Franschoek Valley. Blessed with high rainfall and hot periods, the variety of soils combine with the climate to make perfect growing conditions.

To the north-west, Paarl houses many of the leading South African producers. Traditionally given almost exclusively to white, political and economic changes have encouraged the vintners to turn their efforts to red. The Mediterranean climate helps those efforts. Hotter than Stellenbosch, Paarl produces some of the best South African wines.

Durbanville vineyards, on the hills of north-east Cape Town, have been producing wine for nearly 300 years. Today, both red and white are well represented between a stellar Sauvignon Blanc and an excellent Shiraz.

But South African conditions don’t merely emulate the Mediterranean. The Klein Karroo is a semi-desert region where muscatels and Portuguese port is produced.

Robertson, 120km (72mi) form Cape Town, lies along a fertile and warm valley. Chardonnay and even sparkling wine are made here. Like other regions, red is becoming more popular, with the main effort being Shiraz.

Hot Worcester, near Robertson, and the surrounding area forms 20% of all South African vineyards, despite the long distance from Cape Town. Here, brandy is one of the chief products.

While politically the country’s fate is always an open question, their winemaking efforts show a commitment to quality second to none. With the substantial investments made over the last few years, several vineyard’s results are set to enter the world stage.

Australia’s wine efforts date back to the mid-19th century, but the industry languished until about 30 years ago. Since then, the country has grown to be a world producer with a variety of highly regarded whites and reds.

With climate regions similar to California, it’s not surprising that much of the product would mirror the popular varieties of that state. But the Australian’s — true to their iconoclastic heritage — add several distinctive varieties of their own.

Shiraz (or Syrah) is one of the most well-known recent products, but the lesser-known Durif would be a welcome guest at any table. Hailing from the Rutherglen, a small town in north-eastern Victoria, it joins the area’s unusual sparkling red to form a pair of unique offerings. Rutherglen also produces fortified wines, such as port, muscat, and Tokay that often make their way to other countries.

Victoria also boasts another world-class set of producers in the Pyrenees (not to be confused with the mountains along the French-Spanish border).

Under plant since the early 1960s, the region now holds over 30 vineyards with nearly 600 hectares (1458 acres) growing twenty-five varieties. Shiraz, Merlot, and Pinot Noir are among the reds, with whites represented by Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and others.

Once the home largely to apple orchards, the Mornington Peninsula has turned to winemaking in recent decades. With over 60 wineries, many open for public tastings, the area boasts a well-regarded Pinot Noir.

McLaren Vale, bound on the south by the Sellicks Hill Range and to the west by Gulf Saint Vincent. The area enjoys a Mediterranean climate with a dry summer south of the equator. Rarely suffering frost or drought, the long hot days and short cool nights are perfect for growing.

Some vines of the region are still producing more than a hundred years after first being planted. The soil and climate combine with modern methods to produce a wine with superior aging qualities. Widely acknowledged as one of the premier producers of Shiraz, harvest occurs from March to early April. With its noted smaller berries, vintners here produce a complex, intense wine.

But Shiraz isn’t the only excellent product of the region. Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache both are well reputed. The Grenache, similar to that grown in Spain, grows well in the distinctive soils.

Among the oldest regions, the Clare Valley is also one of the most scenic. Settled by the English and Irish in the 1840s, much of the architecture still reflects those early days.

The climate is continental, with hot summer days and cool nights. Some valleys enjoy altitudes as high as 500m (1640ft) with red soil over graveled rock.

Like much of Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz dominate, but it also produces a Riesling which has garnered international awards.

After struggling back from phylloxera infestations, in the years since the 1970s the country has grown to become the world’s largest exporter of wine to the UK. It has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest producers.

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Even with modern winemaking, storage and shipping technology about five percent of all wines arrive at the table bad to some degree. Here are some tips about how to spot them.

CORKING

It all begins with a cork… Even in this day of high-technology plastics, many bottles are still stoppered with an old-fashioned cork. A product of the bark of selected Mediterranean trees, corks have many highly desirable and hard to duplicate attributes. Lightweight, resistant to disease and airflow, flexible and attractive.

But cork, as a natural product, is subject to attack by microorganisms. Certain species of fungus, present anywhere wine is stored, can infiltrate the cork producing a compound called TCA (1,2,4-trichloroanisole, for those interested).

TCA and other factors produce in wine unattractive odors and tastes, similar to wet cardboard, mushrooms, mold and even unwashed socks. Even if the odor is mild the taste may be somewhat bitter and lack fruitiness.

COOKING

Moving wine from the vineyard to the home or restaurant table involves trips of anywhere from dozens to thousands of miles. Given that it’s surprising that only five percent of wine is partially spoiled due to excessive temperatures.

High temperatures cause liquids like wine to expand slightly, which increases the pressure inside a corked bottle. This pressure can cause the cork to get pushed slightly up. When the wine cools down again, air seepage can occur.

If the temperature becomes high enough, the wine can be literally cooked. If cooking has taken place, the taste will be evident. The fruit flavor will convey more stewed prune than fresh berry. Look for corks that sit above the lip of the bottle, or levels of liquid too far near the base of the neck.

OXIDATION

Improper storage, such as excessive heat or cold and incorrect humidity levels, can cause corks to shrink or crack. Either of these will cause infiltration of unwanted amounts of air into the bottle, causing oxidation. Oxidation is what it sounds like, oxygen, a volatile compound, combining with a wide variety of wine components and altering them.

Some amount of air, in small amounts over a period of years, may be desirable to ensure proper aging. But even well before producing vinegar, it’s possible to spoil a wine from allowing too much air to reach the wine. Wine which has become fruitless and resembles old Madeira (deliberately produced in open air vats) is almost certainly oxidized.

SULPHUR and SEDIMENTS

Sulphur is a common preservative in winemaking which can help stabilize wine. But in excessive concentrations it produces an undesirable aroma and flavor. Its characteristic mothball or burnt matches smell or taste makes it easy to spot.

Some sediment in wine is acceptable and normal. Ports and older wines, even whites, often accumulate material and properly poured or decanted and served are fine. Tartrate crystals too, for example, will naturally form in some wines especially when chilled for shipping and storage. They do no harm, but avoid pouring and tasting them.

REFERMENTATION

In rare cases, it’s possible for dormant yeasts to remain in the wine and some amount of additional fermentation to take place during the years of shipping and storage. Champagne, for example, is deliberately refermented in the bottle. But for non-sparkling wines, this effervescence is undesirable, but easily spotted.

Techniques of manufacture, bottling, shipping, and storage continue to improve and the odds of encountering one of these conditions is rare. If you find a wine that’s distasteful, chances are it simply isn’t for you.

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As far back as 450 BC, physicians have recommended wine to combat fever, disinfect wounds and provide nutritional supplements. But Greek science also taught that the stars moved on heavenly spheres, so one has to be careful. Has anything been learned since?

Fortunately, many studies since have provided ample evidence of the truth of Hippocrates early observations. Since the 1970s many studies have concluded that moderate intake of red wine does indeed have salutary health effects, though the exact reasons are still debated.

Red wine consumption helps prevent coronary disease and possibly some forms of cancer due to a class of compounds known as catechins (flavanoids). Like resveratrol, which aids grapes in fighting fungal infections, they act as anti-oxidants and anti-coagulants. Free radicals, i.e. ionized oxygen atoms in the blood, are known to cause cellular damage. Anti-oxidants remove free radicals.

Other studies suggest that red wine can raise HDL cholesterol (the ‘good’ kind) and discourage LDL (the ‘bad’ kind) from forming. Along with cholesterol regulation, most of the pathogens that threaten humans are inhibited or killed by the acids and ethanol in wine. Not surprising, then, that until the mid-18th century wine was safer than water for daily consumption in Western countries.

A recent study in the American Journal of Physiology indicates that resveratrol also inhibits the formation of a protein that reduces the heart’s pumping efficiency during stress.

According to a American Journal of Gastroenterology study in 2003, moderate wine consumption decreases the risk of peptic ulcers, possibly by ridding the body of the bacteria which causes them.

Even diabetes occurrence may be reduced by moderate (one or two drinks per day) alcohol imbibing, says a 14-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 100,000 women. The study concluded they had a 58% lower likelihood of developing that disease. The exceptions are pre-menopausal women with a family history of breast cancer. Those are recommended to consume no alcohol.

Of course, as with anything one consumes, there are risks. Many wines contain sulfites to which a small percentage of the population is sensitive. And wine, though absent fat and cholesterol, does contain sugars and small quantities of sodium — and, of course, alcohol. It doesn’t take much to become too much.

Anyone with digestive tract disorders, liver disease or kidney problems — along with a slew of other ailments — would not be doing themselves any favors by drinking wine.

Then there are the well known effects of excessive intake, such as hangovers and, in the long run, liver damage. And, pairing wine with drugs, even normally beneficial ones such as aspirin or acetaminophen, is a recipe for disaster, clearly.

Unclear now about the pros and cons of wine consumption with regard to health? Good. Don’t rely on one article or source of information — read lots of studies and take it all with a grain of salt. Then you can feel good about taking it with a glass of wine.