Foundation Study Guide 06-07

 

®

‘co confid nfidence ence for for front front line staf stafff ’ 

®

WSET Level 1 Certificate in Wines

Study Guide ISSUE THREE • AUGUST 2006

www.wset.co.uk  www.wsetinternational.com

 

Foundation The WSET® School

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

WSET® Level 1 Certificate in Wines Contents 1- 2

Introduction

3 - 17

An Introduction to Wine 4 - 5

What is wine?

6 - 9

Styles of wine

10

40 - 43

44 - 56

What makes wines different?

11 - 15

Grape varieties

16 - 17

How wine is made

18 - 19

Wine tasting

20 - 30

Serv rvic icee and and pr preepa para rati tioon of of win wine:Ho e:Hosp spit ital alit ityy

31 - 37

Sale of wine: Retail

38 - 39 Professional responsibility An In Intr trod oduc ucti tion on to Foo ood d and and Wi Wine ne Mat atch chin ing g 40 - 41

Food flavours and textures

42 - 43

Wine flavours and textures

Portfolio of Ta Tasting sting Notes 45 - 46

Tracking sheets

47 - 56

Tasting notes

 

Introduction

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

WSET® Level 1 Programme

Introduction The Level 1 Programme provides a basic introduction to the main styles of wines available to front line staff involved in the service of wine. The programme introduces you to the technique of tasting wine and the characteristics of the common grape varieties used to produce wines. The programme aims to provide the basic product knowledge and skills in the service of wines required to prepare you for your new job in wine service.

Your Learning Objectives By the time you have completed this programme programme you will be better able to:

•

Describe the main styles of

•

wines available.

•

receipt, storage and sale of wine. (Retail)

Display a basic understanding of factors that determine the

•

main styles of light wines.

•

Understand the main health and safety considerations when serving wine.

Describe in general terms the main characteristics of

•

the principal grape varieties.

•

Describe the procedures for the

Use the Level 1 WSET® Systematic Approach to Tasting to produce simple tasting

State the correct service

records.

temperatures, equipment and glassware for the service of wine. (Hospitality)

•

Offer basic food and wine matching advice.

The Qualification Structure The programme will prepare you for the Level 1 Certificate in Wines. You will use this study guide with the help of your assigned trainer to achieve the knowledge required for the Level 1 and to collect and organise the evidence you need for your portfolio. It will usually take between six to nine hours to cover all the requirements for the qualification, but you may wish to take more time to study, especially if you have an extensive range of wines for sale.

Unit Title

Element

Element Title

Unit 1 Introduction to Wine

1.1

Wines by Style

1.2

Service of wines (Hospitality) The Sale of wines (Retail)

1.3

Matching Food and Wine

1

 

2

Introduction continued

The Assessment Unit One

You will need to pass a 30 multiple choice question exam paper assessing your knowledge and understanding. You You will need n eed to get 21 questions correct to pass. You will also need to present a portfolio of tasting notes you have completed while undergoing your programme of study. Your Your assessor will sign your portfolio once you have completed the correct amount of tasting notes to cover the minimum amounts stated in the portfolio section of this study guide.

Unitt 1 An Intr Uni Introdu oducti ction on to to Wines Wines Welcome to the WSET® Level 1 Programme in Wine. This course has been designed by the WSET® for the hospitality and retail industry to give an insight into what wine is, what it tastes like and how to serve it or sell it. By the end of the course you will be able confidently advise your customers on the wines you sell. Perhaps just as important, because you will know more about wine, you will personally get more enjoyment from any wines you try. The course will usually be delivered in your workplace and all the samples you will be trying will come from your list, so this course is tailor-made to your needs, and of course those of your company. Remember, wine is not just an enjoyable drink; in our business it is a useful way of making a profit, which is after all, what pays our wages. Throughout this study guide there are exercises that you will be asked to perform before you move on to the next stage. Some of these will form part of the assessment and will therefore count towards your final mark, so don’t skip any. The exercises are designed to help you progress through the course and they will help you check your own understanding on the subject.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Wine is made in many different types and styles, and sells at a vast range of prices. This course will help you make sense of that diversity diversity,, but to start with let’s look at what varieties of wine you stock.

 Activity You will be given a copy of your wine list, take a few moments now  to look through it and see how the wines are listed. Think about  the following questions before you go on to the next stage: How big is the list?  Approx roxima imately tely,, how many wine winess do you you stock? stock? •  App

✍

• What is the range of prices?

Now look at the layout of the list. • What categories or headings are used?

✍

these divis divisions ions usefu usefull to your your custom customers? ers? •  Are these

• Why?

This programm programme e is divided up according to the style of the wine, rather than price or country of origin. This may not match the layout of your list, but it means in effect that the flavour flavour,, structure and texture of the wines within each section are similar, so once you have discovered a customer’s taste you will be able to recommend a suitable wine.

3

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

4

What is Wine? Put very simply, wine is a drink made from the fermented juice of freshly-picked grapes. As such it is often described as one of the most natural of all alcoholic drinks. Fermentation is a natural process caused by yeast. Yeast are microscopic organisms that live naturally alongside grapes in the vineyard and winery. To live, yeast feed on sugar,, as found in grape juice, converting it into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. sugar However, as you know, there is a lot more to wine than just alcoholic grape juice. There are many influences on how a wine looks, l ooks, smells and tastes, which give a wide variety of styles. That variety will give your customers a wide selection of wines to choose from whenever they buy a wine in a bar, restaurant or shop.

Wine Types / Wine Styles First let’s think about some basics. There are three types of wine. They are:

• • •

Light Wine; Sparkling Wine; Fortified Wine.

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Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued   5

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

You will need to know about the differences between each of these three, and be able to identify which types the wines you stock. We will take them in turn. Light Wines

The majority of wines fall into this category. These are what you would normally think of when someone someone says says ‘wine’. ‘wine’. They are still, that is not sparkling, or fizzy fizzy,, and are between 8–15% alcohol. Many light wines are named after the region they are produced in; examples include Bordeaux and Burgundy from France, Rioja from Spain and Chianti from Italy. Wines from New World countries such as Australia are often labelled with the name of the grape used, such as Chardonnay or Shiraz.

Sparkling Wines

These are wines where bubbles of carbon dioxide gas have been trapped in the wine. Often seen as the wine for celebration, its best known (and usually most expensive) example is Champagne from France. Other examples are Cava from Spain and Asti from Italy, but sparkling wine is made all over the world.

Fortified Wines

These are also known as ‘liqueur’ wines, which means that the wines have had extra alcohol added to them and therefore have higher alcohol levels of 15–22%. Examples of liqueur wines are Sherry from Spain and Port from Portugal.

 Activity Think back to the exercise you did earlier, when you looked at your wine list. Were the three different wine types listed separately?

✍

 

6

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Styles of Wine Each of the three types of wine can be made in a variety of styles according to colour and taste.

COLOUR The colour of a wine can be determined by the type of grapes used and/or the way the wine is made:

Red The colour of the wine will come from using black grapes to make the wine as the colour comes from the grape skins. The skins also contain other substances such as tannin (that’s the substance in tea that makes your mouth feel dry), which will make the wine different not only in colour to white wines but in the way it tastes.

White White wine is usually made from the juice of white grapes, but because all of the colour in black grapes is in the skin, it is possible to make white wine from black grapes if you remove the skins before fermentation. White wines are often seen as the lighter lighter,, refreshing, alternative to red wines.

Rosé These wines are made from black grapes where the wine has had less contact with the skins. You will often see very pale rosé wines labelled as ‘blush’ wines. Rosé wines are usually not as full as red wines but offer more body than white. Rosé tends to be a very seasonal drink, selling mostly in summer.

 Activity Look at your wine list. Which of the wines on your list would fit in the categories in the grid below? Write the names of two or three wines from your wine list in each of the boxes. Don’t worry if your list doesn’t have all the categories, ask your trainer to give you some suitable suggestions.

✍ Red

White

Rosé

Light Wine

Fortified Wine

Sparkling Wine

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

SWEETNESS Grape juice is naturally sweet but as yeast feed on the grape sugars during fermentation, the juice becomes less sweet. Yeast will die once the alcohol reaches 15% or when all the sugars have been used Any sugar remaining in the wine once the yeast are dead will determine how sweet a wine is.

Dry The majority of wine you will taste will be dry because the yeast will have turned all the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. Most red wines and the majority of white are dry, although some are drier than others. Examples of dry white wines are Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Fino Sherry from Spain and Brut Champagne. Dry red wines include Châteauneuf-du-Pa Châteauneuf-du-Pape pe from France, Valpolicella from Italy and Pinotage from South Africa.

Medium The wines you will taste that are medium will usually be white or rosé. To make a medium wine the winemaker will either remove the yeast from the juice before all the sugar has been consumed or add unfermented, sweet grape  juice to dry wine. A medium medium wine should have sweetness sweetness but not not be cloying or sickly. Many popular wines from Germany such as Liebfraumilch are in this style; as are many rosé wines such as Blush Zinfandel from California.

Sweet Sweetness is immediately noticeable on the front of the tongue. Often the sugar will make the wine feel thicker and richer. The best sweet wines are made from grapes so rich in sugar that the yeast dies before all the sugar is consumed. Often sweet wines will be balanced in flavour due to refreshing acidity in the wine. Examples of sweet wines are Sauternes from France, Port from Portugal and Asti from Italy.

BODY This is the general feel of the wine in the mouth when you taste.

Light Bodied Wines light in body are usually refreshing and easy to drink. An example of a light-bodied white is Pinot Grigio from Italy and for red wine, Beaujolais from France.

Medium Bodied The wine will feel richer and more substantial, this may because of the grapes used or because the wine may have been in oak barrels, thereby giving an extra texture texture to the wine.

Examples of medium-bodied wines are white

Burgundy from France and red Merlot from Chile.

Full Bodied The wine will be powerful and will seem more concentrated and heavy. heavy. This is usually due to the ripeness of the grape and for some wines the use of oak. Examples of full-bodied wines are oaked Chardonnay from California and Shiraz from Australia.

7

 

8

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

OTHER FACTORS The other considerations you should take into account when describing a wine style are:

Oak  You may have noticed the word ‘oaked’ on wine labels. This means that the wine has fermented or matured in oak and will gain flavours, tannin and texture from contact with the wood. Wines can have distinctive changes in style if they are in contact with oak - in white wines the wine can become buttery and have vanilla flavours, with red wines they can become smoother with added spicy character.

Tannin Tannin has been mentioned before as a substance found in grape skins.Tannin is felt on the teeth, gums and tongue and makes the mouth feel dry. It can make a young red wine seem harsh. It doesn’t sound good to have tannin in wines - but they do bring some positive qualities to wines, they can help a wine mature giving structure and complexity and making the taste balanced.

Acidity  Acidity is very very important to wine, it gives gives the wine its refreshing qualities, you can detect acidity by a mouth watering sensation. Too much acidity can make the wine tart, too little, the wine will be flabby and seem flat. Acidity can help a wine mature such as the white wines made from Riesling from Germany or can stop sweet wines from been cloying and sickly by cleansing the palate and giving balance.

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Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

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 Activity You will need two grapes with some stalk attached for the next task. Firstly, peel one of the grapes so you have the skin separate from the flesh of the grape. If your peeled grape has pips (many table grapes don’t) separate the pips from flesh and set aside. Now you are ready to undertake your first tasting task. First taste the flesh only, what are you tasting and where in your mouth are you tasting it? Write down what you have tasted in the box below:

✍

Flesh

 Activity Did your mouth water? That’s acidity. Can you taste sweetness on the tip of your tongue? That’s the sugars in the grape juice. Next chew the skin. What has happened to your mouth? Describe what has happened in your mouth in the box below

✍

Skin

Did your mouth dry out? That’s the effect of the tannin in the skins. Now taste the second grape. Note how the taste is different from the separate parts - not as sweet, not as acidic and not so tannic - more balanced, in fact.

9

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

10

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

WHAT MAKES WINES DIFFERENT? CLIMATE

To understand what makes wines different we will first need to look at how grapes ripen. It is important, like any other fruit, that the vine has enough sunshine to ripen. If the grape does not have enough sun it will remain green and hard, and will taste acidic and sour. If the grapes receive enough sun the sour acids in the grapes will turn into sugar sugar,, the skins will ripen and in the case of black grapes turn red through to deep purple in colour. Too much sun and all the acid will turn into sugar and the wine produced will be flabby and lacking l acking balance, too little the wine will taste thin and sour. The success of a wine will depend upon the correct balance between rainfall, sunshine and temperature.

THE WORLD WINE PRODUCING AREAS  ARCTIC OCEAN 

CANADA 

RUSSIA  50˚N

50˚N

EUROPE NORTH  AMERICA 

CHINA 

CALIFORNIA 

30˚N

30˚N

 ATLANTIC OCEAN 

PACIFIC OCEAN 

NORTH  AFRICA 

PACIFIC OCEAN  Equator

Equator

SOUTH  AMERICA 

INDIAN  OCEAN   AUSTRALIA 

BRAZIL

30˚S

30˚S

CHILE  ARGENTINA 

SOUTH  AFRICA 

50˚S

50˚S

Wine Producing Regions

One of the most important factors that influence the style of wine is where the grapes are grown and the climate for that region. A knowledge of a region’s climate gives us an idea of the expected temperatures and weather conditions for the wine and the general style of wine.

Cool Climate Examples include regions in Northern France, Germany, and New Zealand. Cool climate regions will give wines that are:

• • •

Mainly white High in acidity  A refreshing flavour

Hot Climate Examples include regions in the South of France, Spain and Australia. Hot climate regions will give wines that are:

• • •

NEW ZEALAND

Mainly red as black grapes need more heat to ripen High in alcohol Rich in flavour

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

GRAPE VARIETIES The variety or blend of varieties used to make the wine will have the biggest influence on the style of wine produced. There are hundreds of grape varieties suitable for wine, but only a small number of varieties have established a reputation for making outstanding wines. The five grape varieties you will study as part of this unit are known as ‘noble’ varieties, each variety has a distinctive character or flavour which is recognisable wherever the grape is grown.

White Grapes Chardonnay Say it -

Shard-on-ay

Probably the best known grape in the world it produces dry wines of great variety,, from light apple fresh delicacy to rich full bodied buttery richness. variety Chardonnay is planted all over the world and is the grape used for many classic wines such as Chablis and Champagne from France, in New World countries Chardonnay will, more often than not, have spent some time in oak which will complement its fuller bodied tropical fruit character. character.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Chardonnay.

✍

11

 

12

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Sauvignon Blanc Say it -

Sew-vin-yon-Blonk

Often described as having a fresh green fruit aroma and flavour, it produces full on fruity, light to medium bodied wines with refreshingly zesty acidity. Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé from France are popular wines made from this variety. In California they make an oaked Sauvignon Blanc known as Fumé Blanc.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Sauvignon Blanc.

✍

Riesling Say it -

Reez-ling

The Riesling grape produces wines that range from bone dry through to lusciously sweet, but above all, it will be aromatic and have good levels of acidity. It can be minerally, peachy or petrolly in aroma with flavours from fresh green apple through to dried apricot. Riesling is the classic grape of Germany producing some of the great sweet wines of the world. Alsace in France produces dry styles. In the New World, Australia is producing some very distinctive wines.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Riesling.

✍

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Black Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon Say it -

Cab-ur-ney-Sew-vin-yon

Widely planted around the world, Cabernet Sauvignon produces wines with a blackcurrant aroma and flavour, flavour, often backed up by firm tannins. It can range in style between medium and full-bodied. ful l-bodied. Because of its forceful presence Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other grapes such as Merlot in Bordeaux, where the red wine is also known as Claret. In Australia it is often blended with Shiraz which adds richness and spice to the wines character. Many wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon will need to be matured before they are ready to drink.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Cabernet Sauvignon.

✍

13

 

14

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Merlot Say it -

Mer-low

Popular, softer, fruity alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot has a rich plum and berry fruit flavour with refreshing acidity and soft to medium tannins. St Emilion is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. In the New World, Chile makes good value rich and fruity examples. Merlot can gain added richness from maturing in oak.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Merlot.

✍

Pinot Noir Say it -

Pee-no N-wa

This wine can have the taste of summer fruits like raspberries and cherries when young, but as it matures it will take on vegetal aromas. Pinot Noir wine is lighter in colour and body than Cabernet Sauvignon, but can age well. Pinot Noir is the grape used for the red Burgundy Burgundy.. Pinot Noir can also be used in Champagne. In the New Wo World, rld, New Zealand makes stylish wines.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Pinot Noir.

✍

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Syrah/Shiraz Say it -

Seer-ah/Sheer-az

This grape variety produces rich, powerful and peppery wines, the wines are deeply coloured and have the ability to age. In the Northern Rhône in France it is used to produce Hermitage and Côte Rôtie. In Australia it can produce full bodied, warm, spicy wines with flavours of black fruits and quite often vanilla aromas and flavours of oak.

 Activity Note some of wines you list, that are made from Syrah/Shiraz.

✍

15

 

16

Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

How Wine is Made Grapes are harvested in the Autumn. Black grapes for red wine are crushed and stems are removed, the juice is kept in contact with the skins during fermentation to give colour to the wine and add tannin, both of which are found in the skin. The mixture of skin, pulp and  juice of the grapes is called must. For rosé wines the time spent in contact with the skin is shorter so that the wine is lighter in colour, pink rather than red. For white wine, the juice only is used from white and/or black grapes as any prolonged contact contact with the skin will cause coloration of the wine. The must/juice is then fermented, the winemaker will have a choice of wooden vats, stainless steel tanks or cement tanks, this can influence the final style of wine by either adding flavours or not. The newly fermented wine will be removed from its fermentation vessel, and in the case of red wine it will be pressed first to remove the wine from the skins. The wine will now be matured. Some wines will mature for longer than others according to the style of wine required. Wines matured in oak barrel will take on oak flavours and aromas. Finally the wine is bottled, some wines are ready to drink, others, in particular tannic red wines and vintage ports will mature further in bottle.

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Unit 1  An Introduction to Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

17

Let’s Let’ s check what we have learnt so far by completing the word search…

What type of wine has extra alcohol added? The name of a famous sparkling wine  Another name for a rosé wine What can make your mouth water when tasting wine?  A red wine from Spain?  A substance found in the skins of grapes?  Another name for the black grape Syrah Well known German white grape variety The material used to make barrels for maturing wine

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Unit 1 Wine Tasting

Taste How to taste like the professionals Wines are often described in terms of various characteristics of taste. You will probably have heard people talking about dry or sweet wines, light-bodied or full-bodied wines, wines with ‘hints of oak’, or wines reminiscent of any number of different fruits. Before we go any further we need to look at how professionals professio nals taste and describe wine.

Tasting Technique  Anyone can become an expert if they follow this simple three-point plan:

Look  First look at the wine in your glass over a piece of white paper such as your tasting sheet. You will need to classify your wine as red, white or rosé, you may wish to add more to your notes, such as pale lemon, or deep purple. Your trainer will help you recognise some of the colours, but what is important is that you know which of the wines on the wine list are reds, whites or rosé, so that you can help your customers in their wine selections.

Smell Sniff the wine then swirl the wine around the glass and sniff again. Notice how this releases the aromas. The smell of the wine should be clean, you don’t want to serve faulty wines. The aromas will give you an idea of the wine’s character.

Fruit aromas Can indicate certain grape varieties, for example, Sauvignon Blanc gives gooseberry or cat’s pee or Cabernet Sauvignon can give blackcurrant aromas.

Floral aromas Can indicate certain grape varieties such as young Riesling.

Spicy aromas Can indicate oak with vanilla and spicy aromas like cinnamon. Some grapes will have spicy peppery aromas like Shiraz.

Vegetal aromas Can indicate age (maturation in bottle) and some grape varieties such as Pinot Noir. When describing a vegetal character it is often a whiff of cabbage that you may detect. These aromas should be pleasant! If you detect a vinegary or musty smell or any smell equally unpleasant, ask your supervisor to check the wine before it is sold.

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Unit 1 Wine Tasting continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Taste Taste the wine and without dribbling draw the wine and some air over their taste buds.Try to make a hilarious noise! The taste of the wine can indicate the following: Sweetness

Dry, medium or sweet

Fruit Character

Fruity, floral, spicy, and vegetal in character

Body 

Light, medium or full bodied

Other

Tannin, acidity, oak

 At the front of your tasting note section is the list of types and styles of wines you are required to taste and for which you need to produce tasting notes. Tick the ones you have tasted. You will need to have tasted the number in the brackets to pass this qualification. You may taste more as part of your training so note these as well. It will help you to do your job if you have tasting notes you can use to help you give information to customers.

 Activity Tasting

Now let’s taste some wines. Your trainer will make a selection from your wine list to cover your Foundation Founda tion Certificate assessment. You will need to complete tasting notes in your portfolio for this activity.

19

 

Unit 1 Service of Wine

20

Service of Wine

Prior Preparation will Prevent Poor Performance This is true for any job, if you prepare properly it will make your job easier, giving you greater satisfaction in your work and providing high quality customer service.

Storage prior to service Let’s Let’ s first look at the storage of wine. If a wine is incorrectly stored stored it can affect the flavour of the wine and in severe cases the wine will become faulty. faulty. The following general points should be followed when storing wine:

•

For long-term storage, temperature temperature for all wines should be cool and constant as extremes of cold and heat can damage wines.

•

Store wine on its side to ensure the cork remains contact with the wine. If the cork dries out it can let in air and the air will make the wine taste stale and old.

•

Keep wines away from strong light, natural sunshine or artificial light will heat the wine and it will become stale and old before its time.

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Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Preparation of Wine It is important that all the equipment and the wine are prepared before service commences. Let’s look at the preparation of wines that need chilling. White, rosé and sparkling wines will need chilling before service. Enough stock should be placed in refrigerator well in advance. Stock rotation rotation is important – you should always move the old stock to the front when replenishing the wine chiller, so that the wine that has already been chilled is served first.

White,, Rosé and Sparkling White Sparkling Wines Style of Wine

Example of Style of Wine

Service Temperature

Medium/full-bodied oaked white

White Burgundy

Slightly chilled 12 12°C

Light/medium-bodied white

Muscadet, Pi Pinot Grigio, Fi Fino Sherry

Chilled 10°C

Sweet wines

Sauternes, Sweet Muscat’s

Well-chilled 6 - 8°C

Sparkling wines

Champagne, Cava, Asti

Well-chilled 6 - 8°C

Remember over chilling can mask the flavours in white wines.

Red wines should also be prepared and available at the correct temperature. This could mean bringing supplies out of a cool cellar to ensure they are at too cool, or some red wines may need a slight chilling before service.

Red Wines Style of Wine

Example of Style of Wine

Service Temperature

Light-bodied red

Beaujolais, Valpolicella

Lightly chilled 12°C

Medium/full-bodied red

Claret, Red Burgundy,  Australian Shiraz, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Châteauneuf-du-Pap e, Port

Room temperature 17 - 18°C

Remember the average room temperature will vary due to the time of year, heating or air conditioning. Be careful that red wines don’t get too warm or too cold.

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Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Preparation of Equipment You have prepared the wine, now you will need to check that you have the equipment you need for serving it.

Wine Menus You may use a printed menu or have your list written up on a blackboard. It is important that the menu/list is accurate and up-to-date - make sure that you check with your supervisor if there are any changes you need to be aware of. It is always better to tell a customer before they make a selection from the wine list that certain wines are unavailable rather than delay service by the customer having to reselect. You will also be able to ask for advice from your supervisor on suitable alternatives.  Always check that printed printed menus are clean and free from damage, damage, check that menus written on blackboards are free from errors and tidy. If too many items are wiped out, request that the list is rewritten neatly.

Glassware  An enormous range glass shapes and sizes are used for the service of wine, each designed to emphasise a particular wine’s characteristics. The use of the correct glass will enhance the experience for the customer. However, most restaurants and bars will only have a few different shaped glasses and it is important that you know which is the correct glass to use where you work.

Red Wine

Red wines are best served in larger-sized glasses. This will allow air to come into contact with an enlarged wine surface and develop the aromas and flavours – remember when you tasted wine earlier, how the aromas where easier to smell when you swirled the wine.

White and Rosé Wine

White wines require medium sized glasses so that the fresh, fruit characteristics are gathered and directed towards the top of the glass.

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Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wines are served in flute glasses. This shape enhances the effect of the bubbles (and thus the wine’s aroma) allowing them to travel through larger areas of the wine before bursting at the top of the glass. For this reason the saucer-shaped glasses are completely inappropriate as the bubbles are very quickly lost.

Fortified Wine

Fortified wines should be served in small glasses to emphasise the fruit characteristics rather than the alcohol.

 Activity Using a selection of glasses from your workplace select the ones you use for which type and style of wine.

✍

23

 

24

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Preparing Glasses Clean glassware is of the uppermost importance, as even the slightest taint can ruin the flavour of the wine. This can also apply to ‘clean’ glasses from a glass washing machine. It is worth checking the glasses to make sure no residue from the detergent and salts remain in the glass as they can give strange flavours to wines. In the case of sparkling wine, it will make it lose its sparkle more quickly. The best way to prepare glasses is to polish them before each service. This will make sure the glasses are clean and free of finger marks and dust.

Linen When polishing glasses it is best to use a specialist glass cloth, as this will not leave bits of fluff in the glass. Clean linen should be available for the service of wine, as you will use it when pouring wine to catch drips from the bottle and for the service of wines from ice buckets to prevent water and melted ice dripping from bottle. A cloth should be used when opening sparkling wine as it will act as a safeguard to prevent the cork causing damage.

Corkscrews Types of Corkscrews

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Styles of Service Table Service This is when the order is taken at the table where the customers are seated. Usually, but not always, the customer will be ordering wine to accompany a meal. The customer may select the wine after they have selected their food and will quite often ask the waiter for a recommendation. When providing a table service the wine will be ordered, opened and served to the customer by the waiter. waiter. If the customer orders a glass of wine it will be collected and taken to the table by the waiter.

Bar Service This is when the order is taken at the bar. The bar person will open the wine and give the customer the number of glasses needed. The customer or the bar person will pour the wine and often the customer will carry the wine and glasses to a seating area and pour it themselves. Whatever service type you use one thing that will remain the same - the correct procedure to follow when opening a bottle of wine, unless of course, the wine has a screwcap.

Opening a bottle of light wine Remove the top of the capsule by cutting round below the lip of the bottle. This can be done either with a capsule remover or knife.

• •

Clean the neck of the bottle with a clean cloth Draw the cork as gently and cleanly as possible using your selected corkscrew

•

Give the neck of the bottle a final clean inside and out

•

Pour a sample into the host’s glass for approval.

25

 

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

26

Opening a bottle of Sparkling Wine Danger - It is important to remember that there is considerable pressure in a

bottle of sparkling wine. Chilling to the correct temperature helps to reduce this pressure. Even when the wine is chilled it is possible for the cork to spring violently from the bottle and injure someone.

• •

Remove the foil and then the wire muzzle. The cork must be held in place by the hand from the moment the wire is removed.

•

Tilt the bottle at an angle of about 30 degrees, gripping the cork, and use the other hand to grip the base of the bottle.

• •

Turn the bottle, not the cork. Hold the cork steady, resisting its tendency to fly out, and ease it slowly out of the bottle.

•

The gas pressure should be released with a quiet “phut” not an explosion and flying corks.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 Activity What procedures do you follow when serving wine at the table? Your workplace will have procedures to follow when serving wine. Familiarise yourself with the procedures, and answer the following questions: When do you offer the customers the wine menu?

✍

When do you tell customers of any changes or additions to wine lists?

✍

When would you take the order for the wine?

✍

Who do you give copies of the wine order to?

✍

Do you show the bottle to the customer before opening and if so, why?

✍

27

 

28

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

What equipment would you need to take to the table for the service of the following wines?

✍ Red Wine

✍ White Wine

✍ Sparkling Wine

Where do you open the wine for table service?

✍

Mark on the glass (right) the level to which you would pour when serving wine Do you top up the glass for the customer?

✍

 

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Serving wine by the glass Wine by the glass is a very popular drink option. However, this is fraught with problems. Wine left in opened bottles deteriorates rapidly, which can lead to a large amount of wastage, or worse still the customer being served a poor quality glass of wine. It is important to check any open wine before serving to a customer to ensure that it is in good condition. What to look for:

•

Wine should be bright. Any dullness in the colour could mean the wine is spoiled.

• •

There should not be any debris floating in the wine. It should smell fresh. When a wine comes into contact with oxygen (which happens as soon as you pull the cork) it will start to lose its freshness and flavours. A wine that has been in contact with oxygen for too long will be dull and lack flavour.

•

Check the nose of the wine. It should not smell unpleasant.

Once you have opened or checked the wine the next stage is to pour it. This sounds easy enough, but you will need to take into consideration some legal matters. When serving wine by the glass it is important that you use the correct measure. The legal measures for wine in the UK are: 125ml, 175ml or a multiple of 125ml (e.g. 250ml). Glasses can be marked with a line to show you how much to pour in the glass.

It is useful to know how many measures you can get from a standard 75cl bottle. This (diagram below) will help you work out how many bottles you will need for an order.

6 x 125 mls glasses 4 x 175 mls glasses

3 x 250 mls glasses

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30

Unit 1 Service of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Methods used to Preserve wine Once you have served a glass of wine it is important that you store the wine correctly as this will help prolong the wine’s life and prevent wastage. It is wasteful and unprofitable if you have to throw away the rest of the bottle for every glass of wine you serve. In many cases wines used for service by the glass will have no more than the cork put back in them and placed in fridge. In this case stock rotation will be very important, as will keeping a record of when the bottle was opened. There are some methods of preservation that can be used which will preserve the wine and its flavour for an extended period of time. You may use one of these systems in your premises.

Vacuum Systems These are systems where the oxygen is removed from the bottle and the bottle is sealed. Vacuvin and Le Verre de Vin are two systems available.

Blanket Systems These systems work on the principal of blanketing the wine with a gas heavier than oxygen to form a protective layer between the wine and air air.. Wine Saver is a system available.

 Activity What procedures do you follow when preserving wine for service by  the glass? g lass?

✍

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Sale of Wine

Prior Preparation will Prevent Poor Performance This is true for any job, if you prepare properly it will make your job easier, giving you greater satisfaction in your work and providing high quality customer service.

Storage, display and service of wine Let’s Let’ s first look at the storage of wine. If a wine is incorrectly stored stored it can affect the flavour of the wine and in severe cases the wine will become faulty. faulty. The following general points should be followed when storing wine:

•

For long-term storage, temperature temperature for all wines should be cool and constant as extremes of cold and heat can damage wines.

•

Store wine on its side to ensure the cork remains contact with the wine. If the cork dries out it can let in air and the air will make the wine taste stale and old.

•

Keep wines away from strong light, natural sunshine or artificial light will heat the wine and it will become stale and old before its time.

•

Bottles in the window displays should be changed regularly. regularly.

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32

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

continued

Preparation of Wine You might be interested to know that 99% of all wine purchased on the High Street is consumed within a week and 98% is drunk within the weekend. Often customers will buy wine on the way home form work and wine will be consumed as soon as the customer gets home. If you have a fridge, make sure it is always stocked with popular lines. The charts below will help you if you are asked for recommended serving temperatures. Always fill shelves shelves from the back, moving moving existing stock to the front. This ensures that bottles do not hang around for too long, as they deteriorate, and make sure that the front label is to the front Face-up as often as necessary - nothing is more off-putting than empty shelves.

White,, Rosé and Sparkling White Sparkling Wines Style of Wine

Example of Style of Wine

Service Temperature

Medium/full-bodied oaked white

White Burgundy

Slightly chilled 12 12°C

Light/mediu ium m-bodied white

Muscadet, Pinot Grig igiio, Fino Sherry

Chilled 10°C

Sweet wines

Sauternes, Sweet Muscat’s

Well-chilled 6 - 8°C

Sparkling wines

Champagne, Cava, Asti

Well-chilled 6 - 8°C

Remember over chilling can mask the flavours in white wines.

Red wines should also be prepared and available at the correct temperature. This could mean bringing supplies out of a cool cellar to ensure they are at too cool, or some red wines may need a slight chilling before service.

Red Wines Style of Wine

Example of Style of Wine

Service Temperature

Light-bodied red

Beaujolais, Valpolicella

Lightly chilled 12°C

Medium/full-bodied red

Claret, Red Burgundy,  Australian Shiraz, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Châteauneuf-du-Pa pe, Port

Room temperature 17 - 18°C

Remember the average room temperature will vary due to the time of year, heating or air conditioning. Be careful that red wines don’t get too warm or too cold.

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Merchandising You should understand the importance of merchandising to the sale of wines. You may or may not have any influence over how wine is merchandised, but you will have responsibility to ensure shelves and other fittings are full and faced up. Speak to your trainer about how much leeway you have in your company. If you are issued with bay plans or computerised grid systems for you to follow, do comply with them as it makes it easier for customers to find what they are looking for. You might be surprised to know how much time and money the major companies invest in designing the merchandising plans. Why do they they bother? Simply because well-merchandised bays laid out in an attractive manner attract people who then make a purchase, but empty messy bays do not tempt customers in the same way. If you have the flexibility to, or are able to create your own displays, make them as attractive as possible. You may find it useful to use half barrels, baskets etc. Often the product will sell itself, if well displayed. Take the time to go and see how your competitors merchandise their shelves; it may give you some ideas. Remember - the better the display the more you will sell!

Stock Receipt and Control What are your procedures for the receipt and storage of wines?

✍

Many of you will not be responsible for taking delivery and receipt of wines, and those who are will have to

•

Ensure you are familiar with your company procedures detailing the process.

•

If you are regularly receiving stock, usually it will come straight from your

•

warehouse (or the warehouse of one of your suppliers). It is important to ensure that you check that the paperwork matches what has been delivered.

33

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine

34

continued

Dealing with Breakages and Damage It is inevitable that sometimes you or a customer will break a bottle, or one might arrive broken in a delivery delivery.. It is the responsibility of the store to ensure that customers and their staff are not at risk of slipping /cutting themselves etc, so the area must be cleaned immediately. Remember to log the incident, as if you do not, the item will appear as a loss, when you have the next stocktake.

 Activity What procedures do you follow if a bottle is broken on the shop floor? If you are unable to verify that the order you have received is correct what should you do? Your trainer will be able to help you with these.

Promotions A large percentage of wine sold in off licenses and supermarkets is bought when in promotion. You need to be aware of what is currently on special offer at all times. Procedures you should follow at promotional changeover

•

Always put up new point of sale (POS) immediately and ensure that prices are correctly marked.

•

Remember to remove Special Offer POS as soon as a promotion is over. Customers get irate when they arrive at the till and discover that they are expected to pay more for their wine than they expected.

•

Keep an eye on how quickly individual lines are selling, and ensure you always have enough stock.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

In Store Tasting Occasionally you may have have the opportunity to offer tastings to customers. Here are some basic guidelines that will enable you to gain maximum sales. Ensure that you you have some information on the wine. If this has not not been provided, bone up on what is on the back label - taste the wine yourself and form an opinion.

•

Taste every new bottle that you open to check that it is in good condition.

•

Try to keep white wines cool; an ice bucket is ideal.

•

In warm weather, weather, don’t let red wines get too warm. If necessary have two bottles on the go and pop them in the fridge for a few minutes.

•

Learn how to open a bottle efficiently.

You may be restricted to using certain glasses of even plastic cups. If you have a choice, use the largest glasses you have available, and make sure they are clean and polished; smeared glasses not only look unattractive, unattractive, they can influence the aroma. Offer the customer an ice bucket in case they want to spit. Most will swallow, swallow, but as a responsible retailer, you should give them the option.

Larger Orders When customers are planning an event they often need advice on what to buy buy,, how far will it go and how they should store it.

Quantities For parties/barbecues or picnics wine boxes are useful. They are usually relatively inexpensive and very portable. • A 3 litre wine box holds 24 standard (125ml) glasses of wine.

•

A standard wine bottle (75cl) holds 4 large (175ml) or 6 standard glasses.

•

A litre bottle of wine holds 6 large glasses or 8 standard glasses.

•

A magnum (1.5 litres) holds 9 large or 12 standard glasses.

Champagne/Sparkling wine is usually served in smaller measures, so it is possible to get an additional glass per bottle.

35

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine

36

continued

Formal Occasions For weddings, weddings, christenings etc, most customers prefer prefer bottles to boxes; boxes; they look more impressive. Although own brands offer excellent value, branded Wines may be more appropriate. This is the ideal opportunity to persuade customers to trade-up. For 50 people the minimum quantities they should allow are

•

9 /10 bottles of fizz, if there is to be a toast.

•

Champagne is the obvious choice, but Cava is an excellent and inexpensive alternative.

•

6 bottles of white wine.

•

5 bottles of red wine.

If you offer sale or return facilities it is better to order too much than run out on the day - anything left over can returned. A selection of non-alcoholic drinks is useful. Suggest a mix of orange juice, juice, sparkling mineral water and perhaps some fizzy drinks.

Additional Services Most retailers offer additional services to assist their customers. Do you offer any of the following?

• • •

Sale or return facility

• • • •

6-bottle wine carriers

Quantity discount Packing for customers

Carrying to car Home delivery Glass hire/loan

 Activity What additional services does your company offer to customers?

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1 The Sale of Wine continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Point of Purchase Procedures There are many different ways ways of selling wine in a shop. In small retail outlets you will be expected to answer customer queries, complete the sale and pack the wines for the customer, whereas in a supermarket the wine staff involvement ends when the bottles are placed in the trolley and wheeled away. away. Even here though, if six bottles are purchased and you have bottle carriers, remember to offer one to to the customer. Don’t forget to point out any any discounts that are applicable. If you will be dealing with the sale, follow the guidelines within your store. Pay particular attention to the correct procedure for Credit cards.

 Activity If a customer buys six or more bottles, what can you offer them by way of added added value? (bottle carriers-discounts etc)

✍

What to do when it all goes wrong It is inevitable that from time to time, customers will bring a bottle back as they are unhappy with the quality or the taste. These days most companies companies have a ‘no quibble’ policy and will replace the bottle or offer a refund. Speak to your trainer about your company’s policy.

37

 

Unit 1 Professional Responsibility

38

Personal safety Most customers are legitimate and polite, unfortunately you may have to deal with customers who are out for trouble, that’s why it is important that you know how to handle awkward situations without breaking the law. The Portman Group in the UK have produced materials to help staff in licensed premises deal with underage drinkers and intoxicated customers. Below is a brief outline of some of the advice they give.

Refusing to serve underage drinkers and drunks It is important that you stand your ground. By backing down, you could risk prosecution. When refusing to serve someone

• •

 Always be polite and calm

• •

If you shout, expect to be shouted at

Don’t antagonise by getting annoyed or aggressive

Be professional, apologise, tell the customer that you’d be putting your licence at risk if you serve them alcohol

• •

 A refusal can embarrass a customer, customer, so be tactful Never talk down to the person in question, especially if they are young and in a group. It will make them feel small in front of others in the group and can provoke violence. Instead, maintain a professional tone

•

If faced with a group, move the person you’re talking to away from f rom the rest. This lessons the chance of them playing to the crowd.

Dealing with aggression People sometimes get aggressive without warning, you need to keep your distance and be aware of yours and others safety. When faced with aggressive customers

• •

Don’t respond to aggression with aggression, but try to stay calm  Apologise, use relaxed relaxed body language and avoid prolonged eye contact, contact, this signals that you do not want a fight, and slims down the chance of a punch being thrown

•

Use slow and deliberate body movements and try to keep something between you and the aggressor, this provides a barrier should violence occur

•

Refuse to be drawn into an argument, saying sorry gives aggressors a way out without losing face

• •

If they get physical don’t retaliate, but try and keep your distance If things get out of hand, call the Police.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1 Professional Responsibility continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Safe alcohol consumption The drinks industry places increasing emphasis on the responsible appreciation of alcoholic beverages. Responsibility begins with observance of the laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to young people. Dangers exist in two principal ways. Mild intoxication can impair a person’s ability to perform potentially dangerous tasks, such as driving a motor vehicle or operating factory machinery. Regular excessive drinking can lead to permanent ill health, as well as behavioural, emotional and financial problems.

Assessing Intake of Alcohol In order to guard against these problems, consumers need to assess reliably

One UK Unit = 10ml pure ethanol. This is equivalent to a half pint of ordinary beer or lager at 3.5% abv.

or a single 25ml measure of spirits (eg whisky, gin, brandy) at 40% abv.

or a 125ml glass of wine at 8% abv.

how much alcohol they have taken. There is a simple relationship between different drinks in terms of the amount of alcohol they contain. In standard measures, each type of drink contains a similar amount of alcohol, known as one unit.

Drinking and Driving The law is concerned with the alcohol level in the blood, measured in milligrams per 100 millilitres (mg/100ml). The fact that it is dangerous to drive with alcohol in the bloodstr bloodstream eam is reinforced by legislation in many countries. The amount of alcohol needed to reach this limit varies between individuals, so it is recommended that no alcohol is consumed if driving.

The Danger to Health The accumulative effects of regular alcoholic consumption are difficult to chart precisely. Few would dispute however, the strong correlation between excessive drinking and the onset of liver cirrhosis. The UK Health Education Authority has advised that damage to health is

For more details and international guidelines on sensible drinking, consult the AIM (Alcohol in Moderation) website

almost unknown in:

www.drinkingandyou.com

quantity at once. The UK Health Education Authority recommends limits of

• •

Men who consume no more than 21 UK units (210ml) per week Women Wo men who consume consume no more more than 14 UK units (140ml) per week week

Regularly drinking moderate amounts is less harmful than drinking a large 3 to 4 UK units daily for men and 2 to 3 for women. The lower figure for women is because, in most women, a lower percentage of their body weight is made up of water.  Although excessive excessive consumption consumption of alcohol is likely to cause cause health problems, problems, recent research has indicated that moderate consumption of alcohol can be beneficial to health. For more information and an international perspective, see www.drinkingand you.com

39

 

40

Unit 1  An Introduction to Food and Wine Matching

Food and Wine Matching There are reasons why some foods work better than others with the food you’re eating. There are some basic principles that can be followed when matching food and wine which will help you make recommendations recommendations to customers. Let’s look at the type of food being served. In general terms fish will need a different type of wine from say a chocolate pudding. White meat is usually better with white wine than red, but you can’t make a choice of the type of wine to drink based on the main protein in the dish as other factors come into play. There is no single choice of wine which must be drunk with a certain dish, but some are definitely better than others. You will need to analyse the basic elements of taste in both the wine and food. The principle is to try and balance these elements so that neither the food nor the wine overpower each other.

FOOD FLAVOURS AND TEXTURES METHOD OF COOKING

The way food has been cooked can mean that the same main ingredient will require a different style of wine. If a food is cooked by a moist gentle method such as, steaming, poaching or boiling it will require a lighter bodied wine than a food that is barbecued, grilled or roasted which will require wines that are fuller and more robust in body as the method of cooking adds flavours to food. Foods that have been cooked by quick frying methods such as pan fried, stir fried, or deep fried need lighter wines with good acidity, acidity, as the method of cooking increases the fat content. content. A  slow cooked dish that has been braised or stewed will be weightier and need fuller bodied wines as the flavours are intensified by the method of cooking.

SERVICE TEMPERATURE The temperature at which the food is to be served can also be important when choosing wines. If a food is to be served cold it will need a lighter wine that can be chilled. However, However, this does not mean white wines only – rosé wines and red wines that can be chilled such as a light fruity red like Beaujolais could be used

SEASONINGS The stronger the flavours of the seasonings used in a dish the more flavour and body the wine will require to balance with the food. Imagine that you have a dish of steamed breast of chicken. Served as it is would need a dry, lightbodied, fairly neutral wine. But if it seasoned with chilli and garlic or other strong seasonings, its character would change and you would need a fullerflavoured and bodied wine to stand up to the seasoning. The neutral wine would seem bland if it were served.

ACCOMPANIMENTS Your food may be plainly cooked but could be accompanied by a full flavoured vegetable dish or garnish. If you think of a traditional Christmas lunch of roast turkey, the turkey is quite bland in flavour. It is the chestnut stuffing, the sprouts, etc. that are the strong flavours which will influence your choice of wine. Always match to the strongest flavour on the plate, which in many cases is the sauce that accompanies the dish.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Unit 1  An Introduction to Food and Wine Matching continued

KEY FLAVOURS IN FOOD STRENGTH OF FLAVOURS Strongly-flavoured foods need to be matched in strength by the concentration and strength of flavours in wine. Strong-flavoured wild mushrooms will need a far more robust wine than pale commercial button mushrooms; a mature vintage Cheddar cheese is going need a richer richer,, fuller-bodied wine than a fresh cream cheese.

SOUR Dishes dominated by tart acidic flavours like lemon, lime or vinegar can be difficult and require care when matching. Acidic foods require wines with high acidity; in the case of tomatoes which are naturally high in acidity, Italian wines are a good choice as the wines have been developed to match the cuisine which is dominated by the use of tomato.

SWEET Sweetness in food can make a wine seem drier. Sweet wines should always be sweeter than the dessert they accompany. If you have a savoury dish which is accompanied by a fruity or a sweet sauce it is important that the wine has good fruit to match.

SALTY Salty foods such olives, oysters and other shellfish go best with crisp, dry, light-bodied white wines such as Muscadet, Chablis and Fino sherry. sherry.

SPICY Hot spices like chilli reduce the sweetness in wines and can make dry red wines seem more astringent. Spices can also accentuate the flavours of oak.  A good good match for spicy food are are wines that are made from from really really ripe juicy fruit, either unoaked or lightly oaked. Wines like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can work well with spiced foods, as can ripe Chilean Merlot.

SMOKY Smoked foods need wines with enough character to cope with the strength of the smoking. Lightly smoked salmon is a classic partner for Brut Champagne, smoked meats like pork can benefit from some slight sweetness in wine like that found in some German Rieslings, smoky barbecued flavours suit powerful wines like Australian Shiraz.

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42

Unit 1  An Introduction to Food and Wine Matching

continued

WINE FLAVOURS AND TEXTURES Now we need to analyse the character of the wine.

WEIGHT

 A full-bodied wine needs rich heavy foods. Powerful reds are often the first choice for game and red meat casseroles, although the weight of the wine is more important than the colour. A full-bodied white will be far better choice than a light bodied red wine. Light bodied red or white wines will complement delicate foods.

SWEETNESS Dry wines will seem tart and sour when drunk with any food that has a degree of sweetness. Sweet wines need foods that are similar or lighter in the degree of sweetness. Rich sweet wines with good levels of acidity can also go well with rich oily food such as paté. A classic classic match is Sauternes with foie gras both foods luscious but the acidity of the wine will help the wine stand up to the fattiness of the food. Sweetness in wine can balance saltiness in food, such as blue cheese - think of the classic combination of Port and Stilton cheese.

ACIDITY Wines with crisp acidity are good with oily food as the richness of the food lessens the perception of acidity in wine; too soft, and the wine will seem flabby. Wines with good acidity and body can help enhance dishes with cream as a component such as savoury cream sauces and cream-based desserts, if the wine has enough sweetness.

TANNIN Tannin in wine reacts with protein. Foods with high protein content, particularly red meat, will soften the effect of the tannin on the palate. This is why wines from tannic grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah/Shiraz go well with roast meat and stews. Tannin in combination with oily fish can result in an unpleasant metallic taste, so the general recommendation is to avoid red wines with fish. However, low tannin reds are fine with meaty fish such as tuna. High tannin wines can also taste bitter with salty foods, which can mean that the red wine from the main course will not always suit the cheeses later on.

FLAVOUR AND FRUIT CHARACTER The flavour and fruit character of a wine can sometimes be matched matched with food. Grapey,, floral characteristics like wine from the Muscat grape variety with fruit, Grapey spicy flavours like Gewurztraminer with spicy dishes, smoked food with oaked wines, the stronger the smoke the greater the oak. The stronger the flavour in the wine, the more robust the flavour of the food.

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Unit 1  An Introduction to Food and Wine Matching continued

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 Activity WINE TASTING EXERCISE You should listed belo w.taste at least four styles of wines to see how they react with the foods below In each box, write down how the food and wine reacted, what worked and what clashed. Give each wine a rating from 1 to 5 1 to be given for the best match, 5 for the worst match Wine

Dish 1

Dish 2

Dish 3

Dish 4

Dish 5

Let’s recap some of the general rules to follow:

• • •

Wine should compliment, not dominate the food Match the wine to the dominant flavour in a dish The stronger the flavours of the food the more intense the flavours in the wine should be

•

Full-flavoured food needs a full-bodied wine, light food needs a lighter wine

Remember - The aim is to help your customer enjoy the food and wine equally. equally. These

rules above are guidelines to avoid disastrous combinations, but people’s tastes are so personal, if your customer orders a particular combination that may seem unusual, don’t be rigid, don’t tell them they are wrong, they may enjoy that particular pairing.

43

 

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

44

PORTFOLIO OF TASTING NOTES What you need to do By the time you have finished your training you will have tasted and completed tasting notes for a number of wines. For you to complete this section you need to present to your assessor a file of tasting notes covering a minimum number of wines. The list below shows how many you will need to taste. You will present tasting notes for two of the following styles of wines:

• • •

White Rosé Red

You will present tasting notes for three of the following styles of wines: Dry light bodied

• • • • • •

Dry medium bodied Dry full bodied Sweet Sparkling Fortified

You will present tasting notes for two white wines from the following grape varieties:

• • •

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling

You will present tasting notes for three red wines from the following grape varieties:

• • • •

Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah/Shiraz

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

 

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

You will need to fill in the tracking sheet to show which wines you have tasted. Below is an example of how to fill in your tracking sheet:

A   s  s  e  s  s  e  d 

 S   a  u t    e r  n  e  s 

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 S   a  S   u  o v   u i   t    g n h   o A  n f   r  i   B  c l    a  a n n  c

 C  h  i   l    e  a n M  e r  l    o t  

A   u  s  t   r   a l   i    a n  S  h  i   r   a z 

 C  l    a r   e t  

 ✓

 ✓

 ✓

 C  h   a  b  l   i    s 

Red Rosé

 ✓  ✓

 ✓

 ✓

 ✓

 ✓

White

 C  O L   O  U R 2 

Dry Light

 ✓  C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

W i   n  e

 ✓

 ✓

 ✓

Dry medium Dry full

 ✓

Sweet

 S  T  Y  L  E   3 

Sparkling Fortified

 ✓

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

 ✓

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc

W H I   T  E  2 

Riesling

 ✓

Cabernet Sauvignon

 ✓

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

Merlot Pinot Noir

 ✓  6 

2 

4 

 5

R E  D  3 

Syrah/Shiraz

3

1 

R  e f   .

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Portfolio of Tasting Notes

A   s  s  e  s  s  e  d 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

W i   n  e Candidate’s name:

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

Red Rosé White

 C  O L   O  U R 2 

 Assessor’s  Assessor’ s signature:

Dry Light Dry medium  C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

Dry full Sweet

 S  T  Y  L  E   3 

Sparkling Fortified

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc

W H I   T  E  2 

Riesling Cabernet Sauvignon

 C   o m  p l    e t    e  d 

 ✓

Merlot Pinot Noir

R E  D  3 

Syrah/Shiraz R  e f   .

Date of assessment:

 

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Kangaroo Leap Oaked Chardonnay

Colour

White - deep lemon

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Flavour Characteristics

Other

Price

£9.95

Clean Dry Full-bodied Fruity-tropical fruit, spicy-vanilla Oaky

 

sample

WSET® LEVEL 1 SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO TASTING APPEARANCE Colour

red - rosé - white

Condition

clean - faulty

Sweetness

dry - medium - sweet

Body

light - medium - full-bodied

Flavour

fruity - floral - spicy - vegetal

characteristics Other

acidity - tannin - oak

Copyright Wine & Spirit Education Trust 2005 The copyright in the “WSET® Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting” is the property of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which also owns the moral rights therein. WSET is a Registered Trademark of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. The WSET® Level 1 Systematic Approach to Tasting may be reproduced freely without royalty or fee upon terms that: i.

it is reproduc reproduced ed in full, full, without without alterat alteration, ion, omission omission or addition addition

ii.. th ii the e tit title le “W “WSET SET® Level 1 Systematic App roach to Tasting” is always included therewith iii. the Wine & Spirit Education Education Trust Trust is acknowledged acknowledged as the author thereof iv. the foregoing copyright claim is reproduced reproduced in full in connection with every every publication thereof. thereof.

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Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

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Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

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Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

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Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

 

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Portfolio of Tasting Notes

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price

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®

The WSET School

Academic Year 2006 - 2007

Reference:

Wine

Price

Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Reference:

Wine Colour

Condition

Sweetness

Body

Fruit character

Other

Price