WIne: Regulations

France

THe following are the classifications of wine in France based on quality. (from highest quality)

Appellation d'Origine Controlee- Most prestigious classification of wine quality.

Vins delimite de Qualite Superieure- Accounts for about 2% of French Wine

Vin de Pays- the lowest official classification of wines. There are 6 regional:
-Vin de Pays Jardin de la France (Loire Valley)
-Vin de Pays Comtes Rhodaniens (Rhone and the Alps)
-Vin de Pays Come Tolosan (Pyrenees and Midi)
-Vin de Pays d'Oc (Languedoc-Roussillon)
-Vin de Pays Portes de la Mediterranean (Provence, Alpes, Cotes de Azure)

Vin de Table- wine for everyday drinking and not intended to be aged.

Be Merry Be Gentil!

When you see the word "Gentil" on a bottle of wine, this simply means that the wine is blended. These wines will come from Alsace and they are of superior quality. One of the noble grapes of Alsace, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Muscat, must be at least 50% of the blend and the varietals must be vinified separately.

Alsace

Alsace

This Northeastern region in France borders Germany to its east and the Vosgaes mountain range to its west. It experiences a " Rain Shadow Effect" and is home to the driest city in France. The definition of rain shadow effect is to be a dry area on a hillside (being bordered by the Vosgaes Mountains) that is facing opposite of the flow of wind. Which means harsher winds make give it its dry climate. Alsace is Frances smallest major wine growing region and established its status as an AOC in 1962.

Nobles de' Alsace:
Alsace wine label generally state the grape varietal on the label.

Riesling
Pinot Gris
Muscat
Gewurztraminer

These wines tend to be drier and heavier in alcohol making them great agers. Incredible acid and minerality characteristics.
Look for Tokay d' Alsace.

French Label Language

Année/vintage
Blanc/white
Brut/bone dry
Cépage/varietal
Côte/slope(s), hillside(s)
Cru/growth or plot of land
Demi-sec/semi-dry, quite sweet
Doux/sweet wine
Elevée en/aged in
Lie/lees

Lees

Lees are dead yeast cells created during the fermentation process. They form a yeasty residue remaining in the cast after the fermentation process. To make wine clear you must drain the fermented grape juice from the lees and sediment using a method called racking. In the case of Muscadet Sur Lie, the wines are bottled without going through the racking process, thus leaving the wine with creamy, yeasty characteristics.

wine diamonds

WINE:
When examining a glass of wine it should be clear, never cloudy. In some white wines you may see little crystals, or sediment, in the bottom of your bottle or glass. These crystals are called Tartrates. Some are reluctant to drink wine when it looks like little pieces of glass are in the bottom of the bottle or glass. During the fermentation process, these crystals act as a preservative and help control PH levels. They are not harmful in any way!

What it is is the natural by-product of Tartaric acids and Potassium bound together and then introduced to temperatures below 50 degrees. For instance a walk-in refrigerator. A good way of imagining Tartrates is the formation of rock candy.

With commercial wineries, most treat their wines after fermentation with a process known as Cold Stabilization. The crystals naturally form in large cooled stainless steel "tanks". The Tartrates then cling to the sides of the "tanks" and the wine is then bottles without them. This is done less in Old World, or higher quality wines, as it is thought to be removing some character from the wine.

FOOD:
Tartrates share the same chemical composition of Cream of Tartar. It is an acid salt used in cooking and baking. Added to egg whites, it increases volume when beating the eggs. The Cream of Tartar is a major component in baking powder. When combined with baking soda and moistened, it aids in the rising of baked goods. It also is used with frostings to prevent the crystallization of cooked sugars, leaving the frosting creamier.

Other interesting facts about the Cream of Tartar/Tartrates:
It is a vital ingredient in making Play-Doh, can be combined with white vinegar to make a cleaner, and is created only through the process of wine making.