This is where humans come in.Īs with many fermented beverages, wine was discovered accidentally. Because the juice of grapes hanging from vines or fallen to the earth are not captured in some type of vessel this “wine” simply dissipates. Once grape skins are broken and the juice inside is exposed to the “outside world” it comes into contact with wild yeasts found on the outside of the skins. As a result, the basic formula for fermentation is: Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide (CO2).įermentation is a natural process which predates humanity. The catalyst for this conversion is yeast, a type of single-celled fungus. Sadly, it’s getting complex already! From a scientific standpoint, fermentation is the process of converting the sugars found in ripened grapes into both ethanol (ethyl alcohol) and carbon dioxide.
In its most basic sense, wine is fermented grape juice. Wine has existed for millennia in one form or another and tracing its evolution reveals how the simple becomes the complex. Organized as a quick reference guide and featuring lots of entertaining wine trivia, Wine 101 will be the book that you won’t leave behind.įor something so simple that it occurs spontaneously and naturally on its own, wine can seem dauntingly complex.
Wine 101 demystifies the world of wine and provides a simple introduction into its history, the practices of viticulture, or the growing of grapes, viniculture, or the making of wine, the principal grapes used in wine making, the major wine producing countries and regions, the science of tasting wine, and how to pair wine with food. From its origins in Mesopotamia, to growing and producing the best wines around the world, or choosing a wine to pair with your favorite dish, Wine 101 will be your guide through the world of wine. For something so simple that it occurs spontaneously and naturally on its own, wine can seem dauntingly complex.