Portal:Wine

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Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermentation of grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Although fruits other than grapes can also be fermented, the resultant wines are normally named after the fruit from which they are produced (for example, apple wine) and are known as fruit wine (or country wine). Others, such as barley wine and rice wine (e.g. sake), are made from starch-based materials and resemble beer more than wine; ginger wine is fortified with brandy. In these cases, the use of the term "wine" is a reference to the higher alcohol content, rather than the production process. The commercial use of the word "wine" (and its equivalent in other languages) is protected by law in many jurisdictions. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast which consume the sugars found in the grapes and convert them into alcohol. Various varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the types of wine produced. Wine stems from an extended and rich history dating back about 8,000 years and is thought to have originated in present-day Georgia or Iran. Wine is thought to have appeared in Europe about 6,500 years ago in present-day Bulgaria and Greece and was very common in ancient Greece and Rome; the Greek god Dionysos, and his Roman counterpart Liber represented wine. Wine continues to play a role in religious ceremonies, such as Kiddush in Judaism and the Eucharist in Christianity. Template:/box-footer Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by bacteria or fungi. Phytoalexins are antibacterial and anti-fungal chemicals produced by plants as a defense against infection by pathogens. Resveratrol has also been produced by chemical synthesis, and is sold as a nutritional supplement. A number of beneficial health effects, such as anti-cancer, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and life-prolonging effects have been reported, although some of these studies used animal subjects (e.g. rats). Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and is a constituent of red wine but, based on extrapolation from animal trials, apparently not in sufficient amounts to explain the “French paradox” that the incidence of coronary heart disease is relatively low in southern France despite high dietary intake of saturated fats. Konrad T. Howitz and Robert Zipkin of BIOMOL International discovered that resveratrol increases the activity of an enzyme called SIRT1. They then contacted David Sinclair of the Harvard Medical School, and cofounder of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, in order to initiate a collaboration. Sinclair found that resveratrol significantly increases the lifespan of yeast and mice. There is hope that it could do the same for humans. The four stilbenoids cis- and trans-resveratrol, and cis- and trans-piceid are similar and related, and sometimes analyzed together as a group. Jean-Louis Vignes B. April 9,1780 – d. January 17, 1862 Jean-Louis Vignes, or as he was known to his Spanish and Mexican neighbors, "Don Luis del Aliso", was a French settler to the Los Angeles area during the Mexican era. He was the first commercial wine maker in California and one of the first men to import and plant European Vitis vinifera grapes in the state. A skilled cooper by trade and an adventurer and entrepreneur by choice, he arrived in the Sandwich Islands on July 6, 1827 from Béguey, a village downriver from Cadillac, Gironde, France. After losing his business in Honolulu, he sailed to California and landed at El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de la Porciúncula in 1831. Upon his arrival, he bought 104 acres of land located between the original Pueblo and the banks of the Los Angeles river. Vignes proceeded to plant vines and to build a winery. Unhappy with the quality of the local Mission grapes, he imported Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon blanc vines from Bordeaux In 1834, Vignes also planted one of the first orange groves in the Los Angeles area. By 1849, El Aliso, as Vignes' property was called, was the most extensive vineyard in California. Vignes owned over 40,000 vines and produced 150,000 bottles, or 1000 barrels, per year. In 1850, Vignes was the largest wine producer in California. Abreu Vineyards is a cult winery in Napa Valley, California founded by well-known viticulturist David Abreu. David Abreu, a third-generation rancher from St. Helena, California and graduate of the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis, founded Abreu Vineyards in 1980 after working briefly at Caymus Vineyards. That year he formed David Abreu Vineyard Management, working with pioneering winemaker Richard Forman to manage ranching operations at Inglenook Winery. Abreu and Forman became friends and traveled frequently to Bordeaux, where they observed French winemaking operations. They brought back French rootstock, trellis designs, and Bordelais planting and farming techniques. Abreu's fame spread as Other wineries hired Abreu's company to plant and manage ranching operations. By 1999 he was considered the premier viticulturist for premium grapes in Napa Valley. Abreu's company has raised grapes for some of the most respected wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, and in 2006 Abreu was hired to replant vineyards at Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards. Wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. included Abreu in his 1998 list of the "most influential wine personalities of the last 20 years." Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became internationally recognized through its prominence in Bordeaux wines where it is often blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From France, the grape spread across Europe and to the New World where it found new homes in places like California's Napa Valley, Australia's Coonawarra region and Chile's Maipo Valley. For most of the 20th century, it was the world's most widely planted premium red wine grape until it was surpassed by Merlot in the 1990s. Despite its prominence in the industry, the grape is a relatively new variety, the product of a chance crossing between Cabernet franc and Sauvignon blanc during the 17th century in southwestern France. Its popularity is often attributed to its ease of cultivation—the grapes have thick skins and the vines are hardy and resistant to rot and frost—and to its consistent presentation of structure and flavours which express the typical character ("typicity") of the variety. Familiarity and ease of pronunciation have helped to sell Cabernet Sauvignon wines to consumers, even when from unfamiliar wine regions. Its widespread popularity has also contributed to criticism of the grape as a "colonizer" that takes over wine regions at the expense of native grape varieties. “ Mankind . . . possesses two supreme blessings. First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery. ” — Euripides (c. 485 - 406 B.C.) The Bacchae [c. 407 B.C.], l. 274 Decauville narrow gauge railway in Champagne cellars Food Drink Beer Wine Liquor Coffee Bacon Agriculture and Agronomy Health and fitness Hunger relief Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header Parent project: WikiProject Food and Drink Related projects: WikiProject Agriculture WikiProject Fishing and Fisheries Child projects: Task forces: Wikiproject Bacon WikiProject Bartending WikiProject Beer WikiProject Breakfast WikiProject Spirits Wikiproject Wine Beverages task force Cheeses task force Coffee and Tea task force Desserts task force Foodservice task force Herbs and Spices task force Pub task force What are WikiProjects? Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header {{Wikipedia:WikiProject Wine/Tasks}} Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header 48px The following entries are categories relating to Wine: ► Wine Outline of wine Grape varieties Wine producing regions Wine producing countries Wine terms Vineyards and wineries Wine personalities Champagne producers Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header Appellation • Oenology • Winery • Winemaking • Wine tasting • Vintage • Vinyard • Viticulture Wine styles Red/White • Rosé/Blush • Sparkling • Dessert • Fortified • Fruit • Ice Wine Notable varietals Albariño • Chardonnay • Chenin blanc • Gewürztraminer • Grüner veltliner • Muscat • Pinot blanc • Pinot gris • Riesling Sauvignon blanc • Sémillon • Silvaner • Viognier • Barbera • Cabernet Franc • Cabernet Sauvignon • Carignane • Dolcetto Gamay • Grenache • Malbec • Merlot • Mourvèdre • Nebbiolo • Petite Sirah/Durif • Petit Verdot • Pinot noir • Pinotage Sangiovese • Syrah/Shiraz • Tempranillo • Zinfandel Notable regions Bordeaux • Burgundy • California • Champagne • Douro • Mosel • Rheinhessen • Rhône • Rioja • Tuscany Notable nations Argentina • Australia • Chile • France • Germany • Italy • Portugal • Spain • South Africa • United States of America Template:/box-footer Template:/box-header The following Wikimedia sister projects provide more on this subject: Wikipedia's Portals All Portals Overview Glossaries Indices Lists Outlines Categories Reference Culture Geography Health History Mathematics Nature People Philosophy Religion Society Technology Featured portals About portals