Inspired by our Bourbon 101 guide, we’d like to continue equipping every person with the tools to understand various alcoholic beverages. As such, we’ve created a breakdown of Wine, which we like to call “Wine 101.” Everything you need to know about what wine is, how it’s made, how to use and enjoy it, and our personal favorites here at Grizzly Liquor.
What is Wine and how is it Made?
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made with the fermented juice of grapes. Not just any grapes for that matter, wine grapes! Technically, any fruit could be fermented to make wine, but unless it’s made with grapes, it does not receive the “Wine” label. Differing from beer and other liquors, wine does not include fermented grains. It’s estimated that on average, there are 2.1 lbs of grapes in a standard bottle.
Wine grapes differ from the table grapes that you snack on. These specific grapes are smaller, sweeter, and have a lot more seeds. Because these special grapes take an entire season to ripen, wine can only be made once a year. This contributes to the origin of the word “vintage,” where “vint” stands for “winemaking,” and “age” refers to the year the wine is made. The year printed on a bottle of a wine refers to the year that the grapes were harvested. The harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere is August through September, and the harvest season in the Southern Hemisphere is February through April.
These are some fun facts that are sure to impress your guests, especially if you have a bottle of wine to share!
How should I enjoy it?
How and when to enjoy wine is subjective for everyone, but we’ve identified a couple options for you to consider!
First and foremost: Drinking. It’s common at celebratory events with family and friends to enjoy a glass of your favorite wine. A nice bottle of wine can be paired well with an afternoon or evening meal, used for a toast, and any other activity with multiple people. Drinking wine is most enjoyable during relaxing and fun activities, as it should be savored for its flavor. The higher alcohol content–compared to beer–is also a good reason to sip and enjoy it over time.
We imagine you knew that our suggestions would start with drinking wine, but have you ever considered cooking with it? The benefits of cooking with wine are extensive, but in short: Those sweet and acidic flavors can be utilized in your meals to unlock an extra layer of taste, to help reduce and thicken a sauce, and so much more. The best and most expensive wines aren’t even necessary for cooking, as cheaper wines are fantastic.
The Perfect Gift
Here at Grizzly Liquor we love wine, and unsurprisingly, we think it’s a fantastic gift for family, friends, or even a special someone.
We have a wide selection here at Grizzly Liquor and you can order online. However, it isn’t always that easy. Sometimes the hard part is finding the right bottle for that person, especially if you aren’t sure what they like. Luckily enough, we have our own Grizzly Liquor gift cards that take away the guesswork: Don’t buy a bottle that will collect dust, enable the person you care about to find something that will make them happy. Our gift cards can be bought in our store.
The best part? We’re right here in Missoula, ready to help them find exactly what they’re looking for!
