Wine 101: Ask a Winery!

Article by Maureen Kasuku

12th June, 2020 at 1:06PM

Did you know that the second saturday of June is Rosé wine day? Neither the white nor of the red variety, the rose is a pink wine produced from red grapes with minimal skins contact, almost similar to the white wine process. 
We asked winery Cloudy Bay who've set up shop in Kenya to teach us a few things about some vino.

Wine Basics

Most wine is made with grapes, but they're not like the ones you find in the grocery store. Wine grapes (latin name: Vitis vinifera) are smaller, sweeter, have thick skins, and contain seeds. There are over 1,300 wine grape varieties used in commercial production but only about 100 of these varieties make up 75% of the world's vineyards.
Here's a profile of the 4 most consumed wines in Kenya
Cabernet Sauvignon ("cab-err-nay saw-vin-yon")
Cabernet Sauvignon is a red grape varietal known for its thick, durable skin, and the vine's resistance to the elements. After the birth of the grape, the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal began to be adopted in parts of France by winemakers searching for more durable plants that were relatively easy to grow, and the grape found its champion in the region of Bordeaux.
As a wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its dark color, full body and an alcohol content that is over 13.5%, with most Cabernet Sauvignons, especially those from places such as California, Australia and Chile, being more like 14.5% and sometimes even going over 15%.
Chardonnay 
Chardonnay is the most popular white wine. Chardonnay was born in the Burgundy region of France, where it is known as White Burgundy, and it was there that the wine gained great acclaim for its elegance.
It's a Textured wine: full of citrus and stone-fruit flavors enhanced by an attractive nuttiness and subtle oak influence.
Harvest: Early hand-picking for freshness, balance and focus Fermentation: French oak barrels (18% new) using wild yeasts to build mouthfeel and complexity Malolactic fermentation: 50%
Ageing: 11 months on lees with battonage to enhance body and aromas Alc (v/v): 14,0% Ageing potential: 10 years
Sauvignon Blanc
The Sauvignon Blanc grape originated from the Bordeaux region of France.
Fermentation: Primarily fermented in a stainless steel with a small percentage of the blend in old French oak barriques / Cuve for structure.
Alc (v/v): 13,5% Ageing potential: 10 years
Fresh, vibrant,aromatics. Bright and balanced between tropical herbaceous aromas
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine alludes to the grape variety having tightly clustered, pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit.
It had a unique mouthfeel: sleek tannins, evolution of aromas on the palate from dark fruits to leather/chocolate notes.
Harvest: 100% hand-picked Destem & with whole bunch inclusion (10-25%) to ensure gentle and complete extraction of tannins, colour and flavours.
Ageing: 14 months ageing in French oak
 To learn more about wine and the amazing variants available, click here

About The Author

Author
Maureen Kasuku

Maureen is our resident cat lady and Beyoncé stan. She writes about spas, brunch and ballet recitals but has never been to any. Moonlights as a social justice activist in her spare time. She knows things and is obnoxiously opinionated on the internet but not in real life

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