Lecture 1 Video Notes PDF

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Notes from Video Lecture 1 (taught by John Boyer)...

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Diffusion – wine is made from grapes - Grapes are grown in temperate regions o Most grown fruit on the planet - Subspecies pf grape from one pin point place (10,000 years ago) in world to all over the world* - How has it impacted major world religions and in turn, how have the world religions impacted the consumption of wine? Wine grapes  specific subspecies Wine is an economic activity of huge monetary value - Most lucrative agricultural commodity on Earth - On upward growth every year* (last 3,000 years) o French and Italy consume the most wine  United States least consumption o 50% of the world’s wine will be consumed by  United States  Every state in the US has at least 2 or 3 wineries in each state  Italy  France  Germany  China Wine is made at vineyards  landscape and land use - We go and visit these vineyards  Agricultural tourism 20 – 22 million acres of vineyards world wide 8 or 9 billion gallons produced every year Cultural Activity - What they eat/drink is a cornerstone of what makes cultures different - Cuisine  food made just in local area with local food o Add wine = add to local cuisine Major part of identifying and defining culture itself (especially for wine producing areas) - Ex. Napa Valley, Tuscany Only agricultural commodity that is so tight in the area they become synonymous - Defines areas and unique cultures of areas around the world Health Standpoint/Epidemiology - Positive effects on diet and health - 1970s  Major dietary difference between US and Italy with high levels of fat? French Paradox o Even though they eat fatty foods, they drink lots of red wine  Must be something healthy about wine! - Modern moderate alcohol consumption isn’t bad for you! Religion - Huge symbolic role in the major world religions over the millennium o Judaism  Rituals

o Christianity  Wine is my blood o Turkey (country)  Islam  no wine! **  Produced a lot of grapes  Punish wine makers  sin tax European History - Wars that involved wine, treaties, trade embargos o Great Britain and France  British  port wine in Portugal  Didn’t like France and didn’t want to buy their wine - Head of state and head of state would not meet with each other of a difference on wine o Iran President and French president o Change venue of dinner because they wanted to serve wine - Politics are affected by simply commodity Terroir - French concept - Suggest that every part of planet earth is unique - People who tend the agriculture tend the vines in unique ways - All of this combined together  unique part of wine production is unique in the wines they produce than any other place on earth - Most encapsulated with wine - Great variety of wine, richness and diversity - Unique every place, every year, every wine maker’s hand - If all wine tasted the same, we wouldn’t want it as much Why do we drink at all? - Taste good - Good for you - Makes you feel good* - Makes you feel smarter - Makes you relax, lower stress, lowers blood pressure  Altered state o 10,000 years ago, thought you would be in touch with the Gods when you were in the “altered state” - Social lubricant o Guard down Striving for the buzz  basis for civilization - *First alcoholic beverage was probably wine or mead* Hunter Gatherer  grain, grapes?  production of alcohol Wine is the language of sophisticated, educated, mostly urban, successful, wealthy (linguistic) Definitions - Main processes of wine creation

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o Viticulture – art and practice of growing grapes  Viticulturalist  person in the fields o Viniculture – art and craft of wine production o Maturation – aging of wine  Different time, different vessels Main types of wine that you can produce o Table (still) wine (flat, no bubbles) o Sparkling wine o Fortified wine (higher alcohol percentage) Different kinds of wine o Varietal wine – wine made from one grape variety  Chardonnay, Merlot o Blended wine – wine made from 2 or more grape varieties o Vintage – year that grapes were harvested

Even if they try to make the exact same wine in different locations, they cannot achieve that goal (because of terroir) Major component of all wine - Alcohol...