What is a grape?

[Jakedubbleya]

grapes are the greatest thing to ever pop off a vine. (fruit, duh)

wine grapes have a naturally lower sugar content, and are more bitter, which makes a wine richer in flavor, longer lived, and lower in alchohol.

they arent necessarily smaller, but they are grown in such a fashion that keep the grapes smaller and more concentrated in flavor for various reasons that make a better wine.

yay for viticulture, the only thing i know about!

[Cameo]

grapes are the greatest thing to ever pop off a vine. (fruit, duh)

wine grapes have a naturally lower sugar content, and are more bitter, which makes a wine richer in flavor, longer lived, and lower in alchohol.

they arent necessarily smaller, but they are grown in such a fashion that keep the grapes smaller and more concentrated in flavor for various reasons that make a better wine.

yay for viticulture, the only thing i know about!

I knew those wine classes would do this bartender some good...
The sweetness of the wine depends greatly on how long the grapes are kept on the vine and how the temperature is.. You get the sweeter wines from grapes that are colder and actually frozen (ie. icewines). Each type of wine (merlot, chardonnay, cabrenet, pinot's) each come from a different type of grape with the same name. the color of the wine does not come from the insides of the grape, rather they come from the skins of the grape.
Wines can normaly only be made from fruits (something to do with the sugar content). So looking at grapes from a bartenders point of view I wold say they are definalty a fruit.

~steph
ps:fruit: fleshy, seed-bearing part of a plant used as food...
pps: grapes have been found t help in some types of cancers and heart disease, not from the fruit inside, but the skins contain the the things that help (forgot what they are called. some big long word i can not say nor remember).

[TheTramp]

If memory serves me correctly from Bio, one of the ways to define a fruit is that it has seeds. ( Because it's from the flower of the plant.) This is why a tomato is a fruit. (At least classified scientifically.) Sorry I couldn't help more.

You are exactly right. A grape is a fruit because it has seeds. A good deal of the foods we consider vegetables are technically fruits. Not that grapes have ever been considered anything other than fruits.

[TheTramp]

Wines can normaly only be made from fruits (something to do with the sugar content).

That is in fact the definition of a wine. An alcoholic beverage made from fruit juice. It just so happens that grape juice makes a particularly nice type of wine.

The level of alcohol can also be part of the definition. Any alcoholic beverage that has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 12%+ AND HASN'T BEEN DISTILLED IN ANY FASION is frequently also considered a wine (but isn't really unless it's make with fruit juice). One example is Barley Wine which is really just a VERY strong beer. The best way to think of this is the difference between "hard cider" and "apple wine."

[Jakedubbleya]

I knew those wine classes would do this bartender some good...
The sweetness of the wine depends greatly on how long the grapes are kept on the vine and how the temperature is.. You get the sweeter wines from grapes that are colder and actually frozen (ie. icewines).

the higher the sugar content (longer you kept it on the vine/whether you properly cared for the grape to keep it from overgrowing), the thicker the wine will be, either in sugar or alchohol content or both, seeing as fermentation is the direct change of the grapes sugars into alchohol. you want a well balanced wine not an overdone one, especially in whites.

the residual sweetness or sugar content, is discovered only after the second (and final) fermentation, as all the sugars could very well have fermented into alchohol. but yes, chilling is part of the winemaking process that helps keep all the sugars from fermenting.

Eiswine, is a whole different story lol, the grapes are actually pressed, frozen, after the first frost. Great stuff, very strong.

[Lohman446]

I knew those wine classes would do this bartender some good...
The sweetness of the wine depends greatly on how long the grapes are kept on the vine and how the temperature is.. You get the sweeter wines from grapes that are colder and actually frozen (ie. icewines). Each type of wine (merlot, chardonnay, cabrenet, pinot's) each come from a different type of grape with the same name. the color of the wine does not come from the insides of the grape, rather they come from the skins of the grape.
Wines can normaly only be made from fruits (something to do with the sugar content). So looking at grapes from a bartenders point of view I wold say they are definalty a fruit.

~steph
ps:fruit: fleshy, seed-bearing part of a plant used as food...
pps: grapes have been found t help in some types of cancers and heart disease, not from the fruit inside, but the skins contain the the things that help (forgot what they are called. some big long word i can not say nor remember).

Ok... now I want to try an ice wine... any recommendations?

[TheTramp]

I'm not a fan. Too sweet for my tastes.

[TheTramp]

but yes, chilling is part of the winemaking process that helps keep all the sugars from fermenting.

I think he's talking about the fact that ice wine is made from grapes that have stayed on the vine untill after the first frost. This dramaticly efects the carbohydrates and thus the amount/types of sugers inn the grape itself.

[Jakedubbleya]

I think he's talking about the fact that ice wine is made from grapes that have stayed on the vine untill after the first frost. This dramaticly efects the carbohydrates and thus the amount/types of sugers inn the grape itself.

Actually they are taken, and pressed, DURING the first frost before they thaw, meaning the only change, is the concentration of the wine. giving a much higher sugar and acid content, think pre-sun, white, supersweet brandy.

Ever heard of passito? Botrytised wine? They all use odd processes not seen in what would be called a standard white or red wine.

Yes, colder regions are more appropriate for growing fine whites, but that is more to suit the grape/vine, not the wine.

[TheTramp]

Actually they are taken, and pressed, DURING the first frost before they thaw, meaning the only change, is the concentration of the wine. giving a much higher sugar and aid content, think pre-sun, white, supersweet brandy.

Ever heard of passito? Botrytised wine? They all use odd processes not seen in what would be called a standard white or red wine.

Yes, colder regions are more appropriate for growing fine whites, but that is more to suit the grape, not the wine.

[Jakedubbleya]

before 10 AM is the usual ritual deadline, so before they warm up If artificially frozen, it isnt Eiswine.

Try some italian red passito (quasi-raisin wine), avoid the over-sweet varietals that come from the white grapes, although there are exceptions, you need to be very lucky to hit one (avoid muscat if you are determined to try a white). The dryer reds you would be looking for are called Amarone.

I agree, fortified/odd grape wine isnt my thing, but a few glasses of Madeira is something not to be missed.

And of course, brandy. Nothing will heat your bones with as much style as brandy.

[ntn4502]

Vineyard Manager, and resident wino Here!

I dont have time right now, but aim me any questions ya got

[tropical_fishy]

original question==> fruit bears the seed of the plant. It's a ripened plant ovary (yay for fun images) It's a fertilized egg. It doesn't matter what the fruit comes off of, just that it's fertilized and has seeds.

[Jakedubbleya]

Vineyard Manager, and resident wino Here!

I dont have time right now, but aim me any questions ya got

my hero.

[kosmo]

Woah, man, one time I drank a gallon of boxed wine. Whew... what a night I can barely remember. Got in a whole heapload of trouble for that. Ah, good times were had by all.

Ok so does the grape have to be on a plate or can you just stick it to the microwave? And if you can just stick it to the microwave, can you cover the whole inside of a microwave in split grapes? Im thinking about covering the whole inside of the microwave with grapes and throwing some cd's in there with them and taking a picture.