History
1. Introduction
1.1. The 12 principles of Green Chemistry
1. Prevention
2. Economy of a person
3. Less and less dangerous chemicals
4. Design of safer chemical products
5. Safer solvents and auxiliaries
6. Design for energy efficiency
7. Use of renewable raw materials
8. Reduction of intermediate products
9. Catalysis
10. Design of biodegradable products.
11. Real-time analysis for Pollution Prevention
12. Chemical Accident Prevention
The word wine (in Greek krasi) comes from "alloy" (in Greek krama), meaning mixing wine with water which was done by the ancient Greeks in order to consume it without having drunkenness as a consequence.
There are several people in the world where the vine and the wine was or is closely tied to their daily lives. Wine in everyday life in Greece is a very old case. In fact, lost in the mists of time. The relationship between the vineyard, that was and is cultivated and grown almost all over Greece, and of course the wine, produced and consumed over time, it is long. Both products of the vine and wine are key cultural, social and food products of the Greeks. Wine, in daily lives of Greeks, from prehistoric times to today - as nutritional supplement, as a religious good or as simple enjoyment - was and is an integral element of the collective Greek memory.
Today, wine lovers around the world can enjoy the exceptional, modern Greek wines, from varieties and vineyards which for thousands of years produced the most famous wines of the era, and the world history of wine. After all, these modern wines of Greece, carry the history of Greek wine and are the best vehicle for a trip to the past. A story that is difficult to understand, detached from the Greek history and even more difficult to describe. But all is made simple and understandable, by enjoying wisely and responsibly a glass of a modern Greek wine.
"Let's cheer, without getting drunk", said Socrates in symposiums and
"Wine gladdens the heart," Christian religion admits.
"Cheers!" They say today in Greece, drinking Wine and they mean it!
2. History
Prehistoric times
The viticulture and wine production in Greece are primordial human activities and are taken for granted in the Prehistoric period (4500 - 1050 BC). Remains of wild grape (vitis vinifera ssp sylvestris) were found in many parts of the country (Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Evia, Peloponnese). The domesticated grapevine (vitis vinifera ssp sativa) is grown in the Greek peninsula, in many areas since the 4th millennium BC. According to archaeological finds of recent years (publication in the journal Antiquity -2007), discovered in Philippi East Macedonia, the first presence of domesticated grapes in Greece, in the Prehistoric times, dates back to the second half of the 5th millennium BC.
Neolithic era
During this period, viticulture is spread in Greece from other countries, that had already developed winemaking activity in Prehistoric times, such as Mesopotamia and Egypt. From there, through the voyagers Phoenicians, the vineyard spreads in Greece, starting from Crete. According others, the wine activity in Greece begins in Thrace, coming from the East.
Bronze Age
In the second millennium BC, two of the most important ancient civilizations of Prehistoric times are developing in Greece, in which wine played an important role, both as a commodity, and as a food item. Initially, the Minoan civilization in Crete had the vine and wine as one of the main culture products and export respectively. In Crete the world's oldest wine press and wine residues in vessels were discovered. Then, the Mycenaean civilization, established in Mycenae in the Peloponnese, will dominate in southern Greece and the Mediterranean, for the second half of the 2nd millennium, where the joining of the Greek expedition against Troy and the return trip of Odysseus is placed historically, where the two epic poems of Homer are referring to.
Early Historical Times
After a period of decline ("dark ages"), in the Early historic times (1050 - 700 BC) and more specifically from 1000 BC, the Geometric period begins, when the Greek tribes travel to the Aegean and Asia Minor. There, the first Greek colonies were created, such as Ionia, where viticulture became the main crop for the next 3000 years and wine the main export product. According to Homer, who lived in the 8th c. BC, in the northern Aegean, large quantities of wine are moved between Limnos, Thrace and Troy, such as the famous Pramnios of Ikaria and Ismarikos (or Maronite) from Maronia in Thrace. But in the mainland there are testimonials of excellent wines, for example in Viotia, where Hesiod cultivates himself while also writes for the production of wine.
Archaic period
The viticulture in the Archaic period and particularly during the 7th c. BC, has now spread all over Greece. Through the Dionysian celebrations dramatic poetry, drama and tragedy are created, and old and new winemaking techniques are spread, such as sun-dried grapes and addition of various plants, herbs, honey, and resin, for maintenance or flavor of the wine. Large viticulture centers are Attica, Thassos, Naxos and Rhodes. In the Archaic period (700-480 BC), the need for safe transportation of wines will develop ceramic art for manufacturing amphorae, which will replace the sheepskin sacs in sea trips, while angeiotechnia will give excellent examples of different types of wine vessels. Greek wines in the 6th c. BC are beginning to be recognized and requested more and more. In this period, many "wine currencies" with wine symbols are circulating. Greek ships not only export Greek wines, but also spread Greek culture, which has begun to grow between the cities, having in common the Greek language, religion, origin and wine culture, thus confirming the rule that "wine equals civilization".
Classical period (480-323 BC)
The famous Golden Age of Athens (5th BC) is included. It is the time of great classical writers of tragedies and philosophers praising Greek wine in their projects and in their lives. The era of famous wines of antiquity and perhaps the biggest boom ever known to the international wine trade, by analogy (often with payments with "wine currencies"), when also sophisticated for their time vine and winemaking techniques and instruments are introduced. Above all, in the Classical period, the development of a large wine culture laid the foundations for modern wine culture and law, as expressed by the names of origin and the place names, the protection of wine of unique and chosen vineyards, the openness of the movement of wines, the formation of a special vocabulary for wine descriptions. Mainly, however, by the inclusion of wine in everyday life and in social interaction, during the Attic symposia. Famous wines in the Classical period were the famous Ariousios from Ariousia Chios, Lesvios, Peparithios, Samios, Thasios, which is the first PDO wine in the world, and Mendaios from Halkidiki, perhaps the first famous and eponymous white wine in the world.
During the 4th century BC, in the major centers of winemaking and wine commerce, those of Pella, Vergina, Amphipolis and Philippi, all in North Greece were added. The wines of these areas will become famous next to the rest of Aegean islands, that they still keep their reputation. The developed Macedonian art will produce masterpieces of containers and wine vessels, while the teacher of Alexander the Great, the great philosopher Aristotle, will become a valuable source, of, not only wisdom, but also information on the vines and the wines of his time.
Hellenistic times
The end of the Classical period, brought about by the death of Alexander the Great, who expanded the Greek culture to Egypt and India, by applying also an adjacent wine colonization. The multitudinous army of Alexander, was supplied with wine not only as a tonic and refreshing, but as "sterilant" for the difficult conditions of the campaign and contaminated waters which might have encountered. So, the Macedonian ships carried wine to the ports, which were supplied by the Greek islands of the southern Aegean, such as Rhodes, Kos, Cyprus, and from the coast of Asia Minor. Close to there, in the island of Lesbos, the philosopher Theophrastus was born, who wrote the considered as the first wine book. Naturally, in the Hellenistic period (323-146 BC) and in the following centuries, these areas were the major production and commercial centers of the Mediterranean wine. After controversies, the successors of Alexander the Great divided the vast kingdom in pieces, the most important of Alexandria of Egypt, who had a remarkable wine production. In Greece and more specifically in Macedonia, as in other areas, exquisite wines were still produced, but without having the glory of the past.
Roman period (146-324. AD.)
From the middle of the 2nd century BC, the whole Greek area is controlled by the Romans, who adopt many Greek elements that will shape the Greco-Roman culture. The Romans, following the Etruscan technique, to grow in vines, are now beginning to adopt the cultivation in lower shapes as the Greeks did, giving less and better grapes, especially in hot and dry areas. The Greek tradition and the art of enjoying wine will be the rule for the affluent well-lived Romans and good Greek wines are again sought after. The great Roman poets and writers of the time flaunt Greek wines. At that time, the Greek Athenaeus and "Deipnosophistae", give an unsurpassed manual of gastronomy and Greek wine tasting. Two great Greek physicians Dioscorides and later Galen, in the footsteps of the great Hippocrates, demonstrate the therapeutic importance of wine, the plethora of Greek wines and their high quality. In the Roman period, Crete returns dynamically in the large wine centers, which, from the 1st to the 3rd century, in the golden age of the Cretan vineyard, sends its wines to the Aegean, Egypt, Greek Mainland and throughout Europe. During the same era, there is trade of vine cuttings, so many varieties start traveling from Greece to main Western destinations. Besides, since the second half of the last BC century, Cretan wine conquers Rome.
Byzantium (324 - 1453 AD)
In the early 4th century, the capital of the Roman Empire moves to Byzantium and is renamed Constantinople. Christianity officially spreads widely. For the next millennium, a great civilization will be developed in Greece, maintaining the long tradition of vine cultivation and wine production, the Byzantine wine. The contribution of Christianity will be catalytic since the vineyard embellishes the Byzantine art, the monasteries are active in wine making (Mount Athos) and the Divine society requires sweet wines from the renowned wines, still produced in the Greek islands. However, viticulture in Greece will go through very difficult moments, since enemy attacks and hijackings disrupt the permanent and lasting peace that the vine seeks. From the other hand, many areas, led by the Aegean islands and Crete, with wine Passos, lead in wine exports through Marine wine roads, but also the rich tables of the Byzantine emperors.
Venetian period (12th - 17th century)
Even since the Crusades, but also after the fall of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, Europeans (Franks, Venetians, Genoese) had continuous presence in Greece. Historically, Europeans appreciate the Greek wines, not only for their quality, but also because they endure long sea voyages. Thus, Frankish and Venetian ships start loading more and more wines of Crete, Cyclades and Monemvasia. Besides, the latter gave a safe haven and its name, Malvasia, to the most sought after wine of the season, the Malvasia wine and then, to many grape varieties. The trade of Malvasia wine was one of the largest wine transport operation in the world wine history. The golden era of Greek wines in the Venetian period, will end with the final domination of the Turks, after a great course, with glorious moments, such as the reputation of the wines from Santorini in Paris. However, war in wine began in the mid 17th century, with the frictions of the Venetians and Turks in the Aegean Sea.
Turkish occupation (1453 - 1821 AD)
The Ottoman Turks, did not seize the wealth of the Greek vineyard. The Muslim religion may forbid wine drinking, and even the cultivation of vines for wine production by Muslims but allowed collecting taxes from the viticulture and wine production by Greek Christians. Thus, in many regions of the Ottoman Empire, where the residents continued the cultivation of vines, the local rulers retained an amount of the produced wine. In many cases, the residents refused this tribute. So, many vineyards were abandoned or destroyed in retaliation, while elsewhere, historic vineyards continued to be cultivated. In the mainland, the monasteries, that owned large vineyards as well as the first organized wineries, helped in many areas the maintenance of a large part of varietal and wine potential of Greece. The most important were the monastic states of Mount Athos and Meteora. Significant wine regions of this era is Siatista, Naoussa, Tirnavos, Rapsani, Nemea and of course the islands of the Aegean sea, Ionian sea and Crete.
First years of independence (1821-1945 AD)
The Greek revolution of 1821, was inevitably catastrophic for the Greek vineyard. In the early years of independence, since the constitution of the Greek state as independent, the first efforts of vine growing and wine production began and the first Greek oenologists appeared. However, after the mid-19th c., the first large wineries appeared, which are owned or partly owned by Europeans (in Achaia, Klaus and in Cephalonia, Toole), basically defining the principles of modern Greek vinification. These wineries had direct access to the European ports. Other important wineries followin Attica (Kambas) and fewer in Nemea, Samos, Naoussa and Santorini, which held the primacy of Greek exports, with Russia being the main market.
Towards the end of the 19th century, while phylloxera (vine louse) had destroyed the French vineyard, the majority of Greek wine production is directed towards France. Because production is insufficient, the massive export dried grapes for vinification begins (stafiditis wine) and many vineyards of wine varieties were converted into raisin vineyards. In a few years, however, demand will stop, causing the raisin crisis, with devastating consequences for the Greek production and equivalent to the Greek economy. At the end of the century, phylloxera will appear in Greece, and will aggravate the situation. The first half of the 20th century is even more dramatic for Greek wine: phylloxera, disappearance of historic vineyards and grape varieties, market loss, migration, inability of the state to organize the production and worse, millions of Greeks uprooted from their ancestral homes in Asia Minor and Pontus, while consecutive destructive wars (Balkan, World, civil), destroy what escaped the phylloxera.
Modern period (1945 - 1975 AD)
At the end of the times of suffering, a devastated Greece was left to watch the global developments in wine making from the sidelines. Retsina, Mavrodafni from Patras and wines with the geographical indication Samos, were the basic bottled wines exported. The good news was that most islands remained untouched by phylloxera, rescuing hundreds of native vine varieties, while gradually in the vineyard of mainland Greece anti-phylloxera subjects were introduced. The presence of large cooperative wineries (Crete, Rhodes, Samos, Nemea, Patras, Naoussa, Santorini Tirnavos, etc.) and major private wineries (Boutari and Tsantali in Macedonia and Kourtaki in Attica), which invested in equipment, lead to the absorption of large quantities of grape and to the production of good quality commercial wines. During this period, the export of bottled wines from renowned vineyards of mainland Greece, as Nemea, Naoussa and Mantineia, began. In the Modern period, 25 centuries after the seals of the ancient Greek amphorae, in 1971, we have the first modern classification of Greek wines, when the first names of origin of wines in Greece were legislated according to the French legislation.
The Wine Institute did very important research work, led by its charismatic director, Stavroula Kourakou. Several years later, Regional Wines were recognized, while Greece becomes a full member of (current) EU. Since then, the law, the wine production and wine market were directly linked to the EU's. In this period, Greek wine entities are founded.
Modern Greek wine revival
It occurred in the last decades of the 20th century and was marked by various events in viticulture and vinification. In the Greek market, except large wine making companies, small and medium-sized vineyards, are created, producing limited production wines, using both Greek and international grape varieties. Meanwhile, hundreds of Greek oenologists, having studied mainly in France, but also in other European countries and beyond, the establishment of the Oenology and Beverage Technology school in Athens, the Greek university graduates specialized in Viticulture and Oenology, will strengthen scientifically the country, directing the production to the exploitation of its unique varietal potential, with the use of modern technology and wine making methods. At the same period also, other professions of the wine sector appear, such as the Greek wine journalists and Greek sommeliers, while large Greek wine exhibitions (Oenorama and Dionysian) are organized, as well as the International Contest Wine Thessaloniki. Thus, the modern Greek Wine Renaissance continued, with a new wave of small wineries in the late 20th century, which peaked at the beginning of the 21st century. In the first decade of the 21st century, the modern Greek Wine Renaissance has now brought results and distinctions on modern Greek wines are now continuous and innumerable. So, well equipped, modern wineries, enthusiastic winemakers and trained oenologists, take advantage of the grape vineyards of Greece and of course, of unique indigenous grape varieties, producing excellent and worldwide distinguished wines. Furthermore, for even more solid consolidation of the quality of modern Greek wines, the eyes of more and more people are turning today in the vineyard, meaning to the optimization of its cultivation with any modern and approved manner and the emergence of indigenous varieties.
3. Production Process
Wines are distinguished, according to the Greek Legislation, to:
Wines classified as V.Q.P.R.D. are produced in a specified region (area), are typical of the region's wines, produced traditionally and come from a variety of up to a maximum of three grape varieties.
They are divided into:
Wines of Designation of Origin of Superior Quality (OPAP). Overall they have identified 20 areas where wines OPAP can be produced in Greece.
Wines of Appellation of Controlled Origin (OPE), the right to display the OPE sign is reserved only for the sweet wines, produced in eight specific areas.
Before the introduction of machines, vineyards were cultivated with manual vine work, following a viticultural tradition of centuries. The manual wine works that continue to be applied today, are some of the most important for high quality wine production:
The main ones are:
Manual vine works:
- digging
- ploughing back
- hoeing
- sucker/disbudding
- tipping
- browsing
- load dilution (green harvesting)
- selective sprayings / sulfuration
- Manual harvest
3.2.1. Viticulture Innovations
Taking into account the changes in climatic conditions, linear plantings are tested and when they prove more suitable, they substitute other forming ways. This, of course, does not mean that tested traditional systems are abolished (eg cups, coils). If they are effective, they are used next to viticulture innovations, combining them with the unique wine tradition. In parallel, planting density in many vineyards increases, resulting in low yields per vine stock (the lower part of the torso, which remains on earth after the plant cutting, otherwise stump), necessary prerequisite for producing high quality wines.
3.2.2. Vine-growing Innovations
Irrigation systems are commonplace in many good quality vineyards, especially when located in areas with little rainfall and humidity. Vine-growing innovations, focused on irrigation, find Greece to be a real pioneer, since in its own territories, the first underground vineyard irrigation systems in Europe were installed.
Special care is also required so that the sun, does not become an enemy. This difficult task will have to be beared by vine-growing innovations, in the management of the folic wall of the vineyard, a sector in which the Greek viniculture pays increasing attention. So height, formation and proportion of foliage in relevance to the fruit lead to the protection of grapes, but also to the correct photosynthesis, necessary for an excellent grape.
In vine-growing innovations, the necessary and complete control is included, by the use of meteorological stations, which are installed in many Greek vineyards and feed the wineries with valuable data on the course of the year. Equally valuable allies are proven to be the sophisticated laboratories of leaf analysis, that pass the leaves under the microscope, enabling the producer to diagnose and to face every problem of the vine.
Another sector that concerns vine-growing innovations is experimental plantings, not missing from the Greek vineyard. Both institutions and individuals (or partnerships between them) systematically test new varieties: foreign that seem to suit to any climate and of course indigenous varieties of each area, of the many that exist, the dynamics of which are still unknown and may hide many more treasures from those who have already been discovered.
Although it is not exactly vine-growing innovations, the ecological and environmental character of viniculture is a fact, like its constant expansion, especially in Greece. Thus, the Greek viticulture, which largely results from the combination of technology and charismatic climate, does not limit its interest only to the acquisition of healthy and perfectly ripened grapes. It has environmental and ecological concerns, applying various alternative practices, resulting in a big percentage of modern Greek wines to "pride" - even if not necessarily mentioned on the label - not only for its high quality, but also for its ecological interest!
3.2.3. Innovations in harvesting
The picking of the grapes, the vine harvest is definitely one of the most important moments of the annual vine-growing activity. It is a moment of feast, fun and joy, but also of important decisions, especially when the sun alters the chemical composition of the berry from day to day, if not hour to hour. Thus, an innovative vine harvest is something more than necessary for modern wines, in order to be able to have the place they deserve in the international wine map.
A vine harvest with innovations means appropriate use of the most advanced refractometers, multiple analysis (made in the exceptionally equipped laboratories of Greek wineries) and accurate weather forecasts. Those are the weapons allowing not just the collection of technologically mature, but also phenolic ripe grapes.
The manual harvest is something that many wine producing countries have projected as innovative harvest, applied by leading winemakers and some times, for very specific wines in Greece is a rule. Almost exclusively, the collection of Greek wine grapes is done by hand in the Greek territory, ensuring the best state of grape bunches, but also the sorting on the vine. On the other hand, the fast transfer to the winery is particularly important, which explains the frequent presence of car refrigerator within the Greek vineyards. However, the choice of constructing wineries within vineyards is more common, since it maximizes the benefits of fast transportation of the raw material. As for sorting, it is often done on special sorting tables, even double, in many Greek wineries. Harvest with innovations means as well the application of methods of promoting the raw material. In this case, the aromas of the Greek land. Regardless of the grape color, its freezing, prior to the fermentation, helps generally in this direction and is often applied in Greece. Thus, devices with liquid nitrogen, cold cabins and tanks constitute an integral part of almost every winery, with each producer choosing its own formula, depending on the time, temperature and duration of freezing the grapes.
Modern "ragologima" robot
This modern robot is a machine which consists of two parts. Part A is the upper part wherein berries are separated from their stems and Part B is the bottom part where grapes are crushed.
Part A: the grapes are emptied in the hopper and forwarded into a metallic cylinder of perforated stainless steel, at the center of which a shaft with blades slowly rotates, which distract the grapes from the stems, which are then pushed towards the exit and thrown outside the machine. The entire cylinder rotates slowly, so that the grapes pass through the openings and fall to the bottom of the machine.
Part B: at the bottom, there are two serrated rubber cylinders, suitable for food, which rotate in opposite directions so that their teeth squeezed the grapes. The grape juice along with the solid parts (husks, seeds), exits to the bottom part and if it is intended for red wine, is sent with a pump to the fermentation tanks, and if it is intended for white wine, is sent to the press, where the juice is separated from the solid parts (husks, seeds). After the harvest, nor human foot, nor hand touches the grapes, since all processes are automated, checked and healthy.
3.3. The green solution in viniculture
3.3.1. Renewable energy sources
The practices of viniculture and winemaking depend greatly on the weather and climate. Any change in the seasons, their duration, the local maximum, minimum and average temperature, the occurrence of frost and heat buildup could have a significant impact on winemaking regions in the world. Given the fact that the viticulture industry has significant energy requirements and is directly affected by any climate changes, the industry should be at the forefront promoting the increase of energy efficiency and the adoption of renewable energy sources technologies.
Renewable energy sources in the form of solar thermal energy and photovoltaics (PVs) offer a solution for many viniculture procedures. Solar energy can be applied directly or indirectly and it gives the possibility of energy saving and reduction of greenhouse gases emissions.
In 2005, nearly eight million hectares of vineyards produced 40.2 million tonnes of grapes for crushing. The total global use of Energy in the winemaking industry is estimated at more than 105 PJ (1PJ=1015 J), with transmission of almost sixteen million tons of CO2. If auxiliary industries are included, such as manufacturing and transport of bottles, the total Carbon footprint of the industry is estimated at over 76 million tons CO2. If the winemaking facilities in the "developed" winemaking regions in the world incorporate a "small" solar installation in their wineries, the potential energy saving is 18,3% or 19,24 PJ of the energy which is used in the global wine industry.
Solar energy plays a very important role in the vineyard, as it is essential for the production of the basic ingredient, which is grapes. But it is also needed at all stages of viniculture and thus, solar energy could be collected and used when necessary.
Location
The choice of the vineyard's planting location, the planting preparation, and the protection from frost is very important, so as to implement the 6th principle of Green Chemistry (Design for energy efficiency).
The good choice of planting location in areas with lots of sun is very important and usually slopes with little or no shadowing are preferred. However, the soil type and texture are often selected because of their ability to collect solar energy. Stony soils absorb heat from direct sun radiation during the day and use it at night.
Preparation and planting
The electric vehicles for the vineyard have become very popular and with the possibility of charging them with photovoltaics, it could help reduce the greenhouse gases in the vineyard. The greenhouses are necessary for collecting solar power and heat, especially in areas where the climate is not so good.
Frost protection
The common methods of frost protection, like a windmill working with diesel, are energy consuming. Passive solar protection from frost though, is based on the soil's ability to absorb, store and release enough solar energy to raise the temperature above zero during situations which would normally lead to frost.
Solar energy is useful in other viniculture activities, such as irrigation where they can use solar panels, fertilization, disease control and disinfestation, as well to harvest where vehicles charged by photovoltaics may be used.
3.3.2. Use of pheromones as pesticides
Organic pesticides are a set of tools and applications that can help the transition of farmers from using highly toxic conventional chemical pesticides to green agriculture. Bio-pesticides are types of pesticides deriving from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria and certain minerals (EPA, 2008). Pheromones of insects (sexual hormones of insects), belong to bio- pesticides and more specifically to biochemical pesticides.
Over the past decade the vine insect Planococcus Ficus invaded the wine crops in California, causing damage to valuable vines. A pheromone was detected for the detection and monitoring of this insect.
In a laboratory at the University of California at Riverside an applied research was successfully conducted for the synthesis of the pheromone molecule so as to develop and test its use in pheromone traps.
Due to their effectiveness in the traps, the development of pheromones for the control of grapevine insects continued with the stop of mating to the populations of insects. The main objective of the survey was to manufacture less toxic insecticides which may be used as alternatives for very toxic organophosphates.
The white waxy shell of the vine insect in combination with its habit of hiding under the bark of the vine, makes it particularly difficult to monitor. Most pesticides that require direct contact with the insect are not effective under the bark. However, pheromones are volatile molecules that are dispersed through the air and are felt by the insect without requiring penetration into the bark (like perfumes are felt by a human).
Through tests, the researchers discovered unexpected benefits. The application of pheromones seemed to attract a large population of the natural predators of the vine insects at the application area, since they believed that there were more grapevine insects. The full with pheromone air then, attracted the natural enemies in the traps.
A second advantage of using pheromones instead of conventional pesticides was that the ecological balance of the natural predators population is maintained. This can prevent the need for additional pesticides in the secondary control of the populations of harmful organisms. The secondary population control of harmful organisms is done later in the season when broad- spectrum pesticides kill the natural predators of the main parasite.
However, the use of the pheromone is not the exclusive solution for replacing organophosphates. The use of the pheromone has unique advantages and limitations that need to be understood for its assessment.
3.3.3. The Green fertilization of the vineyard
The main nutrients for growing vine is nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but there are other essential elements to be used in smaller quantities which are called micronutrients, such as zinc, boron and manganese. Fertilization is done with the main fertilizers in November, so that they can be dissolved in order for the vine to absorb them from the ground and assimilate them.
Manure is a green fertilizer, and is irreplaceable for vine producers because it contains a wide variety of trace elements and macroelements necessary for the nutrition, health and development of the vine. It also improves the natural properties of the soil, icreases its organic substances and stimulates the beneficial bacteria.
Examples of unique winemaking practices that are applied by winemakers since ancient times up to modern times are:
- Sun-drying of grapes for the production of raisin wines.
- Addition of pine resin to produce retsina.
- Various and different ways vinification for the production of traditional wines, such as Verdea, Nykteri, Marouvas, aerated wines, etc.
Today, most of the unique oenological practices are applied under the supervision of experienced scientists, agronomists and oenologists, by using new technology machines, in modern wineries. However, the production process is based on techniques that were first applied centuries ago. Some of the most important factors that have contributed to the modern character of wine production are:
3.4.2. Innovative vinification
The innovative winemaking starts from the most modern presses, that allow the export of must in conditions of oxygen absence. On the other hand, in a country like Greece, where temperatures in fermentation period are very high, the use of stainless steel tanks with multiple walls, wherein the coolant liquid is circulated, is a sine qua non, while heat exchangers are not missing, which can cool the must in record time. Investments in favor of innovative winemaking do not stop here, since red wine winemakers, many of which are highly advanced, commit themselves in many cases to extracting all the color and strength, but not the aggression from the skins of red grapes. On the other hand, barrels and wooden tanks that undertake multiple times the maturation and vinification of white and red wines, not only they are of top quality, but they are renewed often enough, making Greek cellars a real joy to behold. At the same time, however, they ensure extra hygiene for sensitive wines.
Innovative vinification though, may exist by looking at each direction. So, after the domination of selected yeasts, which provide safety and ability to control, the use of indigenous yeasts is found in Greek winemaking, when viewed with the most structured and exploratory glance. However, this supremacy of selected yeasts has not arisen randomly, but through a long experimentation with different strains, which has lead to choices that not only meet, but enhance the uniqueness of fragrances and flavors of modern wines.
Particular attention is given to the stabilization of wines that takes place in modern tanks, and to the filtering, which when applied, is assisted by modern methods, adding an extra piece to the puzzle of innovative winemaking.
The commitment of the wine industry to high technology and innovative winemaking is not just proven by words, but also by the fact that a very big percentage of modern wine, even Greek wines, come from wineries that have received strict quality assurance certifications ISO and HACCP.
Also, experimental vinification and mikro-vinification, either at the level of organizations, or individuals (or through their partnerships), which often come as a result of experimental plantations, are an integral part of innovative winemaking.
3.4.3. Oak barrels and stainless steel tanks
The smaller the grains of the wood, the slower, stabler and longer is the effect of the wood on the wine. On the contrary, the bigger the grains of the wood, the more rapid and intense is the effect on the wine.
If a wine does not have its own strong characteristics then barrels whose wood has large grains must be preferred. The age of the tree which is cut down, is about 100 - 150 years. For the barrels, the lower parts of the tree trunk are used. The wood, after being torn and having taken the form of a rectangular board, is stored in the open on pallets using intermediate blocks so that the boards are ventilated.
The boards are watered either by natural or artificial rain continuously for 15 days, so as to remove most of their tannins. Then the boards are left for a long period to dry. The ideal moisture inside the wood is 16%.
Construction:
The bottom part is made in a separate room from the rest of the barrel. The boards after being polished and aligned, are placed the one next to the other, having between them bulrush pieces for better sealing. The boards adjacent to one another have the form of a square. Then, the square is placed in a machine where it takes its round shape and final form.
The boards are placed vertically in a circular mold on the ground, next to one another, so that the one end of the body barrel is formed. The barrel passes by the very significant baking process that would give its characteristics. The smoothing of the surfaces follows and holes are created where the plugs enter. The perimeter, where the bottom part will be placed, is insulated and undergoes tests in big pressures to control potential leaks. Other procedures follow so that the barrel gets its final and perfect appearance. Then, the barrels are woodburned by laser, packed in a heat-shrinkable plastic bag and stored in a place with special temperature and humidity conditions. In conclusion we can say that while using very advanced technical methods, manual work by a lot of skilled and experienced craftsmen is still very important.
All stainless steel (inox) fermentation - Storage wine tanks Type I (wine stabilizers) are insulated with polyurethane foam of 50 mm thickness and external waterproof lining. They are suitable for any oenological process (eg wine fermentation, stabilization, cooling) that requires insulated wine tanks.
All tanks meet and comply with the safety & health rules as defined by EU Directive 89/392 and its amendments and are accompanied by the corresponding certificate of conformity of the European Union (CE).
3.4.4. Innovations in bottling
In wineries, there are modern bottling lines of big capacity, caring for the perfect hygiene of the bottles and full absence of oxygen from the final product. They ensure, as much as possible, similar and consistent characteristics for every bottle of the same wine. Depending on the type of wine, they undertake to place the cap by all modern means, which, together with the natural cork, are the synthetic, screwed, and glass caps, while impressive bottles add prestige and uniqueness, apart from the interior, to the exterior as well.
The labels of modern wine combine the strictness of those of the old wine world, with the approach of those of the new era. Last on the production chain, but not on care, the packaging (boxes, etc.) not only demonstrate ecological sensitivity, but with innovative ideas, such as their reuse, earn awards in the most important innovation competitions.
3.4.5. The carbon footprint for wine
The carbon footprint refers to the greenhouse gas emissions of a product throughout its life cycle, starting from the procurement of raw materials, production, distribution, use by consumers and its disposal or recycling. (Carbon Trust 2008).
Efforts for the carbon footprint in wine were launched years ago by the World Federation of Wine and Spirits (FIVS) which developed a special wine computer, the IWCC (International Wine Carbon Calculator), whose variants are used by Australians (AWCC), Italians (Ita.Ca), while French included wine in the system that have installed for the Carbon balance (Bilan Carbone 7).
The World Organisation of Vine and Wine was created by a working group with a mixed approach about wine's carbon footprint (based on ISO 14040) and the balance of each wine company (based on ISO 14064). In a general level, the problem of many different methods for carbon footprint was solved significantly in 2011, with the adoption of ISO 14067.
3.5. Green solution in winemaking
Emissions of carbon dioxide is an unavoidable byproduct of winemaking. As the yeasts convert the grape sugars into alcohol, simultaneously a small amount of CO2 is produced. For every gallon of alcohol produced (1gal=3.78 L), 6.29 pounds of carbon dioxide are released in the atmosphere, according to the Research of the Agricultural Center of Industrial Product of the University of Nebraska published in the journal "Bioresource Technology" in May 2010.
Because the carbon released during fermentation was obtained previously from the atmosphere through the grapes, at this stage of vinification process, the carbon balance is maintained. However, we can control carbon dioxide emissions produced during the fermentation, in order to make winemaking safer for the environment.
1. Release of CO2. During the early stages of fermentation, when significant amounts of carbon dioxide are produced, the wine can be fermented in open tanks. The CO2, being heavier than air, will create a protective layer that will prevent the oxidation of wine. Later, when the carbon dioxide production is slowed down, it is necessary to transport the wine in closed tanks. However, since CO2 emissions will not stop completely, a trap which leaves the CO2 out of the tank should be used, in order to prevent the excessive pressure that could cause an explosion, but will not let the air in.
2. Monitoring. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air, so it sinks to the bottom of the wine tanks and wine cellars, and it is odorless, colorless and non-toxic. Even if there is no concern about the releasing of CO2 into the atmosphere, the danger of suffocation from CO2, in the absence of oxygen, should be taken into account. It is recommended that work is done in a well ventilated area and the use of a screen showing CO2 emissions. The use a handheld detector which is specifically designed for use in brewery, is a good solution.
3. Reuse. Carbon dioxide is often viewed as a contaminant that needs to be controlled. However, its emission may be an economic component, as it is necessary for a wide range of industrial processes. Winemakers and brewers, who do not bind the CO2 emissions produced, usually end up buying CO2 tanks by someone else, as this inert gas is used to protect wine from oxidation. The CO2 produced during fermentation can also be sold for industrial use, as it is used in cooling applications, production of sparkling beverages, water treatment and production of dry ice, among many others. Capture and storage of CO2 is widespread in the brewing industry, but manufacturers have built relatively affordable CO2 emissions capture devices more suitable for use in small winemaking businesses. After being filtered and channeled into reservoirs, CO2 can be sold to industries.
4. Capture. By applying a CO2 capture process, there is a possibility to make the wine making process environmentally friendly. The first stage of capture is quite simple, as the CO2 can be captured directly from the fermentation trap. Due to the high cost of the process, carbon capture is considered rare in winemaking.
3.5.2. Capture of CO2 in homemade wine
Winemaking is made in many different ways, but any process depends on the same anaerobic conditions, the ethanol fermentation. Ethanol fermentation is the process of converting sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Since this process produces carbon dioxide as a product, it increases the emission of carbon dioxide into the environment resulting to the increase of the greenhouse effect. The following experiment appeared to engage the carbon dioxide released by the fermentation process for the manufacture of wine and uses the captured CO2 for important purposes, creating a "greener" process for the reduction of the amount of CO2 emitted during the production of wine.
Procedure:
The purpose of this experiment is the capture of CO2 released, not only to reduce emissions, but also for use in various products. Therefore, the entire experiment requires the use of a balloon that needs to be tied tightly around the glass bottle from which CO2 is trying to escape, so as to collect as much as possible gas (or rather as much CO2 the balloon can hold). It is also important to seal the area tightly so that O2, which could interrupt the process, can not enter. All the necessary utensils are essential items of a household and it is important to use glass containers instead of plastic, because the alcohol produced may evaporate through the plastic or it is likely to erode it due to chemical reaction.
3.5.3. Renewable energy sources
Renewable energy sources in the form of solar thermal energy and photovoltaic (PVs) offer a solution for many processes of viticulture as mentioned above, but also winemaking, and in recent years, the concept of "solar winery" has been created. Worldwide, it is estimated that there are 184300 winemaking facilities that could take advantage financially of solar energy. Of this amount, so far only 293 have been found to have an active solar installation. The vast majority of solar systems are either in the US (especially in California) or in Europe. Both of these areas represent approximately 92% of the total of solar wineries.
Presses
Following the separation of the grapes from the stems and the crushing, pressure follows in presses. Most presses are electric and use motors, pumps, and compressors with the offered solar power supply.
Fermentation
In this step temperature is important and cooling may be necessary. Usually, electrical installations are used, though studies showed the benefit from the cooling with absorption of solar energy. Photovoltaics and solar energy are used at other stages of winemaking.
3.5.4. Wine filtration with Perlite
Greek perlite, extracted from the mines of Milos and Glass of Nisyros, holds the 1st place worldwide. Expanded perlite, in addition to its uses as harmless insulating material, is used as substrate in hydroponic cultivations. Furthermore, expanded perlite is an effective cheap and liquid filtration mean, while providing high productivity and sufficient purity of the final product. Perlite is mainly used for filtration of wines, sugar and starch, beer, edible oils and polluted water.
4. The Chemistry of Wine
Phenols
In phenols, belong benzoic and cinnamic acids, as well as the derivatives of benzaldehyde and cinnamic aldehyde, which are found in wines that have remained for aging in wooden barrels. The total of phenolic acids, free or in the form of compounds reaches 100-150 mg / L in red wines, while in white it is limited to 10-15 mg / L. They are important for wine because they have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties (benzoic and salicylic acid), and are used for its maintenance.
Flavonols
In flavonoid phenols, are included: flavonols with open yellow that are abundant in seeds, flavonols-3 (catechins), which are mainly in the skin and seeds, and flavonodioles-3,4 (procyanidins), present in the skin and particularly in seeds. Because they are found mainly in the skin and seeds, in normal conditions, they do not exist in white wines.
Anthocyanins
These are the red pigments of the grape found only in the skin of the grapes. They are derivatives of the phenyl-2 venzopyril from which the anthocyanidins of the grape derive. Malvidin is the most important from the aspect of the amount of pigment of red grapes, this is why it is called oinidini. The colors found in nature, are not simple anthocyanidins, but compounds with one or two molecules of a sugar, and are called anthocyanins. In the anthocyanins of grapes, the sugar involved in the formation of the molecules, is glucose. Depending on the position where glucose attaches to the molecule of anthocyanidins, monoglycosides or diglycosides are formed. In European varieties there are only monoglycosides, while in the US varieties there are only diglycosides.
Tannins
They are products of polymerization of simple phenols and give astringent taste to certain wines. Depending on the structure of their molecules, tannins are distinguished to hydrolyzed and condensed. Hydrolyzed are not contained in the grapes, but they can be found in wines, as they are the main commercial tannins, which are used in various treatments of wines. Condensed tannins are the natural tannins of the grapes and wines and derive from the polymerization of flavanols-3 (catechin) and especially flavonodiolis-3,4. The tannins of the grapes are found in their solid parts and are received either by extraction or by compression. From the quantity of tannins contained in grapes, a minimum percentage is transferred to the wine. This percentage ranges between 1,5 - 4 g / L in red wines and between 40-200 mg / L in white wines. The tannins are characterized by their antioxidant activity, by which red wines are protected from the influence of oxygen. The diversity of the texture of tannins depends on the grape variety, climate conditions and the winemaking process. The white wines are not resistant to aging. The ability of wine to age depends on the grapes' maturation which depends on the degree of polymerization of tannins.
The more the alcohol in the wine and the more it cools, the more insoluble is the tartar, forming crystals that sit on bottom of the bottle. These crystals are heavy, shimmering and settle with high speed. They have no effect on the character of the wine but create a bad impression to consumers.
That's why bottled wines are stabilized. They are cooled (at approximately -4°C) so that the quantity of tartar that could later settle to the bottom of the bottle with a temperature drop, is removed.
The wine ingredients are found:
A) In the skin:
* AROMATIC COMPOUNDS. They give the primary aroma, which characterizes each variety.
* NATURAL PIGMENTS. They are called anthocyanins in red varieties and flavons in white. In the few exceptions of dyeing varieties, is also the flesh that is colored by anthocyanins.
* TANNINS. They contribute to the astringency of red wines. They also contribute to the aging of the red wines.
* ACIDS. They contribute to the sour taste, tasty freshness, color vitality.
B) in the flesh:
* Water (75%)
* Sugar (15%)
* ACIDS
C) in the seeds:
* SEED TANNINS. They are especially rough and astringent tannins, different from the tannins of the skin.
* GRAPESEED OIL. The breaking of the seeds should be avoided during winemaking.
4.2. Alcoholic fermentation (or boiling)
The Alcoholic Fermentation is a complex phenomenon with many intermediate stages that can briefly be explained by the chemical equation:
C6 H12 O6 ----------> 2CH3CH2OH + 2CO2 + energy
It is about the anaerobic degradation of the enzyme zymase, simple sugars of the formula C6 H12 O6 (glucose, fructose, galactose) to ethanol and carbon dioxide mainly. (In smaller amounts it can be produced: glycerol, acetaldehyde, succinic acid and higher alcohols).
On the outer surface of the skins of the grapes, there is a whitish waxy layer, called floridness and holds various microorganisms inhabiting the vineyard. Among them, there are the ellipsoidal yeasts that grow and proliferate consuming (fermenting) sugars.
When the grapes are "pressed", the yeasts come in contact with the must and the alcoholic fermentation slowly begins.
In alcoholic fermentation, the yeasts feed on the sugars of the must and release ethyl alcohol (alcohol), carbon dioxide (gas), but also hundreds of components such as aromas, glycerol, etc., while heat is emitted.
The words total or partial (alcoholic fermentation), refer to different methods of wine production. The grapes marked as fresh, used in wine making, mature or slightly exposed to the sun and which can be burst by normal winery methods and are subject to the alcoholic fermentation.Grape must is named the liquid, naturally or by physical processes obtained from fresh grapes.These two definitions exclude raisins from the raw materials of wine. Because raisins are not crushed, not fermented spontaneously, nor give grape must with natural means (pressing, compression).
4.3. Measuring the must for sugars content
To see the content of sugars in the grape must, we use a densitometer calibrated in Baume indications.
We use a graduated cylinder which is filled with must, even before the fermentation begins and we immerse it inside. At the point where the densitometer balances, we read the indication. This indication will be approximately the expected content in alcohol that the wine will have when the fermentation is finished. To be precise, we must include the temperature factor. To correct the indication for each degree of temperature above 20°C, we add 0.05, while for each degree below 20°C, we subtract 0.05. Every 17 g/L of sugars give about 1 degree of alcohol.
Example
Must that has Baume indication 11.0 (after the correction) will have 187 g / L sugars and will give approximately 11.0 degrees wine.
These calculations are used to fix the must before starting fermentation. From place to place and from climate to climate, the must we get is different. So many times, we need to correct its composition.
Based on the above, in order to increase our wine per one alcoholic degree, we add 1,7kg of sugar per 100L of must. On the contrary, in order to reduce the alcoholic degrees, we dilute it with water.
With the densitometer, we can track the maturation progress of the grapes (before the harvest) and we can also trace the gradual reduction of sugars during the fermentation.
The new wine born after the alcoholic fermentation does not contain free sulfur dioxide (SO2). It should therefore be sulfated. The sulfation though is not carried out immediately, because the wine contains acetaldehyde and minor amounts of other aldehydes, which engage sulfur dioxide. It is transferred and stored in the absence of air in tanks full or under inert gas for several days, so that all aldehydes are transformed into the corresponding alcohols.
Then usually 40-50 mg/L of sulfite anhydride are added in one dose, so the free sulfates amount to 30 mg/L, if the must was sulfated and turned into wine correctly. During transfusions and wine stabilization by cooling, as well as during maintenance and aging, free sulfates are oxidized. This is why a regular determination of total and free sulfur dioxide and timely replenishment of the losses is required in order to maintain the wine.
For many years the quality of Greek wine - and not only Greek - suffered from ignorance of the proper use of sulfur dioxide. Wines with 3,8 - 4,0 pH and 300 -400 mg / L of total sulfur anhydride, were completely unprotected, because they rarely contained free SO2. Moreover, in many of these, there was free acetaldehyde which gave them their organoleptic characteristics, which a wine acquires after intense aeration. They looked oxidized and with a smell of rotten apple. The spectacular improvement in the quality of Greek bottled wines is due, to a considerable extent, to knowing the right way of wine sulfation.
Summing up, the musts intended for the manufacture of dry white wines must be sulfated with the less necessary dosage of sulfur dioxide, which it is:
* 5-6g/hl (1 hectolitre=102 L), where the must derives from healthy grapes, cool with a juice of small pH (2.8-3.0) that arrive to the machines without being broken.
* 7-8 g/hl, when the must comes from warm grapes, moderate to High pH (3,4-3,8), with minor injuries or arriving at the winery slightly broken.
* up to a maximum of 10g/hl, for grapes that are more or less damaged or rotten.
Under these circumstances of must sulfation, before the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation of sugars, the wine produced will be able to accept sulfations having 35-45 mg/L of free sulfur, during its maintenance. So, Its protection from oxidation and bacterial attacks will be guaranteed.
The presence of phenolic derivatives allows, but also requires the maintenance of red wines with less amount of free sulfur dioxide compared to whites. The main reasons for this are described below.
Tannins deactivate tyrosinase. The phenolic derivatives, particularly anthocyanins bind the sulfur dioxide and act as a "warehouse of sulphite", from which sulfur dioxide is released, when the content of the wine in free sulphites reduced due to oxidation. A similar mechanism does not exist in white wines.Compounds of sulfur with anthocyanins are colorless, so the sulfation of a wine entails the reduction of the intensity of its color, which is as great, as much sulfur dioxide is added. For the same reasons, the grape pulp of red grapes must be sulfated immediately after crushing and before entering the fermentation tanks, with a less amount in comparison to the white grape musts. Specifically:
- 3 g/hl when grapes are in good condition and the temperature is low.
- 5 g/hl for moderately healthy grapes or where temperatures are high.
- 6-8 g/hl in cases of moldy or damaged grapes (contusions, bruises).
4.5. Chemicals used as additives in wine
1. metabisulphite: antioxidant, protection against microorganisms. It dissolves in water.
2. Tartaric / citric acid: acidity increase. It dissolves in water.
3. Potassium carbonate / calcium: acidity reduction. It dissolves in water, or is added little by little insoluble and with continuous stirring.
4. Bentonite: clarification, removal of proteins (protein stability). Soluble in 10 times hot water, and is let 12 hours to rise.
5. Lux B: removal of iron. It dissolves in water.
6. Tannin: clarifying, taste, stabilization: Soluble in water.
7. Gelatin: clarifying, tannin reduction (astringency reduction). Soluble in 10X warm water (35 C), stirring for about 5 minutes.
8. Casein: removing of phenols, protection from oxidation. Soluble in 10X warm water (35 C), stirring for about 5 minutes.
9. PVPP: protection from oxidation, freshening. It dissolves in water in room temperature.
10. Metatartaric: tartaric stabilization. It dissolves in water in room temperature.
11. Ascorbic: antioxidant. It dissolves in water in room temperature.
12. sulfur dioxide (SO2): antimicrobial, antioxidant, solvent and clarifying action.
4.5.1. Bentonite, a green additive
Greek bentonite, a mineral with many environmental applications, ranks 1st place in Europe and 2nd worldwide. Bentonite, due to its exceptional properties, ie. waterproofness and swellability, is used for sealing of sanitary landfill sites. Also, it is used successfully in the burial of radioactive waste. Because of its plasticity and its low permeability, it forms a protective shell around the burial steel containers minimizing the diffusion of radioactive elements in the environment. Finally, because of its adsorption capacity, it is used in water and industrial waste treatment from metal plating, paper, pharmaceutical, paint and textile industries, for absorption of heavy metals and organic pollutants. As an additive in vinification, it is used to clarify the wine and remove the proteins to give protein stability.
5. Secondary products of wine and waste
Retsina is called a type Greek Wine prepared by adding natural pine resin in white wine. It is one of the most popular Greek spirits.
The production of retsina is made from antiquity when the addition of resin aimed at better preservation of wine, and not only in aroma addition. For its preparation, usually second quality wines are used and that is why its price is usually lower than that of wine.
Its unique flavor is said to have derived from the practice of sealing amphorae, with pine resin in ancient times. Before the invention of watertight glass bottles, oxygen altered the wines very quickly.
To seal up the mouth, the ancients implemented the use of pine resin, which at the same time enriched with the passage of time the wine with its characteristic aroma. Later the practice of adding the pine resin in the must was invented for flavoring the wine and for its better maintenance.
Tsipouro is a Greek spirit drink started its course about seven centuries ago, in the monasteries of St. Athos. Tsikoudia or Raki in Crete is something similar, although the main difference is that tsikoudia is a product of single distillation. In other countries, similar drinks are the Italian Grappa and Arak in the Middle East.
Tsipouro has most often 36-45% alcohol content and Macedonia, Crete, Thessaly, and Epirus have tradition in its production.
Raw material for the production of distillate is the grape marc, meaning the mass remaining after compression of grape pulp, for the production of wine. This mass consists of grape skins, seeds while it encompasses a percentage of unfermented must, must in fermentation or fully fermented must (wine). Generally, the seeds are 3-6%, the skin 6-9% and the flesh 75-85% of this mass. The flesh of the grape consists of 0.5% of solid components. The grape marc, in order to give alcoholic distillate, should firstly not have been drained completely and secondly to have fermented, so that the sugars of the remaining must convert to alcohol. Tsipouro can be produced from grape marc that is fermented and comes from red winemaking with more or less wine quantity. Furthermore, the grape marc may be used, fermented separately from the bulk of the must which comes from white grapes but also from red grapes, that were used for the production of rose or white wine by direct compression.
The first action to produce distillate of white unfermented grape marc is the fermentation. Fermentation lasts for about 30 days, when the grape marc is fermented alone, and much less when fermented with the must. In the first distillation, we take a distillate (souma), which is the 15-20% of the original volume. After the distillation, the residue is discarded. In the second distillation, we fill the cauldron by 80- 90% with souma. Many times, the product obtained from the first distillation is consumed without going through the second distillation.
The double distilled tsipouro, however, is cleaner and finer in aroma and taste. In the second distillation, it is possible to add aromatic raw materials such as anise, fennel, cloves, nutmeg and mastic.
The modern way of producing tsipouro from industrial units is done using the method of fractionating distillation, wherein high quality cauldron are used, fully electronically regulated and supervised. This allows the production of a multi-distilled high quality product, reducing undesirable substances of distillation to a minimum and allowing the producer to make the desired mixing between head, heart and tail.
From late October to mid-December throughout Greece the place "boils". Traditional boilers prepare the "Holy water", culminating with the various celebrations of tsipouro in many regions (Macedonia, Epirus), which are accompanied by traditional festivities. The sale of distillates for direct consumption was forbidden until 1988. Only vine growers in certain areas were allowed to distil and trade at local level the grape marc, while the sale of the distillate to companies producing alcohol was allowed. Today, with the law of 1988 for the production of distillate, the production and distribution of tsipouro is allowed across Greece only with special permission. This tsipouro is taxed, while the disposal of non- bottled (bulk) distillate is prohibited.
Ouzo is an alcoholic drink produced and consumed widely in Greece and Turkey, where it is known as Raki, a name that is also used in Greece. It is also comparable with absinthe and the French Pernod.
In taste, it resembles to tsipouro, a drink that has however a different way of preparation. The origin of the name "ouzo" is not known with absolute certainty. It is speculated that the name comes from the following incident: A company exported the drink in Marseille and on the boxes of the exportable batch, the phrase "uso Massalia", ie "for use in Marseille" appeared. For some reason, this phrase became synonymous with good quality ouzo, and then the word "Marseille" was eliminated and only the word uso=ouzo remained, hereinafter characterizing the drink. More authoritative sources show that the word comes from the Turkish word uzum, which means "bunch of grapes" and "decoction of raisins."
Ouzo is a mixture of ethanol (alcohol), water and various aromatic herbs, among which anise is always included. Ouzo, unlike tsipouro, is usually only in a small proportion a grape distillate. According to the legislation, the percentage is at least 20%. However, there is ouzo distilled at higher levels.
Distillation takes place in special stills (boilers), which are preferably made of copper. After mixing the components, the "boiling" of the mixture follows several times. The final product has typically 40 - 50% alcohol content.
Vinegar is an acidic liquid that derives from the fermentation of wine's ethanol to acetic acid, after years, without adding sugar and with the help of some useful bacteria. The reaction formed is:
CH3CH2OH + O2 > CH3COOH + H2O
The pH of vinegar differs from vinegar to vinegar and ranges between 2.4 to 3.4. There are various kinds of vinegar like balsamic, red and white. Vinegar is used as a key ingredient in Oriental cuisine and not as a key ingredient in European. The origins of vinegar seem to have their roots in China in 2000 BC. Also, vinegar is mentioned in the Bible and specifically where thirsty Jesus asks the Romans for water and they put in his mouth a sponge soaked in vinegar. Vinegar is made mainly of wine, but it can also be made from fruits like apple, tomato and coconut, from legumes such as rice and beer.
The acetic acid or ethanoic acid (CH3COOH) is a carboxylic acid that gives vinegar its known (sour) taste and smell. It is a moderately weak acid (pKa> 4), i.e. it is dissociated in a small fraction in an aqueous environment. The pure (anhydrous) acetic acid (called "glacial") is a colorless hygroscopic liquid, which coagulates at 16,5°C to a colorless crystalline solid. Pure or concentrated solutions are dangerously corrosive. It is the second member of the homologous series of alkanoic acids. It is an important chemical reagent for the chemical industry, for the production of important organic compounds such as vinyl acetate and acetic anhydride. Also, by its chemical formula, C2H4O2, it is one of the "typical" carbohydrates (i.e. compounds having a ratio of hydrogen atoms - oxygen of 2: 1, the same that water has, but without being real sugars). The global demand of ethane acid is around 6.5 million tons per year, from which about 1.5 million tons a year is covered by recycling. The remainder is produced from petrochemical or bio-based sources. It is used as a food additive under the code E260.
The waste from winemaking is the stems, seeds and skins of grapes. The grape marc (peels of grapes) contains polyphenols. It has even been estimated that the approximately 400 wineries in Greece process around 520,000 tonnes of grapes to brew wine. The waste from this process amounts to some 90,000 tons, and, channeled outdoors, convert into a useful agent for agriculture.
5.3. Green use of the winemaking waste
5.3.1. Studies in Greek Universities
Scientists of the Pharmaceutical School of the University of Athens gathered a large quantity of grape marc, they processed it in the laboratory and created an enriched extract that they turned to powder.
This powder contained all the active substances of the grape (except sugars). Then they worked with cardiologists at the Atticus Hospital and issued small amounts of powder in 30 patients with coronary disease. This powder, dissolved in 20 ml of water, they drunk it only once.
What they noticed, much to their surprise was that the powder, containing all the nutrients from the skins of grapes (polyphenols), improved within an hour the function of the endothelium, meaning it ameliorated the blood flow in the vessels.
Apart from medicines for the heart, the Greeks experts created from the winemaking waste a separate type of forage which, under the scientific responsibility of the Laboratory of Animal Nutrition of the Agricultural University, was eaten by sheep and goats so as to produce milk which was 40% richer in nutrients.
Moreover, in collaboration with an American University, they made face creams that were tested and had encouraging results. Of course, in order to be able to hit the market, additional research and testing is required, however, the interesting thing is that with this program, it turned out that with a small cost, enormous amounts of winemaking waste, which often harm the environment, can be exploited.
These wastes when transported by rain into rivers and lakes, can cause death in sensitive aquatic organisms or even contaminate underground water tables.
5.3.2. Fighting animal diseases
Once again, the interest in and usefulness of agricultural waste is demonstrated. Researchers from Canada and Turkey used waste of grapes from vinification of Pinot Noir as a source of valuable phytochemical drugs, having significant potency against animal diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. They can also act as antioxidants (trans - resveratrol). The active chemicals, trans-resveratrol and trans-viniferin, are extracted by a mixture of ethanol-water.
During wine production, significant amounts of liquid -and solid-waste are produced, which come from various cleaning processes, during the stages of crushing and grinding grape berries as well as from washing the fermentation tanks, barrels and other winemaking equipment and surfaces. The total production of liquid waste of a winery is about 1.2 times the amount of the produced wine. Liquid waste of wineries is characterized by variable composition depending on the type of wine and winemaking techniques, by strong seasonal variation and undesirable odors, and therefore their discharge into the environment constitutes a major environmental and aesthetic problem, which concerns wine producing industries not only in Europe but also globally. In Greece, the legislation imposes on small wineries, which produce up to 2000 tons of wine per year, to transfer their waste to collection wells, using grates retaining solid waste and then, to septic - suction tanks, before they are made available for irrigation purposes. Only larger in size wineries obliged by legislation to process their waste in biological treatment plants. Despite the legislation, there are several wineries which dump their waste without the elementary processing, contaminating precious water resources in the mountain areas where they are installed. Even though the use of conventional methods is usually the economical option, however, it is not often possible to achieve the desired quality of waste as they have characteristics, such as seasonality, their high organic load, undesirable odors, complex composition, sludge production and other by-products. Therefore there is an urgent need for the use of advanced processing methods for decontamination of liquid waste as the final step of biological treatment.
The program WINEC aims to tackle this problem by creating a pilot system of photocatalytic treatment using sunlight (Green treatment). The rapid development of photocatalytic oxidation in recent years is due to its ability to inactivate completely the most harmful - toxic and non-biodegradable organic substances. The necessary radiation for activating the catalyst is included in the radiation area of the solar spectrum, thus making possible the use of solar energy in the treatment of industrial waste. The ultimate goal of the program is to optimize the environmental performance of wineries that will pave the way for accession to the Environmental Management System with multiple benefits. Just six wineries have such certification in Europe. This requires, in addition to proper waste treatment, a number of other measures, dictated by the Green concept:
1. Reuse of treated liquid waste.
2. Use of solids to produce compost material or forage.
3. Reducing the energy footprint by using renewable energy sources not only for waste treatment (e.g. solar photocatalysis) but also for meeting the operational needs of the winery (eg solar panels).
4. Good agricultural practice with rational use of pesticides and fertilizers.
5. Utilization of by-products of the winery in medicine and personal care products manufacture.
Main organic wastes produced in modern wine industries consist of grape marc oil (62%), sediments (14%), stalks (12%) and dehydrated flesh (12%). Some of these wastes are used as byproducts (grape oils and wine lees), while the remaining organic waste (stems and dehydrated flesh) are incinerated or placed in landfills. Composting is proposed for the recovery of stems and dehydrated flesh, thus closing the cycle of organic matter. Composting is a natural process that converts organic materials in a rich dark substance. This substance is called compost or humus or soil improver. The cost of composting is almost negligible in comparison with other management options. Finally, the energy balance shows that composting systems require less energy than systems based on the consumption of mineral fertilizers.
In recent years, the interest in biofuels has increased. In areas with a large wine production, therefore, the use of pips (seeds), that are natural wine wastes, was studied for biodiesel production.
The world's grape production in 2005 was over 67 million tons, with Spain, France and Italy being the biggest grape producers in the world providing nearly half of the total production. More than 20% of the mass, of grapes used, is disposed of as waste in winemaking.
The seeds of grapes contain about 10-20% grapeseed oil, which typically derives by extraction and is purified before its use in order to dismiss unwanted ingredients. The method that is selected each time for obtaining grapeseed oil from seeds (pressing or extraction), depends on the nature of the raw material. The pressure in the extraction with solvent is the most appropriate method commonly used to handle a wide variety of oilseeds and delivers almost 50% of all vegetable oils produced in the world (Bhosle and Subramanian, 2005). Another method is the seeds' supercritical extraction with carbon dioxide to prepare grapessed oil (Green extraction).
The main feature of grapeseed oil is its high content of unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid (72-76%, w / w). It is known that the quality of biodiesel depends on the composition of fatty acids of vegetable oils. Thus, a high content of unsaturated fatty acids improves the flow properties of biodiesel at low temperatures, but this kind of compounds contained may deteriorate other properties, such as oxidation resistance. Therefore, appropriate raw materials biodiesel production are vegetable oils with high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly unsaturated such as oleic acid, and not grapeseed oil.
6. Beneficial effects of wine
6.1. Beneficial health effects
The beneficial effects of wine on health have been recognized by the Medical profession for centuries. Hippocrates recommended specific wines as antipyretics, diuretics or wounds disinfectants, but also as food additives since 450 b.C. approximately.
Most pathogenic factors that threaten humans are neutralized or eliminated by acids and wine's alcohol. For these reasons and until the 18th century, wine was considered safer than water. Wine in small quantities, is a mild sedative that reduces anxiety and limits tension. As part of the daily diet, wine acts as a starter, and gives the body energy, substances which aid digestion, small amounts of vitamins as well as antioxidants, such as resveratrol (red wine).
However, many doctors of the 20th century studied and matured professionally in the midst of the alcohol Prohibition, particularly in the USA. This resulted for at least 30 years, to everything related to alcohol, including wine, being censored and banned. As an example, in the '70s, the US National Institute of Health concealed evidence from a study of heart disease (Framingham Heart Study) that showed that moderate wine consumption reduced deaths from coronary disease by 50%.
The typical diet of the inhabitants of southern France contains large quantities of cheese, butter, eggs, meat and other foods high in fats and cholesterol. Even though this diet should promote heart disease, it turned out that their rate was extremely lower than that of the US and this was the paradox.
Regular but moderate consumption of wine was revealed to be the determining factor of the French paradox. Coronary heart disease was hitting the big drinkers and -even more - those who did not drink at all, from the regular consumers of moderate amounts of wine daily. The daily moderate consumption of red wine acts protectively and preventatively against CHD but also against many cancers. This is due to flavonoids contained in red wine tannins and acting as antioxidants, preventing free radicals from damaging the cells. Some specific components of flavonoids have been recently proven to prevent the hardening of the arteries.
There are also components of grapes and wine (especially red, grape juice, and tea but not in white wine) with the names resveratrol and quercetin that enhance the immune system, protect against heart disease, prevent carcinogenesis and prolong life expectancy. A recent study (American Journal of Physiology - 2004) shows that resveratrol prevents the development of a protein that leads to the disease cardio fivrosis, which reduces the pumping efficiency of the heart when needed most, ie in case of stress.
A Harvard study on factors affecting aging (Nature magazine, 8 May 2003) have shown that resveratrol extends the life of cells and acts as an anti-aging factor.
The wine can maintain and protect the intellectual functions of the elderly. Many studies have provided evidence that regular moderate alcohol consumption may prevent or delay the development of brain degenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Other Studies have shown that wine consumption reduces the risk of peptic ulcers, and relieves the body from the bacteria that cause them. In contrast, excessive wine consumption and simple alcohol consumption increases the risk of forming peptic ulcers.
In conclusion, as shown by more than 400 studies worldwide, many of them long-term and in large samples, people basically healthy who consume moderate amounts of wine regularly, live longer. The main beneficial factors from the consumption of wine have proved to be moderation and regular and systematic consumption.
- Role in the DNA
Various types of cancers are often results of DNA damage. Animal studies indicate that the phenolic compounds of the wine can protect against DNA damage. The results of these studies showed that after red or white wine consumption, there was an important increase to the antioxidant capacity of blood plasma, which reduced the oxidant DNA damages.
- Effect on cells and apoptosis
Researchers have examined the effect of specific wine phenolic compounds on cancer, and especially, resveratrol (stilbenes), quercetin (flavonol), catechin (flavonoid) and gallic acid (hydroxybenzoic acid).
Such phenolic compounds are capable of suspending cell function in each one of the three stages of cancer development: initiation, propagation and development.
Some of their beneficial effects are:
- inhibiting the growth or propagation of cells in one or more phases of the cell cycle, which then stimulates apoptosis of the cells,
- inhibition of DNA synthesis (inhibition of the ribonucleotide reductase or DNA polymerase),
- inhibition of apoptosis, by changing the expression of the primary enzymes such as cyclooxygenase and kinases, including differentiation of tumor suppressor genes.
Over all the phenolic compounds of the wine, the most examined is Resveratrol. It has been observed that it inhibits growth and proliferation of cancer cells of breast, colon, prostate and mouth. Studies have shown that resveratrol also has preventive effect against colon cancer.
Inhibition of protein NF - kappaB
Resveratrol also fights cancer by blocking a protein (the NF - kappaB), which protects cancerous cells during the anticancer effect of chemotherapy. It acts essentially as an antibiotic, which prevents healthy cells to become cancerous and interrupts the spread of malignancies.
6.1.4. Heart, cardiovascular disease
Moderate daily red wine consumption reduces the risk of death from coronary heart disease. It reduces the levels of catecholamines, i.e. the hormones causing vascular constriction, and heart rate, which means that the heart is working at a slower pace.
Its content in natural antioxidants which cleanse the metabolism of free radicals, prevents blood clots, helping to maintain elasticity of the endothelium, that is the inner wall of blood vessels. Among the antioxidant phenolic factors of red wine are found in flavonoids, secondary vegetal metabolites, that enhance cardioprotection.
Tannins, a flavonoid deriving mainly from the seeds and membrane surface of red grapes, have excellent anti-atherogenic capacities: they decrease the deposition of fat in the aorta through reduction of oxidation of the LDL cholesterol by 10%.
Moreover, the alcohol contained in the wine increases the levels of the HDL cholesterol in the serum by 18% and prevents the platelets aggregation.
Alcohol in small doses has a relaxing and calming effect. It reduces the secretion of vasoconstrictive substances, such as catecholamines, and through this mechanism, it helps regulate blood pressure. Cardiologists explain that someone who has borderline high pressure (14-15 large and 9 small) can regulate it by 5%, without medication, based on the following three principles: low dose of alcohol, weight loss and low-salt (less than 3 gr. daily).
Phenolic compounds mentioned reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, improve the control of blood's glucose and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetics. After the consumption of 120-240 milliliters of wine per day for 30 days of fast, the concentration of insulin in the serum is reduced.
Dyslipidemia combined with hypertension and hyperglycemia often appear together in susceptible individuals, and are referred to as "metabolic syndrome". Dyslipidemia, or otherwise, the disorder of blood lipids is associated with overweight or obesity (BMI greater than 30 kg / m2), especially in people who store fat in the abdomen. Excess of toxic free fatty acids in the blood can cause insulin sensitivity and decreased insulin function, which eventually develops into type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In a study of 486 obese individuals, wine consumption showed a significant decrease in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not consume wine.
Resveratrol blocks cell inflammation associated with arthritis and other diseases. Red wine consumption inhibits the activity of NF- kappaB protein, which is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis by increased levels of VLDL cholesterol in blood serum, as shown by studies on samples of monocyte / peripheral macrophage blood.
Catalytic elements (sulfur or magnesium) of certain wines trigger chemical reactions which promote cell regeneration thanks to the elimination of toxins and excess fluid from the joints.
By holding the wine in the mouth we raise its temperature, allowing the release of all the aromatic components of the specific variety but also the contact with all the parts of the oral cavity. The sense of natural pleasure and drooling is thus caused. This process induces the flow of digestive fluids and especially ptyalin, the enzyme that helps the body absorb carbohydrates and starchy substances, accelerating digestion.
A glass of red dry wine will help us feel much better.
Sweet wines activate intestinal functions.
The minerals in white wines assist kidney function, thus clearing the urinary tract.
At small doses, alcohol can positively affect sexual desire, because it relates to the removal of inhibitions .... In small quantity, then, alcohol can relax and stimulate sexual desire.
There is a nostrum made with ingredients that exist in each house: bread and red wine. It can be used for blows of the limbs, throwing one handful of bread crumbs to 1/2 liter of wine and after stirring well, we dip the sore limb for half an hour in the mixture. Otherwise, we put the soaked bread as compress.
6.1.15. Red wine in the treatment of slipped disc
US researchers found that the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, slows the damage caused to the discs of the spine down.
Experts of Rusk University in Chicago injected resveratrol in injured cartilage of cows and found that the anti-inflammatory substance prevented further injuries, while the pain to the animals stopped.
The secret, they say, lies in the levels of proteoglycans, the substances responsible for the healing process. Resveratrol was able to raise their levels resulting to a significant reduction of the rate of deterioration of cartilage. Although tests for the moment are limited to animals, however, scientists hope that this discovery in the future could provide relief to thousands of people suffering from a slipped disc.
6.16. Wine as a factor regulating bad mood
Alcohol has the ability to affect in a complex way our mental mood. When consumed in moderation, it relaxes and causes euphoria. We must however point out that a key feature of alcohol consumption in our country, and other Mediterranean countries, is sociability. In other words, we tend to drink wine with friends, which expresses a whole philosophy of life, and in its turn, it contributes to the euphoria accompanying wine drinking.
6.2. Beneficial effects on beauty
Grapeseed oil is the oil from the seeds of grapes and is produced by cold pressing the seeds from the rejected grape seeds during the winemaking process. It has the same antioxidants benefits with green and black tea, berries and red wine. The antioxidants of grapeseed oil are called oligomeric proanthocyanidins (PCO), which are known for their positive effects on health, and are more powerful antioxidants than vitamins C and E.
Grapeseed oil is rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins, and polyphenols that contain antiinflammatories. It also contains linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids which are the essential components of cell membranes.
Some of its many uses are:
- It is widely used in the cosmetic industry because of its softening and moisturizing properties, that make the skin soft and firm. It tones the skin except keeping it tight, helping to slow the aging process down. It also helps to combat free radicals and prevent the action of certain enzymes that destroy collagen, elastin and other components of the connective tissue.
- It is widely used for the treatment of acne and many other skin problems, and also for protection against sunburn. Thus, grapeseed oil is an important component of sunscreen.
- It finds great application in aromatherapy in blends with essential oils. The massage with grapeseed oil is enough for the care and overall health of the skin.
- It does wonders on hair and therefore is widely used in hair treatments as it makes it shiny and healthy. It also protects the hair from dandruff, hair loss, hair breakage, split ends and almost all the other common hair problems. Massaging the hair and scalp with grapeseed oil on a regular basis will ensure that the hair remains strong and healthy. It is lightweight and non-greasy.
- Besides its use in beauty treatments, grapeseed oil may be used to treat many health problems, such as arthritis. Studies show that the regular use of this oil increases collagen production, which is needed for maintaining the strength of the joints. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory properties are useful for reducing pain in the joints.
- Complications associated with diabetes can be reduced by regular use of grapeseed oil. The linoleic acid existing in grapeseed oil, is believed to be the main reason for the antidiabetic effect.
- Finally, it is excellent for the circulatory system, and it may relieve varicose veins and spider veins. It also helps in other conditions such as premenstrual syndrome and chronic venous insufficiency.
Cosmetics from wine vinegar are based on the beneficial effects of grape, used in the form of oil from grapes or wine and exfoliation with grape seeds.
Because of the unique natural antioxidants contained in wine, elements resulting in skin aging and loss of elasticity are reduced, they protect vital skin lipids and proteins that make the skin smooth, flexible and soft, and reduce the signs of cellulite. Fruit acids contained in grapes have rejuvenating, moisturizing and refreshing results, so they are used in day creams for face and body, in oils, eye lotions and shampoo.
Also the red grape effectively protects against photo-oxidation caused by UVA radiation, thus it is used as a sunscreen protection in emulsion formulations.
Finally many diet supplements, vitamins for athletes and formulations for stress have as a component grape must.
7. About Wine
Once upon a time, God Dionysus was hosted by the King of Aetolia, Eneas. He was pleased so much from the hospitality that for return, he wanted to make him a gift.
He got a small and gentle vine and wrapped its roots with mud to keep it moist. After having found a small hollow bone of a nightingale, he put in and began his journey.
But the road was long and the vine grew increasingly. Dionysus then found a bigger bone of a lion and put it inside. He walked again very much and saw that the vine grew again so much, that popped out from its case. So, he searched and found a pig bone and put the vine in.
He arrived sometime in Aetolia. Eneas took joyfully the gift and planted it. This grew and bear fruit and gave off nice and juicy grapes. Eneas ate some, he squeezed other and he made must. He saw with curiousness that the must was fermented and became wine.
But the wine also took the pros and cons of the animals in whose bones it grew. So, whoever drinks some wine, he feels like a bird and is chirping.
But anyone who drinks more, grows big and becomes like a lion and asks for quarrels. And if he drinks even more, he becomes like the animal that amid its bones Dionysus put it last .
In human history, there have been civilizations that were based on viticulture and wine commerce, and even today, in the consciousness of many, wine means culture. In prehistoric times, the places where the climate favored the viticulture, culture was "born" and vice versa: the flourishing and prosperity of a civilization, is linked to the vine and wine. This is no coincidence: viticulture requires permanent residence and not nomadic life and is done in barren soils, leaving fertile for cereals and other crops. Wine production requires technical knowledge and specialized practices while its trade requires transport, knowledge of trade, economy, shipping etc. One of the civilizations of wine, the most famous and the longest, was the Greek.
Ancients Greeks discovered wine as a gift of nature and made him a work of art. Greek wine and culture were goods that remained timeless. Even when in Byzantium, Christianity - which was embraced by Greeks - initially fought the Ancient Greek civilization, and then maintained and spread two ideas: Greek language and the huge Greek wine heritage. Byzantine culture and Orthodox Christian art, that over time, were identified with Greece, are full of symbolisms and references on the vine and wine. They are found in mosaics, religious paintings and monastic manuscripts, in folk art and folk poetry. The renowned Byzantine wines of the Aegean Sea and other Greek areas were the best ambassadors of a culture that for centuries lit up the West, in the dark years of the Middle Ages. But they did not benefit only Greece. The occasional conquerors of Greece, sometimes hostile, sometimes friendly, along with the Greek culture, exploited celebrity Greek wines, winning fame and money and developing their own culture. The Roman civilization except Dionysus (as Bacchus), claimed several of the advanced viticultural and winemaking techniques, along with famous wines produced by the Greek vineyards. The Venetians and others Europeans of the seas, since medieval times, had Greek wines as their main income, on their travels, while the Ottoman Empire benefited and enriched both by the taxation of the famous Greek wine production, but from the coexistence with the Greek Christians, who never lost their "gene" of wine instinct.
In addition to material culture, with wine as an agricultural product, commodity, drink, food, medicine and daily enjoyment, wine was meant to be the driving force and of the spiritual culture. Wine in Greece was deified, worshiped and became myth, legend, tradition, history, art, science and culture, thus, arts, letters and wine being a great triptych. Ancient poets like Homer and Hesiod, writers, as Herodotus and Xenophon, philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and tragic and satirical writers, thinkers and intellectuals, doctors and artists, all the Greek spiritual world, praise, report and glorify wine, while introducing the concept of measure, what we now call rational wine consumption.
Arts, Letters and wine were at the center of culture of classical Greece. In fact, arts and letters were affected decisively by wine. The famous Greek philosophy was shaped through conversations of wise men at symposia. Theatre, comedy and tragedy were "born" through the Dionysian festivals. Many other arts, such as literature, poetry, painting, sculpture, ceramics, pottery, metalwork, were inspired by wine and gave humanity marvelous masterpieces.
7.2.3. Ancient Greek Civilization and wine
Greek civilization is the oldest in Europe. Especially that of the Classical era decisively influenced Western thinking. In this context, ancient Greek culture and wine were complementing one another, to such a point that to the Greek wine is owed to a significant percentage, the dissemination of the Greek culture in the world, as its position to eternity. Besides, the Greek civilization was created by being inspired by the "spirit" of Dionysus and financed by the wine commerce.
Ancient Greeks were a highly intelligent, perceptive and creative people. They used wine as a source of wealth, not only of thinking, but also revenue. Mainly with wine, but also with olive oil, they exchanged whatever the good they lacked, from food to metals. With the money gained from Wine trade, the major "investments" of the era were made, in public works and admired constructions. Thus, the ancient Greek civilization and wine helped one another effectively.
They are two inseparable concepts. The world of wine owes to ancient but also modern Greece, its contribution to the historical emergence of wine as "Work of art" and cultural institution. It also owes the systematization of the methods of viticulture, unique winemaking techniques as well as the creation of wines from different varieties, types, designations of origin, etc. That is, all those who laid the foundations of the global wine culture, which is by enjoyed modern oenophiles.
In contemporary Greece, they continue to be "one". In the same soil, the descendants of the ancient Greek vinegrowers and winemakers cultivate their vines, so as to give to the whole world the fruit of the Greek sun and the Greek land, through their new wine culture. Thus, the modern Greek wines are creations of a people, whose history of vine and wine is the very history of its civilization!
Wine worked in Greece as a catalyst for millennia, being a nutritional pillar. Already from prehistoric times, the vine was a nationwide cultivation and wine constituted not just a drink, but everyday food. It did not only come with the food but it was food. But for the Greeks of the classical era, wine was a basic agricultural product and food at the same time, with rich nutritional and dietary value. Sweet wines of antiquity were an excellent and everyday source of calories daily, available all year round.
Greek vineyards, native varieties and the sun of the Aegean Sea endowed Greek wines with strength in transportation and in time. Thus, in difficult living conditions, in hard farm works, on long journeys, in inevitable wars, the wine as food was more than beneficial. A wine cup strengthened and stimulated the body, but also the morale. Much later, during the difficult years of conquered Greece, as were those of the Turkish domination, in the centuries when the rest of Europe lived their renaissance, the nutritional value of the wine was necessary for the harsh living conditions. But even in more recent years, a typical food of the Greek countryside, rooted in antiquity, was bread dipped in wine. Is nothing indeed, but a wine version of Homer's kykeon (water, barley and herbs).
It was not just the wine as food that helped the Greeks (from ancient until much later times), but also the wine as remedy. From long ago, wine was considered therapeutic, both alone and with the addition of herbs. He had always had and the character of a "medicine" because of its tonic, heating, "sterilizing" and rejoicing action. Of course, the concept of measure accompanying its consumption, which in ancient Greece was almost always done after mixing it with water. The Athenian citizen started a day with a glass of wine (alloyed - with water - wine), while he regularly participated at symposia, in which drinking wine (avoiding drunkenness) and philosophy dominated. In other cases, such mixing sterilized partially the dubious quality water.
The importance of wine, which the poets praised and kings glorified, appears in ancient Greece from the worship of Dionysos and the Dionysian festivals. Wine in religion had a prominent position. With wine ancient Greeks honored the gods in libations and with wine vessels for accompaniment, they said goodbye to their dead.
Wine remained though the daily companion of the Greeks and in subsequent historical periods, such as the Hellenistic and Roman times. In Byzantine times, wine had a special symbolism. Protected by the Christian religion, with Christ himself referred to as the "vine" and Holy Communion being offered to the believers as his blood, wine continued to be worshiped by the Greeks. Thus, wine in religion maintained its position, even though the Dionysian worship was a "forbidden" memory, which broke out in celebrations like the one of St. Trifon, patron saint of winegrowers in Greece.
Nama or Anamma is called the wine offered in the Church for the Holy Communion. The wine intended for this purpose is prepared normally with unique and special way because of its special use. Usually it is made from carefully selected black grapes, Muscat and Merlot and is red aromatic wine. Nama is vinified in the traditional manner by concentration of the must. In taste, it has a rich tannic structure with pleasant aftertaste, subtle aromas of rose and forest fruits.
7.2.7. Wine at the everyday table
It remains one of the permanently placed goods especially at the Greek tables. Even during the Turkish occupation, which was forbidden by Muslim conquerors, wine was not missing from the Greek table. On the contrary, viticulture, production and consumption of wine, were for the Greeks, consciously or not, an act of resistance and momentary freedom. In those years, a great tradition was formed by the creation of proverbs, poems and songs about the vine and wine, which are preserved and used even nowadays.
In modern times, wine still remains an element of the daily life of independent Greece. Across the country, which is basically agricultural, every village had vineyards and each family its own small vine, for the annual self-sufficiency in wine. Simultaneously, other grape products were and are produced, such as table grapes, tsipouro, vinegar, molasse (boiled must with which sweets are made), vine leaves, for use in food (e.g. stuffed grape leaves), while wine itself held and holds an important position in cooking. Thus, wine's position at the table everyday is manifold.
The austere way of the Mediterranean diet, local cuisines, Cretan diet, fast, as a necessity, as a religious duty, or as a philosophical way of life, always were accompanied in Greece with a glass of wine. The tradition of wine in Greece is very big. Wine continues to have a direct relationship with Greeks and to be present in their daily lives. So, wine in the daily table not only accompanies Greek cuisine but also Greek lives in their heart and historical memory.
Wine often played a leading role in the movies. Whether as part of film or as a key element of the case, it occupied a section of the screen and added a bit of its romance to the atmosphere. From the existing film production, these are the most representative movies for wine lovers:
1. Sideways (2004)
2. Bottle Shock (2008)
3. Notorious (1946)
4. This Earth is mine (1959)
5. A Good Year (2006)
6. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
7. Mondovino (2004)
8. An Affair to Remember (1957)
9. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
10. The Kids are All Right (2010)
In antiquity
The habit of Ionian symposia of the 7th century, an imitation of the Lydian symposia, was expanded to the Greeks of historical period and converted into a social institution with regulations and defined ceremony. Their root was their sacred meals, but also the simple joy of socializing and drinking. In symposia, lyric poetry was born and in particular symposiac poetry. In Classical Athens, the habit of a "drink" had a special character of spirituality and sociability. It is not coincidental that Plato placed the philosophical dialogues about love in the context of a symposium, as he considered the symposia a school for the formation of correct characters, as they teach a man his duty of being an excellent citizen.
According to Aristotle, tragedy came from the dithyramb, a song in honor of Dionysus. From Athenian, an extent collection of 25 songs, which the Athenians used to sing at the symposia ("Scolia"), was rescued. The word comes from the adjective "scolios" (crooked, oblique) and stated the irregular order of performing the songs. The euphonious of the symposium by holding, each one with his turn a myrtle twig, said a song. The songs talked about wine drinking and the core principles of sociability, according with the archaic concept were promoted:
1. Participation in wine drinking
2. Enjoyment of youth with friends (one of the four precious commodities; the other three are: health, beauty and honest wealth)
3. solidarity
Commonplace in ancient literature was the view that wine is the antidote for troubles and worries of everyday life.
In Byzantium (Great singers, great scholars and also popular muse)
The vine and wine were the most sacred symbols that Christianity borrowed from ancient religions. The habits of centuries were rooted so deep that those who tread the grapes, continued for many centuries after the dominance of Christianity, in the 3rd century, to wear masks, while treading grapes, sing, make noise and invoke Dionysus, despite the prohibition of the Council in Troulla, in 691. This society had, however, both sides: the official brilliant Byzantium with the cross in one hand and the sword in the other. In its shadow, there was another Byzantium, that of the farmer, the innkeeper, the heretic poet and the scholar with the critical and revolutionary mood. To these people, the persecuted Bacchus and the feast of wine resorted.
Irrefutable evidence that helps us understand the inseparable link of our people with the wine are acritic songs, hymns for the Byzantines who were active in the Upper Euphrates, in the same places the personality of Alexander the Great excelled.
- At symposia, the Byzantine rulers narrated their accomplishments around a marble table, with their golden bowls full of sweet wine, exactly like the Homeric heroes.
- In scenes of parting, the mother, wife or beloved of the hero keeps a glass and treats, like Ekavi to Hector.
Palladas and Synesius are considered the most typical representatives of the era of the diminishing National Hellenism and triumphant Christianity. Especially Palladas lived at the time of transition to Christianity, feeling in difficulty both with the Nationalists and Christians. That is why he was given the nickname "Meteoros" (hanging). The persecution of the national's religion (eg grabbing the statues to decorate the temples of Christians in Alexandria) hurts him. But there is always a tavern for the old Greek to drown his sorrow, to drink, to get drunk, to be sarcastic and philosophical, regardless of the uranium cap.
In acritic songs, feasts are a very familiar theme. In variations of acritic songs of Cyprus, even Death is invited by Digenis and in them, we find the most complete list of the properties of wine. Wine was considered after all, the only of earthy things that could even tempt Death.
In modern Greek poetry.
The longing to live and to reconnect with the spirit of ancient Dionysian worship are recognized in texts of non occupied by the Turks Hellenism, in the 16th and 17th century. The condemnatory mood of the older literature was channeled and transformed in many satires of the drunkard that the 19th, but also the 20th century mainly show. The intention however is no longer condemnation and punishment, but laughter and effort of mild treatment.
Since the mid- 8th century, however, our poetry begins to compose praises of wine and re-live the joys of daily life associated with them. This bacchanal experience comes from areas of relatively free and urban welfare: the centers of Phanariot acne, primarily, and the Ionian Islands.
End of romance and with the generation of 1880, wine and vine become symbols of Greek nature and social life.
In all the poems of the first Byzantine centuries, until the 14th century, wine dominates: boundless wine, fragrant wine. However, over the centuries, alloyed wine (water and wine) born into the glasses during ancient greek symposia, gave way to the "wine wine," of the Byzantine period and the poetic works of 14th and 16th century.
Our poets in poetic creations equally honor all the varieties of wine, red and white.They use the colors of gemstones to describe the variety of the shades of wine. Ruby will be often used to describe the color of red wine, while sapphire will help to attribute the color of the famous Malvasia.
Greek society and Greek poetry will find in wine an eager supporter to the description of all the events of life, but also of feelings of sadness, joy, friendship.
7.2.10. Wine in painting and sculpture
Ceramics: Of all the ancient civilizations of human history, it seems that Greeks carry some of the most important legacies of pottery design. In many of these projects, it is shown in detail the appreciation Ancient Greeks had for the enjoyment of wine. The most notable in pottery are the pictures depicting the practice of "symposium" (starting around 5th century BC ).
Statues / Sculptures: In general, although most of the famous white marble statues found in the world's largest museums were created in Roman times, most were actually copies of the original Greek statues. Of these, there is a considerable number of statues depicting the most famous "god of wine" ever existed: the Bacchus (or Dionysus, in Greek). Even more than the Greeks, the Romans were a civilization fond of wine drinking.
Wine and paintings: During the Renaissance, the human ability to paint had reached (at least in the eyes of many contemporary art scholars) in such a climax that had not been repeated since. There are Renaissance paintings specific to wine. Even those incorporating wine in its entirety are really brilliant miracles.
Wine and frescoes: Renaissance has left us many examples where wine is included as an element in frescoes. As expected, most of these images can be found in churches.
Painting with wine
Italian artist Elisabetta Rogai from Florence uses wine in her works as inspiration. With one difference, though! She does not drink it but paints her paintings with it! More specifically, the painter uses only white and red wine to create stunning paintings, without chemical additives, letting the wine reproduce itself on the canvas the exact aging process usually taking place in the bottle! "The aging of wine, which usually occurs during the years, lasts only a few months on the canvas, while the difference between a freshly painted artwork and a three-month one, is visible. Changes in texture and colors, evolving from purple and red to more mature tones of orange and brown, indicate the oldness or not of the painting. "
All the wines have aromas, some more some less. Time puts nice "clothes" and nice "aromas" on wines when they can be aged. The grape has its own primary aroma. During fermentation, secondary aromas are developed that remind grape and wine, but they are neither the one nor the other. And then there is a new life, wine. The aroma gained in contact with the barrel and then during his stay in the bottle is the tertiary. With the passage of time, the simple aroma replaces the "bouquet".
Aroma is a simple composition, in contrast to the bouquet that means many fragrances together, of various flowers cut from the mother-plant, following a separate development and aging process. The word aroma indicates the smell of a new wine, while the bouquet is acquired with age. A new wine does not yet have a bouquet, but a wine that has aged in the bottle has no longer aroma. The wine bouquet develops when the wine is inside the bottle away from the influence of oxygen, where the oxygen that has already been kept therein, acts beneficially.
Such slow, beneficial effect is achieved when the wine is at least for two years tightly sealed in a full wooden barrel. Only wines coming from some varieties can successfully undergo an aging process and acquire a bouquet. Most wines do not withstand in maintenance, losing further their freshness which is for many of them their only charisma.
And here lies the whole myth of old wines concerning aromas. Few are those wines that withstand aging. The great mass of quality wines have to be consumed in 2-3 years from the time of bottling, ie 3-4 years from their vinification. All other wines must be consumed within their first year before their aromas completely disappear.
7.3.2. Fruit and floral aromas
You have heard of course on floral and fruit aromas. Floral aromas are typical of young wines. The kind of flower smell depends on the type of vine, soil and winemaking conditions. Significant is also the role of the fermentation temperature.
Aromas of white and yellow flowers are found in white wines, while aromas of red flowers in red. The rose and its many aromatic shades are the aroma of many red wines.
The new wines that are well preserved have fruity aromas.The same between fruit color and wine aroma apply here.The aroma of the apple is the aromatic background of most white wines. This is not surprising, since both fruit contain the same organic acid: malic. Wines with high acidity sometimes remind of the aroma of lemon. Berry, pomegranate, blackcurrant, strawberry, cherry, apricot and others that can be added by experience, have an aroma that can be detected in many wines. Whether a wine has fruity or floral aromas depends mainly on the varietal characteristics of the grape and after the wine production process, its maintenance and / or aging. Meaning, for the fruity or flowery character of a wine, the three categories of aromas work together! These first two categories are those that one can perceive in their first contact with a glass of wine.
There are other aromas, such as aromas of honey, spices, dried fruits, herbs and others which, however, may be distinguished only by well trained "noses" and "palates". In order for someone to locate tints and aromas in a wine, knowledge of chemistry, physics or mathematics is not required necessarily.
Particularly, observation is required, as well as love for the magic drink of wine. Scientific knowledge, however, always supports the idea of tasters.
Honey aromas are found mainly in white wines which have undergone a process of maturation in oak barrels. For some varieties though, they are characteristic aromas, such for the Chenin Blanc and for some German Riesling.
Usually the wines that have aromas of spices have been aged. Vanilla scent is found in all red and white wines that have been left in oak barrels. Laurel, basil, sage are aromatic constituents of many white wines while in other red wines the smell of pepper and cinnamon prevails.
They are found in aged wines: dry fig, prune, dried apricot, dried raisins etc. The aroma of dried fig is met in wines from very ripe grapes and is considered high quality aroma.
7.3.7. Aromas of dried grasses and foliage
In principle they have an unpleasant character. It is the smell of green grass just cut. It is the result of bad winemaking and is considered as a defect of the wine. But there are herbs and foliage whose aromas are found in wine and which give them a touch of originality, such as the fern, the smell of freshly cut hay, the scent of mint, the scent of pine.
It is a sample of the wide variety of aromas found in wine.
It is a pleasant aroma when it is light and not intense. Retsina is produced only in our country and is made with the addition of pine resin to the grape must. When it is not very intense, it allows the output of other wine aromas, so as to form a harmonious ensemble. The presence of resin is always accompanied by a slight bitterness given to the wine and which is particularly strong in wine that has age over a year.
Their presence is not necessarily negative. The most common we can find in a wine is the smell of the skin, especially the red wines, rich in tannins.
Chemical Terminology of the aromatic constituents
Methanol=aroma of some apples
Ethanol=the familiar scent of alcohol which also reminds of certain apple varieties
Hexanol=smell of freshly cut grass
Amyl and isoamyl alcohol=unpleasant odor which resembles however that of alcohol
Phenyl-2-ethanol=aroma of rose and jasmine
Tyrosol=honey aroma
Linalool=one of the aromatic constituents of Muscat, with lemon aroma
A -ionone=violet perfume
Geraniol=flowery aroma but heavy
A-terpineol=camphor aroma
Octenol=unpleasant smell of mold
Isoamyl Acetate=banana and pear flavor
Kapronikos Acetate=violet and ripe apples aroma
Ethyl caprylate=less intense fruit aroma, reminding the aroma of a soap, type Marseille
Ester of Methylosavinonis=tsipouro aroma
Isobutyric acid=old cheese smell
Butyrate Ether=butter scent
It has been proven that the wine has as higher rating as the greater the concentration of esters (except ethyl acetate) and higher alcohols to a concentration point.
When we open a bottle of wine, in order to enjoy it, the wine must be pleasant and cool. On these very simple characteristics of pleasant and cool, the world-famous rule has been supported: "White wines are drunk cool and red wines at room temperature."
At the time the above rule was invented, the central heating that launches the thermometer above 20°C, had not yet entered our homes. So, the first important element: about 15.5°C are considered as room temperature.
Over 20°C, the aromatic characters of the wine, that are the first and easier to evaporate, are lost and with them part of the alcohol is lost. The result is the imbalance of the wine. In contrast, below 8°C, every wine appears to have no flavor nor taste.
The temperature of a wine, depending on whether it is appropriate or not, displays respectively the positive organoleptic characteristics of the wine, it camouflages or eliminates them. Each wine is a unique personality, which requires its own unique serving temperature.
Red Wine
The more elevated temperature of red wines favors them because:
- it soothes the feeling of astringency
- it enhances their aroma, favoring the evaporation of aromatic components, since their full volume (if they have) entraps them, preventing them to fascinate our sense of smell.
White wines
The relatively low temperature extends the duration of their aroma, but also, by comparison with red wines, their reduced volume favors the quick release of the aromas. It also reduces the feeling of acidity (sour), which, by the elevated temperature is enhanced and may become uncomfortable.
Sparkling Wines
They are served at low temperature, because in a high one, the carbon dioxide, because of which the bubbles caused, will disappear immediately.
Sweet Wine
They are served at low temperature, because in a high one, the carbon dioxide, because of which the bubbles caused, will disappear immediately.
Sweet Wine
Low temperature reduces the excessive sense of sweetness they possess.
GENERAL:
15-18°C, Red full, tannic wines
12-16°C, White, full, dry complex wines
10-12°C, Red light, moderately full wines
8-10°C, Rose, sparkling and sweet wines
7.4.2. The lighting in the room changes the taste of wine
The lighting of a room affects the taste, but also our disposition to pay a lot, according to a according to a German scientific research.
Researchers from the Institute of Psychology of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, studied 500 volunteers, who were asked to test a specific wine under different lighting conditions.Next, they were asked to comment on the taste of wine and moreover, for how much money they evaluated it. The research showed that the wine was rated with "best taste ", when it was in red or blue light, contrary to the wine that was in green or white light. In fact, the same people appeared willing to pay more money for the bottle of wine bathed in red light in relation to the green light.
According to the manager of the research Dr. Daniel Omperfelnt-Touistel, it was already known that the color of a drink can influence the way we taste it. The new study however showed that the lighting in the restaurant has a similar effect.
One interpretation for this is that the pleasant lighting subconsciously leads the mind to understand wine as more pleasant. According to experimental tastings under different lighting, wine is perceived by some people as half times sweeter when surrounded by red light, compared to white or green. Also, red light increases more the fruity flavor of the wine.
The German scientists plan further researches to better understand the lighting-taste relationship. The study is published in the scientific Journal of Sensory Studies.
If we open any recipes book (or website), it is really impressive the number of dishes contained and which will include wine in some of their preparation steps. And indeed, this may be surprising, but certainly it is not strange, because wine has one of the strongest scents, but it is also one of the most effective 'taste' catalysts that can be used in cooking.
Since, however very often, we use wine in the kitchen purely empirically, it is not sure that we always have the best results.
Very often a recipe asks to marinate a piece of red or white meat in wine. What one achieves with marinating is to soften the meat, so, it can be cooked more evenly and properly, with less loss of its natural juices which keep it tender. So that we are utilizing from the wine in the marinade, is the acids, which essentially will "bake", to a small extent, the meat, even before it comes in contact with fire. With the same logic, other acidic liquids used in the marinade are the vinegar and lemon juice.
How long the marinating will last, is something that each recipe will clarify separately. The effect of the marinade into the meat is so gentle and gradual, though, that we hardly have the risk of "over-marinating". If we cook pork or chicken, the marinade must necessarily be thrown out before the cooking, as it is no longer safe for any other use, and any other sauce - wine sauce or not - will have to be prepared from the beginning. But if we cook beef or lamb, we can safely use the marinade to the next steps of the preparation of our dish.
7.5.2. Wine addition to sauteing
Once the fire is at its peak, and our food is almost ready, we turn it off and add wine. The violent contact of wine with the fire will "force" the alcohol to evaporate, leaving all the aroma of the wine to boil with the food and flavor it. When we use wine in cooking, alcohol stops being useful, unlike the aromas of wine, which are needed.
By adding wine to sauteing, we take its full aromatic intensity, which will highlight the flavors of our food in the best possible way. In most cases, we add white wine. If the recipe asks us for red, it is advisable to let wine boil a little more together with our food, and the alcohol will be possibly higher, but it will also contain additional aromatic components (eg barrel),that they will need more time to be homogenized in the plate.
7.5.3. For food with wine sauce
Here, the use of wine is quite different. Often, the wine will even replace water in which our food will boil. In this case, we will use a bigger quantity of red wine and lower heat, so that the integration of wine to the overall flavor of the dish will be done harmoniously. In taste, the wine will dominate the final dish, but this is the goal. This is why the most common meat cooked with wine sauce is that with a particularly intense flavor (lamb, game, etc.), which the recipe mitigates with the use of wine.
7.5.4. What wine we use in cooking
Just because the main reason why we want wine in cooking is the aromas that will be given to our dish, the wine we choose should be aromatic. When the alcohol will have evaporated and the acids will be "cooked", all that will be left is the primary, mainly fruity, aromas of the wine. So, if we use a neutral or moderate wine in aromas, then we will have achieved half our purpose. On the contrary, an aromatic wine will give us the best possible result. That is why we will prefer fragrant white varieties like Moschofilero, Muscat and Gewurztraminer.
Incidentally, until now we are talking about using dry wine in cooking. This does not mean that we can not use sweet wine respectively. We will do it something like that without fear a) if we follow a recipe that results in a sweet dish, or b) if, in another step of the recipe, we used a very salty element (e.g., a salty Gruyere), so the sweet wine will be used for a more complete tasty result.
7.5.5. What wine we should not use in cooking
It is good to avoid cooking using wines with intense characteristics, like very high alcohol or overuse of a barrel, as these will influence our plates and can lead to taste "discords". But what we certainly must avoid is to use the first wine we find in the kitchen, and which we may not even remember when we opened. We must remember that this opened wine can now be oxidized or have any other deterioration due to the time that is left open. Imperfections of the wine in this case will inevitably go on food and will "betray" us, endangering the end result for the sake of our convenience.
7.5.6. How much wine should we use in the preparation of a dish?
Here we should follow the recipe to the letter, as most recipes have been written after have been tested many times and with different variations until the desired result. What must be remembered, however, is that the reason we use wine in a recipe is to highlight the basic flavors of the raw materials of our dish and not to conceal them with the taste of a wine that has the power, if used in large quantities, to cover everything up.
7.5.7. Should we use the same wine in cooking as the one we will serve at the table?
Yes, but to a certain extent. In fact, we may well use the wine that will accompany our plate at the table, but not necessarily. What is important is to use a good quality wine, which is in good condition, so as to have a good, tasty result. By using wine in the kitchen, we can give to various dishes depth and complex taste, thus maximizing the enjoyment that they can offer us.
7.5.8. Ideal combinations of wine and cheese
- Soft, creamy, white cheeses blend perfectly with white, fruity wines. A mozzarella or cream cheese, for example, find their ideal match in a Mantinia or an Italian Soave.
- Salty, white cheeses ask for dry, white wines. Try feta with Assyrtiko.
- Cheeses such as Roquefort, gorgonzola and blue cheese are ideally accompanied by sweet wines. Their strong, strict and special flavor is harmoniously complemented by the courtesy of a sweet wine. Very good choices are the sweet wines of Samos.
- Hard, yellow cheeses like red wine. But be careful. The wine should not have the strength and rigor of a Barolo, since there is the risk of overshadowing the taste of the cheese. Prefer more subtle and very fruity reds, such as Merlot and the Greek Xinomavro.
7.6. Wine and the consequences of excessive consumption
Excessive alcohol consumption is accompanied by risks to the cardiovascular system. It increases the blood fats such as triglycerides, increases blood pressure and the danger of heart failure, while loading the body with unnecessary calories. Also, it is known that alcohol abuse is the cause of strokes, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy and sudden death.
Alcoholism of a pregnant woman may lead to the syndrome of fetal alcoholism with serious consequences for the child, including increased death risk at birth, decreased mental abilities and low birth weight.
According to epidemiological statistics, alcohol abuse leads to an increased number of road accidents and suicides. In people addicted to alcohol, social and medical problems that arise, can destroy their lives.
It is impossible to predict who of the ones beginning to drink alcohol, will become alcoholics because of addiction.
A drink equals to:
- 355 milliliters of beer
- 118 milliliters of wine
- from 30-45 milliliters of stronger alcoholic beverages
In conclusion, excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholism is a source of many evils, unlike moderate consumption accompanied by positive results.
Unripe: very young wine, with high acid content.
Velvet: soft wine, pleasant to the palate.
Bouchon: Wine with an apparent defect in odor and taste due to its cork.
Generous: highranking wine, rich in flavor and aroma.
Balanced: wine with harmony to the different tastes.
Soft: wine that has no annoying acidic and astringent taste.
Nervous: wine with obvious acidity.
Hard, tannic: wine with intense astringency of tannins.
Round: wine with body and velvety taste. No taste comes second and none excels.
Wine with body: wine rich in ingredients that leaves our mouth full of taste impressions.