RAISe your glass ABCs of wine

 Jason Clarke, Contributor

It's the season to eat, drink, and be merry and nothing aids that process more than a fine glass of vino. But for many of us, it's a very daunting world. What is the difference between a glass of merlot versus Cabernet Sauvignon or a nice glass of mascato? For the merry season, the Food section is here to take you through the maze. We have teamed up with wine enthusiast Jason Clarke to break it down for you - taking you through the frills to the thrills of truly enjoying a great glass of wine.

It's very hard to pinpoint where my love for wine came from. But what I can say with absolute certainty is that wine is a personal experience, catered to each person's unique preferences. There will be some things you will not like and some things you will like immensely, but the journey of exploration is what makes the whole process of discovery enjoyable.

We generally tend to think of wine as the ultimate point of sophistication. According to the Greeks and Romans, wine along with art and food were quintessential for good living, so who am I to argue? In my early wine experiences, I often wondered how wine is made and how it is possible to have so many different wines.

Wines, in essence, are grapes crushed into juice and slowly converted to alcohol through the addition of yeast. What happens is, the sugars in the wine interact with the yeast and get converted to alcohol. There is a lot of chemistry involved in this process, which may be best explained by a chemistry professor which your lowly wine enthusiast isn't able to. I am more concerned with the simple outcome of wine and its enjoyment rather than its intricate design and making.

What gives each type of wine its unique profile is entirely dependent on the type of grape(s) or varietal (the term used by the wine connoisseurs) used to make it, and where and how its grown. There are thousands of grape varieties which I will simplify to the popular few you will typically see on your supermarket shelves - perhaps oversimplify it for the true wine connoisseur reading this column. We could broadly classify it into reds, whites, and sparklings.

Red

Pinot Noir (pee-noh nwahr)

Merlot (mer-loh)

Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-er-nay saw-vee-nyon)

Malbec (mal-beck)

Shiraz/Syrah (shi-razz/see-rah)

White

Sauvigon Blanc (saw-vee-nyon blahnk)

Pinot Grigio (pee-noh GREE-joe)

Chardonnay (shar doh nay)

Riesling (reese-ling)

Sparkling

Champagne (Sham Pain)

Prosecco (Proh SAKE Coh)

Muscato (MUSS Cat-Oh)

Because we are getting into the Christmas spirit of food, fun and frivolity, wine, too, can be included in that line-up of enjoyment for the season. I think I will start with something sweet, cold and scintillating. From my own experience, I have always found that sweeter wines are easier to enjoy for a new wine drinker. No better option than a Moscato. If you are conscious of how many calories you are consuming, a typical glass is between 90-130 calories. A few squats, lunges and push-ups and those extra calories are completely non-existent.

Moscatos are sweet, not like concentrated bulk syrup kind of sweet, but more like a diluted version of that with lime to give it a little twist, which makes it absolutely delicious. Moscatos typically have a very fruity smell and typically only contain between 5-7 per cent alcohol, so it won't have you stumbling and staggering after one glass. It's an easy-drinking wine.

Typically, the colour of a Moscato is between a pale yellow and a light gold colour - aka a white wine so it should be served cold.

One of my favourites is a Sutter Home Moscato, not too sweet in the grand scheme of things and smells a bit like rose petals, lychees and peaches. This is one of those wines my mother (who typically does not drink wine) always enjoys. It is available in most supermarkets and could run you between $1,200 and $1,500 a bottle. When you go into the supermarket, don't be daunted by the multitude of options - Woodbridge Moscato, Beringer Moscato, Cup Cake Moscato or a Yellow Tail Moscato - to name a few (all in the same price range). Don't be scared. just try one, or better yet - try them all.

Try one and share your experience with us.

I would like to make a toast, to good friends and great wine.

I am not an expert, merely a wine enthusiast sharing my thoughts and experiences. Feel free to share your own experiences at wineenthusiastja@gmail.com/lifestyle@gleanerjm.com.