Wine 101 is a six-part series designed to educate the novice wine enthusiast that takes a light-hearted approach to the complex world of wine. Narrated by David Hyde-Pierce, of NBC's "Frasier", the series was shot on location in Europe and the United States. First Taste, a general introduction to the series, begins with true confessions from novice wine drinkers. This episode provides information on buying and storing wine and the science behind the winemaking process. California's North Coast profiles vintners in the Napa and Sonoma Valley regions and recounts the evolution of the wine culture in America, from the days of forty-five cents a gallon in the 1930's, to $100 a bottle today. California's Central Coast tells of California's lesser known wine-producing regions where fields of cattle are just across the lane from grapevines in a "ranch meets vineyard" marriage of cowboys and winemakers. France tells how France's complex wine-naming regulations help buyers steer their way through a wine list and gives an inside look at the life of a vintner whose family has been in the business for generations. Northern France and Germany looks at the Champagne and Alsace regions. Several champagne makers explain their tradition-steeped craft. Also explored is the classic art of making dessert wines. Chianti and Port includes a guided tour through Florence'sCentral Market in wine-rich Tuscany, a trip to Portugal's Duoro River Region and an inside look at the grape-stomping ritual used to create wines's rich cousin, Port.
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