Basic Types of Wine
“How do you like the merlot?”
“Merlot? I never heard of it. Did they just invent it?”
--Estelle Costanza, Seinfeld
Wine Styles
Red: Red wine is made from black grapes that are fermented with the skin and pips. Wine producers
worldwide are constantly developing reds that are smoother, more rounded and juicier. Styles range from
light and refreshing to sweet and fortified.
Rosé: Rosé wine is produced from black grapes without the stalks. The juice is separated off as soon as
it is sufficiently pink. Styles vary enormously. Some of the best rosés are produced from the Grenache
grape and are deliciously fragrant and refreshing.
Blush: Blush wine originated in California. Here, the skins of the black grapes are left to macerate,
briefly, with the must. The result is a delightful pinkish-blue colored wine with a coppery hue. Californian
blush is produced predominantly from the Zinfandel grape.
White: Surprisingly, white wine can be made from white or black grapes, as all grape juice is colorless,
initially. White wine styles vary from bone dry to golden sweet.
Sparkling: A yeast and sugar solution is added to dry table wine to create the best of the sparkling
wines. The wine is then sealed for secondary fermentation.
Guide to Sweetness and Weight
Here is a quick and dirty guide to the sweetness and weight of wines (and please note that, for both
charts, the listed reds are not necessarily of the same sweetness/weight as the whites listed next to them
-- these are relative charts of sweetness/weight, within red or white):
RED WHITE RED WHITE
Sweetest Pinot Noir Riesling Lightest Merlot Brut
Zinfandel Chardonnay Zinfandel Sauvignon Blanc
Cabernet Chenin Blanc Chianti Pinot Grigio
Syrah Sauvignon Blanc Pinot Noir Riesling
Driest Merlot Brut Heaviest Cabernet Chardonnay
White Wines
White wines vary as much in color as they do in taste. Generally, though, as unripe fruit tends to be too
green, so too is an unripe wine. You can anticipate much of the wine's flavor simply by its hue. A pale
color (yellow/green) often indicates youth and bitterness while brown indicates a decaying wine. Nicely
aged white wines are often a golden yellow color.
Type Style Aroma and Flavor
Chablis Made from Chardonnay (see below). –
Varies with region & process, but usually
Flowery, buttery. Warm
subtle, dry and crisp. Absorbs flavors, is used
Chardonnay regions: very fruity. Aged in
in many white wines, and champagne. Goes
oak: Vanilla, nuts, cloves.
very well with food.
Not too common. Produces wines which Fruity (apples, citrus, blossoms,
Chenin Blanc
range from very dry to very sweet. melon), honey and spice.
Wines produced vary from dry to very sweet. Fruit (peach, citrus), honey,
Gewürztraminer
Very full flavor. spice, roses.
These two varieties are commonly combined,
Marsanne and
full body with low acid. Used to make Apples, nuts, spice.
Rousanne
Hermitages.
Universal and very versatile grape, can
Muscat produce both sweet and dry wines, still or Grapes, flowers and spice.
sparkling, fortified or table.
Simple, full in body, can produce both sweet
Pinot Blanc Light: Apples, almonds.
and dry.
Rich in style, these wines go well with most
Pinot Gris food. "Pinot Grigio" in Italy (not as rich), also Light: Oranges, pine, nuts.
"Tokay d'Alsace".
This is the classic grape of Germany. Wines
produced have a balance between fruit and
Very aromatic, both crispness
Riesling acidity, whether it be in a dry crisp style, or a
and sweetness of an apple.
full-bodied luscious sweet wine. Gains
complexity with age.
Full in body, rich in texture. Usually blended
Sėmillon with other grape varieties, is the principal Sweet (honey, fruit), nuts.
grape in the full and sweet Sauternes.
Crisp, light and refreshing, good with
Sauvignon appetizers and light dishes. Poor wines can Bell peppers, grass, straw.
Blanc taste like weeds or herbs. Oak adds fullness Some: fruity, floral, and spicy.
(Fume' Blanc) and depth. Mature early, and are cheaper Aged in oak: Vanilla, spice
than Chardonnay.
Very rich and dry, medium in body, presently
Strong fruit (orange blossoms,
Viognier popular. Also makes Condrieu from the
melon, pear)
Northern Rhone in France.
White Burgundy Made from Chardonnay (see above). –
Red Wines
Red wine varies greatly in color, and it helps to predict the age and taste of the wine. Although it varies
depending on the type of wine, the ideal color is between a deep red and mahogany; too much purple
indicates youth, while brown indicates old age.
Though their color varies, red wines do not vary in taste as much as their white counterparts. Reds are
rarely sweet, and sometimes have a tangy edge. This unique bitterness is as a result of the tannins from
the grape skins, which also provide the rich color.
Type Style Aroma and Flavor
Made from the Pinot Noir
Burgundy –
(see below).
Made predominantly from the Cabernet
Bordeaux –
Sauvignon and the Merlot (see below).
Full, robust and deep wine. Makes the
Musty, Blackcurrant, berry,
Cabernet Bordeaux wines of France. High in tannin, little
butter, pepper, chocolate, mint
Sauvignon bitter, can age for a long time, grows in
and vanilla.
complexity.
Becoming more popular in California, is used in
Grenache Flowers, berries, tea, pepper.
rose' wines.
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and
Meritage –
other grapes in the style of a Bordeaux.
"Softer" and less "harsh", contains less tannin, Berry, cherry, vanilla, mint, black
Merlot
is richer and sweeter. Ages quickly. pepper and olive.
Used in many Italian wines, very deep, complex, Roasted flavors, plum, fig, nutty
Nebbiolo
and dark wines that age well. and "earthy".
Lighter in color and tannin, pairs well with many
Strawberry. Raspberry, cherry,
foods as it lingers, softer than a cabernet and
Pinot Noir grapes, flowers, butter, vanilla
matures quicker. Makes Burgundies, and is also
and spices.
used in Champagne.
Rich, deep, and fruity. Used to make Chianti
Berries, cherry, plum, vanilla,
Sangiovese and a number of other wines, especially in
cinnamon, pepper.
Tuscany, Italy.
The grape, when fully ripe, has increased sugar, Berries, oak, smoke,
Syrah / Shiraz alcohol, color and bitterness. Full, dark, spicy, blackcurrants, and leather
and a roasted flavor. aromas.
Dark purple, most commonly consumed while
young as it retains its fruit flavor, but it also ages Strawberry, raspberry, plum,
Zinfandel
well. Also used to create White Zinfandel (a raisins, pepper and spices.
semi-sweet blush).
Sparkling Wines
What wine better to serve at a celebration than Champagne?
"Bubbly" is much more than a special occasion wine. They are wonderful aperitifs by themselves;
exceptional icebreakers at any gathering; or a great end to any meal. Though the name Champagne has
become a blanket term for sparkling wine, any variety made anywhere other than the Champagne region
of France, where the style originated, is not true Champagne.
Type Description
Blanc de Noir Made from the dark Pinot Noir grape, but with skins removed before the
color is extracted. Has more body and complexity. Color varies from
gold to bright pink
Blanc de Blanc Made entirely from all green (white) grapes, usually the Chardonnay
and Pinot Gris, tastes lighter and fruitier.
Champagne Varies greatly in quality. Made from the Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay
grapes. Not much residual sugar, just enough to balance the acidity.
Spumante "Sparkling" in Italian, spumante has a hint of honey. Brut is dry, Asti
Spumante is sweet.
Fortified
The four types of fortified wines that exist in today's market are: Port, Sherry, Madeira and Marsala.
Although Madeira and Marsala are typically cooking wines, several wineries produce bottles of each that
are suitable for drinking.
A wine is considered "fortified" when alcohol is added during the production process, increasing the
alcohol content generally 6-8%. This additional alcohol comes from a grape Brandy produced separately
with the same grapes as the original wine.
The point in wine production when the Brandy is added also affects the style of fortified wine that is
produced. If the Brandy is added after fermentation then a dry wine is produced. If fortified before
fermentation, the result is a sweet wine with a high sugar content.
Port, is perhaps the most famous of the fortified wines. It gets its name from the Portuguese city of
Opporto. Port has several different styles as illustrated in the following chart.
Type Description
Ruby Deep red, rich flavor, sweet, young (aged 3 years).
Tawny Tawny color, generally older and lighter than ruby, different varieties
and ages.
Vintage From a particular year in which the grape is declared to be of higher
quality, bottled after 2 years and left to age (usually at least 20 years),
served after dinner.
White Made from white grapes, can vary from sweet to dry, usually chilled and
served as an aperitif.