Types of Wine: Facts to Help You Make the Best Choice

Types of Wine: Facts to Help You Make the Best Choice

People between the ages of 25 and 34 prefer wine more than any other alcoholic drink. New vineyards are cropping up while existing vineyards continue to create new varietals and blends. The United Kingdom is home to over 448 wine-producing vineyards to support its wine lovers. 

The extraordinary number of selections and types of wine available in the marketplace means that both the novice and the expert consumer have a lot to consider. Before you buy, it helps to gain a better understanding of the whites, reds, sparkling wines, and sweet wines, to help you to choose the best blend or varietal for your next meal or special occasion.

The difference between a Blend and a Varietal wine

• A true varietal is made from the same type of grape from different regions or plots within the same vineyard. A certain percentage of the grapes, set by each country, must be used in the mixture to be classified as a varietal.

• Blends, created to enhance texture, body, colour, aroma, and finish, are more complex than a varietal. They consist of 40 to 50 per cent of one grape and a mixture of two or more other grapes.

Spotting a good wine

Spotting a good wine is a skill which can be acquired with some practice. A good wine may not necessarily be expensive and an expensive wine may not necessarily be good.

Fine, but how to identify a good wine?

First thing you must understand is that different people like different wines, some prefer dry wines, some sweet, and some neutral.

• Start with the back label, many times the label will tell if the wine is dry, sweet or in the middle.
• Do some research, older wines are not always better than younger wines, and weather conditions in a region each year define the quality of wine for the year. It's easy to find on internet if 2007 was a good year for Bordeaux wines.
• Check for general characteristics: Pleasant smell, balanced flavour, and a taste that lasts on your tongue for a few seconds after a sip.

Red Wines

Red wine gets its name from the dark red colour it has. It is made from black grape varieties which have anthocyan pigments in the skin of the grape which impart the red colour to the wine.

• The Syrah grape, from the Rhone Valley in Northern France, is the darkest-skinned grape and produces one of the most full-bodied red wines in the world. A high-quality Syrah demands a high price, and this treasure pairs well with Italian food.

• The large Merlot grape from the Southwest region of France is the most widely planted red wine variety. It does well in warm and cold climates, is medium-bodied and smooth with luscious plum, cherry, and chocolate flavours. It pairs well with fish and mushroom dishes.

• Cabernet Sauvignon, known as CAB, is the most famous, and youngest of all the red wine grapes. It is made with a blend of Bordeaux grapes. It has deep colour, good structure, and moderate acidity in aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices, and cedar wood. It pairs best with Italian food.

• The French Malbec grape is one of the five Bordeaux varieties dubbed Argentina's signature grape. It’s not the most popular, but it's beginning to gain traction. The strong colour and tannins make it the perfect Bordeaux veritable. Malbec pairs well with Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Thai food, making it very versatile. 

• The Pinot Noir grape is light red, with high acidity, low tannins, and has multiple flavours. It is a very temperamental grape and difficult to grow, but it pairs nicely with Italian or Mexican cuisine.

• The red Zinfandel grape from Croatia produces strong flavours with berry aromas. It is packed with strong tannins, a tad bit of spice, and a high alcohol content. Zinfandel is a great match with Italian food.

• The purple-skinned Sangiovese grape is common in Tuscany, Italy, and very popular in the production of Chianti. Sangiovese has strong fruit flavours and aromas, especially tart cherries with floral notes, firm tannins, and high acidity.

• As the third most widely planted grape, Barbera, can be found in the Asti and Alba regions of Italy. Its wines are abundant with strong fruit flavours like black cherry, have mild tannins, and high acidity, producing a crisp taste. It pairs well with Italian food.

• Sweetened wines are a favourite, especially during the Holiday season and usually served after dinner with dessert.  Flavoured, fortified wines are inexpensive, citrusy, sweet, and artificially flavoured. These include a distilled spirit, such as Brandy, Port, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, Commandaria, and Vermouth. Ports are arguably the most popular and some of them age for decades before selling.

White Wines

White wine has a yellowish-gold colour, and It is produced from the non-coloured pulp of grapes, these grapes can be of any colour as the white wine is produced from the uncoloured pulp of grapes.

• Chardonnay is the most common, and well-known of the whites. It has a prominent oaky flavour, with lemon, melon, grass, and vanilla aromas. Its character is dry, velvety, and full-bodied with crisp acidity. Some options produced with the Chardonnay grape include Chablis, White Burgundy, and Champagne. They are great to pair with Chinese, Japanese, and spicy foods.

• The Sauvignon Blanc grape produces wines in a wide range of flavours from grassy to fruity. Its character is dry, medium-bodied with crisp acidity, and pairs nicely with French, Indian, or Japanese food.

• Semillon is grown in the Bordeaux region of France and blended with Sauvignon Blanc, Sauternes, and dessert wines. It's characterised as dry with flat acidity, oily, and flavoured with a variety of fruits. This grape pairs well with Japanese food.

• The Muscat blue-black coloured grape is popular in Italy to make wine, raisins, and grapes for eating. These wines are characterised by sweet, spicy flavours, and pungent floral aromas for dessert wines.

• Northern Italy produces a sparkling wine with the Muscat grape. The difference between the thick dessert wine and the sparkling lies in the fermentation process. A sparkling wine is partially fermented and goes through a natural carbonation process to produce a wine that is light-bodied, sweet, and aromatic. The sparkling Muscats are known as Moscato d'Asti, or Asti, and are a wonderful match with salads, desserts, and fruits.

Champagne & Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wine is any wine which has some levels of carbon dioxide in it, thereby making it fizzy. Champagne is a sparkling wine though there is a difference between sparkling wine and champagne. For a sparkling wines to be labelled as Champagne, it must come from the Champagne region in France, and be made through the traditional process called Methode Champenoise. Each country has specific guidelines for growers to follow. 

Method Champenoise has the strictest guidelines to produce the finest and most expensive sparkling wines. This method includes a complicated fermentation process. Experts say that the finest sparkling wines are produced in France, Spain, and Italy. The Italian and German method includes a second fermentation, and the wine is bottled under pressure.

The Rose Wines

Rose wines are versatile in taste and flavour. Rose is light red and made in France, Spain, Italy, and the U.S. Most Roses are blends of multiple types of grapes and are characterised as dry, sweet, fresh, and acidic. Unlike other wines, Rose does not get better with age; the younger it is, the better it tastes.

Whether you're new to wine, know a little, or a great deal, there's always more to learn. Knowing the difference between a red, white, sparkling, or sweet wine is the first step to mastery. To find your favourite wine, start with one category and experiment with different blends, then move on to the next. Visit a winery or two, ask questions, and take notes. Then it's time to host a dinner party and impress your guests with your new wine vocabulary.

Buying Wine as a Gift

Wine makes for a wonderful, thoughtful gift all year long. For birthday and anniversaries to holidays and celebrations, a gift of wine brings people together. When shopping for the right bottle, consider the tastes of the recipient and their drinking habits. Do they have a favorite or are they adventurous?

Wine advent calendars are fun, unique gifts that bring recipients an array of tasty wines. Choose a calendar that offers a selection of small bottles or one that comes with full-sized ones. If you're seeking a gift for someone who has particular tastes, consider a wine-and-glass combo package. These gift sets bring together a delicious wine and the appropriate stemware so your friend, colleague, or loved one can enjoy their drink the right way.