When we think of different types of wine we usually think of Red or White. That is only the beginning of the types of different wines. Obviously the color of the wine is the basis for this initial classification, however it has nothing to do with the types of grapes used to make the wines. Also, it has nothing to do with the various vintage years, the quality of the wine, the amount of time the wine is aged or even the different combinations of ingredients.
In this series of blog posts we’ll take a look at several of the different types of wines you may be familiar with, and some you may not have been introduced to yet.
Reds
A red grape or black grape variety is what goes into making a red wine. Grapes have a wide variety of taste and color. A good analogy would be the different types of citrus fruits like naval oranges, grapefruit, tangerines or clementines all of which have very different properties. The grapes are crushed or some even mixed into different combinations in order to produce the various types of red wines.
Zinfandel is a grape that is native to America. It produces the greatest variety of wines while still having robust up front fruit and being big bodied.
Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the best known variety and while still young in age it brims with black currant flavors, but being a most complex grape it is also very age worthy.
Merlot is a good introduction to red wines. It tends to be very soft, fruity and easy to drink.
Shiraz (Syrah by European Vinters) is spicy, full bodied with red and purple fruits and has lasting flavors.
Some reds that you may not have heard of are the Barbara, usually used for the production of cooking wines and tomato sauces. The Brunello which is only used in making a rare Tuscan wine called Brunello di Montaleino. Tempranillo is a full bodied red wine most often blended with Grenache to enhance the flavor. And Gamay which is meant to be drunk shortly after being bottled to keep the crisp and fruity taste.
Come back tomorrow when we’ll explore the different varieties of grapes that go into making White wines….
photo credit: John-Morgan
