Varieties of Grapes
Leading White Grapes:
Chardonnay
plays a crucial role in champagne. It generally makes a
full-bodied, dry white wine but its flavor varies
dramatically from crisp and steely to intense and
tropical depending on where it is planted and the
winemaking techniques used. Flavors of green fruits are
found in cooler climates, moving through to tropical
fruits in warmer regions. Oak is often used.
Riesling typically produces light fragrant wine
with lively acidity, gloriously aromatic flavors and
relatively low alcohol levels. It comes in a range of
styles from bone dry and minerally through lusciously
sweet and overly fruity and it is rarely vinified with
oak. Young Riesling tastes of lime,
apricot, and apples. With age aromas of diesel and
spice can develop. Sweet examples display
delicious honey and marmalade nuances.
Sauvignon
Blanc a dry crisp and intensely aromatic variety
with a firm streak of acidity. The grape is sometimes
aged in oak barrels in Bordeaux and California (when it
is often called Fume Blanc). Gooseberries are the
signature flavor of Sauvignon Blanc, alongside green
peppers. In New Zealand tropical fruit flavors are
also typical. Oak tends to subdue these distinctive
aromas.
Semillon comes in a number
of different styles but common flavors include wax,
honey and orange marmalade and burned toast.
Gewürztraminer unmistakable
aromas of lychee, rose , Turkish delight and sometimes
smoked bacon make this one of world easier varies to
recognize.
Pinot Gris - a full bodied
deep colored white grape , Pinto Gris has fairly subtle
flavors of honey , smoke and spice.
Viognier this grape produces
full bodied dry whites with aromas of apricots and musk.
Leading Red Grapes:
Cabernet Sauvignon Full bodied, deep colored wine with
black currant, mint and green pepper flavors. If matured
in oak aromas of vanilla or cedar emerge.
Pinot Noir- typically
displays summer fruit flavors when young. Oak
maturation adds a creamy, vanilla dimension. With age,
aromas of game and truffles develop.
Syrah/Shiraz- French
style syrah is deep colored and full bodied with flavors
of black fruits , pepper and burned rubber. Australian
Shiraz is a riper and more intense style of wine.
Merlot- Soft and
Juicy produces medium bodied soft tasting wine with
flavors of plum, blackberry and in bordeaux an earthy
character. If oaked it may have creamy
vanilla notes.
Cabernet Franc a relative to the cabernet sauvignon
this grape produces reds in a lighter softer style with
flavors of blackberries, red currants, and herbs. Used
for blending with other varietals.
Malbec a gutsy red
full of spicy red berry flavors is found in France and
widely frown in Argentina where is make deep colored
wines with powerful tannins.
Grenache
producer of juicy high
alcohol cherry and pepper flavored wines, the worlds
most planted red variety is normally used in blends.
Tempranillo this
Spanish grape is at it finest in the of Rioja and Ribera
de Duero . It produces medium to full bodied wines
with powerful tannins and flavors of raspberry and
spice. Zinfandel
the grapes produces wines that vary from light pink
roses to powerful alcoholic reds with juicy berry
flavors and soft tannins.
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Frequently
Asked Questions about Wine.
What does it mean when a wine is "tannic"?
A tannic wine has an astringency and bitterness that is caused by a high level of tannins. Tannins are a group of chemical compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, and sometimes in the wood barrels wine is fermented in. Tannins are important to the aging of wine. Wines most likely to be described as tannic are red wines.
Why do some red wines have a "pucker" effect to them?
Tannins in wine, usually red wine, cause your mouth to "pucker." Tannins are a group of chemical compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, and sometimes in the wood barrels wine is fermented in. Tannins can make a wine bitter and astringent. Tannins are important to the aging of wine.
What is a wine’s "bouquet"?
Bouquet usually refers to the odors found in wine which come from sources other than the grapes, such as the vanillin scent of the oak barrels in which the wine might have been fermented or aged. Earthy, herbaceous, or floral smells in wine are also examples of bouquet.
What does it mean when a wine is sweet or dry?
A sweet wine is one that has a level of residual sugar that gives it a sweet taste. There is no indication of sweetness in a dry wine due to its low level of residual sugar. An off-dry wine is one that is slightly sweet.
Why do wine tasters smell wine?
The way a wine smells can give many clues to how it will taste, where it was made, and from what grapes it was made. Also, your sense of smell is imperative to your sense of taste. Most people smell a wine because they find it pleasurable or are interested in the connection between how a wine smells and how it tastes.
I'm not sure how to talk about wine when I'm tasting it. What is all of this wine lingo?
The reason wine "lingo" was established was to create some common descriptors to use to discuss such a subjective subject. Using these words helps others understand your interpretation of a wine. But it is not necessary to use any prescribed language. You can describe a wine in any terms you want. It is easier if you think of wine tasting terms as those that describe how the wine smells and those that describe how it tastes or feels in the mouth. The following are a few basic tasting terms you may have heard:
Body--the viscosity of the wine (a wine can be as thin as water or as thick as cream)
Big--high in alcohol
Buttery--having an aroma of butter or butterscotch
Crisp--high in fruit acidity (in a positive way)
Fat--full-bodied
Flabby--not enough acid
Finish--the wine's aftertaste
Fruity--the fruit the wine is made from (the grape) or another fruit flavor is perceptible
What does "oaky" mean? What makes a wine "oaky"?
A wine that has a flavor reminiscent of wood or oak is called oaky. This flavor comes through in wines that are fermented an/or aged in oak barrels.
What does it mean when a wine is described as "buttery"?
A buttery wine is one with the taste or aroma of butter or butterscotch. It is usually used to describe white wines and often results from the wine’s time in contact with yeast during barrel fermentation.
Is it necessary to swirl wine in the glass before you taste it?
It is not necessary. The reason for swirling wine in the glass is to release its aroma. Swirl if you enjoy taking in the wine’s aroma, otherwise get straight to tasting it. |
