Learn about different types of wine.
Many people drink wine to relax at home, as a taste-enhancing addition to a meal or to be social at get-togethers. Dozens of wine varieties exist, at least one for every taste, which may seem intimidating to those that don't often drink wine or those looking for a wine they can enjoy. However, a little vocabulary and basic knowledge about wine's main categories can help people choose wine by category rather than taking a shot in the dark, so to speak.
Red Wine
Red wines make up the widest category of wine. A larger percentage of red wines exist than other kinds of wine, mainly because several varieties of red wine also fall into other categories.
Red wine is made exclusively from black grapes. The skins are processed along with the juice to give red wine color that ranges from ruby red to deep purple. The skins also contain tannins, the element in red wine that makes the mouth and throat feel dry. Most red wines are very dry, though late-harvest and fortified reds are considered sweet reds because aged grapes in late harvest and the concentrated grape spirits in fortified wines cancel some of the tannins. Classic reds include Cabernet Sauvignon and Pino Noir.
White Wine
White wines are usually golden to very pale yellow because of the way they are made. Pressed white grapes and black grapes without the skins both produce clear juice that turns yellow according to quantity and age.
Unlike red wines, whites vary greatly in taste and range from very dry to candy sweet depending on the kind of grapes and amount of residual sugar left from fermentation. Whites also have no tannins in them since the black grape skins are not used and white grape skins contain negligible amounts. Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are two popular varieties.
Rose Wine
Rose wines make up a slim category of wine that falls somewhere between red and white. Also called pink or blush wines, they get their pink color from very short exposure to black grape skins. The skins release some tannins into the rose wine before being removed. The small amount of tannins in rose wines means that many varieties, including White Zinfandel and White Merlot, have a sweeter taste than red wines. However, Spanish and Italian rose wines can be just as dry as most reds.
Sparkling Wine
Many people know sparkling wine as Champagne, though Champagne is just one name for an entire category of wine. The sparkling part of the name refers to the bubbles that many people enjoy in sparkling wine. Though these carbon dioxide bubbles form in all types of wines during fermentation, the gasses usually leave the wine before bottling. To make sparkling wines, vintners have developed a way to capture the gasses and keep them in the beverage.
Sparkling wine may be made from any kind of grape and comes in white, rose and red varieties, though reds are rare. They also range in flavor from brut, which is very dry, to demi-sec, which is very sweet. Prosecco and Moscato d'Asti are popular brands.
Tags: category wine, grape skins, black grape, black grape skins, black grapes, drink wine
