Types of Wine

Types of White Wine

Chardonnay

Typically a dry wine, it captures citrus, pear, apple and some tropical fruit flavors. Perhaps the world’s most famous white wine, it is grown in any region that will support it. However, the most notable chardonnays come from the Burgundy region.

Sauvignon Blanc

Another dry white wine, this plays on the flavors of melon, fig, citrus fruit and herb. The interesting and distinct component to this wine is there is often a hint of grassiness to it.

Pinot Grigio

Produced in Italy, it happily takes the award for most popular wines for its country. Yet another dry white wine, it bears pear, lemon, mineral and apple tastes. This is a wine that hits its prime when it is young, rather than taking time to mature.

Riesling

This popular sweet white wine flourishes with hints of apricot, honey, pineapple and citrus flavors. However, this grape can also produce dry wines, although it dominates the market with its sweet varieties. The most common Rieslings tend to come from Germany or even our own Washington State.

Gewurztraminer

The translation means spicy grape, and this wine does not disappoint. Full with flavors of spice, peach and citrus fruit, it develops into a sweeter wine due to typically being a late harvest wine.

Types of Red Wine

Merlot

This is the world’s most popular red wine and most likely because of its strong and refreshing flavor. Merlot, as with most reds, captures flavors on many different realms: red fruit, oak and complex levels. This wine focuses on strawberry, raspberry, oak, chocolate and even coffee flavors. Stemming from the growing areas of the Bordeaux, it has also shown success in California and Washington State.

Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine combines blackberry, plum, pepper, and herb among other flavors to maintain its success among red wines. Again, this grape is primarily grown in Bordeaux and Napa Valley. This wine does well in its early years, which is convenient for the grower and the drinker.

Shiraz/Syrah

This wine is widely revered as an Australian wine, where the grape is referred to as shiraz. All other areas call this grape syrah, but the dominating Australian market wins out in most cases. This popular wine combines blackcurrant, cherry, raisin, vanilla, coffee and tobacco to create a delicious taste.

Pinot Noir

This wine is known for its elegance, mixing cherry, chocolate, spices, and other broad flavors. Because this grape is thin-skinned and fairs better in cooler climates, it has a reputation for its difficulty level in winemaking. However, if there is skill in the grower, this can make for a fantastic wine.

Zinfandel

This is exclusively grown in California, and embodies flavors of dark fruits, licorice, pepper and even wood. This versatile wine comes in all three levels: light, medium and full-bodied.