What is wine

wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermented juice of freshly harvested grapes. It is prepared from both white and black grapes.

There are many varieties of grapes produced and not all of them are used in the production of wine. The colour, flavour, and aroma of the wine are largely influenced by the type of grapes used in the production.

Many other factors influence a wine’s character, like the wine region, tannins, sweetness, acidity, body, and flavours, but we won’t get into the complexities of all that right now. Instead, let’s keep it simple and take a look at the six main types of wine

Table of Contents

The five different types of wine

1. White wine

White wine colour ranges from pale straw with a green tinge to dark gold. It is produced from both white and black grapes.

If produced from black grapes, the skin of the grapes must be removed soon after crushing, to prevent the ‘must’ (pressed grapes), taking on the colour from the pigments in the skin. These types of wines are usually lighter in body and in alcohol

Food pairing: If it is a light-bodied red wine, go with grilled vegetables, white meat or chicken. A medium-bodied to full-bodied can get along well with meat dishes such as steaks, hamburgers or smoked meat but when you feel like pairing wine with Asian dishes, Fish and shellfish, White meats

Types of white wine

Chardonnay: a classic grape variety that comes originally from Burgundy, France.

Riesling : This grape is from Germany. Mosel and Rhine wines of Germany are produced from this grape.

Sauvignon blanc : It is the principal grape variety used in the production of excellent white wines of Bordeaux and Loire valley.

Semillion: It is grown in the Graves, Sauternes, and Barsac regions of France.

Gewurztraminer: Alsace in France,

2. Red wine

The red wine is made from red grapes, the colour of red wine ranges from purple when young to brick red as it ages. The skin is allowed to remain with the fermenting must either throughout the process or halfway through.

The colouring pigments present in the skin give colour to the wine. It taste bit of dry due to high in tannins

Food pairing – Creamy cheese (Soft Cheese), white bread, meat, fish, seafood or salads, Red meats, Blue-veined cheese, game

Types of red wine

Cabernet sauvignon : This is a black grape of remarkable quality, used in the production of the most prestigious chateaux wines of Medoc of the Bordeaux region of France.

Pinot noir: It is a classic grape variety of Burgundy and champagne.

Merlot: It is an early ripening red variety from the Pomerol district of Bordeaux.

Syrah : It is the main grape of northern Cotes du Rhone, Producing cote Rotie, Hermitage, st. joseph, and cornas.

3. Rose wine

This type of wine is light pink in colour and is produced from a mixture of white and red grapes or only from red grapes. The skin of the black grapes is allowed to remain in contact with the must, till the required tinge is obtained.

Rose wine takes about 24 to 36 hours depending on the intensity of rose colour required. Once the required colour is obtained the skin is removed. It is legally permitted in some countries to blend a small quantity of red with white wine. It can be dry or sweet

Food Pairing: Rose wine always goes well with light flavour dishes like fish, poultry, or fruit.

Roast poultry, cheese, fruit

Types of Rosé Wine

White Zinfandel : It’s sweet, versatile, and incredibly popular, especially in California. Expect notes of strawberry, raspberry, and melon.

Syrah (or Shiraz) Rosé (French and Australian naming conventions, respectively): It is deeper in colour than many other popular rosés. This Spanish beauty has notes of cherry, peach, and even savoury flavours, such as green olive.

Tempranillo Rosé : It is herbaceous with notes of green pepper, watermelon, and strawberry.

4. Sparkling wine

These are the wines bottled with carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. The gas is prevented from escaping. The trapped gas is the result of secondary fermentation either in the bottle or in the sealed tank.

Some manufacturers impregnate the wine with gas. It gives effervescence or sparkle to the wine. The glasses used for sparkling wine must be thick to withstand the pressure of the gas behind the cork. It requires second fermentation to create the bubbles.

Sparkling wine can be Red, White or Rose. Sparkling wines are named for the region where they are produced, such as the province of Champagne in France.

Food Pairings: Light foods, such as soft cheeses, seafood, including smoked salmon and shrimp, salad, fresh fruit, and popcorn.

Alcoholic percentage: 10 – 13 per cent.

Types of sparkling wine

Cava
Prosecco
Champagne

5. Fortified wine

The alcoholic strength of the fortified wine is increased with the addition of brandy either during or at the end of the fermentation. This type of wine is also termed heavy wine.

Fortified wines with lower alcohol content are considered dessert wines and are also paired with desserts. Fortified wines are higher in alcohol than other types of wine.

Alcoholic percentage: – 16 to 22 per cent abv.

Food Pairings: Soft cheeses, cake, vanilla pudding, biscotti, chocolate, and crème brûlée.

Types fortified wines

sherry
port
Madeira
marsala.

6. Dessert wine

Sweet wine comes from extra-sweet grapes! It is obtained when there is some sugar left after, fermentation, fermentation is stopped naturally by the manufacturer before the yeast converts all grape sugars into alcohol.

Dessert wine is very sweet and usually taken after a meal with dessert. Dessert wine includes any sweet wine therefore Fortified wines with lower alcohol content are included as dessert wine.

Alcoholic percentage: