WINE ~TYPES OF WINE Red: Red wine is made from black grapes that are fermented with the skin and pips. Wine producers worldwide are constantly developing reds that are smoother, more rounded and juicier. Styles range from light and refreshing to sweet and fortified. Enjoy a full-flavoured, intense, black-currant red produced from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Looking for a silkier, more mellow experience? The delicious cherry and raspberry flavours of the Pinot Noir grape rarely disappoint. For a juicy, modern style red, look no further than some of the excellent New World wines. Fancy something spicier? Plump for a deep, rich, full-bodied red made from the Syrah/Shiraz grape. Rosé: Rosé wine is produced from black grapes without the stalks. The juice is separated off as soon as it is sufficiently pink. Styles vary enormously. Some of the best rosés are produced from the Grenache grape and are deliciously fragrant and refreshing. Blush: Blush wine originated in California. Here, the skins of the black grapes are left to macerate, briefly, with the must. The result is a delightful pinkish-blue coloured wine with a coppery hue. Californian blush is produced predominantly from the Zinfandel grape. White: Surprisingly, white wine can be made from white or black grapes, as all grape juice is colourless, initially. White wine styles vary from bone dry to golden sweet. Good dry, crisp whites include those made from the Muscadet and Verdicchio grapes. Or, for something a little tangier, the zesty Sauvignon Blanc grape is a reliable choice. For richer, nuttier flavoured whites, try a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Ripe, tropical fruit flavoured whites are particularly worth investigating at the moment. Seek out the Chardonnay grape. Also, sample an Alsace Gewürztraminer. It oozes deliciously aromatic spiciness. Sparkling: A yeast and sugar solution is added to dry table wine to create the best of the sparkling wines. The wine is then sealed for secondary fermentation. Genuine Champagne has to be the perfect example of sparkling wine. ~GRAPE VARIETIES Red grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon - Arguably the king of red grapes, it has an intense blackcurrant flavour. Gamay - The Beaujolais grape produces light-styled cherry and raspberry-flavoured wines. Grenache - Produces velvety-ripe, fruity wines, especially rosés, famous as part of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend. Merlot - A fashionable grape with soft, black cherry and blackcurranty flavours, often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir - Good young Pinots are light, silky and fruity. Mature Pinots often have an intense aroma of game and truffles. Occasionally, Pinots are unreliable and insipid. Sangiovese - The Chianti grape produces light, attractive, everyday wines with herby, fruity flavours. Syrah/Shiraz - A velvety grape that produces rich, full-bodied wines with fruity, spicy overtones. Tempranillo - Makes stylish wines with a characteristic strawberry flavour. Zinfandel - Also known as Primitivo, California's speciality grape is extremely adaptable and has a distinctive taste of ripe-berried fruits. White grapes: Chardonnay - The perfect introduction to white wine. Styles vary from light and fresh, to heavily-oaked, buttery, tropical-fruit-flavoured wines. Chenin Blanc - Used for a range of wines including dry and sharp, sparkling, medium and extra-sweet wines. Mature examples have a nutty, honeyed flavour. Gewürztraminer - Dry or sweet, with an intensely aromatic spiciness. Alsace produces some quality Gewürztraminers. Muscat - The wine actually smells of the grape itself. Muscats vary from rich, sweet and fortified to light, floral and dry. Riesling - Rieslings range from dry, light and apple crisp to rich, sweet and honey flavoured. Beware cheaper, sweeter Rieslings. Sauvignon Blanc - Also known as Fumé Blanc, it has a delightful fresh, tangy style with distinctive flavours of gooseberries, elderflower and asparagus. Sémillon - Ranges from dry, light lemon-flavoured to sweet wines with aromas of barley sugar and peaches. Viognier - Almost unheard of until recent years, Viognier is becoming increasingly fashionable. It produces dry wines with a rich apricot aroma. ~WINE BOTTLE LABELS Grape Variety The grape variety is the best indication of taste. Region Where the wine comes from is the next best indicator. As European wines don't always state grape varieties, some information about regions will help. Terroir Terroir is a fancy description for soil, climate and exposure. These factors can influence the grape style and flavour and ultimately the flavour of the wine. Vintage The word "vintage" is often bandied around to denote something special. It simply refers to wine from a particular year, and not all "vintage" years are good! Classification A superficial acquaintance with a few basics is all you need—classification codes aren't the most helpful bits of label information! If you want to guarantee quality, you're better off choosing a reliable producer name. The USA classification system, AVA, guarantees geographical origins of wine, not quality. New World countries follow similar rules while Europe tends to classify by region. A few confusing wine phrases and words to dismiss: "Supérieur " does not necessarily refer to superior wine. The French term "supérieur" and its Italian equivalent merely indicate that the wine has a slightly higher alcohol content. "Grand vin" on Bordeaux labels means that it is the main wine of the winery, rather than a great wine. The word "Reserve" is often misleading. In some countries it refers to wines that have been matured in oak for longer than standard wines. In other countries it means nothing. Ignore generalisations such as "classic ", "limited release", "special." They are simply marketing phrases to make the wine seem more unique. ~ORDERING WINE IN A RESTAURANT The key to successfully negotiating a heavy wine list is to ask the wine waiter for guidance. A knowledgeable sommelier will be delighted to help you chose a wine that matches your tastes. He or she may even suggest wines that go particularly well with the food you have chosen. If you're concerned about matching the right wine with your chosen meal, use the following, very general guidelines. Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots are good, red all-rounders and Chardonnays usually come up with reliable whites. If you're still in any doubt about which wine to purchase, bear in mind that the house wines are probably a very good bet. They can also be relied upon to provide good value for money. Order only what you and your guests enjoy and don't feel pressed to spend beyond your budget.