Basics of Different Types of Wines

Red wine

It contains a lot of tannins, which gives it the color red and a smooth and soft texture that you may feel. You can describe red wine as bitter or firm or maybe leathery because of the tannins. This brand of wine has different type of varieties like the pinot noir, cabernet among other different flavors.

White wine

This is another type of wine with a few tannins. Unlike red wine, this type of wine is backboned with acidity, hence it is described as tart or maybe crisp. It may be described as flat or flabby if there isn’t enough acid in it. The white wine also has several varieties like the Semillon, Chardonnay, pinot grigio among others.

Rose wine

It is also referred to as blush wine. This kind of wine has a pink color because it stays in contact with red grapes for a shorter time, unlike red wine that stays for long in red grapes. This type has some various varieties like the sangiovese, pinot Noir among others.

Desert wine

This kind of wine has a sweet taste and is usually taken after meals hence its name dessert wine. It is added to alcohol to retain the sugars, which helps in the process of fermentation. This brand also has different varieties like the Sherry port and Marsala among others.

Sparkling wine

This brand is made from a range of both white and red grapes. The wine has significant carbonation, which occurs naturally through fermentation or it can also occur by injecting Carbon dioxide after the process of fermentation.

The key wine Descriptors

Sweetness- This means that wine is not dry, though it can also be off-dry or maybe medium-dry.

Acidity- This mainly occurs with white wine, making them crisp and refreshing. While when the acidity is low, the wine’s taste is described to be flat.

Tannin- This is mainly used to describe the taste of red wine. High tannin in wine may be bitter, hence they are astringent. When there is low tannin, the wines are described to be soft and smooth. These wines are more drinkable depending on the consumer’s taste.

Body- This mainly refers to the weight and how thick the wine is. Wine that is full bottled or bodied normally feels thick while the one that feels watery is normally light bottled.

Flavors- Wine has a variety of different flavors just like spicy, smoky, fruity, or maybe flowery as well as earthy. It is normally advised that you stick to the flavors you are familiar with and not bother diving into dome descriptions like graphites and other flavors you have never tasted.

How to describe the taste of wine

Wine has different types of tastes and each taste is described differently. Just like red wine is more tannic because it is fermented with the skin, while white wine contains less tannin in it though it is acidic. Some wines have alcoholic taste because of the alcohol content in them just like the dessert wine. The sparkling wine, on the other hand, contains bubbles.

Which starter wine should you buy?

It is normally advised to start with something simple in order to isolate what you are tasting and determine whether you like or dislike the wine. Some people describe wine using the price, like some will say expensive wines are good while others might think cheap wines are not good. It is advised that you go for that wine that is affordable by you. The best way is to go to the store and ask for the kind of wine you are interested in.

This countdown might help you make a decision on the kind of wine you might need.

Popular whites include:

1. Chardonnay- this type of wine is normally described as buttery with velvety feel. This brand is fruity.
   1. Pinot Grigio- it is also referred to as pinot gris. This is only because it is light bottled, simple and dry.
   1. Riesling – This brand is normally light compared to Chardonnay. It has a very sweet taste and also has fruit flavors which are intense.
   1. Moscato- This brand of white wine is often sweet with a fruity taste.
   1. Sauvignon blanc- This brand has tropical fruit flavor and is also herbal. It is dry, acidic and tart.

Popular red wines include:

1. Cabernet sauvignon- It is normally fully bodied with herbal notes. The younger cabs          have currant flavors.
2. Merlot- This brand has various tastes as it is spicy, very soft, fruity and has less tannin unlike Cabernet sauvignon.
3. Pinot noir- This brand is normally delicate and also fresh. It has tannins, though very soft, hence fruity aromas.
4. Zinfandel- This brand is zesty and it ranges from medium bodied to full bodied