Wine 101

Wine is an Alcoholic beverage, typically made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the type of wine being produced. The production of wine can be traced back as early as 6000 to 4000 BC. The earliest evidence have been seen in Georgia and Iran.

I wish I could say breaking down wine was as easy as breaking down spirits and beer. Unfortunately that just isn’t the case. There are over 600 kinds of grapes in existence, a small portion of which is considered suited to produce fine quality wine. Each grape variety has its own unique combination of characteristics including size, color, acidity, skin thickness, flavor and yield per vine. The majority of wines are categorized as either Red or White, with a third category known as rose also in existence.

Types of Red Wine

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Merlot
  • Zinfandel
  • Pinot Noir
  • Chianti
  • Grenache
  • Malbec
  • Gamay
  • Nebbiolo
  • Dolcetto
  • Sangiovese
  • Shiraz
  • Syrah
  • Barbera

Types of White Wine

  • Chardonnay
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Pinot Gris
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Muscat
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Riesling
  • Roussanne
  • Vermouth
  • Voignier
  • Chablis
  • Semillon

Types of Rose Wine

  • Gamay
  • Grenache
  • Pinot Noir
  • Cabernet Franc

Besides Red, White, and Rose, we can’t forget the ever important categories of Fortified, Sparkling, and Dessert sub categories. Consider this your first step into the world of wine purchasing and consuming. By no means is this a complete guide to the drinking of wine. For more information I suggest you take a trip over to The Wine Encyclopedia to learn more on the subject of wine.

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