Wine Varieties

What is Wine?

Quite simply, wine is fermented grape juice. Grapes are crushed to release their sugary liquid, then alcoholic fermentation changes the grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. But let’s dive a little deeper into the drink itself 


With beer, whisky or sake, a complex process is required to create a sugary liquid from the grains used. However, this is not the case with wine – a ripe grape offers a perfect package of raw material for producing a very satisfying alcoholic beverage.

Its pulp largely contains water, sugars and acids, while its skin contains most of the colour, tannin and aroma compounds.

The finished wine will be made up of a complex combination of compounds, some of which have come directly from the grapes and others formed during fermentation, by the action of yeasts, or other winemaking procedures.

 

Water
The dominant component in your glass, approximately 85% of the total volume, is water. This percentage can vary depending on the level of alcohol, sugar content and a few other factors. Water is the reason that wine is, well, wet!

Alcohol
Ethanol is the main type of alcohol produced during fermentation – yeasts create ethanol as they process the sugar in the grape juice. The wine alcohol percentage is typically expressed as ‘alcohol by volume’ (abv). In other words, 12% abv means that 12% of the wine is alcohol.

Most wines have alcohols levels of around 8%-15% abv. Fortified wines, where additional alcohol has been added, can range from 15%-22% abv.

As well as being responsible for the intoxication that comes from consuming alcohol, it also contributes body and texture to the wine. Wines with higher levels of alcohol may feel warm on your palate.

Residual sugar (RS)
RS refers to unfermented sugars left over in the wine once the fermentation has come to an end or has been deliberately halted by the winemaker.

Most wines are ‘dry,’ with undetectable levels of RS – usually 2-3 grams per litre (g/L). Off-dry or sweet wines will have much more. For example, Sauternes (a sweet wine from Bordeaux) can have 150 g/L, while Pedro Ximenez sherry can have up to 400 g/L! In addition to making the wine taste sweet, RS can also add body to the wine.

Glycerol
In dry wines, glycerol is the third most abundant component of wine after water and alcohol. It is derived from the sugar in grapes and contributes smoothness and body to the wine.

Acids
Acids are what make your wine taste refreshing. Their presence in the wine makes your mouth water, and they can also play a role in protecting the wine from spoilage.

The principal acids of wine, tartaric acid and malic acid, come from the grape itself. Other acids that are present in the wine, such as lactic or acetic acid, are typically a result of winemaking or maturation processes.

Total acidity in most wines sits in the range of 5.5-8.5g/L.

Aromatics
Although they represent a tiny proportion of the total wine, aromatic compounds (including esters, pyrazines, terpenes, thiols and lactones) are what really make wine interesting!

When we sniff a wine, these compounds are detected by our olfactory system, triggering a response from our brain – this goes a long way to determining whether we enjoy the wine or not!

These compounds can also be found in other plant- and animal-derived products, which is why you are often reminded of herbs, fruits, spices, vegetables or even meats when you put your nose to the glass.

 

Phenolics
Phenolics refers to an important group of compounds in grapes, especially in the skins, stems and seeds. The two that matter most to wine drinkers are:

Colour pigments (anthocyanins): these are what make red wine red and rosé wine rosé.
Tannins: these are detected on our palates as a mouth-drying sensation. Depending on their number and nature, they can lend body and a sense of smoothness to the wine, or they may be perceived as bitter.
Other compounds
Your glass of wine will also contain tiny quantities of other compounds, including iron, magnesium and potassium. Some of these can be traced back to the grapes or the yeast, while others may be derived from materials or additives used in the winemaking process, such as clarifying agents and preservatives.

The proportions of all the different components in your glass can differ a great deal from wine to wine. The grape variety/ies used, natural factors (such as soil, climate, weather etc.) and human influences in grape growing, winemaking and maturation, all have a role to play in making every wine unique.

How is wine made?

Although many winemakers believe that great wine is first made in the vineyard by growing high-quality grapes with great care, what happens in the cellar is just as important. We’ve outlined how wine is made, from picking the grapes to putting the final product into the bottle.

Harvesting

Getting fruit from the vineyard to the winery is the first step in the winemaking process. However, there are more decisions to be made here than you may think. First and foremost, choosing the ideal picking date is crucial. Winemakers regularly taste fruit from their vineyards throughout the year to assess acidity and sugar levels. When the time is deemed right, teams are gathered and sent out into the vines to collect the fruit.

Harvesting can be done one of two ways: either by hand or by machine. The former takes longer, though allows for more quality control and sorting in the vineyard (if desired). The latter is generally done at larger estates that have more ground to cover.

Pressing

This step is slightly different, depending on whether white, rosé, or orange or red wines are being made. First and foremost, if the winemaker desires, the grape berries are removed from their stems using a destemmer. Crushing follows. For white wines, fruit is generally crushed and pressed, meaning that juice is quickly removed from contact with the grape skins. Once pressed, the juice is then moved into a tank to settle, then racked off of the sediment.

For orange and red wines, the fruit is crushed (with or without stems) and left on the skins for a given period of time to macerate. This is what ultimately gives red and orange wines their color and tannin structure.

Fermentation

The equation of alcoholic fermentation is simple: Yeast plus sugar equals alcohol and CO2. Fermentations can be done with either native yeasts or cultivated yeasts. Native yeast fermentations (or spontaneous fermentations) are executed with naturally present yeasts found on grape skins and in a winery’s environment. Cultivated yeast fermentations are implemented by using purchased strains of yeast and adding them to the juice to execute the process. Spontaneous fermentations tend to take much longer and are often credited with producing more complex final wines.

Aging a wine

Several factors come into consideration when developing a wine’s aging (or élevage) regimen. First, the vessel decision is the big factor. Most winemakers will choose to age their wines in steel, cement or oak, although terra cotta or clay, glass and other vessels are also possible options.

Aging wine in steel creates a nonoxidative environment, meaning that wines are not exposed to oxygen. This tends to preserve fresh fruit-driven flavors in the wine, and no external tannins or flavor are added from wood. On the opposite side of the spectrum, oak aging creates an oxidative environment, meaning that the wine has contact with oxygen. This allows the wine to develop different levels of texture and flavors. When new oak (as opposed to neutral or used wood) is used, flavors of vanilla, baking spice, coconut and/or dill can often be tasted in the resulting wine.

Fining and/or Filtering the Wine

Post-aging, some winemakers will choose to fine and/or filter their wines to remove any residual sediment from the juice. Filtering is done through a porous material, whereas fining requires adding some sort of substance to the wine (generally bentonite, egg whites, gelatin or isinglass) to the wine and allowing the sediment to coagulate. Note that residual sediment in wine is absolutely harmless and is completely OK to drink. Winemakers who choose to fine and/or filter their wines generally only do these steps for aesthetic reasons.

Bottling

Once the wines are aged and fined and/or filtered, the wine is ultimately bottled and ready to be packaged. Some winemakers choose to additionally age their wines in the bottle for a given period of time prior to releasing them. Once bottled, the wines are labeled and sealed, with corks, screw caps or other closures, and are sent off to be delivered to your local watering hole or neighborhood retail shop.

 

 

How to Serve Wine - Best way to serve Wine

Sparkling Wines (Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Sekt, etc.)


Bubblies benefit from chilling. Keeping them at 41–45°F helps preserve the bottle’s effervescence, bringing out its fresh citrus notes and acidity. With vintage Champagnes, serve a bit warmer, 45–50°F, to enhance those toast and biscuit notes.

Time in Fridge: Up to two hours before serving

Stemware Tip: The tall, thin flute is designed to highlight Champagne’s fine, yeasty bouquet, concentrate its creamy textures and preserve its effervescence. Wine tasters sometimes choose a white wine glass—stemmed with a bowl—to allow the sparkling to breathe, magnifying its rich aromas.

Light, Dry Whites (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, etc.)

Serve at 45–49°F. Tip: The lighter the wine is in colour and style, the colder it should be served to maintain its acidity and freshness.Time in Fridge: 1½ hours.Stemware Tip: A stemmed glass with a U-shaped bowl captures and distributes the wine’s floral and fruity aromas. The rim directs the wine to the front of the palate, balancing acidity and fruit, and the small opening keeps the wine cooler.

Rosés
These are best slightly warmer than light whites, between 48–53°F, because of their complex fruit flavours and mild tannins. Since rosés can be produced from a number of varieties with different characteristics, the same rule as light, dry whites applies: the lighter in colour and style it is, the more chilled it should be.

Time in Fridge: Up to 1½ hours

Stemware Tip: A stemmed glass with a bowl that’s slightly tapered at the top works best for mature, full-bodied rosés. A slightly flared lip benefits younger, crisper and sweeter rosés. The lip directs sweetness to the tip of the tongue, where taste buds are most sensitive.


Full-Bodied Whites (Chardonnay, Albariño, Trebbiano, Viognier and Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, etc.)
Serving these complex whites at 50–55°F enhances their layered aromatic characteristics and rich flavours. Tip: The less oaky the wine, the closer to 50°F it should be served. White Burgundy and well-oaked Viogner should be served closer to 55°F.

Time in Fridge: 1 hour

Stemware Tip: The classic Chardonnay glass—stemmed, with a rounded bowl and wide rim—dispenses the acidity and bold flavours evenly to the back and sides of the tongue. This wider-bowled glass, similar to a red-wine glass, can also be used for older vintage or well-oaked whites.

Light- to Medium-Bodied Reds (Beaujolais, Valpolicella, Chianti, Dolcetto, Côtes du Rhône, Pinot Noir, Nero d’Avola, etc.)
The vibrant aromas and flavours of these reds are best highlighted at 54–60°F. If poured too warm, their luscious fruit flavours will taste tart and acidic, ultimately overpowering.

Time in Fridge: 45–60 minutes

Stemware Tip: A Chianti-style glass, stemmed with a slightly tapered rim, best accentuates light-bodied wines that are fruit and mineral forward with buoyant acidity. A wider-bowled Pinot Noir glass is perfect for more complex, medium-bodied wines with delicate qualities.

Full-Bodied Reds (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz, Merlot, Tempranillo, Malbec, etc.)
There’s a misconception that big reds should be served at around 70°F, a temperature that allows the alcohol to dominate flavour. When served at the proper temperature, 60–65°F, full-bodied wines reflect a lush mouthfeel, rounded tannins and well-balanced acidity.

Time in Fridge: 25 minutes

Stemware Tip: Big, bold wines need wide-bowled glasses with greater surface area. It allows the wines’ high acidity, rich fruit and oak characteristics, and alcohol to breathe and sit in proper balanced.

Fortified Wines (Port, Sherry, Madeira, etc.)

Again, the lighter in colour and style, the cooler it should be served. Delicate tawny Ports and fino Sherries are best enjoyed at 57–60°F, while Madeiras and vintage Ports express their dark, complex characteristic best at about 66°F.

Time in Fridge: 20 minutes for the bolder selections; up to 45 minutes for the lighter styles.

Stemware Tip: Because fortified wines have higher alcohol levels than still or sparkling wines, the ideal glasses have short stems and small bowls. The narrow, short opening dulls the alcohol while enhancing the sweetness and subtle nuances on the nose and palate.

Bonus
Time in Fridge reflects a starting temperature of about 72°F, or room temperature. If your bottles are stored in a cellar or wine refrigerator, chill your whites and reds for 30 minutes. Serve the whites immediately. Let your reds sit in room temperature for another 30 minutes before serving.

Use a Bucket filled with equal amounts ice and water to chill wines that were resting on a rack. White wines should be chilled for 20 minutes and red wines should be chilled for 10 minutes before serving.

Decant young, tannic reds and old-vintage wines for about 30 minutes. The young wines’ tannins will soften, and secondary characteristics will shine through. Aged wines with loads of fruit character and heavy oak treatment will open up and express a well-balanced mouthfeel.

Buy Wine Online

Wine Farms Near Me is an online market places that enables you to buy wine across the country

Top Wine Picks

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Featured Wine Club Winery: Haute Vineyards

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER