CHARDONNAY
This must be the world's most popular grape variety. Chardonnay has an amazing range of flavours. In cool regions, it can develop flavours of green fruits (apple, pear), citrus fruits (lemon)
and even vegetable (cucumber). In cool climates, it has high acidity. In moderate climates, the wines can develop flavours of peach and tropical fruits (melon). In hot climates, the wines flavours include tropical fruit (banana, pineapple, peach, melon and even fig) Chardonnay wines tend to be full-bodied, with a rich creamy texture. Many of the best Chardonnays spend some time in oak barrels, developing flavours of spice and vanilla. In cool climates (Champagne, Burgundy), Chardonnay can be steely and austere, and can age well. In hotter areas (Australia, California, Chile, South Africa) it is rich, ripe and lusciously fruity, generally designed to be drunk fairly young, though the best can also mature for years. It is grown in almost every wine country in the world, failing only in the hottest and the chilliest.
Country/ Regions
France - Burgundy (Bourgogne, Chablis, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Mâcon, Pouilly-Fuissé) and Pays d'Oc IGP. USA - California (Sonoma County, Carneros). Chile - Casablanca Valley, Central Valley Argentina - Mendoza South Africa - Walker Bay Australia - South Eastern Australia (Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Margaret River) New Zealand - Marlborough |
CHENIN BLANC [shen-in blahnk]
This is the main white grape of the western Loire in France, where it makes a range of wine styles from basic to stunning, from dry to medium to lusciously sweet (names such as Anjou and Saumur Blanc and Vouvray for dry wines, and sweet examples of Vouvrays, Coteaux du Layon,Chaume and several more).
Chenin has medium to high acidity and apple skins flavour.
Country/ Regions
France - Loire Valley (Vouvray AC) South Africa |
SAUVIGNON BLANC [soh-vihn-yohn Blahnk]
Grown in a cool climate, or heavily shaded by its own leaves, Sauvignon makes sharp, tangy dry whites, with a distinctive flavour of green fruit, citrus (grapefruit, lime) and herbaceous notes (cut grass, green peppers, asparagus). High in acidity and generally best drunk young.
Country/ Regions
France - Loire Valley (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Val de Loire IGP) Bordeaux (Bordeaux Blanc), Pays d'OC IGP. USA - California (Napa Valley) New Zealand - Marlborough South Africa - Elgin, Constantia Chile - Casablanca Valley, Central Valley |
SEMILLON [seh-mee-yawn]
Dry, light bodied, low alcohol, high acidity Youthful wines are neutral with delicate citrus flavours. Mature wines flavour of toast, nuts, honey
Blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make dry and sweet wines (Sauternes). |
PINOT GRIGIO/ PINOT GRIS
Full-bodied, flavours include tropical fruits (banana, melon) sweet spice (ginger) honey.
Country/ Regions
France - Alsace New Zealand Italy |
RIESLING [rees-ling]
Rhine Riesling (German by origin) rivals Chardonnay for the title of best white wine maker in the world - and probably wins. It always has a steely streak of acidity, and tends to have an often intense floral, lemony or lime flavour.
German Rieslings are light-bodied and often low in alcohol, Alsace and Austrian ones fuller, with a more typical alcohol level for a dry white wine. The most exciting Rieslings from outside Germany, Austria and Alsace come from cooler vineyards in Australia and New Zealand. These are usually dry or just a touch sweet, very fruity, with good acidity and a distinctive, floral, limy character
Country/ Regions
Germany - Mosel, Rheingau, Pfalz France - Alsace Austria Australia - South Eastern Australia (Clare Valley, Eden Valley) |
COLOMBARD
At home in south-west France, the Colombard produces rather thin, high-acid wine.
It ripens better in California, South Africa and the USA, tasting slightly fuller, and fresh because of its good acidity. |
GEWUZTRAMINER [Guh-VERTZ-tra-mean-er]
Low acidity, high alcohol, full-bodied. Intense perfumed and aromas. Variety of styles (dry, off-dry and medium) .Flavours of floral (rose, orange blossom), stone fruit
(peach), tropical fruit (lychee), green fruit (grape), sweet spice (ginger). Best consumed young and fresh.
Country/ Regions
France - Alsace New Zealand |
MUSCAT [muhs-kat]
The family of Muscat grapes is large, but all the members share a flowery, strongly aromatic character. There are different varieties of the Muscat grape from the light, sweetish, low alcohol fizzy wine in Asti in north-west Italy; to dry, fragrant whites in Alsace, the Italian Alps, South Africa, Portugal and Spain and elsewhere; to very sweet, often fortified Muscats in hot climates where the Muscat grapes can become extremely ripe
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VIOGNIER [Vee-oh-nee-aye]
Dry, low acidity and high alcohol. Flavours include delicate fruit and floral (peach, pear, apricot, violet). Also known as Roussanne Blanc
Country/ Regions
France - Northern Rhône, Southern France Argentina Australia Chile USA - California |
ALBERIÑO [ahl-bah-REE-nyoh]
Light to medium bodied with high acidity. Flavours of green and citrus fruit (apple, pear, grapefruit).
Country/ Regions
Spain - Rías Baixas |
VIURA/ MACABEO [vee-yoo-rah]/ [mah-kah-BEH-oh]
Widely grown throughout Spain, Viura is one of the main varieties used in 'Cava'. In still wines, it produces in most instances a dry, crisp wine that is best consumed young, with flavours of wild flowers and citrus.
Country/ Regions
France - Languedoc-Roussillon Spain - White Rioja |
VERDICCHIO [Vair-deek-yo]
Dry, high acidity, medium-bodied. Flavours of citrus (lemon), herbal (fennel) and bitter (almond)
Country/ Regions
Italy |
CORTESE [Kor-TAY-zeh]
Grape of the Famous sparkling 'Gavi DOCG'. Dry, light-bodied, high-acidity. Flavours of green fruit (green apple), citrus.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Piedmont |
GARGANEGA [gahr-gah-NEH-gah]
Grape of the famous 'Soave'. Medium-bodied, high acidity. Flavours of floral (chamomile), green fruit (pear, apple), spice (white pepper)
Country/ Regions
Italy - Veneto |
MELON BLANC/ MELON DE BOURGOGNE
Grape of the famous 'Muscadet AC'. Dry, high-acidity, light to medium bodied, Unoaked.
Some of the wines have the term sur lie on the label. This means the wine has been bottled from a vessel containing the dead yeast left over from fermentation. These give a little more body anc complexity to the wine.
Country/ Regions
France - Loire Valley (Muscadet AC) |
GLERA
Grape of the famous 'Prosecco '.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Veneto |
TORRONTÉS [toh-ROHN-tehs]
Dry, medium acidity, medium-bodied, high alcohol. Prounounced floral flavours (perfume), green fruit (grapes), stone fruit (peach)
Country/ Regions
Argentina - Salta (Cafayate) |
Less Known White Grapes |
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ALIGOTE
A white grape used to make dry white wines, especially in the Burgundy region of France
Country/ Regions
France - Burgundy |
BACCHUS
Low in acidity, unless grown in cooler climates.
Country/ Regions
Germany - Franconia England |
JACQUÈRE [jah-kehr]
Low alcohol, lively dry wine. Flavours range from floral (white flowers) and fruity (pear, white peach, grapefruit) to mineral.
Country/ Regions
France - Savoy |
PHOENIX
A recent hybrid, bred for quality and resistance to disease. Bacchus-like, similar to Sauvignon Blanc in character.
Country/ Regions
England |
PINOT BLANC
Pinot Blanc originated in Burgundy as a mutation of Pinot Noir. Light and fruity with flavours of apples and melons
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TREBBIANO [Tre-bee-AH-no]
Dry, high acidity, light-bodied. Neutral, inexpensive wines. Made throughout Italy
Country/ Regions
Italy |
ROUSSANNE [roo-sahn]
It produces opulent, aromatic wines with a firm backbone of acidity. Flavours range from honey, apricot to quince and nuts, grilled almonds, mango and beeswax.
Country/ Regions
France - Rhône Valley |
MARSANNE [MARZ-sahn]
Marsanne produces deeply colored wines that are rich and nutty, with hints of spice and pear.
Country/ Regions
France - Rhône Valley |
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Cabernet Sauvignon has become the world's most travelled red vine without a whisper of competition. The grape that gives flavours from grassy to ripe blackcurrant in Red Bordeaux can come up with plum, blackcurrant, raisin, mint, eucalyptus, green pepper and tar in sunnier climes. In Bordeaux it is always blended, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, to make mid-weight reds with medium acidity and tannin. Elsewhere, Cabernet Sauvignon is often used alone, or blended with other Bordeaux grapes like Merlot to give more complexity, or with local varieties to bring added character.
Country/ Regions
France - Bordeaux (Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Graves, Pessac-Léognan) and Pays d'Oc IGP. USA - California (Napa Valley, Oakville, Rutherford, Alexander Valley) Chile - Central Valley (Colchagua Valley, Cachapoal Valley), Maipo Valley Argentina - Mendoza South Africa - Western Cape, Stellenbosch Australia - South Eastern Australia (Coonawarra), Margaret River New Zealand - Hawke's Bay |
CABERNET FRANC
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire's Chinon.
Country/ Regions
France - Loire |
CARIGNAN |
GRENACHE/GARNACHA [Gruh-NASH/gahr-NAH-chah] |
MERLOT [Mer-LOW]
Ever more fashionable, Merlot is the softest, fruitiest and easiest-drinking of the Bordeaux grapes. Merlots are rarely over-tannic. Merlot has an intense fruit flavour ranging between aromas of red fruits (strawberry, plum) to black fruits (blackberry, black cherry).
St Emillion is a Merlot based wine from Bordeaux. Like Cabernet Sauvignon, it has migrated all over the world, used on its own and blended with local and international grapes. In the New World, Chile makes good value rich and fruity examples. Merlot can gain added richness from maturing in oak, giving aromas of spice and vanilla. It is commonly blended with Cabernet Sauvignon which adds tannin, acidity and aromatic fruit to its character.
Country/ Regions
France - Bordeaux (Médoc, Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Graves, Pessac-Léognan) and Pays d'Oc IGP. USA - California (Napa Valley, Oakville, Rutherford, Alexander Valley) Chile - Central Valley (Colchagua Valley, Cachapoal Valley), Maipo Valley Argentina - Mendoza South Africa - Western Cape, Stellenbosch Australia - South Eastern Australia (Coonawarra), Margaret River New Zealand - Hawke's Bay |
MONTEPULCIANO [mohn-teh-pool-chah-nooh]
Deep colour, high acidity, medium to high tannins and alcohol, medium to full-bodied. Flavours of red and black fruit (black cherry, blackberry, plum) spice (pepper). Oak aged. Not to be confused with 'Vino Nobile di Montepulciano' - a Chianti-style red made from Sangiovese near the Tuscan town of Montepulciano.
Country/ Regions
Italy |
PINOT NOIR [Pee-noe Nwahr]
Country/ Regions
France - Burgundy (Bourgogne, Gevrey-Chambertin, Beaune, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard) Germany - Pfalz, Baden USA - California (Sonoma County, Carneros, Santa Barbara Count) and Oregon Chile - Casablanca South Africa - Walker Bay Australia - Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula New Zealand - Marlborough, Central Otago |
PINOTAGE [pinnoh-tahj] |
SANGIOVESE [San-joh-VAY-zeh]
Country/ Regions
Italy - Central Tuscany |
SHIRAZ/ SYRAH
Country/ Regions
France - Rhône Valley (Côte Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Pays d'Oc IGP (Languedoc, Minervois) Australia - South Eastern Australia (Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Hunter Valley) |
TEMPRANILLO [TEM-pra-NEE-yo]
Every region of Spain seems to have a different name for this very fine grape variety, while the Portuguese call it Tinta Roriz.
It is Spain's best native red grape, making lovely, elegant red wines in the cooler northern regions, combining wild strawberry fruit with a herby, savoury, tobacco-like character. The finest, classic Tempranillo areas are Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but nowadays it is everywhere, except for the hot, deep south. It can make young, light, easy reds, sometimes made super-fruity by a Beaujolais-like method. Or richer wines that are often oaked. It blends successfully with Cabernet Sauvignon, and usefully perks up lesser Spanish varieties.
Country/ Regions
Spain - Rioja DOCa |
ZINFANDEL/ PRIMITIVO [ZIN-fun-dell]/ [pri-meh-TEE-voh]
Zinfandel is a variety of red grape planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. The taste of the red wine depends on the ripeness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruits like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas whereas blackberry and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas.
Zinfandel is the name used in the USA and the New World. Primitivo is the name used in Italy
Country/ Regions
USA - California Italy - Apulia |
GAMAY [gam-MAY]
Grape of the Beaujolais wine. Low tannin, medium to high acidity, light to medium-bodied. Flavours of red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry) spice (cinnamon, pepper). Best consumed young and fruity.
Country/ Regions
France - Beaujolais |
NEBBIOLO [neh-Bee-YOH-loh]
Grape of the famous 'Barolo DOCG' and 'Barbaresco' wines. High acidity, tannins and alcohol. Full-bodied with flavours of red fruit (plum), floral and
earthy character. Maturity bring in flavours tobacco, mushroom and even tar.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Piedmont |
MALBEC [MAHL-bek]
Medium acidity and tannin. Flavours of red fruit (black cherry, plum, raspberry) and chocolate, coffee, leather.
Often blended with Merlot or Petit Verdot (Bordeaux).
Country/ Regions
France - Loire, Cahors Argentina - Mendoza |
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Less Known Red Grapes |
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BARBERA [bar-BEAR-ah]
High acidity, light to medium tannins, medium-bodied. Flavours of red fruit (red cherry), spice (black pepper). Often oak aged giving flavours of toast, vanilla and sweet spice.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Piedmont |
CORVINA [kohr-VEE-nuh]
One of the grapes of the famous 'Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG'. High acidity, light-bodied and low tannins. Flavours of sour red cherry. Wine made using Passito method - grapes picked early, dried indoors which concentrates the sugars and flavours.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Verona |
MOURVÈDRE/ MATARÓ/ MONASTRELL [moor-VEH-dru]/ [Mah-tah-raw]/ [maw-nehs-TRELL]
Medium to long oak, high in tannin. Flavours of fruit (blueberry, blackberry, plum) and spice (black pepper).
Mourvèdre is the name used in France. Mataró is the name used in Portugal and parts of the New World. Monastrell is the name used in Spain.
Country/ Regions
France - Rhône Spain - Alicante Portugal USA - California |
MONDEUSE [mohn-DEUHZ]
Often called Mondeuse Noir. It has a deep purple color, with well-structured acidity and fine, well-integrated tannins. The bouquet is powerfully aromatic, with notes of sour cherries and damson plums, pencil lead and a hint of black pepper.
Country/ Regions
France - Savoy USA - California |
RONDINELLA [rhon-de-NEHL-ah]
Often blended with Corvina.
Country/ Regions
Italy - Verona |
What is wine? Quite simply, wine is a drink made from fermented juice of freshly-picked grapes. Fermentation is a natural process caused by yeast.
Yeast are microscopic organisms that live naturally alongside grapes in the vineyard. To live, yeast feed on sugar which is found in grape juice and converts it into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
There are three types of wine
Light Wines
The majority of wines fall into this category. These are what you would normally think of when someome says 'wine'. They are still, not sparkling or fizzy and are between 8 - 15% alcohol.
Many light wines are named after the region they are produced in. Examples include Bordeaux and Burgundy from France, Rioja from Spain and Chianti from Italy.
Wines from the New World Country/ Regions such as Australia are often labelled with the name of the grape use, such as Chardonnay or Shiraz.
Sparkling Wines
These are wines where bubbles of carbon dioxide gas have been trapped in the wine. The best example and most famous is Champagne from France. Another example is Cava from Spain.
Fortified Wines
These wines have had extra alcohol added to them and therefore have higher levels of 15-22%. Examples include Sherry from Spain and Port from Portugal
Styles of wine
Each of the three types of wine can be made in a variety of styles according to colour and taste
Colour
The colour of wine can be determined by the type of grapes used
The colour of red wine comes from using black grapes to make the wine as the colour comes from the grape skins. The juice is fermented in contact with the grape skin, colouring the juice
White wine is usually made from the juice of white grapes however it is possible to make with black grapes (with skins removed)
These wines are made from black grapes where the wine had had less contact with the skins. Rosrosé wines are usually not as full as red wines but offer more body than white.
Rosé tend to be a very seasonal drink, selling mostly in the summer
Sweetness
Grape juice is naturally sweet but as yeast feeds on the grape sugars during fermentation, the juice becomes less sweet.
The yeast will die once the alcohol reaches 15% or when all the sugars have been used. Once the yeast is dead, any sugar remaining in the wine will determine how sweet a wine is.
Dry
The majority of wine you will taste will be dry because the yeast will have turned all the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.
Most red wines and the majority of white are dry, although some are drier than others. Example of a dry wine is Sauvignon Blanc.
Dry red wines include Châteauneuf-du-Pape from France, Chianti from Italy and Cabernet Sauvignon from California.
Medium
Medium wines will usually be white or rosé. To make a medium wine the winemaker either removes the yeast from the juice before all
the sugar has been consumed or adds unfermented, sweet grape juice to dry wine. A medium wine should have sweetness but not be sickly.
Many popular wines from Germany are in this style as are many rosé wines.
Sweet
The amount of sugar in sweet wines makes them feel thicker and richer. Sweet wines can be made from grapes so rich in sugar that the yeast dies
before all the sugar is consumed. The sweetness should be balanced with a refreshing acidity to prevent these wines from being sickly. Alternatively
the yeast can die through the addition of extra alcohol. Examples of sweet wines include Sauternes from France.
Body
This is the general feel of the wine in the mouth when you taste.
Light Bodied
Wines light in body are usually refreshing and easy to drink. An example of a light-bodied white is Pinot Grigio and for red is Beaujolais.
Medium Bodied
The wine will feel richer and more substantial. This is because of the grapes used or because the wine may have been in oak barrels.
Examples of medium-bodied wines include white Burgundy from France and Merlot.
Full Bodied
The wine will be powerful and will seem more concentrated and heavy. This is usually due to the ripeness of the grape and for some wines the use of oak.
Examples of full-bodies wines are oaked Chardonnay and Shiraz from Australia
Other factors
The other considerations you should take into account when describing a wine style are:
Oak
If you might of seen Oak on wine labels. This means that the wine has been fermented or matured in oak and will have gained flavours, tannin
and texture from contact with the wood. White wines can become buttery and gain vanilla flavours. Red wines can become smoother with added spicy character.
Tannin
Tannin is a substance found in black grape skins. Tannin is felt on the teeth, gums and tongue and makes the mouth feel dry. It is the same substance
that makes black tea feel dry. It can makea young red wine seem harsh. It give wines structure and complexity as well as helping it to mature.
Acidity
Acidity comes from grape juice and is very importance to wine. It gives the wine its refreshing qualities. You can detect acidity by a mouth
watering sensation. Too much acidity can make the wine tart. With too little, the wine will be flabby and seem flat. Acidity can help a wine mature
such as the white wines made from Riesling from Germany.
Tannin and acidity test
You will need one grape. First peel one of the grapes so you have the skin separate from the flesh of the grape.
If your peeled grape has pips - separate the pips from flesh and set aside.
Now taste the flesh only - what are you tasting and where in your mouth are you tasting it? Did your mouth water?
That is acidity
Can you taste sweetness on the tip of your tongue?
That is the sugars in the grape juice
Next chew the skin. What has happened to your mouth? Did your mouth dry out?
That is the effect of the tannin in the skins
What makes wines different?
To understand what makes wines different we will first need to look at how grapes ripen. It is important that grapes have enough sunlight and heat to ripen.
If there is enough sunlight and heat, the grapes ripen properly, the level of acid drops and the level of sugar increases. In the case of black grapes the skins
change colour too from green to red and then deep purple. If there is not enough sunlight and heat then the grapes remain too acidic and they do not become
sweet enough.
The amount of sunlight and heat that a region normally gets is known as climate
Knowledge of a region's climate gives us an idea of the expected temperature and weather conditions the grapes experience and the style of wine
likely to be made
Cool Climate
Examples include regions in Northern France and Germany. Cool climate regions will give wines that are ...
Hot Climate
Examples include regions in Southern France, Central Span and Australia. Hot climate regions will give wines that are ...
Principal Grape Varieties
The variety or blend of varieties used to make a wine has the biggest influence on the style of wine produced. There are hundreds of grape varieties suitable for
winemaking but only a small number of varieties have established a reputation for making outstanding wines.
Named Wines made from Principal Grape Varieties
In Europe, many wines are named after the region they are produced in
Famous examples include...
Other Popular Named Wines
Sweetness in food
Umami in food
Acidity in food
Salt in food
Bitterness in food
Chilli heat in food
High-risk foods
Low-risk foods
The Left Bank - the area to the west of the River Gironde which cuts through Bordeaux: Cabernet-dominated blends
The Right Bank - found on the east of the Gironde; smooth, supple, Merlot-heavy clarets
Bordeaux Blanc - dry whites made by blending Semillion and Sauvignon Blancs grapes
Sauternes - some of the world's finest sweet wines made with a helpful fungus called Botrytis Cinerea or 'Noble Rot'.
Red Burgundy - made from Pinot Noir on some of the smallest and most expensive vineyards in the world
White Burgundy - the spiritual home of Chardonnay, where you'll find some of the most age-worthy and complex examples
Chablis - the northernmost region of Burgundy, known for Chardonnay with crisp, elegant, mineral flavours
Sancerre - crisp, aromatic Sauvignon Blanc with a trademark stony minerality
Pouilly-Fumé - Sauvignon Blanc to savour, said to have unique smokey aromas
Northern Rhone - the pinnacle of Syrah, with the very best usually found in Hermitage and Côte Rôtie
Sothern Rhone - spicy red blends including Châteauneuf-du-Pape, famously made from over a dozen different grape varieties
Amarone - a rich, concentrated wine made from dried grapes grown on the hills around Verona
Brunello - bold Sangiovese made on vineyards surrounding Montalcino
Barolo - a deep, complex red made from Nebbiolo grapes; can happily age foe decades becoming even more delicious
Super Tuscans - established by Sassicaia and Ornellaia in the 20th century, these originally broke the Tuscan winemaking rules by blending non-indigenous grape varieties
Rioja Crianza - a young wine aged for a least a year in casks
Rioja Reserva - made in superior vintages and aged for at least three years - usually more complex and savoury
Rioja Gran Reserva - aged for at least five years - the deepest of the Riojas with oaky flavours of toast and spice
Ribera del Duero - high temperatures and dramatic rocky terrain make some of Spain's most intense and delicious red wines
Priorat - a small appellation producing big, powerful reds which age wonderfully
The First Growth Bordeaux wines are among the world’s most expensive and famous wines. In 1855, the original classification included four first-growths: Lafite-Roshschild, Latour, Margaux and Haut-Brion.
In 1973, Mouton-Rothschild was elevated to first growth (or premier cru) status
Chateau Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan, Graves)Equal quantities of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon |
Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac)70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot |
Chateau Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac)80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot |
Chateau LaTour (Pauillac)80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot |
Chateau Margaux (Margaux)75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot |
Here are the classifications of Bordeaux
1855 Classification (with Sauternes and Barsac):
First-Growths / Premières Crus |
Second-Growths / Deuxièmes Crus |
Third-Growths / Troisièmes Crus |
Fourth-Growths / Quatrièmes Crus |
Fifth-Growths / Cinquièmes Crus |
Sauternes and Barsac have first and second growths, and Château d'Yquem is a Great First-Growth / Grand Premier Cru |
And the 1961 Proposed classification
Grand Cru Classé de Graves |
Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' |
Premier Grand Cru Classé 'B' |
Grand Cru Classé |
St Émilion Grand Cru |
Crus Bourgeois |
Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs |
Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels |
Cru Artisan Classification (only Médoc) |
There are 84 AOC (Appellations d'Origine Controllee)
AOC level | Burgundy Percentage | Percentage red or white | Examples |
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Grand Cru | 1% (33 in total) | 60% red & 40% white | Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Montrachet, Richebourg |
Premier Cru | 10% (640 in total) | 43% red & 57% white | Chablis 1er Cru, Vosne Romanée 1er Cru |
Village | 37% | 23% red & 77% white | Pouilly-Fuisse |
Bourgogne (Regional) | 52% | 27% red, 1% rose, 27% sparking** & 51% white | ** Crémant de Bourgogne, Macon-Villages |
Label | Calories |
---|---|
Brut Nature (a.k.a Brut Zero) | 0 - 2 calories |
Extra Brut | 0 - 5 calories |
Brut | 0 - 7 calories |
Extra Dry | 7 - 10 calories |
Dry | 10 - 20 calories |
Demi-sec | 20 - 30 calories |
Doux over | Over 30 calories |
Blanc de Blancs - made from white grapes. In Champagne, this has to be exclusively Chardonnay.
Blanc de Noirs - white fizz, black grapes. In Champagne, this has to usually Pinot Noir and Petit Meunier
Brut - dry style of Champagne that's perfect with food
Chaptalization - process of adding sugar to grape must in order to provide more sugar for the yeast in order to stimulate the fermentation and raise the degree of potential alcohol
Charmat Process - A process for producing sparkling wine or champagne cheaply and in large quantities by conducting the secondary fermentation in large tanks rather than individual bottles. It is widely used all over the world for making every day, lower priced sparkling wines
Cremant - A category of champagne or sparkling wine that contains less carbonation than standard champagnes or sparkling wines. Cremant champagnes are usually quite light and fruity but not often very bubbly.
Cuvee - first press/ blend
Demi-Sec - a style that has a higher dosage than Brut. Best with dessert
Disgorging (degorgement) - In Champagne processing, disgorging is the act of removing the frozen plug of ice (containing spent yeast) from a bottle of Champagne or Sparkling Wine, after riddling. Disgorging takes place on a bottling line just prior to adding dosage and the final corking of the finished bottle of Champagne. See Dosage.
Dosage - sugar added to a base wine to balance out its acidity
Doux - the sweetest Champagne gets.
Grower - grown and produced at the same vineyard
Methode Traditionelle - The labour-intensive process whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles.
Millesime -vintage
Non-Vintage - blending a number of harvests to produce a signature house style
Riddling - The process of turning and tilting bottles of sparkling wine in order to move sediment into the neck of the bottle so that it can be removed.
Second Fermentation - The process that creates bubbles in sparkling wine by trapping carbon dioxide in a closed container. In the case of Champagne, the second fermentation takes place inside the bottle.
Vintage - made in a single year, only when conditions are at their best