Wine has become a staple at the dinner table for so many years and counting. However, this alcoholic drink has a long history which plays a significant role in the wine-making process. Wine is known to originate in Europe. In fact, the oldest traces of wine was found in Sicily, Italy, Persia, and Georgia, which is located at the junction of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.
Along with the long history of wine comes its different varieties. There are so many factors that affected the production of wine. From the variety of grapes, the strain of yeast added, and the grape’s growing environment. All of these factors gave birth to the varieties of wines we are currently enjoying, such as:
Red Wine
Red wine is the most common type of wine you can find. When someone says wine, the color that will instantly come to mind is red. However, this is just one of the different types of wine that you can enjoy.
This type of wine got its color from the skin of the grapes used to make this wine variety. During the crushing process of winemaking, only the seed and the stem are thrown away while the skin is intentionally left behind to create this bold color of red wine.
Common characteristics of red wine are the color, of course, then second comes the tannins present in the wine. Red wines often have high levels of tannins which make them dry. The best feature of red wine is that it is only slightly acidic, refreshing the palate.
There are many varieties of red wine. The most common types of red wines are the following:
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most common red wine variety in the market because it is the widely grown grape variety worldwide. In addition, most wine drinkers love Cabernet Sauvignon because of its green bell pepper notes and aromas.
Malbec
Malbec has strong tannins and a dark color. This type of red wine is most popular in the United States. Malbec wine is originated in France. However, the majority of Malbec vineyards nowadays can be seen in Argentina.
Pinot Noir
Although this variety of grape is difficult to grow, it is still one of the popular varieties of wine due to its elegance and complexity. Once a Pinot Noir grape is successfully grown, it will surely produce high-quality wines.
Sangiovese
A variety of wine that is originated in Italy, the Sangiovese wine is a savory variety that provides a wide range of tastes from rustic to earthy tones. The Sangiovese grapes, which are the primary ingredients of this type of wine, are widely grown in Italy.
Nebbiolo
Another wine that is originated in Italy is the Nebbiolo variety. The Nebbiolo grape variety is known to predominantly grow in Piedmont, Italy, where the variety is known to be a native. Despite the high tannins of the Nebbiolo wine, the flavor of raspberries and cherries with the aromas of rose and anise will surely captivate your palate.
Zinfandel
Crafted from a black-skinned grape variety, the Zinfandel is known to be originated in Croatia. However, it is also widely available in California as 10 percent of California vineyards grow Zinfandel grape.
Merlot
Merlot is one of the world’s most popular red wines and is the second favorite to Cabernet Sauvignon in the United States. When you consume Merlot wine, you can notice its plummy and velvety flavor that will play in your taste buds. You can as well taste a hint of rich oakiness in every sip.
Syrah
Syrah or also referred to by many as Shiraz. It has a dark, full-body appearance and has a lot of tannins. Therefore, if you drink Syrah wines, expect them to have a dark and bitter taste.
White Wine
The next type of wine you surely have already encountered is white wine. As second to the popularity of red wines, white wine acquires its color by using a green-skinned grape. Additionally, black, purple, or red-skinned grapes can also be used in making white wines. However, the skin of the grapes used in making the wine should be removed before crushing the grapes.
Because the grape skin is gone, nothing can give the wine its red color; thus, the outcome will be white wine. White wines are considered elegant, seductive, and pure. This type of wine commonly has a clear golden-yellow tint that makes it look elegant.
White wines have high acidity and little to no tannins. It can provide a dry or a sweet fruity flavor. Common white wine varieties available today are:
Riesling
Riesling is a white wine that originated from Germany that has an almost perfumy aroma. The Riesling grape is a tough variety with a high tolerance to heat and drought. It is known to be a sweet wine, but many Riesling wines are available that are dry and prove otherwise.
Moscato
Moscato wines are widely known as a type of rose, sparkling, or even dessert wine. The Muscat grape variety used in Moscato wine is the widely used variety in crafting the three types of wine mentioned.
Pinot Grigio
An Italian white wine, Pinot Grigio, will surely improve your dining experience with its citrusy flavor. In addition, depending on where the grapes used in making the wine grows, the Pinot Grigio wine will typically provide you with slight notes of honey with a honeysuckle aroma.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the popular white wines in the United States. It may not be the number one, but most American loves the crispiness of the Sauvignon Blanc Wine that they referred to as a “grassy†hint. Additionally, this wine type is also easy to drink and makes people easily fall in love with it.
Chardonnay
Another type of white wine that you probably have heard of many times is Chardonnay. Chardonnay is the most popular white wine in the world. It provides you with a rich, fruity flavor. Moreover, it has the heaviest body in all of the white wine. Aside from the fact that it is the widely distributed white wine globally, Chardonnay can offer its drinkers a range of flavors based on where the grapes are grown.
Viognier
The last type of white wine that we are going to talk about is the Viognier. It has a flavor of mango, tangerine, and honeysuckle. You can also enjoy the hint of vanilla with aromas of nutmeg and clove. It is a white wine with a very crisp finish that will give you freshness in every glass.
Rose Wine
A lovely type of wine that makes you want to keep it instead of drinking it is rose wine, also known as blush. Its color makes it very attractive, especially to ladies, making it the best wine for women.
Even though it still has nearly the same alcohol content as red wine, ladies still love rose better as it has low tannins that make it less dry and bitter. When it comes to acidity, a rose wine typically has moderate to high acidity levels.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wines are fun and are always associated with celebrations. This is why sparkling wines are the most popular choice of alcoholic drink during celebratory events. The fizz on the wine comes from the carbon dioxide bubbles that are responsible for its shimmering appearance.
This type of wine went through fermentation twice, which gives it its special characteristics. Sparkling wine can be either red, white, or even rose in color. Its acidity can be moderate to high but has low in tannins. This is why most sparkling wines are less bitter.
Champagne is the most popular type of sparkling wine. It was produced in France within its Champagne Wine Region. It is made from a mixture of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes.
Dessert Wine
The next type of wine that we will talk about is dessert wine. Dessert wines are the product of partially fermented grape juice. This is why dessert wines have a sweet taste, as there is still sugar present in the wine from the grapefruit.
If you are not into the typical wine taste, usually dry and bitter, the dessert wine can be the wine. It is as well comes in red, white, or rose in color. Because it is naturally sweet, it means that dessert wines are low in tannins and acidity.
The acidity is only present to balance the sweetness of the wine. The most popular dessert wine you can find in the market is Fortified Wine and Ice wine.
A Quick Glimpse of How Wines Are Made
For thousands of years, wine has been around and consumed by many people from all around the world. When it comes to wine-making, each region worldwide has its own technique in making its precious wines. However, all of them still use the basic wine-making procedure as the base of their production.
If you are wondering how wines are made, here are the basics of wine-making that have been used for thousands of years that were passed from generation to generation.
Grape Picking
The very first step of winemaking is the picking of the main ingredient, which is the grapes. The quality of your wine will depend on the quality of the grapes you will use. This is why you must pick the right grapes during this process.
Grape Crushing
For many years ago, the procedure of crushing the grapes for wine-making is done by stomping on the harvested grapes until it becomes mushy and turns to almost liquidy. Today, a machine is used to make this step even easier and faster.
Fermentation
Fermentation is the most important stage of winemaking. This stage shapes the taste of the wine that you are making. This is where the sugar from the fruit gets converted into alcohol with the help of the yeast that is added to the grape juice.
Wine Aging
After you ferment the grape juice, it is now time to leave it in peace and age. This may take several months to years. The grape juice will be placed in an oak barrel during the aging process, and the barrel also contributed to the taste of the wine, which is why it is best to choose a barrel according to what type of wine you are making.
Bottling the Wine
After several months or years in an oak barrel, your wine is now ready to consume. But before you enjoy your wine, you should bottle it up for an added aesthetics. When your wine is bottled, it is now ready to be offered to your families, friends or even sell it for profit.
Enjoy Your Wine
Wines are best enjoyed in cold weather. Most people find comfort during the cold winter days by drinking a glass of wine or two. Mount Baker is known to have cold weather all year round, which means that wines are best enjoyed in this region. Rifugio’s Italian Cuisine, situated along the Mount Baker Highway, offers wines to people within the vicinity of Mount Baker.