Buying Wine

Wine Classifications

Most wines are classified in one of two ways: by varietal, which means wine made entirely from a single variety of grape like Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Noir; or appellation which refers to the region where the grapes were grown such as Bordeaux, Chianti and Champagne.

Appellations are most often used to classify European wine, especially French wines. Winemaking is highly regulated and only wineries in specifically outlined regions are allowed to label their wine with that particular appellation. The regions are usually marked by a particular climate that is the best for growing that type of grape or blend of grapes that is used in that particular kind of wine.

Varietal labels are used in the United States and in countries outside of Europe to describe the kind of grapes used to make the wine. Varietals can also be labeled with the region where they came from, such as a Clare Valley, Australia, Riesling, a Columbia Valley Semillon, but that region label is not part of the name of the variety of wine.

Most serious wine-producing regions have regulations about when a wine can be labeled with the name of the grape. In some regions of France, a wine must be 100 percent of a particular grape in order to be labeled with the name of a grape. In Oregon, most varieties must be 90% pure, while California and Washington require a blend to be 75% of one kind of grape to be called by the name of the grape.

Red wine

There are about 40 different kinds of red grapes widely grown for wine around the world, ranging from the light Gamay and Pinot Noir varieties, to the popular Merlots and Zinfandels and the heavier Syrah/Shiraz.

Of course it’s difficult to label one variety of wine as heavier or lighter than another because there is a broad range of flavors that can be produced from the same variety of grapes based on the age of the vines, what the soil is like, how much sunlight the plants get, how the grapes are handled after harvest (particularly how long the grape husks are left in the juice), how the grapes are fermented and how the wine is stored--in wood barrels or some other way.

Thus a Cabernet from France will taste different than one from California, and a Merlot from Australia and one from Oregon may not even taste like the same grape. That’s why it’s important to try many different kinds of wine from all over the world to find out both the varietals and the regions you prefer.

White wine

About 50 major white wine grapes are grown around the world, with 24 grown in California alone. No wonder the state is known for its whites. The most popular white wine varieties are Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc (sometimes called Fume Blanc) and Chardonnay. Riesling is a light white, while Chardonnay tends to be heavier and Sauvignon Blanc falls somewhere in between.

Other white wines include Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Semillon and Muscat, which is a popular sweet wine. Sake also falls under the category of white wines, though it is made from fermented rice rather than grapes. It’s considered a wine because its taste is closer to wine than beer and is availabel in the wine section of liquor stores.

Sparkling

Champagne and sparkling wine are mostly known in America as white wines, but they can be made from many different kinds of grapes and are more properly classified as bubbly wines. As mentioned above, only grapes grown in the Champagne region of France are allowed to call their product Champagne. Wines of that style made anywhere else in the world must instead be called sparkling wine.

Most white Champagne is made with Chardonnay which may be blended with other grapes. These wines will have one of the following labels: Brut Absolut, Brut, Extra-Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux, describing the dryness or sweetness of the wine, from very dry to very sweet. There are also Blanc de Blanc wines, made entirely of white grapes, Blanc de Noir, made from red grapes and Rose champagne, a dark pink, rich combination of red and white grapes.

Pink

There are two main types of pink wine, rose and white zinfandel. Rose is light and fruity, a popular picnic wine in Provence, while white zinfandel, made in California, is a sweet wine made from Zinfandel grapes that are picked early. The juice is quickly separated from the skin so the wine retains a pink color.

Many different kinds of desert wines are now available, including fruit wines, which are made through the fermentation of other fruits (blackberry, strawberry, cherry, cranberry, etc.) besides grapes. These wines are very fruity and are best served chilled. The best wines come from the areas where the best fruits are grown, so if you go on vacation to somewhere that grows lots of, say, blueberries (like Maine) you can probably find good blueberry wine there.

And then there are the fortified wines: Madeira, port, sherry and vermouth. These products are fortified with other spirits to raise the alcohol content and produce rich, heavy liquors.

Buying Tips

You will have to do a fair amount of experimentation to find out what wine you like and which regions produce the wines that taste best to you. That’s the fun part. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on wines you don’t know if you’ll like, start ordering wine with dinner, go to a wine tasting if you can find one in your area, or visit wineries in your state or region or when you go on vacation. Taste all you can (please drink responsibly) and take lots of notes.

It’s a good idea when you’re starting to learn to appreciate wine to keep a wine journal. Write down the winery, variety, year, price and any other information you know about the wine you tasted. Keep the label if you’re drinking at home and write down your response. Don’t just write “good” or “bad,” try to dig deeper. What does it taste like? Is it smoky, rich, bitter? How does it taste in your mouth, as you swallow and after tasting? How is it with food? If you’re with a group, get everyone’s reaction.

There’s a big world of wine out there, and even if you know a little about your taste in wine (that you like reds, for instance, or dry wine) going to the liquor store to buy wine can be intimidating. If there’s a liquor store in your area with a large selection of wine, go there and ask someone who works there what kind of wine they recommend to someone who’s trying new things. Or ask them what’s new, or what has been selling well. Popular wines are often popular for a reason.

If you’d like more guidance, consult a wine guide. Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast are all magazines that publish special issues highlighting the best wines. If your liquor store you will probably see Wine Spectator ranking labels on the shelves. Rankings above 90 indicate great wines in the estimation of wine experts. Any time you can find a wine with a ranking above 90 in your price range, its worth it to try that wine.

If you find that you like a particular varietal above all others, you might keep an eye out for an issue of any of these magazines relating to that grape. This will tell you which wineries are making the best varietals with that grape, which will help you explore and expand your palate.

Speaking of expanding your palate, don’t be afraid to try new things, and don’t listen to anyone’s rules about what kind of wine you’re supposed to drink with which kind of food. The “rules” (drink red wine with beef, white wine with fish, etc.) are a good place to start but they’re really too limiting. Red wine is great with all sorts of food, and white wine is refreshing no matter what you’re eating. The only way to learn what works for you is to buy and try lots of different kinds of wines with lots of different kinds of foods. Make up your own “rules” as you go along.

More Information

• Wine Spectator
• Wine Advocate
• Wine Enthusiast