What Type Of Wine Am I

Every Major Type Of Red Wine You Would Ever Need To Know

If you’re a beginner in the world of red wine, walking down a wine aisle at a local wine shop or even your grocery store can be intimidating. Sure, you know that Merlot and Malbec are both red, but your knowledge doesn’t go too far beyond that. If that’s the case for you, don’t worry. We’re here to shed some light on the red wine section. The truth is, the vast majority of red wines come down to a handful of grapes, so if you know about those grapes, then you’ll have a much clearer picture of the wine landscape. That can help you choose the perfect red for that steak dinner or select a bottle for your friend’s housewarming party.

We’re going to cover 10 common types of red wine you’ll find on shelves. Of course, there are countless other varieties out there, but these are the types you’re most likely to see regularly. Get acquainted with these varieties first, then make your way to your local wine shop and try them out for yourself. After all, the best way to determine what kind of wine you prefer is by sipping it yourself. Ready to get started? Here’s every major type of red wine you’d ever need to know.

But First Some Wine :

We probably dont need to tell you that wine is made by fermenting grape juicebut these arent your standard snacking grapes. Wine is made from either white grapes, which look green in color, or black grapes, which are reddish or purple in appearance. Other factors that affect the final outcome of a bottle are complex and include how long its aged, what type of vessel its aged in, the climate in which the grapes are grown, how long the juice sits with the skins, and more.

Shop For White And Red Wines Online

Whether weve convinced you to give red wines a try, Marketview Liquor has a wide selection of both red and white wines. All these wines are easy to order online by the bottle or case and have shipped anywhere in the United States. Mix and match a customized case of select wine that includes a few of your favorite white wines and a few of the reds weve mentioned.

We have an extensive online wine selection, and were sure youll find the wine you want in a price range you can afford to pay.

Choose from wines that originate along Californias Coast, in a valley of the Alps, on the rolling hills of Spain or in the south of France. Whether youre searching for a high-end bottle to give as a gift or a case of affordable favorites with which to stock your pantry, our selection includes them all.

Don’t Miss: Stella Rosa Tropical Mango Alcohol Percentage

Understanding Wine Is A Process

Take the next month to buy one new bottle of wine a week . Uncork and take a few moments to taste and describe it using the descriptors above. Make sure you try a different type of wine each week and repeat the same process. At the end of the month you’ll start to feel more comfortable with the vocabulary of wine, which can have a profound effect on your enjoyment.

At the end of the day, you really cant make a wrong choice. As long as you pay attention to what it is that you dont like about a wine, each bottle will get you closer to what you do like. Take it one glass at a time and dont be afraid to admit it if you cant quite put your finger on something. Focus on enjoying your winethats the entire point.

How To Pick Out Wine For Dinner

The tips above will provide a great start to establishing your taste in good wine. However, sometimes you arent looking for how to choose good wine, but rather how to pick the right wine for a particular meal. A great wine may not always shine in tandem with the wrong food. When it comes to wine pairing, you can revisit the basic characteristics of wine sweetness, acidity, tannin, body and alcohol and apply them to pairing.

The overall goal of choosing wine for dinner is to find a wine that either complements or contrasts the flavors. A good wine pairing will give you a more complex burst of flavor from your dining and drinking experience. Here are a few general guidelines for the best wine and food pairings.

1. Acidic food needs an acidic wine.

If you choose wine with low acidity to pair with a meal that has higher acidity, such as meals with citrus or fish, youre sure to be disappointed. The acidity in the food will overpower the wine, leaving your taste buds with much to be desired. In this case, its best to find a higher-acidity wine to match your meal.

2. Salty food is the perfect partner for sweet wine.

The combination of salty and sweet is a classic that carries into the wine-pairing world, too. A sweet wine can help cut the saltiness of a dish, while also highlighting the pleasant sweetness of the wine.

3. Fatty foods work best withbitter, highly acidic or higher ABV wines.

4. Foods and wines from the same region can make great pairings.

Recommended Reading: Cabernet Franc Vines For Sale

Types Of Wine Drinkers

What Does Cooking With Wine Do

Wine, like any ingredient, imparts flavor. The tannins of red wine or a white wine’s fresh acidity offer depth and complexity to marinades and sauces of all kinds. However, the chemical compounds in wine also offer textures you might not otherwise get either. For instance, red wine helps break down tougher cuts of meat over long periods in braises and stews. White wine helps fish and chicken retain moisture and delicate texture.

The astringency or tartness of a wine can also balance out sweetness or richness . This can make a dish more sophisticated and take your cooking to new levels. It’s also why, in general, you want to avoid cooking with sweet wines: the sugars in the wine might impart excessive sweetness.

Read Also: Ounces In A 750ml

What Can You Use Instead Of Marsala Wine In Chicken Marsala

Marsala wine is a type of red wine that has been used in chicken marsala for many years. However, if you cant find it or dont want to use it, there are other types of red wines that would work just as well. Read more in detail here: what can i use instead of marsala wine.

As an alternative to Marsala, you may use a dry white wine. Use an equivalent quantity of dry white wine blended with a teaspoon of brandy if the recipe asks for 14 cup of white wine. A combination of white wine, brandy, and a pinch of sugar and salt may be used in lieu of Marsala wine.

Similarly, what is a suitable non-alcoholic Marsala wine substitute?

• White grape juice, 14 cup
• 1 tbsp extract de vanille
• 2 tblsp. sherry vinegar

Is it possible to use balsamic vinegar for marsala wine? However, the recipe asks for a cup of dry marsala wine, which I dont want to use since Im allergic to alcohol. 1) Dont use any wine or wine substitute at all. 2) To balance out the sourness, use balsamic vinegar, perhaps reduced or mixed with agave syrup.

What type of Marsala wine is used to make chicken marsala?

Is it possible to use red cooking wine for Marsala?

Answers to Related Questions

What’s The Bulleit Of Wine A Few Picks

Picking an actual wine and feeling confident you’re getting a decent bottle is, of course, a major barrier for anyone. We’ve been wondering: What wines are similar to Bulleit Rye, as in: affordable, widely available, and generally regarded as good?

It’s a difficult question to answer, since annual variations in climate, grape quality, and a dozen other factors make the year-to-year quality of a wine vary more than a grain-based alcohol. That said, our research indicates these picks are worth consideration as safe, reliable value for your dollar:

Whites

• Chardonnay: Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve California Chardonnay
• Chenin Blanc: Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier
• Sauvignon blanc: Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
• Riesling/Pinot Gris/Moscato blend: Hugel et Fils Gentil Alsace

Reds

• Cabernet sauvignon: Beringer Founders Estate California Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot: Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Merlot
• Zinfandel: Bogle Old Vine California Zinfandel

Don’t Miss: Shaoxing Wine Where To Buy

How To Talk About Wine

Because flavors are so subjective, it’s easy to dismiss wine-tasting terms as pretentious and less-than-useful. However, understanding a few basic phrases can give you all the vocabulary you need to describe the wines you enjoy . To get you started, here are a few commonly-used wine words:

Now that you know how to talk about, let’s get into the wines themselves. Below are many of the most popular wine styles you’ll find in stores and at restaurants, along with a few underrated gems.

Which Type Of Wine Are You

Are you most like a glass of versatile Chardonnay, mellow Merlot, crisp Riesling, or maybe you are a bold and spicy Shiraz? Take this quiz to determine which type of wine suits your personality. Have fun too!

• Which of the following fruit would you choose to eat out of a fruit bowl?
• A.& nbsp

• Sample QuestionWhat is the most famous region of France known for its Chardonnay wines?Nuits-Saint-George

Also Check: Total Wine Paypal

Matching Characteristics To Types Of Wines

Now that you have reflected on the flavors you enjoy and characteristics of wine you desire, the trick is finding the right wine to provide those features. You know what flavor of wine you want, but where do you find it? Below are eight common types of wine, organized from light and sweet to full-bodied and savory. Weve included a brief description of characteristics and common food pairings for each to get you started on your journey to becoming a wine lover.

1. Riesling

• Light to medium-bodied white wine with lots of fruit flavors, moderate sweetness and high acidity
• Pairs well with chicken, pork, duck, turkey, cured meat and many Thai, Indian, Moroccan, Vietnamese and German dishes

• Light-bodied white wine with mid-level acidity and subtly sweet fruit and floral flavors
• Pairs with salads, poached fish and light or mild cheeses

3. Sauvignon Blanc

• Light to medium-bodied white wine with lots of citrus fruit flavors and a high level of acidity
• Pairs well with fish, chicken, pork, veal, herb-crusted or nutty cheeses and many Mexican, Vietnamese and French dishes

4. Chardonnay

• Medium to full-bodied white wine with plenty of yellow fruit flavors and mid-level acidity
• Pairs well with shrimp, crab, lobster, chicken, pork, mushrooms, cream sauces, soft or nutty cheeses and many French dishes

5. Pinot Noir

6. Zifandel

7. Syrah

First Things First Is Drinking Wine Healthy

ICYMI, wine can actually be super beneficial to your health in moderation, says Keri Gans, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet. Red wine in particular has antioxidants, which are known to help reduce inflammation in the body,” she explains. “Those antioxidant properties that red wine has, it may help lower the risk of heart disease.”

That said, Gans reiterates that the health benefits of wine are mostly achieved through moderation. The USDA recommends no more than about five fluid ounces of wine per day, Gans notes, which can look like having a glass of wine with or after your dinner each night.

It does not mean drinking six glasses of wine all at once on a Saturday night, though. You shouldnt say Im just going to hold off on my wine until the weekend to get all my wine intake in, Gans says. That would be considered binge drinking, and there are no benefits to binge drinking.”

You May Like: Stella Rosa Black 1917

Red Wine Indicates A Better Cardiometabolic Rate

After 2 years, no material differences were identified across the groups in blood pressure, adiposity, liver function, drug therapy, symptoms or quality of life, except that sleep quality improved in both wine groups compared with the water group.

However, patients who drank wine showed decreased cardiometabolic risks compared with those drinking mineral water. The red wine drinkers experienced the most significant changes in lipid variables.

The researchers unexpectedly found that while the alcohol itself appears to aid glycemic control, red wine has a stronger effect on lipid levels and overall variables of the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that its non-alcoholic constituents also play a role.

The red wine had seven times higher levels of total phenols than the white wine. Whether the phenolic compounds increase the cardioprotectiveness is still debated. The team calls for differences between red and white wine to be further studied, with focus on the varied biodeliverability of the compounds.

The team found that genetic differences affected glycemic control and therefore suggest that genetic information could assist in identifying which patients with type 2 diabetes would benefit from moderate wine consumption.

Limitations include the participants not being blinded to treatment allocation, but the long-term nature of the study is a strength.

The Basics Of Good Wine

Choosing a good wine is completely subjective. How each person defines a good wine is unique to them and their taste buds. Whether you prefer delicate, bold, sweet, tart or even spicy flavors, it is possible to find a wine you adore. These essential characteristics that define each variety of wine can be helpful to keep in mind as you navigate picking a bottle.

Everyone will have different preferences for each of these characteristics of wine, but with the right care, you can find a bottle that fulfills your taste preferences.

Also Check: How To Start A Wine Label

The Kickstarter: Sauvignon Blanc

The Sauvignon Blanc, also called the “Wild White,” is the most common white grape planted all over the world. It has a very distinct flavor from other white wines as it has flavors of herbs and greens. The secret of its taste lies in the aromatic compound pyrazine.

Other than its unique herbaceous flavor profile, it also has hints of fruity lime, green, and kiwi flavors. It is a dry wine that is paired perfectly with salads and white meat. It is perfect as a starter wine for a full course meal.

This wine resembles those who are able to lead the course of action of any plan or project. If you are the kind of person who knows they can lead but aren’t willing to take initiative, then try out the Sauvignon Blanc. While it is a great wine to begin a meal, it doesn’t hold much towards the next courses. But it makes a great deal of letting people settle in and begin to realize that they are in for a great dinner.

You might not be the kind that can push through projects to the end, and your crisp sense of direction allows others to know how to begin their first move. People need someone who will help them kick start their career or life decisions, and you are the person that they find the motivation to start. It doesn’t matter if a plan was finished successfully or not, but your ability to mobilize when uncertainty is present is an asset that not everyone has.

Sparkling Wines From Driest To Sweetest:

• Brut Nature
• Demi-Sec/Semi-seco
• Doux/Sweet/Dulce.

Sparkling wine is made from a wide range of red and white grapes. Champagne proper is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and/or Pinot Noir.

Increasingly, wine drinkers and producers are using the term sparkling wine and champagne interchangeably, in the same way we might call any facial tissue a Kleenex. Purists insist that only wine produced in the Champagne region of France should rightfully be called champagne or Champagne, but there are no laws in the U.S. governing that distinction. So, if you think youre getting a steal on a bottle of imported champagne for only $12, you should probably check the label a bit more closely.

You May Like: Can Wine Be Shipped To North Carolina