Wine

Red Wines

White Wines

1. Bordeaux
2. Burgundy
3. Beaujolais
4. Cabernet Sauvignon
5. Cabernet Franc
6. Chianti
7. Malbec
8. Merlot
9. Petite Sirah
10. Pinot Noir
11. Syrah or Shiraz
12. Zinfandel

1. Chardonnay
2. Chenin Blanc
3. Muscadet
4. Muscat Blanc
5. Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris
6. Riesling
7. Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc
8. Semillon
9. Viognier
10. White Burgundy
11. White Bordeaux

Rose Wines

Champagne

Other types of sparkling wine are:

______, a dry Italian sparkling wine

______, a sweet Italian sparkling wine

______, a sparkling Spanish wine

• Prosecco
• Asti
• Cava

Dessert Wines

Fortified Wines

1. Port
2. Sherry (dry, medium, sweet)
3. Madeira
4. Let-harvest Rieslings
5. Ice Wines
6. Orange Muscat & other Muscat varieties

The largest wine producer in the world, tracing its history to the 6th century BC, with many of their regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. The wines produced range from expensive high-end wines sold internationally to more modest wines usually only seen within the country.

France

1. Alsace & Lorraine
2. Bordeaux
3. Burgundy
4. Champagne
5. Jura & Savoie
6. Languedoc-Roussilon
7. Loire Valley
8. Provence & Corsica
9. Rhone Valley
10. Southwest France

1. Tuscany
2. Piedmont
3. Veneto

1. Grape Variety (e.g. Sangiovese)

2. Wine-Making District or Village (e.g. Chianti)

3 Italian Red Wines:

1. Chianti

2. Barolo

3. Barbaresco

1. Soave

2. Asti

3. Cortese

Chianti is made from the _____ grape in the _____ region.

There are 3 quality levels of Chianti:

• Sangiovese Grape
• Tuscany Region

1. Budget Plain (Chianti)

2. Mid-Range (Chianti Classico)

3. Highest Quality (Chianti Classico Riserva)

Italian wine made from the Nebbiolo grape variety; a full, tannic red wine with high alcoholic content produced in the Piedmont region.

It is required to be aged for three years before sale (one year in wood), and the "Riserva" label must be aged for five years.

Barolo

Like Barolo, this Italian wine is also made from Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont region, but is a somewhat lighter red wine. It is aged for a shorter time than Barolo.

Barbaresco

Italian wine produced in the Veneto region, and is an economical, easy-to-drink white table wine. It is made from the Garganega and Trebbiano grapes.

Soave

A well-known Italian sparkling wine made from the Muscat grape in the Piedmont region.

Asti

Not a well-known wine grape. It has been grown in Northwestern Italy in the Piedmont area since as long ago as the 17th century. It is used to make a light, greenish-colored, refreshing white wine that can make an excellent aperitif when well chilled.

• Aroma is quite citrussy, with a lot of grapefruit and a touch of sweet melon. 
• Taste is nice and light and refreshing - quite tart without being overly acidic. Lots of citrus, especially grapefruit, with some minerality. 
• Quite a dry wine, although there's a hint of initial sweetness on the tongue, followed by the tart, citrussy finish.

 Can make a very nice aperitif wine, or it can be paired with light seafood dishes.

Cortese

1. Rioja
2. Sherry
3. Madeira
4. Muscatel
5. Cava
6. Sangria

Spain’s most famous red wine, made in the La Rioja region in the northeast part of the country, only about 200 mile south of France’s famous Bordeaux vineyards.

Made from a blend of grape varieties, and they can also be white or rosé depending on how the wine is produced. Grapes used include Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), Tinta and Mazuelo.

Rioja

A Spanish fortified wine, made by adding brandy to the wine toward the end or after fermentation.

Can be anywhere from very dry to quite sweet, and are usually served lightly chilled as either an aperitif or after-dinner drink.

Sherry

A sweet fortified wine made in several of the Spanish wine-making regions. It is made from the Muscat grape, which is also often used to make sherry in Spain.

Muscatel

Cava

Sangria

The largest wine growing state in the United States, with literally thousands of wineries.

Due to the large variety of microclimates in the state, many different types of wine are produced, from ordinary table wines to fine wines that have gained world recognition.

California

1. Carneros
2. Livermore
3. Marin
4. Mendocino
5. Monterey
6. Napa Valley
7. Paso Robles
8. San Diego
9. San Luis Obispo
10. Santa Barbara
11. Santa Clara
12. Santa Cruz
13. Sierra Foothills
14. Sonoma County

The best offer cherry, spice and vanilla flavors. They are well-balanced, with medium body, soft tannins, and balanced acid. Traditionally a blending grape, it is being taken seriously as a single varietal in Italy, California, Australia, and more recently Argentina.

 Barbera

Made from the Nebbiolo grape, this Italian red has a tar and roses scent. Look for flavors of black fruit, dried herb, cherry jam, and possibly licorice and smoke. It is powerfully full-bodied, extremely long-lived and among the greatest reds in the world.

 Barolo

Both a wine and a French region producing wines with concentrated fruit, kirsch aromas and flavors. Light and easy to drink, Beaujolais Nouveau is made in November each year and should be drunk within weeks.

Beaujolais

These French blended wines have so many delightful flavors they are tough to classify. Look for a deep color with elegant notes of ripe black fruit, cassis, chocolate, smoke, and creamy vanilla oak. Usually need several years to soften. Aged in cellar for 5-20 years.

Bordeaux

Made from the Pinot Noir grape,  traditionally exhibit a cedary aroma, with black plum, cherry, earth, cocoa, rhubarb, pepper, black licorice, leather, and grippy tannins. Aging partially in new oak barrels adds additional depth and dimension. Aged in cellar for 3-30 years.

Burgundy (Red)

Cabernet Franc

Wide variation of flavors, but look for black cherry, currants, bell peppers, cedar, and possibly anise. May also find aromas of cassis, cigar box, leather, meat, or mint. Major regions include Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Australia.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Black cherry, chocolate, espresso, cedar, sandalwood, black tea, toasty oak, dark plum, and possibly slight licorice or even soy notes. Consists of at least 70% sangiovese grapes to be legal.

Chianti

The famous grape of Beaujolais, it is designed to be drunk young and has flavors of strawberry, cherry, banana and chocolate.

Gamay

Usually blended, but as a single grape wine has flavors of black pepper, plum and toffee. Primary grape of the southern Rhone.

Grenache

Usually a blended grape used in Bordeaux. Single varietals are now popular in Argentina and California. It can impart flavors of mint and chocolate, as well as cherry, pepper and spice.

Malbec

Sandalwood, coffee, mint, chocolate, pepper, and vanilla, but also notes of black currant, cherry and possibly plum. Major regions include Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Chilean Central Valley and Australia.

Merlot

Dark in color and full of dark stone fruits. Earthy with mint and chocolate notes. These can be quite tannic and require 5 years aging before drinkable. Not the same grape as Syrah.

Petite Syrah

Red fruit softened with chocolate, clove and cinnamon. Black cherry, slight licorice, vanilla and butter. Major regions include Burgundy, Champagne, and California.

Pinot Noir

Generic Spanish red wine with mostly Tempranillo grapes, sometimes blended with Mazuela. Has nose of cinnamon, cherry, clove and leather. Notes of tart-cherry, licorice, mineral and spice components.

Rioja

Dusty cherry and cassis, with hints of tar, herb, chocolate, and leather. Nose is usually of espresso and black fruits. California versions usually have a bit more oak, with possible plum and vanilla notes.

Sangiovese

Australian syrah with flavors of blackberry, vanilla and toasty oak. Sometimes licorice, cedar and mocha cream notes. Often described as meaty, leathery and juicy. Made from Syrah grapes.

Shiraz (or Syrah)

Crisp berry with slight cocoa, tar, pepper and leather. Jammy black-cherry, bramble, pepper, herbs, and spice. May be blended with Petite Sirah.

Zinfandel

French Chardonnay grapes make this stylish, intense wine with slightly smoky quality and notes of stone, mineral, and crisp fruit. Don't mistake with its California cousin which is very light and lacking depth and possibly not from the chardonnay grape.

Chablis

Base flavors are green apple, peach and melon before being influenced by oak, giving it a buttery toast flavor. Also look for butterscotch and caramel and occasional citrus flavors.

Chardonnay

California selections are, at their best, fruity with tropical fruit, citrus, peach, ginger, oak and toffee. In the Loire Valley of France, Chenin Blanc ages slowly, turning from the freshest vibrant fruit to complex, toasty, nutty, mineral, and honeyed flavored.

Chenin Blanc

California name for dry Sauvignon Blanc. Notes of citrus, melon, grass, peaches, apricots, tropical fruit and possibly butter, vanilla and honey. May be blended with Semillon.

Fume Blanc

Serve chilled, this wine exhibits lychee nut, grapefruit and pear flavors. Possibly floral, tangerine, pineapple, orange, and spice.

Late harvest  are usually sweet (20%+ residual sugar) with tremendous fruit concentration and like drinking your dessert.

Gewurztraminer

Notes of apple, hay, straw and lemon and possibly pear. Look for a good mouth-feel, medium body and crisp herbal finish.

Pinot Grigio

Perfumed aromas of honeysuckle, pineapple and guava. Possibly pear, peach, smoke, and citrus, and mineral notes. Some vintages may have flavors of nuts and smoke, which make it closer to the tastes of a French Chablis. Also known as Pinot blanc and Rulander.

Pinot Gris

Usually sweet or semi-sweet ("halb-trocken" with German Rieslings) with a floral flavor as well as apricot, peach, apple, pear, and honey. Sweeter varieties may even exhibit toffee, vanilla, pecan pie, and crème brûlée.

Riesling

Green melon (California), crisp lemon-grass and thyme aromas. Grapefruit, pear and possibly passion fruit and fig. When aged in oak, it is known as Fume Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc

Fruity, spicy, exotic flavors with apple, apricot, peach, honey, and pear notes. Barrel fermentation adds a smooth, velvety and buttery mouthful. Dry but rich.

Viognier

Can have flavors similar to Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, with a grassy or herbaceous note. Often will find melon, herb with ripe fig flavors.

Semillon

4 points to consider when pairing food and wine:

1. Pair Red Wine w/ Red Meat & White Wine w/ White Meat

2. Consider the Sauce also when pairing

3. Spicy dishes pair best w/ Sweeter Wine

4. Use care when pairing Wine & Cheese

The St-Émilion classification was added 130 years later than the others. A classification was also done for Graves, but this was only done by red/white type and not by quality. 

Legally, the grapes that can be included in a red bordeaux can only come from these varieties:

1. Cabernet Sauvignon
2. Merlot
3. Cabernet Franc
4. Petit Verdot
5. Malbec
6. Carmenere

When people just say "bordeaux wine", they typically mean the classic red blend. The red Bordeaux are created with ________, often blended with ________ and ________. The color tends to be a garnet/ruby shade. The flavor is typically a light one, with blackberry, black fruits, wood, and other notes. A classic Bordeaux is said to have a "cigar box" aroma to it. 

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cabernet Franc
• Merlot

The region of Bordeaux, France is largest region of wine growing in the world. Bordeaux is made up of five main districts - Medoc, St. Emilion, Pomerol, Graves, and Sauternes.

While Medoc and the entire region are best known for their reds ("Clarets"), white wines also have their place. Graves creates dry whites, and Sauternes is known for its sweet whites.

Graves, the dry whites, are made by blending mostly _____ with a small amount of _______. Sauternes, the sweeter whites, are made with ________, ________and a drop of Muscadelle. 

The ________ grape is responsible for the great red wines of Burgundy in France. This creates wines with dark pink to dark ruby pink coloring, light to medium-bodied, with favors of Black cherries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, plums, spice, herbs, chocolate and cedar.  It is the most difficult to make into wine, as it is very sensitive to climate changes and variation in soil composition, which accounts for its typically high cost.

Pinot Noir

1. Bottle Shapes
2. Color
3. Labels

• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Cabernet Franc
• Malbec
• Most Bordeaux Blends

• Sauvignon Blanc 
• Semillon 
• Blends with Muscadelle

The slope shouldered 'Burgundy Bottle' is generally used for ________and ________ around the world.

• Chardonnay 
• Pinot Noir

• dark purple and almost opaque 
• bright and clear ruby red 

As far as the whites are concerned the color of bordeaux is more concentrated towards ______, while white burgundys are showing more ______.

• gold
• light rose

In labeling, “_______” is more often used in Bordeaux, while “_______” in Bourgogne.

• Château
• Domaine

Many red bordeaux wines are rich, bodied, thick, and have a certain weight, they are fruity, tart, and show well pronounced roughness. This originates with the grapes used. 

There are 8 grape varieties allowed within AOC Bordeaux Appellation. 

5 reds:

3 whites:

1. cabernet sauvignon: gives bitter wines, good for long maturation, with typical herbaceous or green bell pepper flavor 

2. merlot: in the traditional Bordeaux blend. Merlot's role is to add body and softness . 

3. cabernet franc: is lighter than cabernet sauvignon, making a bright pale red wine and contributing finesse and a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes. 

4. petit verdot: it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend. 

5. malbec: brings very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to Bordeaux blends. 

1. sauvignon blanc: in general gives wines crisp, elegant, and fresh with grassy flavors

2. sémillon : is rather heavy, with low acidity and an almost oily texture. It has a high yield and wines based on it can age a long time.

3. muscadelle: it has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins

15 - 20 years

Red burgundys are 100% made with ________  (except the gamay). 

This particular grape variety, is widely considered to produce some of the world's finest wines, but is quite difficult to cultivate and transform into wine. Burgundys are considered to be the most elegant wines. This is because of their finesse and light structure. The tremendously broad range of bouquets, flavors, textures and impressions produced, is totally unique.

Traditional red burgundy is famous for its fleshy, 'farmyard' aromas', but changing fashions and new easier-to-grow clones have favoured a lighter, fruitier style. Dominating fruits flavors, are these of cherry, raspberry or currant. 

It is drank, usually after 5 years, except for the Grand Cru which will fully mature after 10 years and longer.

Pinot Noir

White burgundys are 100% made of ________ (except of aligoté).

Traditionally in Bourgogne, both fermenation, as well as maturation, are processed in the barrels. Wines are always round, flavors are highly concentrated ( white fruits, white flowers, marzipan, hazelnut).

In addition to being the most expensive, the Burgundy examples of chardonnay were long considered the benchmark standard of expressing terroir through this specific variety.

Chardonnay

Bordeaux is best known for its reds, ________- and ________-based wines, blended with support from Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. 

White Bordeaux, or Bordeaux blanc, is primarily a blend of ________ and________. 

Burgundy is known equally for its white and red wines. The main grape varieties are ________ (white Burgundy) and ________ (red Burgundy). 

-Cabernet Sauvignon

-Merlot

-Sauvignon Blanc

-Sémillon

-Chardonnay

-Pinot Noir