This document provides an overview of various white, red, and rose wine grapes as well as information on wine and food pairings. It discusses the most commonly grown white wine grapes like Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Viognier. It also covers red wine grapes such as Barbera, Brunello, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Gamay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah/Shiraz, Tempranillo, and Zinf
2. ? All types of white wine are made by
growing and processing white
grapes.
? Most types of white wines are lighter
(have less body) than red wines.
3. ? White wine grapes are grown in
several regions of the world.
? In Europe white wine grapes can be
found primarily in
Austria, France, Germany and Italy.
? In U.S. white wine grapes are
primarily grown in California, New
York, Oregon and Washington.
? Also grown in Australia, Chile, New
Zealand, South Africa.
4. Chardonnay (shar-dun-NAY)
? Considered the queen of white wine grapes.
? Chardonnay is grown widely in many of the
regions mentioned above.
? It is a very versatile grape whose character
reflects its growing region and production
process.
? Of all the white wine types, Chardonnay
produces the most complex wines in the
world.
? Most chardonnays are full, golden and
velvety with hints of
fruit, nuts, butter, oak, spice or vanilla and
have medium to high acidity.
5. Chenin Blanc (SHEN'N
BLAHNK)
? Chenin Blanc has been cultivated for
thousands of years in the Loire
Valley of France.
? It is grown widely in California
where it is the grape used in many
jug wines or inexpensive table
wines. Chenin Blanc has higher than
average acidity.
? The character of Chenin Blanc can be
difficult to define, but it generally is
light and fruity.
6. Gewurztraminer (geh-VERTStrah-mee-ner)
? Literally translated as
"spicy", Gewurztraminer is grown
primarily in Germany and in the
Alsace region of France where the
cooler climate allows it to ripen
fully.
? It has a light, crisp acidity and a bold
flavor
7. Pinot Gris or Pinot
Grigio (PEE-no GREE or GREEzho)
? Known as Pinot Grigio in Italy and
the Alsace region of France, and
Pinot Gris in the United States.
? This grape's character will vary
depending upon its growing region.
? European Pinot Grigio tends to be
more acidic with less body than its
American counterpart.
? All Pinot Grigio/Gris possess a citrus
aroma.
8. Riesling (REES-ling)
? Riesling, the most notable white
wine grape from Germany, is also
grown in France's Alcase region and
in New York's Finger Lakes District.
It is grown in California and
Washington, although with less
frequency.
? Riesling has medium to high acidity
and light to medium body with a
distinct flowery, fruity aroma.
9. Sauvignon Blanc (SO-vin-yon
BLAHNK)
? Sauvignon Blanc, also known as Fum¨¦
Blanc, is grown in the Bordeaux and
Loire regions of France, and in
California, New Zealand and South
Africa.
? It is characterized by a light, crisp
acidity.
? It will often contain several fruit
components and is frequently blended
with Semillion from the Bordeaux
region of France.
10. Semillon (SEM-ih-yon)
? Semillon is one of the more unique
types of white wine.
? It rarely stand alone and is
frequently blended with Sauvignon
Blanc.
? Semillon can also be very
rich, making a favorable dessert
wine.
11. Viognier (vee-oh-NYAY])
? Viognier is grown primarily in the
Rhone region of France and in
California.
? It has low to moderate acidity with
hints of peach and apricot, and
without the flowery aromas of some
other white wines.
13. ? All types of red wine are made by
growing and processing red (or black)
grapes
? Most red wine grapes produce a more
complex wine than white wines grapes.
? This is because red wine grapes stay on
the vine longer due to their longer
growing seasons in warmer climates.
? It¡¯s also because the skins of red wine
grapes remain in contact with their
juice, giving red wine its color, tannin
and flavor
14. ? Most types of red wine grapes will be
found in the
Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Bourgognes, Lo
ire and Rhone regions of France.
? Red wine grapes are also grown in
Argentina, Australia, Chile, Italy, Sou
th Africa, and Spain, US
(California, Western Regions).
15. Barbera (bar-BEHR-uh)
? Grown most successfully in Italy's
Piedmont region, Barbera is quite
acidic with full body
and light tannins.
? It is commonly used as a blending
wine.
16. Brunello (broo-NEHL-oh)
? Brunello is an offshoot of the
Sangiovese grape.
? It is notable because it is the only
grape permitted for Brunello di
Montalcino, a rare, expensive, fruity
and bold Tuscan red wine.
17. Cabernet Franc (cab-er-NAY
FRANK)
? Cabernet Franc is more often blended
with other grapes than bottled by
itself. Cabernet Franc is light to
medium bodied and sometimes made
into a wine called Chinon.
? It is most impressively grown in
France¡¯s Loire (luWAR) Valley, although
it is usually overshadowed by the more
popular Cabernet Sauvignon.
? Cabernet Franc is also grown in
California and New York, and is gaining
popularity in other regions.
18. Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-erNAY SO-vin-yon)
? Cabernet Sauvignon can be found in many
of the wine regions mentioned before.
? In the Bordeaux region of France, it is
considered the king of grapes. It is, in
fact, the primary grape that makes fine
Bordeaux wines.
? Cabernet Sauvignon can age well for
decades.
? It is dark purple or ruby in color, medium
to full bodied, and has a beautiful array of
intense aromas and flavors.
? Cabernet Sauvignon would be considered a
dry red wine.
19. Dolcetto (dole-CHET-to)
? Dolcetto is another grape grown
almost exclusively in the Piedmont
region of Italy.
? It produces fruity wines with aromas
and flavors of licorice and almonds.
? It does not age as long as the Barbera
or Nebbiolo grape.
20. Gamay (ga-MAY)
? Gamay is what the wines from the
Beaujolais region of France are made
of.
? Even though two ¡°Gamay¡± wines are
produced in California, they are not
true Gamay.
? With its lower alcohol content, Gamay
is meant to be drunk soon after it is
bottled.
? It is fresh, light and fruity.
21. Grenache (greh-NAHSH) (grehNACH-a in Spain)
? Grenache is grown in Spain and
California, but most notably in the
southern Rhone valley of France.
? It is a very drinkable wine and in the
past was used in several red and rose
jug wines in California.
? Grenache has gained popularity as a
fine stand alone grape in many areas.
? It is commonly blended with
Mourvedre and/or Syrah.
? Grenache is medium to full bodied with
good structure and raspberry flavor
22. Malbec (MAHL-beck)
? Malbec has always been the grape of
Argentina where it thrives in their
hot, dry summers.
? It is now also an important grape in
Bordeaux and the Loire Valley of
France.
? Its acidity can vary and it is
frequently blended with other
Bordeaux varieties
23. Merlot (mur-LO)
? Merlot has become very popular and
much more distinct in the past years.
? It is one of the more drinkable types of
red wine with its low acidity and
mellow softness.
? Merlot is grown widely in many of the
regions mentioned above and can be
blended, particularly with Cabernet, or
stand alone.
? Merlot has rich flavors of blackberry,
plum and cherry
24. Mourvedre (moo-VED-ra)
? Mourvedre is a blending grape
originally from the Rhone region of
France.
? It is now also common and popular in
California and other United States. It is
typically used to blend with Syrah, or
Syrah and Grenache in what may be
termed a "GSM".
? In Spain this grape is called Monastrell
25. Nebbiolo (NEH-bee-oh-low)
? Nebbiolo is another of the types of
red wine grape from Piedmont, Italy
and is responsible for many of
Italy¡¯s finest red wines.
? Nebbiolo tends to be light and quite
dry with high acidity, so it does well
with considerable aging.
26. Pinot Noir (PEE-no NWA)
? Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to
grow, but yields an exceptional wine
with great complexity when conditions
are correct.
? It is grown in the Burgundy region of
France, in Oregon and in the cooler
regions of California.
? Many California and French grown
Pinot Noir grapes are used for rose
style champagnes.
? It has light to moderate body with
delicate and deliciously varied aromas
and flavors
27. Sangiovese (san-geeo-VEHS-eh)
? Sangiovese is the signature red wine
grape of the Tuscany and Chianti
regions, and is still produced
primarily in Italy.
? A good Sangiovese can be beautiful
and complex, with varied aromas
and flavors.
? It is frequently blended with
Cabernet
28. Syrah or Shiraz (sih-RAH or
shih-RAHZ)
? Known as Shiraz in Australia and South
Africa and as Syrah in California and
France.
? It has low to moderate acidity making
it very drinkable.
? Shiraz/Syrah exhibits wonderful
flavors of spice and fruit.
? Many think the French version is more
acidic, therefore better to accompany
food than the Australian version.
? Shiraz/Syrah is often blended with
Grenache.
29. Tempranillo (temp-rah-NEEyo)
? Grown originally in the Rioja region
of Spain.
? Tempranillo is a full bodied red and
is often blended with Grenache.
30. Zinfandel (ZIHN-fan-dell)
? Zinfandel wine is most always grown
in California, where unlike other red
wine grapes, it thrives in the heat
and sunshine.
? It has low to moderate acidity and
medium to full body with
jammy, spicy flavors.
33. ? delicate, light bodied wines have been
gaining more popularity and respect in
the past few years
? Ros¨¦ is made one of three ways.
? In the first method, crushed redskinned grapes remain in contact with
the juice for a short period of time.
? The grape skins are discarded when the
grapes are pressed, rather than left
throughout fermentation as with red
wine making. The longer the skins are
left in contact with the juice, the more
intense the color of the final wine.
34. ? The second method, known as bleeding
the vats, is used to impart more tannin
and color to a red wine by removing
some pink juice from red wine vats at
an early stage.
? This removed juice is then fermented
separately, producing the ros¨¦ as a byproduct of the red wine.
? Bleeding was the method used to
produce the once very popular
California White Zinfandel.
35. ? The third method is by blending, the
simple mixing of red wine with white
wine to impart color.
? This method is discouraged in most
wine growing regions and has even
fallen out of vogue in
Champagne, where it was once
respected.
38. ? In most cases it makes more sense to
match your meals¡¯ sauces to a
wine, rather than the protein.
? For example a blackened (spicy) fish
will go better with a Syrah (red) than
a Chardonnay (white).
? But if you are eating a white fish
with a delicate sauce, that
Chardonnay should be just fine.
39. ? One of the most important aspects of
wine food pairing is matching the
body of your wine with the level of
intensity in the flavors of your food.
? You don¡¯t want to pair a light wine with
a meal containing heavy foods and
sauces.
? You don¡¯t want to pair a full bodied
wine with a meal containing light,
delicate foods.
40. ? Food wine pairings can also be made
by region.
? For example, choose an Italian wine,
perhaps a Chianti, to go with your
pasta dishes.
41. Look for a wine with the
flavors, aromas and weight that most
closely match the characteristics of
your meal.
It¡¯s all about balance.