Wine styles from WineGiftShop.com!
In simplistic terms, we have chosen to break wines styles down into five categories. These categories do not consider the geographic source or quality of the wine, but will help you determine the type of wine to select for your wine tasting party in conjunction with the special meal you may have prepared. Consider the following categories:
- Red Wines – Red wines are divided primarily by the weight of the wine – that is how heavy they feel in your mouth.
- White Wines – White wines are primarily divided by sweetness, dryness and by the strength of the flavor of oak.
- Rose Wines – Rose wines are normally divided simply by their sweetness.
- Sparkling Wines – Unlike the other categories of wine, the sparkling wine categories do not differentiate on how they are produced, but rather by the amount of sweetness, the range of color and their weight (again in how heavy they feel in your mouth).
- Fortified Wines – Fortified wines, such as ports, are normally divided into categories by their sweetness. The sweeter wines are normally called dessert wines in the United States
To get the most enjoyment from your wine tasting party and to help you expand your knowledge in these categories we will take this down one more level and discuss some of the types of wines in two of the more common categories noted above. What follows is some basic wine information to help you in the planning process of hosting your wine tasting party. Of course there are experts that may differ with our classifications and comments, but please understand that these are our opinions. Over the years, we have enjoyed wine and have researched the sources and wine-making process. We have provided some basic information to help you select your styles and even some basic ideas on food pairings If you are planning to server dinner at your wine tasting party. First we will cover some of the more common red wine varieties. If you prefer white wines, you can skip down to the white wine discussion below; however, we would challenge you to read both sections. Part of the fun of hosting a wine tasting party is to discover new and different wines that you enjoy.