“Montevertine 2006 Chianti” enjoyed in San Gimignano, Siena Province, Tuscany
The world of wine can be so confusing sometimes! We want to make it as easy to understand and start enjoying, not only a glass in and of itself, but paired with the right food.
Sometimes a wine is best known to us because of the region it is grown in and not the grape that produces the wine. Some examples are Chianti, Italy: Chianti wine is mostly Sangiovese grapes. Burgundy, France: Red Burgundy’s are mostly Pinot Noir grapes and White Burgundy’s are mostly Chardonnay grapes.
Old World Wines
Old World Wines come from the countries considered the birthplaces of wine – Europe and the Middle East. France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Lebanon, Croatia, Georgia (6000 B.C. Georgians buried grape juice during the winter and brought up wine!), Romania, Hungary, and Switzerland. Winemakers in these countries are still beholden today, to historical standards and methods of wine making.
New World Wines
New World Wines come from countries that used to be colonized. U.S.A, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa to name a few. Immigrants borrowed traditions from old countries, and brought creativity, experimentation and a new way of doing things.
What makes the most sense to us is breaking wine into 9 categories. We will devote entire blogs on Old World Wine, New World Wine, each category of wine, styles and countries.
Sparkling Wines
The French region, Champagne, makes some of the most delicious and special champagnes in the world. And only from “Champagne” can it be called champagne. They also can be a bit pricey so try Cava, Prosecco, Crémant, Canadian or North American Brut Sparkling.
Light Bodied White Wines
These are some of the most sold crisp, clean tasting white wines worldwide, pairing well with most foods. Try Pinot Gris aka Pinot Grigio (technically the same grape, coming from different countries: it’s an Italy/France thing), Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Chenin Blanc or Soave.
Full Bodied Whites
The difference between full bodied and light whites is the oak-aging. These wines are rich, smooth and creamy. Typical full-bodied whites are Chardonnay, Viognier, Semillon and White Rioja.
Sweet White Wine
Some of the oldest grapes make up the sweet wines, try Riesling, Moscato d’ Asti, Gewurztraminer, and Torrontes.
Rose
Called Claret in the 1700’s, Rose wines can be sweet or dry, made from many different kinds of grapes. Classic versions of Rose come from Provence, France and tend to be dry. Today Rose wines are produced world-wide. New World Roses are generally sweeter than Old World.
Light Bodied Reds
Pale in color, light red wines are some of the most coveted in the world. Most common is Pinot Noir, but do try Gamay Noir, which is really the Gamay grape grown in Beaujolais, France and usually just referred to as Beaujolais.
Medium Bodied Reds
These wines are “food wines”, from zesty salads to lasagnas, they are perfect for many types of menus. Try Grenache, Sangiovese, Merlot, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet Franc and Barbera.
Full Bodied Reds
The deepest and darkest of the reds, with bold tannins that pair beautifully with a steak. Try a Shiraz aka Syrah (technically the same grape, coming from different countries; it’s an Old World/New World thing), Cabernet Sauvignon, or Malbec.
Dessert Wines
Sweet wines were popular in the 1800’s; and today can range from sweet to dry. Common Dessert wines are Port, Sauternes, Sherry, Madeira or Ice Wine.
The best wines are the ones you like! On that day! At that particular time!