Types & Styles of Wine
Bursting complex, nuanced flavor, wine is a common accompaniment to meals and comes in a wide variety of colors, styles and types. Most wines are made from grapes, though some come from other fruits and even grains, and may be consumed as a simple drink or used as an ingredient in cooking. There is a type of wine for almost every dish, occasion and desire, providing a wealth of choices for aspiring oenophiles. Does this Spark an idea?
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Basic Red Wines
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Some red wines are said to have a hint of leathery scent. Taking their color from dark grape skins, which also make them rich in tannins, red wines are often eaten with dark meats and pasta dishes and grown from Europe to Australia. Red wines typically have a full-bodied taste, according to the Wine website, and some varieties like Pinot Noir and Shiraz have a fruity flavor with hints of blackberry and cherry. Other reds have spicy notes, giving them a complex taste, like Zinfandel and Malbec.
Basic White Wines
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Served chilled, white wines often accompany poultry, fish and dishes with creamy sauces, according to the Cook's Thesaurus website. White wines may be flat or sparkling and are made from gold, green or yellow grapes, though some whites, like Pinot Grigio, are made from red grapes whose skins have been removed. The taste of white wine varies from sweet to tart, like those made from sémillon grapes, which have hints of berries and fig, according to French Scout.
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Rice Wines
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Sake has been made for over 6,800 years. Enjoy rice wines in cooking or as a beverage to accompany Asian foods. Made from fermented grains instead of grapes, rice wine comes in several varieties. Shaoxing wine and mirin, from China and Japan, are both low-alcohol rice wines used in cooking, often to flavor sauces for stir-frys and other dishes. Sake is another type of Japanese rice wine, but drunk as an accompaniment to meals. Made from yeast, water and rice, sake also contains koji, an enzyme, according to the Nibble website.
Dessert Wines
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Dessert wines should be sweeter than the food they are served with. Loaded with sugary flavor, dessert wines are made to accompany after dinner treats and made with shriveled grapes that are picked late, which intensifies their sweetness, according to Wine Definitions. Additional spirits may be added to increase the alcohol content of dessert wines and are often thicker in consistency than regular wine. Serve dessert wines in small glasses as their flavor may be overwhelming in large doses. When drinking, look for notes of peach and herbs.
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