An brief introduction to wine, its basic types and classifications.
What is Wine?
Wine is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting fruit juice. In most cases this is the juice from grapes, however “wine” can be made from a wide variety of fruits including apples and berries.
It is important to note that in areas outside the United States the definition is a bit more strict and requires the sole use of grapes. So unless otherwise specified on the label, you can assume any wine you are purchasing is grape juice in origin.
Wine Grape vs. Table Grape
When you go to the produce section of a grocery store, you're likely to find a variety of grapes for sale. These are known as "Table Grapes" and are sold for the purpose of being consumed fresh. They tend to be larger in size, seedless and have thinner skins.
Wine grapes are much different, and are intended for use in production (of wine) rather than consumption. They are smaller, have thicker skins and contain lots of seeds. They also have a much higher concentration of sweetness (sugars) and juice (flavor) needed for wine production.
The reason wines come in such a wide variety of colors has to do with the color of the grapes being used, and how much time the grape skins are allowed to be in contact with the grape juice during fermentation.
Basic Types
While it is true that wine has a wide spectrum of colors and production methods, the majority can be broken down into three main types:
Red - Magenta to reddish-brown in color. Created from dark wine grapes, leaving the extracted juice in contact with the grape skins during fermentation. Examples include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
White - Pale yellow to copper in color. The skins of the grapes are removed prior to fermentation and only the juice from inside the grape is used. Examples include Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.
Rosé - Pink to light red in color. This is more a category of wines then a specific set of grapes. The production process is similar to that of red wines, however the contact time between the grape juice and the skins is significantly less, resulting in the wine having a more pink color instead of a deeper red.
Classifications
When it comes to wine, there are four main classifications: still, sparkling, fortified and aromatic.
Still - The most common style of wine. This is your typical bottle of wine with no added carbonation, alcohol or aromas. Most wines in this class range from 11.5% - 14% alcohol by volume (abv). Examples include wine such as Merlot and Chenin Blanc.
Sparkling - The party wine that you "pop" for special occasions or music videos! Think Champagne, Prosecco and Cava. These wines are carbonated (much like a soda) either naturally via bottle fermentation, or through forced injection. Wines in this class typically range between 12.5% - 13.5% abv.
Fortified - To put simply, fortified wines have a distilled liquor (usually brandy) added to them after fermentation to increase their richness and alcohol content. Examples of fortified wines include Port and Sherry, and typically have an abv between 16% - 25%.
Aromatic - Aromatized wines are mainly white wines that have a higher concentration of herby and floral aromas such as lavender, rose and violet. Examples include German Riesling and Vermouth. The scent these wines gives off can change over time as they are exposed to oxygen and allowed to warm.
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