2WineSnobs

Description

The Zinfandel grape (which has recently been proven to be an obscure Italian grape called Primitivo) is used to make both red whines and rosé, which is called White Zinfandel. Zinfandel red wines are dark, nearly purple. They are well-structured with strong tannins, and can vary from quite dry to rather sweet, and from light-bodied to heavy. They tend to have hints of plumb, raisin, leather, and spice.

Aging

Zinfandel can be drunk when young, but it does improve with age.

Regon

Zinfandel is the oldest and most commonly grown grape in California, and the best Zinfandels are made in that region. It is also grown in areas of South Africa and Australia, as well as in a small region of Italy.

Food Pairings

Zinfandel is a versatile wine in pairing with food. It pairs well with everything from white meat to game meats to spicy foods.

Description

The Pinot Noir grape is generally considered the best wine grape in the world. Pinot Noir grapes can be used to make everything from reds to sparkling whites, though a varietal named Pinot Noir will always be red. The grapes are very finicky, and quality and characteristics differ drastically based on the environmental conditions of the vineyard where the grapes were grown. Pinot Noir can range between light and medium-bodied, with moderate to high acidity and moderate to low tannins, a velvety texture, and flavors that range from berry to buttery to earthy.

Aging

The best Pinot Noir from Burgundy will improve with age for up to twenty years. Varieties made in other areas can be drunk young, and will generally improve for up to five years of aging.

Regon

Pinot Noir is a difficult grape to grow, though winemakers in California, Oregon, Canada, Australia, and a few other regions do produce good wines. There is no doubt, though, that the best Pinot Noir comes from Burgundy, France.

Food Pairings

Pinot Noir pairs well with a multitude of foods, from grilled fish to hearty game in rich sauces. It’s also excellent with bean dishes and savory cheeses.

Description

In Europe, Merlot is primarily used as a blending grape, particularly in Bordeaux, that provides balance and softening to higher tannin grapes. The grape is also used as a varietal, particularly in the United States and Canada. As a varietal, it produces wines that are smooth, mellow, and hearty, with berry flavorings.

Aging

Merlot can be aged for 4 to 8 years.

Regon

Merlot is grown all over the world, and is almost as widespread as Cabernet Sauvignon. Though good Merlot is produced in California, the best comes from France, such as Fattoria de Ama, and Ornellaia.

Food Pairings

Pairs well with rich but mild foods, such as creamy dishes.

Description

One of the most famous grapes in the world, which is often called by its nickname “Cab,” Cabernet Sauvignon produces a very full, dry, deep wine with very firm tannins and flavors of fruit, particularly black currant. It also can have herbal, vegetal, or spice hints.

In France, particularly Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with Merlot or Cabernet Franc, which mellows the Cabernet Sauvignon’s powerful taste. In Australia, a fine blend is made with Syrah/Shiraz.

Aging

Cabernet Sauvignon improves tremendously with age, as the tannins soften and the wine gains balance and depth. The wine will typically improve for up to ten years.

Regon

Cabernet Sauvignon is grown all over across the world, including Australia, New Zealand Canada, California, Washington, South Africa, and Chile. Yet the grape originated in the Bordeaux region of France, and is a staple of the famous Bordeaux wines.

Food Pairings

Pairs well with rich, heavy and intensely flavored foods, from roasted meats to dishes with highly seasoned sauces.

Rosé Wines (Blush Wines)

Also called blush wines, rosé wines are usually pink in color, though some, like White Zinfandel, do indeed appear to be white. Rosé are made using red wine grapes, but after crushing, the juice is kept in contact with the skins for just a couple of hours. This brief contact ensures the wine won’t have more color than a pink “blush” and also limits the tannins that get into the wine.

Rosés are often drunk as “picnic wines,” and can be tasty and refreshing when chilled to about 60ºF (15ºC) and drunk on a hot day.

Sparkling Wines

As yeast ferments the sugar in grape juice to produce alcohol and wine, it also produces carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. Usually winemakers let this carbon dioxide escape from the wine. To make sparkling wines, however, the winemaker traps the carbon dioxide, producing bubbles. Sparkling wines are made almost exclusively with white wines.

Though all American wine companies that make sparkling wine can legally call their product Champagne, the fact is that real Champagne is made only in the Champagne region of France. Other sparkling wines are just that: sparkling wines.

Dessert Wines (Fortified Wines)

Yeast cannot survive in an environment containing more than 14% alcohol by volume. This means that unless a winemaker uses specially developed yeast, naturally produced wines cannot have an alcohol content above 14% because the yeast in the casks will die off at that point.

Winemakers such as those in Port (in Portugal) and Sherry (in Spain) found a way around this limitation: they added extra sugar or additional alcohol to the wine as it fermented. This produced wines that had significantly higher alcohol contents. Most, though not all, of these wines are sweeter than regular wines and are consumed after meals—hence the name dessert wines. Dessert wines are also sometimes called fortified wines since their alcohol content has been strengthened.