There is a wine style to suit everyone’s preferences. Wine comes in a variety of shapes and styles. Light to full-bodied, fragrant, bone dry to sweet, white to red, sparkling, flat, fortified, light to full-bodied, aromatic, bone dry to sweet, white to red, sparkling, flat, fortified.
1. Sparkling wine
There’s no need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy your favorite sparkling beverage. Any wine grape can be used to make sparkling wine. Champagne and Prosecco are the two most popular sparkling wines.
Main Flavors
Common flavors include citrus, peach, toast, and light berries.
Popular Varietals
Any variety of grape can be used to make sparkling wines. It is common to use Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in France and New World countries. Other Old World countries tend to use many different domestic grapes.
Pairings
Sparkling wine pairs well with a variety of cheeses, shellfish, fin fish, and green vegetables.
2. Light-bodied white wine
It is known for being tangy, crisp, and acidic. The majority of these wines aren’t meant to be stored, and they’re best enjoyed within a year of bottling.
Main Flavor
Main flavors include citrus, melon, apple, grapefruit, and peach.
Popular Varietals
Common light-bodied white wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, and Pinot Gris.
Pairings
Light white wines are great with nutty cheeses, mollusk, shellfish, and fresh herbs.
3. Full-bodied white wine
These wines are full-bodied, robust, and occasionally matured in oak barrels.
Main Flavor
Flavors of pineapple, apple, starfruit, honeysuckle, and stonefruit are common. If aged in oak or on the lees, flavors of butter, cream, and vanilla are apparent.
Popular Varietals
Popular full-bodied white varietals include Chardonnay, Semillon, Pecorino, and Viognier.
Pairings
Full-bodied white wines pair with the largest variety of food out of all white wine styles. Pungent and salty cheeses, finfish, white meat, and roasted vegetables are good pairings choices.
4. Aromatic white wine
The third type of white wine ages well and comes in a variety of flavors, from dry to sweet. They have a strong scent and age well compared to other white wines.
Main Flavor
Honeysuckle, apple, pear, flowers, peach, beeswax are dominant flavors.
Popular Varietals
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Blanc, and Chenin Blanc are the main aromatic white varietals.
Pairings
Pairs well with all cheeses, finfish, beans, and spicy dishes.
5. Rose wine
Rose is a red wine that is prepared in the style of a white wine. Unlike red wine, the liquid is not fermented with the skins and seeds. Instead, the juice is only allowed to remain with the skins for a few hours, allowing barely a trace of color and tannin to enter the wine.
Main Flavor
Melon, strawberry, and citrus are flavors you can find in most Roses.
Popular Varietals
Any red grape variety can be made into a rose. Popular varietals include Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sangiovese.
Pairings
Known for the ability to pair nicely with a large variety of dishes, roses pair well with cheeses, cured meats, white meat, and pasta dishes.
6. Light-bodied red wine
The two most well-known light-bodied red wines are Pinot Noir and Gamay. Because the skins are so thin, the color and tannins are lighter than other red grapes. They have a stronger acidity and a lot of cranberry taste.
Main Flavor
Cranberry, blackberry, mushrooms, and cherries are common flavors in light reds.
Popular Varietals
Pinot Noir and Gamay are the two most popular light red varietals.
Pairings
Light reds go well with cured meats, game birds, and a variety of cheeses.
7. Medium-bodied red wine
The bulk of red wines are made in this style. They hold up well over time and are frequently blended.
Main Flavor
Blackberry, cherry, plum, cured meat, and cranberry are common flavors throughout medium-body red wines.
Popular Varietals
Popular varietals in this category include Merlot, Carmenere, and Cabernet Franc.
Pairings
Nutty cheese, cured meat, and beef are popular pairings.
8. Full-bodied red wine
They’re known for their powerful tannins, dark colors, and propensity to mature gracefully. Full-bodied red wines are made from grapes with thick skins that have been fermented for a long time on the skins and seeds then aged in wood barrels.
Main Flavor
Flavors include tobacco, cherry, dark berries, cedar, black pepper, and currant.
Popular Varietals
Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Montepulciano, and many other varieties are in the full-bodied red category.
Pairings
Game meats, steaks, stews, and rich dishes are a great partner for bold reds.
9. Dessert wine
Dessert wines range from off-dry to very sweet. Many of these wines can be aged for decades. Some of these wines are fortified and have a high alcohol content.
Main Flavors
Caramel, hazelnut, stone fruits, tobacco, and brown sugar are common flavors in dessert wines.
Popular Varietals
Within this style are Port, Marsala, and Sherry made from indigenous grapes.
Pairings
Often an aperitif or a dessert in itself, these wines pair well with desserts and sweet dishes.
Drink up! There are many styles of wine to choose from.
