Types of wines: detailed classification

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

It's hard to sort through the wide range of wines. They can be classified according to different criteria: preparation method, color, wine materials, alcohol and sugar content. In order not to get confused in the names found on beautiful bottle labels, you need to know the main types of wines. We will talk about them in this article.

Classification by wine material

First of all, wines are distinguished by the juice used to make them. On this basis, they are divided into vegetable, raisin, grape, fruit, berry and multi-sort.

• Grape wines are considered the noblest. Many experts generally believe that drinks made from sunny berries have an advantage over all others, and alcohol made from other raw materials is more like a herbal tincture. The classification of grape wines is very diverse. They are allowed to age only in oak barrels with strict adherence to the recipe. In addition, nothing can be added to noble wine except sugar and grapes.
• Fruit wines are made fromapple and pear juice. They turn out light, with a characteristic bright aroma and taste. As a rule, they are low-alcohol. There are people who drink only these types of wines and consider them the most delicious.
• Vegetable wines are made from the sap of trees (maple, birch), as well as watermelons, melons, rose petals and even garden plants (parsnips, rhubarb). This exotic alcohol really resembles a vegetable tincture, but it contains much less alcohol than other similar drinks. Fans of such alcohol claim that it contains a lot of valuable vitamins and other useful substances.
• Berry wines are made from forest and garden berries. They are also made from apricots, cherries, peaches and plums.
• Raisin wine is quite a rare guest on our table. Its name speaks for itself: dried grapes are used to make this drink.
• Multi-varietal wines are created in a special way: by mixing different grape varieties. Depending on the manufacturing technology, salmon and blended drinks are distinguished. The former are made by mixing several grape varieties at the processing stage, while the latter are created by combining ready-made wine materials.

Color classification: red wines

There are different types of wines on store shelves. They are often distinguished by their color. This is the most common classification of wines, according to which they are divided into white, red and rosé. Let's dwell on this issue in more detail.

For cookingred wines are used pre-crushed berries of scarlet grape varieties. With prolonged exposure, this drink loses its rich color. Therefore, young wine is always brighter than aged wine.

Famous wines are made from red grapes. The most famous of them are:

• Bordeaux is a wine made in Western France. This is one of the most famous noble drinks in the world. It is traditionally served with a roast.
• "Cabernet Sauvignon" - wine with a thick and complex aroma. It is usually served with chicken or pasta.
• "Chianti" - Italian wine with a rich aroma. It pairs perfectly with steaks and burgers.
• Beaujolais is a light young wine.
• "Merlot" is a thick and aromatic drink, consumed with the simplest food.
• Pinot Noir is a tart and thick wine that goes well with any dish.

Color classification: white wines

Many people prefer light white wines. In most cases, they are made from white grapes. Sometimes red ones are added to them, but then the skin containing coloring elements is first removed from the berries.

The following wines are made from white grapes:

• Sauvignon Blanc is an herbal flavored drink that pairs well with fish dishes.
• "Chardonnay" - wine aged in oak barrels, perfect for simple and light food.
• Chenon Blanc is a drink with a sweet taste. It is customary to servechicken and vegetables.
• "Riesling" - wine with honey aroma. It goes well with veal and oriental dishes.
• Sauternes is a thick, sweet dessert wine.
• Gewuztraminer is a refreshing drink that goes well with fish and spicy dishes.

Color Classification: Rose Wines

To obtain a delicate pink color in the manufacture of these varieties of wines, the skin is removed from the grapes immediately after the start of fermentation. Drinks are made from a mixture of white and red berries. In this case, the technology for the production of white wines is used.

Classification by alcohol and sugar content

On this basis, drinks are divided into table, sparkling and fortified drinks.

Everyone knows what types of table wines are: dry (sugar content - up to 0.3%), semi-dry (sugar - 0.5-3%) and semi-sweet (sugar - 3-8%).

Sparkling wines may have different ratios of alcohol and sugar. They differ in that during the fermentation process they are saturated with carbon dioxide. The most famous such wine in the world is champagne.

Fortified wines, in turn, are divided into flavored, liqueur, sweet, dessert semi-sweet and strong. Such drinks include such famous types of wines as Madeira, Port and Sherry. They have been enjoying well-deserved popularity among consumers for decades. For example, in Soviet times, many people drank port wine. Some still prefer to drink fortified wines.

Classification by manufacturing method

According to the method of production, experts distinguish several types of wines: natural, sparkling, alcohol, diluted, sweetened.

• Natural alcoholic drinks are created exclusively from juice, the addition of other third-party substances is strictly prohibited.
• Sparkling wines are made with the addition of carbon dioxide. These include champagne and cider.
• Alcoholic drinks contain wine alcohol, which increases their strength.
• Diluted wines are made from a mixture of water and fruit juice. Such alcohol is petio, as well as grape and berry halves.
• Sweetened drinks are made with honey and sugar. They are liqueur, dessert and honey.

High quality wines

Among the variety of alcoholic products, high-quality wines stand apart. They are produced exclusively at a favorable time for the ripening of grapes from special varieties that grow in certain geographical areas. Depending on the period of production, such wines are divided into collection, vintage and aged.

Collection wines are elite alcoholic drinks. They are aged in oak barrels or metal containers, bottled in special bottles and additionally insisted in enotecas (wine storage) for at least three years. It is this product that is the most expensive in the world.

Fine wines are high-quality drinks that are aged for a certain amount of time. Table wines are aged for at least one and a half years,and strong - about two years.

Aged wines after production are aged in stationary containers for at least six months. Time is counted from the first of January of the following year.

Conclusion

In this article, all popular types of wines were considered. Now you can go to the store and competently study the assortment presented in it: you can easily figure it out in the motley variety of wine labels. Choosing a really good drink can sometimes be difficult. In an ordinary store you can hardly find expensive collection or vintage wines. However, most ordinary people cannot afford them, and among the usual alcoholic drinks from grapes you can find very good specimens. Good luck with your choice!