If you find yourself always gravitating to the usual suspects when you’re in the bottle shop have a read of this handy little piece written by Lauren of Ilovewine explaining the major varietals and what they taste like.

The red, the white and the rosé

Delectable wine is made all over the world, providing us with a fantastic range of flavors and experiences to choose from. The taste of each wine is not only determined by the type of grape and the environment in which it is grown but also the fermentation process and the levels of tannin that are passed on from the skin. And of course, you should remember always to use a decanter or wine aerator if you want to get the most flavor from your wine.

White Wine Types

Gewürztraminer

“Gah-vurtz-tra-meener”

Taste: Rose, lychee, peach, pineapple, allspice

Style: Aromatic medium white wine

Description: This aromatic white wine has complex fruity flavors and an inherent sweetness. Wine made from the Gewürztraminer grape originates from the Alsace region of France. However, it is not produced in various countries with cold climates, including the USA.

Food pairing: cured meats, Asian cuisine, shellfish, truffles, creamy or egg-based pasta sauces such as carbonara.

Gewürztraminer Alternatives

Riesling: Can be sweet or dry, more acidic than Gewürztraminer, with mineral tones

Moscato (Muscat): Light-bodied and sweet, floral and fruity like Gewürztraminer

Chardonnay

“Shar-dun-nay”

Taste: Lemon, apple, jackfruit, honey, almond

Style: Dry white wine

Description: One of the most popular and varied wine varieties, the Chardonnay grape is relatively neutral. However, the taste is altered depending on the terroir (growing environment) and the way that it is stored or oaked. Chardonnay can be crisp with high acidity, or smooth with a tropical fruitiness.

Food pairing: Risotto, poultry, shellfish, grilled fish, spring vegetables.

Chardonnay Alternatives

Pinot Gris: Pinot Gris is a light-bodied, citrus-flavored alternative to crisp Chardonnay.

Chenin Blanc: A versatile grape which can produce great wines, similar to Chardonnay without a strong oaky finish.

 

Sauvignon Blanc

“Saw-vin-yawn blonk”

Taste: Zesty citrus, peach, passionfruit, elderflower

Style: Light to medium-bodied dry white wine

Description: Sauvignon Blanc is generally consumed as a fairly young wine. As well as strong citrus flavors, it can also include hints of cut grass, nettles and mint and green spring vegetables. However, certain variants can bring to life tropical fruits such as mango and guava.

Food pairing: Sushi, goat’s cheese, oysters, spring vegetables, pesto

Sauvignon Blanc Alternatives

Torrontés: Similar to Sauvignon Blanc, this light-bodied white wine is aromatic with strong flavors that may surprise you.

Verdejo: If you’re looking for a similar wine, but prefer something more full-bodied then Verdejo provides an excellent bottle, with slightly lower acidity levels.

Red Wine Types

Syrah (Shiraz)

“Sah-ra” or “Sheer-azz”

Taste: Blueberry, black cherries, pepper, chocolate, licorice

Style: Dark full-bodied red wine

Description: With generally high levels of tannins, Syrah is one of the darkest varieties of red wine, producing deep, rich flavors in every sip. A wide range of notes can be brought to life through the aging process.

Food pairing: Beef, cured meats, South Asian spices, red pepper, blue cheese

Syrah Alternatives

Petit Sirah: Although the grapes are not related, Petit Sirah wine shares similar strong, dark and fruity flavors to the Syrah favorite.

Malbec: The Malbec grape also brings to life delicious dark fruit flavors, with smoky notes and high tannin levels.

Merlot

“Mer-low”

Taste: Blackberry, plum, strawberry, cedar, chocolate

Style: Soft, full-bodied red wine

Description: This easy to drink red wine has high alcohol levels and is great for red wine novices, it can also be easily paired with a wide variety of meals. It’s smooth, the ripe flavor is produced in both colder and warmer climates.

Food pairing: Steak, lamb, chicken, blue cheese, Gouda cheese, mushrooms

Merlot Alternatives

Malbec: While Malbec has a fuller and more distinctive flavor, it is often blended with other grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon to make an excellent alternative to Merlot.

Cabernet Sauvignon

“Cab-er-nay Saw-vin-yawn”

Taste: Black cherry, blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco

Style: Full-bodied red wine

Description: This late-to-ripen, thick-skinned grape prefers warm climates and produces a deep, high-tannin red wine. Currently, the world’s most planted grape variety, Cabernet Sauvignon has a range of excellent flavors provided by lengthy aging processes.

Food pairing: Beef, garlic, goat’s cheese, mushrooms, venison

Cabernet Sauvignon Alternatives

Merlot: If you’re looking for a full-bodied, hearty red wine but perhaps easier on the palette than Cabernet Sauvignon, then Merlot is a safe, assured choice.

Malbec: This grape is often paired with Cabernet Sauvignon but makes a great red-wine alternative on its own.

Rosé Wine Types

Pinot Noir Rosé

“Pee-no Nwar” Rose Wine

Taste: Strawberry, raspberry, rose, mushroom

Style: Fruity light-bodied rosé wine

Description: This highly-perfumed, floral and fruity grape creates a light, blissful rosé. Although it originates from Burgundy, France, the United States has become a major producer of this fine wine.

Food pairing: Chicken, grilled fish, fruit, light pasta, seafood

Pinot Noir Rosé Alternatives

Sangiovese Rosé: This equally fruity wine has soft strawberry, melon and peach tones to create crisp, dry rosé.

Sangiovese Rosé

“San-jo-vess-ay”

Taste: Rose, strawberry, melon, peach, fig

Style: Light-bodied rosé wine

Description: Young bottles of Sangiovese rosé will be fresh, fruity and a little spicy with generally a darker, richer color than light alternatives such as Pinot Noir. When aged for longer, Sangiovese wines become oaky with more earthy tones.

Food pairing: Melon, chicken, couscous, grilled fish, sandwiches

Sangiovese Alternatives

Zinfandel Rosé: This moderately sweet and moderately acidic rosé is one of the most popular varieties, with fruit and candy flavors.

 

Zinfandel Rosé

“Zin-fan-dell”

Taste: Strawberry, lemon, cotton candy, melon

Style: Easy to drink, light-bodied rosé wine

Description: Most commonly known as White Zinfandel, although this rosé does not have the more complex tastes and layers of other grapes and has a fairly high sugar level, it is the third most popular wine sold in the US and outsells red Zinfandel by 6:1.

Food pairing: Sandwiches, grilled fish, light pasta, Asian food

Zinfandel Rosé Alternatives

Tempranillo rosé: One of the most popular Tempranillos is Rioja from Spain. Rioja makes a great alternative to Zinfandel Rosé if you are looking for more savory flavors, with hints of green peppercorn and herbs alongside strawberry and melon.

Syrah rosé: If you’re tired of sweet wines and are looking for a bolder, meatier rosé then try a Syrah bottle. Leaning more towards the taste of a typical red, Syrah rosé goes great with hearty and spicy dishes.

More at http://www.ilovewine.com/what-are-the-different-wine-types/