How Well Do You Know Your Wine?
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- November 1, 2023
Being knowledgeable about the different types of wine can be helpful. It adds to the drinking delectation, elevates social experiences, lets you wholly grok what is in your glass, and gives you confidence when matching your wine with a meal, as you know what meal best complements a particular wine. Here is information about some wine types to help you build your wine knowledge.
White Wine
There is a common misconception about white wine, which is that it is made from white grapes. White wine can be made from any grape colour, from white to red to black grapes. What gives white whine its colour is the process of white winemaking. When it is being made, only the grape juice is utilised while the pigments are extracted. White wine is best paired with white meat, seafood, or white meat.
Red Wine
Red wine is made from dark-coloured grape varieties, which are bluish and purply black. The colour can range from intense violet for young red wines, brick red for mature red wines, and brown for older red wines. The juice from the grape used for making red wine is greenish-white. The red colour is derived from the pigment present in the skin of the grape. Red wine is best paired with cheese, pizza, chocolate, tomato-based pasta, and red meat dishes like steaks, ribs, smoked meat, and game.
Rosé
This wine looks similar to its name. It has a pink colour, ranging from pale onionskin orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grape varieties used and the winemaking method. It is fermented for a short period – about 2 – 24 hours and is also the most straightforward wine to make with the skin contact method. It is labelled rosé in French, Portuguese, and English-speaking countries, rosado in Spanish, and rosato in Italian. Seafoods like lobster, seared salmon or tuna, cheese, or cured meats can be paired with rosé.
Fortified Wine
Fortified wine contains a distilled spirit like brandy, and their ingredients and level of fermentation make them differ in flavour. Fortified wine should be taken moderately and is best enjoyed as an occasional treat as part of a well-rounded, healthy diet. Taking it in excess may be harmful to your health. The sweeter styles of fortified wines are after-dinner digestifs, while the drier styles tend to be served as aperitifs. Meats, poultry, shellfish, and game birds are a nice pair for fortified wine.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine has a significant level of carbon dioxide, giving it its sparkling quality. It is usually either white or rosé, but there are also examples of red sparkling wines. The sweetness of sparkling wine ranges from dry, hard styles to sweeter, soft styles varieties. You can pair sparkling wine with oysters, crab, salmon, steak, chicken, beef or truffles.
Ijeoma Ezeanyika
