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Wine
Don’t know a Rioja from a Riesling?
Since people first learned to ferment grapes more than 6,000 years ago, wine
has become a cultural institution, not to mention a huge international industry.
Immerse yourself in the good life by learning to:
How Wine Is Made
To understand wine, it helps to have some basic knowledge
about how wine is made. The overall process is simple:
1. Grow grapes.
2. Pick the grapes.
3. Crush the grapes.
4. Collect the grape juice in a fermentation cask. In
the cask, yeast transforms the sugar in the juice into
alcohol through a process called fermentation.
5. Let the wine mature in casks for some length of time.
6. Age the wine in bottles.
How Good Wine Is Made
Though the winemaking process is uncomplicated, the
details are difficult. And the secret to good wine is in those
details—the fine points that master winemakers control
during every stage of the process. These include:
• Grape variety: The type of grape or grapes used to
make a wine plays the largest role in determining the
wine’s character. All grapes can be broken down into
those that produce red wine and those that produce
white wine. But there are differences among the grapes
within these categories too: among reds, for instance,
wine made from Pinot Noir grapes tastes different from
wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
• Environment: The temperature, sunshine, humidity,
rainfall, and soil in a particular region all affect a wine’s
taste and character. Wines made with the same grape
in different locations can taste quite different, as can
wines made in the same location during different years
(vintages). The particular environmental traits of a
location are called its terroir.
• Cask material: Stainless steel casks are nonreactive,
which allows the wine to keep its fruity flavor. Oak
casks lessen the fruity flavor and impart an oaky or
roasted nutty flavor along with a smoother texture.
• Aging time: Certain wines improve with aging in both
the cask and the bottle. The ideal aging time varies
from wine to wine. Wines improve with age until they
reach a peak of quality and then decline.
Types of Wine
Though this guide focuses on red and white wine, it’s useful
to know a bit about all five types of wine: red wine, white
wine, rosé wine, sparkling wine, and dessert wine.
• Understand wine types, terminology, and tasting techniques
• Classify wines by their characteristics and geographical origin
• Buy, order, and serve wine like a pro
Red Wines
Red wines tend to have strong, rich
flavors. Depending on the type of
grape and the amount of time it’s
aged, red wine can range in color from
dark purplish red to full red to russet
brown. To make red wine, “black”
grapes (actually purple) are crushed
and the juices left in contact with the
skin for anywhere from a few days
to a few weeks. This skin contact is
crucial: the skin gives red wine its
color and its structure (see How to
Talk About Wine).
White Wines
White wines are generally more deli-
cate in flavor than red wines and
are typically served chilled. Though
called white wines, these wines actu-
ally range in color from pale yellow to
deep gold or even pale green, depend-
ing on the grape and the age of the
wine. Most white wines are made from
“white” grapes (actually pale yellow or
green in color).
Rosé Wines (Blush Wines)
Also called blush wines, rosés are
made with red wine grapes, but with
just a few hours of skin contact. The
brief skin contact gives the wine just a
pink “blush” and a delicate structure.
Rosés are often consumed as “picnic
wines” and can be tasty and refreshing
when chilled to about 60°F (15°C) and
drunk on a hot day.
Sparkling Wines
As yeast ferments the sugar in grape
juice to produce alcohol and wine, it
produces carbon dioxide gas as a by-
product. To make sparkling wines (such
as the most famous, Champagne), the
winemaker puts the wine through a
second fermentation, adding sugar and
yeast to the wine to create carbon
dioxide “bubbles.” Sparkling wines are
usually made from white grapes.
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Dessert Wines
Because yeast typically can’t survive
in an environment containing more
than 14% alcohol, most naturally pro-
duced wines have an alcohol content
of less than 14% by volume. Certain
winemakers (such as those in Porto,
Portugal, where Port is made) found a
way around this limitation: they added
extra sugar or alcohol to the wine as it fermented, resulting
in wines with higher alcohol content. Most, though not all,
of these wines are also sweeter than regular wines and are
consumed after meals. These dessert wines are also called
fortified wines because their alcohol content has been
strengthened.
How to Talk About Wine
Even if you’ve found a wine that you really love, it might
be hard to describe exactly what you like about it. Over
the thousands of years wine has existed, a specific wine
terminology has developed that lets you translate what just
happened in your mouth (and nose) into words other people
can understand. For every wine, there are four general cat-
egories of sensation to describe:
• Structure
• Aromatics
• Texture
• Overall experience
Structure
Structure is an umbrella term that covers a wine’s sweet-
ness, acidity, tannins, and alcohol. The best wines balance
the four components in a delicate interplay.
• Sweetness: Wines run the gamut from sweet to
dry (i.e., not sweet). Off-dry wines are semi-sweet,
somewhere between the two extremes.
• Acidity: Though all wines contain acid, it’s generally
more important in white wines than red wines because
red wines also contain tannins. Acidity is often called
the backbone of white wine, because it gives the wine
firmness. A wine with high acidity is described as tart
or crisp, while a wine with less acidity is called soft. A
wine with too little acidity is flabby.
• Tannins: As acid is to white wines, tannins are to red
wines. Tannins are molecules that exist naturally in
grape skins, stems, and seeds; they give red wine its
 www.quamut.com Wine

trademark puckering sensation in the hollow between
your cheeks and gums. Red wines high in tannins are
called astringent, while those slightly less so are called
hard or firm. Red wines low in tannins are called soft.
• Body: The alcohol content of a wine affects its body—
its “weight” in your mouth. In general, the higher the
alcohol content, the more full its body. A wine can be
full-bodied, medium-bodied, or light-bodied. A full-
bodied wine has the consistency of whole milk, while a
light-bodied wine feels more like skim.
Aromatics
The aromatics of a wine are the complex and often multi-
layered “flavors” that you smell through the nasal cavity at
the back of your mouth. These flavors have been catego-
rized into a number of families—burnt, earthy, floral, fruity,
herbal, spicy, woody, and so on. A wine’s aromatics can be
described more specifically—for example, as having an un-
dertone of cinnamon, grass, rosemary, or strawberry.
Some serious wine enthusiasts are trying to develop a
universal standard of wine aromas and actually keep various
flavors (such as drops of vanilla extract or strawberry jam)
close at hand to help them describe more precisely the wine
they’re tasting. For now, no universally accepted standard
exists, which means you’re free to describe a wine’s aroma
with whatever descriptive terms spring to mind. No matter
how creative you are, it would be tough to outdo some of
the wild wine aroma descriptors already out there: “horsey,”
“manure,” “asparagus,” and “stewed,” for instance.
Texture
A wine’s texture is sometimes called its mouthfeel—the
tactile sensations you get in your mouth while drinking it.
The Australian Wine Research Institute has come up with
eleven different families of texture that can help you de-
scribe the wines you taste:
• Particulate: Talc, wet clay, powder, plaster, dusty,
grainy, chalky, sawdust
• Surface smoothness: Furry, fine emery, velvet, suede,
silk, chamois, satin
• Complex: Soft, supple, fleshy, mouthcoat, rich
• Drying: Numbing, parching, dry
• Dynamic: Pucker, chewy, grippy, adhesive
• Harsh: Hard, aggressive, abrasive
• Unripe: Resinous, sappy, green
• Weight: Watery, thin, full, viscous
• Texture: Syrupy, creamy
• Heat: Hot, warm
• Irritation: Chili, pepper, tingle, prickle, spritz
Overall Experience
There are a number of different terms and concepts that
wine lovers use to describe the overall experience of drink-
ing a wine. These terms allow them to describe how the
structure, flavor, and texture of a wine work together.
• Complexity: The structure, aromas, and texture of a
wine often change, grow, or deepen in the time that it
takes to swallow a mouthful. In a complex wine, the
various components are multi-layered, with new flavors
and textures becoming more or less prominent over
time. A straightforward wine contains fewer flavors
and changes less over time. Complex isn’t “better”
than straightforward or vice versa—all that matters is
your personal preference.
• Length: Length is a mark of quality and craftsmanship
in a wine. Short wines provide an initial burst of flavor
but then die as they’re swallowed. Long wines have a
lingering, cleansing aftertaste, called a finish.
• Depth: The depth of a wine refers to the intensity
and dimension of its flavor. Both complex and
straightforward wines can have depth as long as the
flavor is resonant and strong.
• Typicity: An individual wine may be “typical” within
its family or more of an outlier. For instance, a Pinot
Noir that shares the basic characteristics of the family
of Pinot Noirs is said to have typicity. There’s actually
a raging debate in wine circles about typicity: many
winemakers claim that the current emphasis on typicity
hurts craftsmanship by promoting conformity.
How to Identify Bad Wine
Wine can go bad for many reasons. Here are some of the
most common signs that a wine has gone bad:
• The cork is shriveled or wet
• Smells sulfurous (like rotten eggs)
• Smells like acetone (nail polish thinner)
• Smells like cardboard
• Tastes flat, dusty, stale, rotten, or vinegary
How to Taste Wine
Not only are there specific ways to talk about and describe
wine, there’s also a “correct” method for tasting it. Though
many people think that having a wine tasting technique is
just a hallmark of snobbery, the technique actually exists
for just one reason: so that you, the wine drinker, can better
enjoy your wine.
Wine Tasting Technique
To experience the fullest sensation from a wine, you have
to devote time and your senses to it—which proper wine
tasting technique helps you to do. The technique can be
summed up in 5 S’s: see, swirl, sniff, swish, swallow.
1. See
Part of the enjoyment of wine is building up anticipation and
surrendering yourself to sensation. Enjoying the visual attri-
butes of a glass of wine is the beginning of this experience.
As you pour and hold the wine, notice its:
• Clarity and color: Observe the hue of the wine against
the light. White wines range from pale green or yellow
when young to deep amber when aged. Red wines
redden as they age, from dark blue or purple to red
and then a russet brown. Lighter-bodied wines are also
generally lighter in color.
• Legs: Tilt the wine glass so that the wine runs slightly
up the side. Now set the glass flat again. Certain wines
form rivulets running down the side, called legs or
tears. This is a function of the wine’s viscosity, or flow,
and the rate of evaporation of the alcohol.
2. Swirl
Swirling works air into the wine, which helps amplify and
develop the wine’s flavors. Swirl the wine consistently and
in the same direction, taking care not to spill. The less wine
there is in the glass, the more vigorously you can swirl it.
3. Sniff
After swirling the wine, stick your nose into the glass and
take a deep whiff of the wine’s aroma (also called its nose
or bouquet). Contemplate and try to name the aromas you
discover (woody, fruity, smoky, breezy, etc.). At first this
naming process might be difficult and seem pointless. But
after a while it’ll become easier, and you’ll start to make
connections between the aromas of different wines.
Your sense of smell is much more acute than your sense
of taste. In fact, much of what you think of as your sense
of taste is actually your sense of smell, as aromas from the
food you chew reach your nose through the back of your
throat. Many serious wine drinkers enjoy smelling wines
almost as much as drinking them.
4. Swish
Now sip the wine and draw in some air, then gently swish
the wine around your mouth for a few seconds.
Wines are said to have a beginning, a middle, and an
end. In each stage, a good wine creates different flavors,
aromas, and textures in your mouth and nose. The first
flavor you might notice is the sweetness or dryness of the
wine. As the wine moves toward the back of your tongue,
the sweetness may or may not progress into sourness and,
possibly, a tingling astringency in the hollows between the
cheeks and gums as the acid and tannins take hold. Mean-
while you’ll also feel the texture of the wine: its thickness
or thinness, roughness or smoothness. As the swishing
vaporizes and energizes the aroma of the wine, you’ll smell
the wine’s aromas.
5. Swallow
When you swallow the wine, don’t immediately reach for
another sip or take a bite of food. Instead, concentrate on
the finish of the wine—a cleansing, acid crispness lingering
on the deep back and sides of the tongue. Now go for that
next sip, repeating the whole process if you like.
How to Understand Wine Names
It can be hard to figure out what exactly you’re buying or
ordering based solely on the name of a wine. For instance,
you might not expect that a Burgundy and a Pinot Noir
would be made from the same grape. But in fact they are—
the Pinot Noir grape. This confusion exists because Euro-
pean wines are named according to different rules from
those used for wines made anywhere else.

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decisions. Though Quamut makes efforts to create accurate guides, editorial and research mistakes can
occur. Quamut cannot, therefore, guarantee the accuracy of its guides. We disclaim all warranties, including
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warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, and must advise you to use our guides at Copyright © 2007 Quamut
your own risk. Quamut and its employees are not liable for loss of any nature resulting from the use of or
All rights reserved.
reliance upon our charts and the information found therein.
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 www.quamut.com Wine

New World: Wines Named for Grapes Gamay Light- to medium-bodied, with low United States, Australia, France.
Most of the wines grown in the United States, South America, and Australia are varietals, tannins and high acidity. Fresh and Best from Beaujolais, France.
which means that they’re named after the variety of grape they contain. Varietal wine fruity flavors, such as strawberries,
naming makes sense, since the greatest determining factor of a wine’s characteristics and peaches.
is the type of grape from which it’s made. With varietals, you know what you’re getting:
Grenache From light, sweet, and mild to full France, Spain, United States,
if you’re buying a Pinot Noir, you know it contains Pinot Noir grapes. and rich. Fruity and floral, some- Australia, Italy, North Africa.
times with hints of vanilla, spice, Best from Châteauneuf-du-Pape,
Sole Grapes and Principal Grapes and tea. France, and Rioja, Spain.
If a wine is made from just one grape, it’s named after that sole grape. But some varietal
wines are blends of a few different grapes. In blends, the varietal is named after its princi- Merlot Mellow, hearty, smooth, and California, France, Italy. Best
pal grape—the grape that makes up the largest part of the blend—as long as that grape ex- straightforward. Berry flavors. from Bordeaux, France, and Fat-
ceeds a certain percentage of the entire wine. The rules for naming a wine after a principal toria de Ama and Ornellaia, Italy.
grape differ slightly by region. In California, a varietal must contain at least 75% of the grape
Nebbiolo Deep, complex, and firm, with a Italy, California. Best from
for which it’s named. In Oregon, the requirement is 90%. If a wine contains no one grape
body ranging from medium to full. Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy.
that exceeds the necessary percentage, then the wine can’t be named after a grape.
Powerful flavors of dark fruits,
But there’s no rule forcing a wine company to tell you whether a varietal is made from leather, tar, and violet.
just one grape or a blend. So when you’re drinking your next Pinot Noir, it may be only 75%
Pinot, not 100%. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: varietal blends can be better than the Pinot Noir From light- to medium-bodied, California, Oregon, Canada,
100% “pure” varietals that go by the same name. with moderate to high acidity and Australia, France. Best from
moderate to low tannins. Velvety, Burgundy, France.
Europe: Wines Named for Places with flavors ranging from berry to
The best European wines are named after the place where they’re made rather than the buttery to earthy.
grapes from which they’re made.
Sangiovese From light and straightforward California, Italy, Australia,
Wine has been made in Europe for so long that winemakers now know where each grape
to full and complex. High acidity, Argentina. Best from Tuscany,
grows best. This knowledge has been codified into law: in order for a wine to be named
moderate tannins. Smooth, with Italy.
after a place, that wine must be made from the grapes that grow best in that place and must flavors of wild berry and spice.
meet rigorous standards for quality and taste upheld by regional wine officials. A place
name on a European wine therefore represents both high quality and the type of grapes Syrah / Full-bodied, with firm tannins. United States, South Africa,
used to make that wine. A Burgundy, for example, must be made from Pinot Noir grapes. Shiraz Hearty flavors of wild berry, spice, Australia. Best from Rhône
herbs, smoke, and sometimes Valley, France (Côte-Rôtie,
Other Wine Names even a twist of pepper. Hermitage).
• Proprietary names: In recent years the number of wines with fancy, meaningless
Tempranillo Soft, with low acidity and tannins. Spain, United States, South
names like “Opus” or “Phantom” has increased. Usually, wines are given these names
Flavors of berry, smoke, and spice America. Best from Rioja, Spain
when their specific blends of grapes are ineligible for varietal names. Though wines
predominate, sometimes with an (used in the blend to make
with proprietary names may seem gimmicky, some actually are high quality.
earthy undertone. Rioja).
• Generic names: In the early years of winemaking in the United States and Canada,
winemakers often named their wines after famous foreign wines such as Burgundy Zinfandel Well structured, with strong California, Italy, South Africa,
and Chablis even if their wines tasted nothing like Burgundy or Chablis. Even today, tannins; ranges from dry to sweet, Australia. Best from California.
the U.S. and Canadian governments allow wine companies to use generic names and from light to heavy. Plum,
that have no connection to the taste or quality of the wine. The most common raisin, leather, and spice flavors.
generic names used in the United States and Canada are Burgundy, Chianti, Chablis,
Champagne, Sherry, Port, Rhine, and Sauterne. If you’re buying one of these wines,
check where it’s made—it’s the real thing only if it’s from Europe. White Wine Varietals
• Brand names: The brand name identifies the company that makes a particular wine. This table covers some of the most popular white wine varietals. It explains their general
Most wine labels contain both a wine name and a brand name. If you come across characteristics and lists the regions that produce the best wines of each variety.
a wine that has only a brand name, beware: these are usually low-quality European
wines that failed to win the right to use a place name. Name Description Regions

Red Wine Varietals
This table covers some of the most popular red wine varietals. It explains their general
characteristics and lists the regions that produce the best wines of each variety.
Name Description
Aglianico Powerful and firm, with a long
finish. Rich earthy and black fruit
flavors; hints of chocolate or
coffee develop with age. Age at
least three years.
Barbera Medium-bodied and soft (for in-
expensive Barbera) or full-bodied,
firm, and dry (for more expensive
wines). Fruity, with hints of vanilla
and smoke.
Cabernet Light-bodied, soft, and silky, with
Franc fruity and herbal flavors.
Cabernet Full, dry, and deep, with firm tan-
Sauvignon nins. Black currant, with herbal or
spice hints. Often blended with
Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Regions
Southern Italy. Best from Taurasi
and Aglianico del Vulture, Italy.
Italy, Yugoslavia, South America,
United States. Best from Barbera
d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti, Italy.
France, Australia, North Amer-
ica, South America. Best from
Loire Valley, France.
France, Australia, New Zealand,
Chile, California, Washington,
South Africa, Canada. Best from
Bordeaux, France.
Albariño / Crisp, with high acidity, and
Alvarinho medium-bodied. Silky, with
apple or apricot flavors.
Chardonnay Dry, well balanced, and
complex, with fruit flavors
ranging from apple to tropi-
cal. Most Chardonnay (ex-
cept Chablis) is also oaky.
Chenin Blanc Dry to semi-dry, and crisp.
Oily in texture, with hints of
fruit and spice.
Gewürtztraminer Rich, full-bodied, and soft.
Tends to be dry, with fruity
and floral flavors, and hints
of spice.
Muscat Light-bodied and soft.
Ranges from dry to sweet,
with intense flavors of
raisin.
Pinot Blanc Straightforward, crisp, dry,
and full, with high acidity.
Flavors of pears, apples,
and melons.
Rías Baixas, Spain, and Minho,
Portugal (where the varietal is
called Alvarinho).
Europe, North America, South
America, Australia, South Africa.
Best from Burgundy and Chablis,
France.
Australia, California, Chile, South
Africa. Best from Loire Valley,
France.
United States, Australia, Austria,
Germany, France. Best from Al-
sace, France.
Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Por-
tugal, Greece. Best from Alsace,
France, and Austria.
Austria, Germany, France, Italy,
California. Best from California
and Alsace, France.
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Pinot Gris / Full-bodied, rich, dry, and
Pinot Grigio soft in acidity. Oaky, with
hints of vanilla and smoke,
and sometimes citrus, pine,
and floral flavors.
Riesling Light-bodied and firm. Can
be sweet or dry. Has flavors
of apple, melon, honey, and
spice.
Sauvignon Blanc Light-bodied and crisp. Can
be either sweet or dry. Fla-
vors range from appley to
citrusy, with herbal, grassy,
and mineral undertones.
Can also be oaky.
Sémillon Full-bodied and sweet, with
fruity, nutty flavors and an
oily texture. Excellent in
blends, particularly with
Sauvignon Blanc.
Italy, Austria, Germany (where Germany Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Riesling Riesling
the varietal is called Ruländer), Rheingau
Oregon, California. Best from Al-
Greece Peloponnesus Patras Rhoditis
sace, France.
Italy Piedmont Gavi Cortese
Australia, Austria, Germany, Veneto Soave Garganega, Trebbiano, others
France, United States. Best from
Germany and California. Portugal Minho Vinho Verde Alvarinho (same as Albariño)
Spain Rías Baixas Rioja Albariño (same as Alvarinho)
California, Australia, South Amer-
ica, Australia, Italy, France. Best
from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, How to Read Wine Labels
France. Each bottle of wine typically has two labels. The back label usually provides basic informa-
tion such as the volume of wine in the bottle and various government warnings, including
the phrase “Contains Sulfites.” (Sulfites are a common food preservative to which about
1% of people in the world are allergic.) The front label, on the other hand, is usually splashy
California, South America, South
and attractive but needs a little explanation.
Africa, Australia (where it’s
used as a varietal). In France it’s
blended with Sauvignon Blanc to
New World Wine Labels
make Sauternes. Front labels on New World wines typically contain the following information:

Viognier Dry, with low acidity, Primarily the Rhône region of • Wine type: The basic category into which the wine falls—table wine, dessert wine, or
medium- to full-bodied, and France. Also Australia, California, sparkling wine. In the United States, table wine refers to a red or white wine that has
complex. Intense flavors Brazil. no more than 14% alcohol.
ranging from apricot to a • Growing region: The region where the grapes were grown. In the United States, a
buttery cream to smoke. wine cannot have a regional appellation label unless at least 85% of the grapes were
actually grown in that region. Rules in other countries vary.
• Reserve designation: An essentially meaningless piece of information, since no rules
European Red Wines govern what “reserve” means. On one bottle “reserve” might mean higher quality; on
The best way to get to know whether you like a particular European red wine is to try it. But another it might mean nothing.
which should you sample first? One way is to try a European red made from grapes used in • Vintage: The year the grapes (or at least 85% of the grapes) were grown and
varietal wines you like. The following table will help. harvested. Wine gurus know not just where the best wines come from but also the
best vintages for each region.
Country Region Wine Name Grape(s) • Bottler information: The location and name of the bottler. If a vineyard or winery
bottles its own wine, then it can call its wine estate bottled. Estate bottled wines are
France Bordeaux Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
often taken to be better crafted than wines bottled off-site.
Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot
brand name vintage
Burgundy Burgundy Pinot Noir estate bottled designation reserve designation
Beaujolais Pinot Noir

Rhône Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie Syrah growing region

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache, Syrah, others

wine name
Italy Campania Taurasi Aglianico

Basilicata Aglianico del Vulture Aglianico

Piedmont Barolo, Barberesco Nebbiolo

wine type bottler information alcohol by volume
Gattinara Nebbiolo, Bonarda

Tuscany Chianti Sangiovese, Canaiolo, others

European Wine Labels
European wine labels add one important piece of information to their front wine labels: the
Carmignano Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon Appellation of Origin, which doubles as a designation of quality. There are three levels of
quality among European wines.
Super-Tuscans Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese

Spain Rioja Rioja Tempranillo, Grenache, others • QWSPR wines: The best wines are marked by a place name followed by a specific
phrase indicating that the wine is what the European Union calls a Quality Wine
Produced in a Specific Region (QWSPR). Some European countries actually have two
European White Wines QWSPR designations to mark both high- and superior-quality wine.
As with European red wines (see European Red Wines), the best way to find out if you like • Table wines: The next two levels of quality in European wines are referred to as
a particular European white wine is to try it. table wines. (Note that in America the words “table wine” refer to alcohol content,
but in Europe the term indicates quality.) Better European table wines have a specific
Country Region Wine Name Grape(s) geographic region included in their name; lower-quality table wines don’t.

Austria Multiple regions Grüner Veltliner Grüner Veltliner Country Highest Quality (QWSPR) Table Wine Table Wine
(with place (no place
France Bordeaux Bordeaux Blanc Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon name) name)
Burgundy White Burgundy, Chardonnay Austria Districtus Austria Controllatus (DAC) Landwein Tafelwein
Chablis

Rhône Condrieu Viognier France Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC); Vin de pays Vin de table
Appellation d’Origine – Vins Délimités de
Loire Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc Qualité Supérieure (AO VDQS)
Pouilly-Fumé
Germany Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP); Deutscher Deutscher
Vouvray Chenin Blanc Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete Landwein Tafelwein
(QbA)
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Greece Onomasía Proeléfseos Anotéras Piótitos Topikos inos Epitrapezios could be the wrong vintage or even the wrong wine. Also take the chance to touch the
(OPAP); Onomasía Proeléfseos Eleghoméni inos bottle and test its temperature. The bottle should be cool to the touch (white wines
(OPE) slightly colder than red).
2. The waiter removes the cork and presents it to you: The condition of the cork can
Hungary Minosegi Bor Tájbor Asztali bor
hint whether a wine has spoiled. If the cork smells bad or seems either shriveled or
wet, the wine may be bad.
Italy Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Vino da Vino da
3. The waiter pours a little wine into your glass: Sniff and taste the wine to see
Garantita (DOCG); Denominazione di Origine tavola + tavola
Controllata (DOC) place name whether it’s gone bad. If it has gone bad (and wines sometimes do go bad), be kind
but not too apologetic and send it back.
Portugal Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) Vinho Vinho de 4. If the wine is fine, tell the waiter to proceed: The waiter will fill your guests’
regional mesa glasses first, then yours.

Spain Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOC); Vino de la Vino de

Denominación de Origen (DO) tierra mesa How to Buy Wine
In some regions, wine is sold in supermarkets and bulk food stores as well as in specialty
wine stores. In others, state or local laws require that wine be sold only in specialty stores.
How to Order Wine at a Restaurant
Ordering wine at a restaurant can be intimidating—like you’re being thrown into a complex Supermarkets and Wine
ritual without knowing the rules. But if you know the basics, it’s pretty straightforward. Supermarkets often have good prices on wines, so if your local store carries a wine you
like, you’re in luck. But supermarket selection is usually limited and tends to include only
Bottle or Glass? wines from mega-wineries. Also, many supermarkets store wine improperly. Wine should
The age-old question—get a bottle or order by the glass? In general, ordering by the bottle never be refrigerated or stored upright (which can dry out the cork and cause the bottle to
is more cost-effective. But there are reasons to order wine by the glass: leak). If your supermarket does either of these things, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

• If your table won’t drink a full bottle Wine Stores

• If you want more than one wine during your dinner The best way to broaden your wine horizons is to find a good wine store and ask for rec-
• If you and your dinner companion(s) are ordering foods that are difficult to pair with a ommendations or advice from the people who work there. Here are a few signs of a good
single wine (see How to Pair Wine and Food) wine store:

Ordering Wine
Restaurants typically serve two different categories of wine: house wines and list wines.
Very high-end restaurants may also have a reserve list you can ask to see if you’re feeling
like a big spender.
House Wines
The house wine is what you get when you just ask for red or white
wine without any further specification. While house wines at quality
restaurants are usually perfectly acceptable, they’re never extraor-
dinary. The house wine has to appeal to many people, which means
it can’t be too interesting. Besides, even the best restaurants choose
house wines that are as cheap as they can get away with. House wines
are usually available by the glass or carafe, a wide-necked vessel that
holds a bottle’s worth of wine.
The Wine List
A restaurant might have 15 wines on its list—or 150. Every entry on the list will tell you the
name of the wine, the winery that produced it, the vintage, and the price. If a wine is avail-
able by the glass and by the bottle, the wine list will show prices for both. All wine lists, long
or short, organize wines by type (white, red, etc.). Some lists may also organize by:
• Good selection: The wine in stock should range across different wine types, regions
of origin, and price.
• Good service: If a wine seller makes you feel dumb for asking questions, find
someone who’ll help you learn.
• Expertise: An expert wine seller will have firsthand knowledge of the tastes and
qualities of the wines in the store. He or she will also be able to recommend wines
based on your preferences for taste, structure, or texture, or simply based on other
wines that you’ve liked. If a wine seller consistently recommends wines you don’t like,
you may want to look elsewhere.
• Proper storage conditions: Wine should be stored in cool, dry, dark, constant
conditions. It should not be placed in direct sunlight or near a cooling or heating
source. In addition, wine should be stored lying down (as opposed to upright) to keep
the corks moist and prevent bottle leakage.
• Good prices: Many wine buyers don’t mind spending extra money out of loyalty and
appreciation for a wine seller who really cares about wine. Even so, every so often you
should still check to make sure the store prices aren’t exorbitant.
Wine Ratings
The wine industry has developed a rating system that scores wines on their quality. Some
wine stores post these ratings next to the wines they sell.

• Country of origin • 95–100: Extraordinary

• Varietal
• Price
• Body (light-bodied wines on top, full-bodied below)
One good way to choose wine from a list is to pick one that you’ve never had before but
that’s made from a grape variety you know you like. Another is to describe to your waiter
what you like in a wine and ask for a recommendation. To get more expert advice, you
could ask to speak to the person at the restaurant who manages the wine list. Higher-end
restaurants may employ a fulltime wine manager known as a sommelier.
Bringing Your Own Wine
Many restaurants allow you to bring your own wine, which the waiter then uncorks and
serves to you. For this service restaurants typically charge a corkage fee that typically
ranges from $10 to $25.
• If you want to bring wine to a restaurant, call first and make sure it’s okay—some
restaurants don’t allow patrons to bring their own wine.
• When you call, make sure that the restaurant doesn’t already carry the wine you want
to bring. It’s bad form to bring a wine that a restaurant carries on its list.
The Wine Serving Ritual
When wine is served in restaurants, the waiter usually follows a specific procedure:
1. The waiter presents the bottle to you: This allows you to check that the wine is
actually what you ordered. Really do check—waiters can make mistakes, so the bottle
• 90–94: Excellent
• 85–89: Very good
• 80–84: Above average
• 75–79: Average
• 70–74: Below average
• 69 or below: Poor
If you find a cheap, highly rated wine, you may have found a steal. Still, keep in mind that
the rating reflects someone else’s taste, and taste is subjective. The highest rated wines
may not always be your favorites.
How to Pair Wine and Food
Because people almost always drink wine alongside food, it’s important to know that certain
wines complement certain foods better than others. So if you’re at a restaurant or throwing
a dinner party, it never hurts to try to pair your wine with the food you’ll be eating.
Classic Wine and Food Pairing
In the not-so-distant past, there was a hard and fast rule about which wines to serve with
which food: red wines with red meat; white wines with white meat. This rule existed for
a reason: it generally works. Red wine is usually heartier and richer than white wine, which
means it matches better with heartier, more flavorful foods (such as red meat), while most
white wines match better with more delicately flavored foods (such as chicken or fish). So
if you’re making a beef stew and have only a few minutes to pick a wine to go with it, you
won’t go wrong by following this rule and picking a rich, powerful red.
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Modern Wine and Food Pairing • Young, tannic red wines: Reds such as Bordeaux,
Rather than follow strict (and often overly simplistic) “rules” Cabernet Sauvignon, and most Rhône Valley and Italian Wine Glasses
of food pairing, you can pair wine and food based on a finer red wines need at least an hour of aeration. The glass you use to drink wine actually makes a big dif-
understanding of how wine and food interact. • Full-bodied white wines: Whites such as Burgundy ference in how the wine tastes. One of the best things
and Bordeaux also benefit from a good aerating, you can do to make sure that people enjoy the wine you
How Wine and Food Interact though a half hour is usually enough. serve is to serve the wine in quality glasses. The best wine
The five main attributes of wine—its tannins, acidity, sweet- glasses are:
ness, body, and flavor—all affect the way the wine pairs Some older red wines and all older ports develop sediment
with food. over time as the tannins join together, harden, and drop out • Transparent: One of the pleasures of wine is enjoying
of solution. Though the sediment isn’t harmful, it can stick its color and clarity. The best wine glasses are clear.
Wine Hints for Pairing to your teeth. Such wines need to be decanted in order to • Long-stemmed: Stems allow you to hold the glass
Attribute remove the sediment. To decant a wine that contains sedi- away from the actual wine, ensuring that the heat from
ment, stand it upright for a day or two. The sediment will your hand doesn’t warm the wine.
Tannins Tannic wines pair well with salty foods,
sink to the bottom. Then pour the wine very carefully into • Thin-lipped: A thin, properly formed lip directs the
slightly sour or bitter foods, and with
the decanter, leaving the last inch behind. wine to the correct areas of your tongue, accentuating
protein-rich and fatty foods.
the flavors of the wine. A badly formed lip makes a
Acidity Acidic white wines, such as Sauvignon How to Serve Wines in Sequence wine taste harsher than it actually is.
Blanc, tend to pair well with acidic, When accompanying multiple-course dinners, wines are • Crystal: The best stemware isn’t called “crystal” just
salty, oily, and fatty foods. traditionally served in the following sequence: to make it sound fancy. It really is made from crystal.
Crystal is better than glass for serving wine because
Sweetness Sweet wines, such as Riesling, pair well • White wine before red wine crystal is a rougher material. The roughness generates
with slightly sweet foods. Dry, crisp • Dry wine before sweet wine friction against the pouring wine that helps aerate the
wines pair well with creamy or salty • Light-bodied wine before full-bodied wine wine and release its flavor and aroma.
foods, as well as with Asian foods. • Straightforward wine before complex wine
How to Choose Wine Glasses
Body Full-bodied wines pair well with heavy
For instance: a white or light-bodied red with the hors Wine glasses come in a multitude of shapes. One company
foods, whereas light wines pair well
d’oeuvres; a fuller-bodied, more intense and complex white alone makes 64 different kinds—a glass for nearly every
with more delicate foods.
or red with the main course; and if you’re feeling ambitious, type of wine. Though that’s a bit extreme even for the most
Flavor Wines tend to pair well with foods that perhaps even a Port or Sherry with dessert. demanding wine connoisseur, serious wine drinkers tend to
have similar flavors. For instance, an own at least four different types.
earthy wine is likely to pair well with a How to Pull the Cork
dish that contains mushrooms. Unfortunately, the most popular corkscrew currently on the • White wine glass: Glasses for white wine should be
market—the kind with wings that looks like a child making small (about 10 oz). The small size limits surface area,
The final rule of wine and food pairing is that there’s no a snow angel—is not very good. But better corkscrews are which in turn prevents the wine from warming quickly.
single “right” answer. Don’t get intimidated looking for the out there. Here are three of the best: • Bordeaux glass: Tulip-shaped Bordeaux glasses work
perfect wine. Instead, follow the guidelines above, trust well with “big,” rich, and intense red wines. Because
your instincts, try things out, and see what you like best. • Waiter’s corkscrew: Waiter’s they’re larger than white wine glasses, they give the
corkscrews have curved or wine’s bouquet room to develop.
straight handles that contain • Burgundy glass: Though bigger in size than Bordeaux
How to Serve Wine a foldout lever, a metal spiral glasses, Burgundy glasses are actually for “smaller,”
Nobody will complain if you serve wine at a party. Even so, worm that twists into the cork, subtler wines such as Pinot Noir. The larger glass size
there are a few guidelines you can follow to make sure the and a blade for cutting the gives the wine’s bouquet even more room to develop.
wine you serve is the best it can be. foil that covers the cork. The key to using a waiter’s • Champagne flute: These glasses are long and narrow
corkscrew is to make sure you twist the worm down to control the bubbles in Champagne and other
Wine Serving Temperature through the center of the cork. Once you do, press the sparkling wines.
Different types of wine taste best when served at particular lever onto the top lip of the wine bottle and lift the cork
temperatures. by lifting the far end of the corkscrew. You can buy a
quality waiter’s corkscrew for as little as $12.
Type of Wine Temperature Instructions • Screwpull™: The Screwpull corkscrew
is remarkably easy to use. Just keep
Sparkling 45–50°F Chill for about an
twisting the corkscrew in the same
wines (7–10°C) hour.
direction: the screw will insert itself
Rosés and 50–55°F Chill for about 45 into the cork and, once inserted,
blushes (10–13°C) minutes. pull the cork from the bottle. A good
Screwpull model costs about $25.
Inexpensive 50–55°F Chill for about 45 • The Rabbit™: The Rabbit white Bordeaux Burgundy Champagne
wine glass glass glass flute
white wines (10–13°C) minutes. corkscrew (made by
Metrokane) is even easier to
Fine white 55–60°F Chill for about an use—it takes virtually all the Rather than buy all four, many people choose instead to
wines (13–15°C) hour. effort out of removing a cork. buy only two types of wine glass: white wine glasses and
Just push and pull on a lever, Bordeaux glasses. If you want to buy just one type of wine
Light-bodied 58–62°F Chill for 30 minutes
and the cork comes right out. glass and use it for all sorts of wine, the most versatile is
red wines (14–16.5°C) at most.
The downside is that the device the Bordeaux glass.
Most red 60–65°F Chill for 15–30 is pretty big and, at $50, a tad
wines (15–18°C) minutes at most. expensive for a corkscrew. How to Wash Crystal Stemware
Because crystal is rougher than glass, it tends to absorb
Dessert 60–65°F Chill for 15–30 If Cork Gets in the Wine aromas and needs special cleaning care—which means it
wines (15–18°C) minutes at most. Even with the best corkscrew in the world, you’ll probably must be washed by hand, not in a dishwasher. Wash the
still have a cork-pulling debacle once in a while. If so: stemware both before and after use in hot sudsy water.
How to Aerate and Decant Wine The best way to test if it’s clean is to smell it: if you smell
The flavor and aroma of many wines improve when the wine • Fish out the bigger pieces with a cork retriever— nothing, it’s ready to use; if you smell something, it’s back
comes into contact with air. To aerate a wine, pour it from a metal device with long, thin stiff rods that can be to the suds.
the bottle into a carafe, a wide-mouthed pitcher that holds dipped into the wine bottle.
a bottle’s worth of wine. • Then pour the wine through a very fine strainer. If you
don’t have a strainer, you can also use a coffee filter
as long as you run water through it first.