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Wine is a fairly simple product. In essence, it is little other than spoiled grape juice. But it is easy to forget this as there is so much reverence and charm attached to it. It has taken years, centuries, even, to refine the techniques for making good wine. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest wine production came from sites in
- Sauvignon Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc can be anything from sweet to dry, though it is typically a light wine that tends to be crisp and acidic, which helps the wine cut through heavy food flavours. It has pronounced flavours of an herbal variety, such as grass, apple and olive. It also has a soft, smoky flavour. It should be drunk within a few years.
- Semillon – Semillon is a thin-skinned white grape that ripens early. When drunk alone it has a grassy flavour reminiscent of figs, which tend towards more of a nutty, floral flavour depending on the climate. Semillon is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay for added balance. In general, Semillon is an easy vine to grow and is often used in new wine regions to test the soils and climate. It can be drunk young for its fresher flavours, or allowed to age and mellow the flavours, though it should be consumed within five years.
- Riesling – the Riesling white grape has many names, among them Weisser Riesling, Rheinriesling, Riesling Renano, and Johannisberg Riesling. It is usually made to be a sweet wine, although a dry wine is not altogether uncommon. It is a late-ripening grape, with a moderate yield. Riesling is affected by the region in which it is grown – Californian Rieslings tend to be dry and have a melon taste, while Germanic Rieslings are tarter and taste of grapefruit. Other typical Riesling flavours are fruit and floral, honey and musk.
- Gewürztraminer – originally from
- Chenin Blanc – Chenin Blanc is a white grape that produces crisp, balanced white wines, which age well. It has flavours of apple, pear and tropical fruit, and tends towards dry or semi-dry. It can age for between two and five years.
- Chardonnay – the popularity of Chardonnay has grown immensely in the past forty years, and it is now the most popular white wine available. Winemakers love this variety because the vines are easy to grow and have a high yield, while wine drinkers love the wine because of the wide variety of flavours that it can take on. Depending on where it was grown and how it was fermented, Chardonnay can taste semi-sweet or sour, heady or light. Typical flavours include apple, tangerine, lemon, lime, melon, and oak. Cool-climate Chardonnays get longer growing times, and end up with subtle overtones while warm-climate Chardonnays become more flavourful and full tasting. Most chardonnays are meant to be drunk immediately, but some can age for between five and ten years, if not more.
- Merlot – Merlot is not well suited for long aging, so until recently the wine made from merlot grapes was used solely as a blending wine. Soft and compliant, it was blended with Cabernet in the French Bordeaux wines, as it brought a more mellow aspect to these wines. Recently, Merlot has been discovered as a delicious wine in its own right. It tends to be more tolerant of soil conditions than a Cabernet vine, and while it buds earlier, it also can be harvested earlier. Not quite as harsh as other reds, Merlot has less tannin than a Cabernet and can therefore be drunk earlier. It is mellow but still complex, and is known for its flavours of plums, black cherries, violets, and oranges.
- Cabernet Sauvignon – Cabernet Sauvignon is the name of both the grape and the wine it produces. With its depth of complexity and richness of flavour, Cabernet is one of the world's finest red wines. A Cabernet can be mellow and mild, hearty and rich. It has a deep red color, with the primary taste being black currant. Other overtones can include blackberry and mint. Traditionally aged in oak, the wine also takes on an oaky, vanilla flavour. Good quality Cabernets age extremely well (although a bit slowly), developing a sprinkling of five or six tastes.
- Pinot Noir – Pinot Noir is a light red wine; some experts deeming it the finest red wine in the world. A Pinot Noir's colour encompasses a wide range, from cherry red to purple-red and even brown as the wine ages. Typical flavours include earth, leather, vanilla – from the oak – and jam – the fruity flavours of the jam often taste like raspberry, strawberry, and plum. While some Pinot Noirs are meant to be drunk immediately, a fine bottle can easily age for 10 years or more.
- Pinotage – Pinotage was produced by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault, and is grown primarily in
- Shiraz/Syrah –
- Zinfandel – The colour of a Zinfandel is deep red, bordering on black. It is a spicy, peppery wine with a hint of fruity flavour – berries or dark cherries are often the taste range. Most people like to drink zinfandels young – within a year or two – though there are several zinfandels that age well, where the flavour becomes much different, and far mellower.
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