Many people tend to distinguish between reds and whites, as well as dry and sweet wines. But this classification is only a small part of how wines differ. They undoubtedly differ from each other in taste and aroma characteristics, but at the same time there is a strict classification according to several other parameters.
Instructions
Step 1
By the nature of the product from which the wine is made, there are grape (made only from grape juice without admixture of other types, these wines are the most common), fruit (made from the juice of pears or apples), berry (from the juice of garden and forest berries), vegetable and raisin wines.
Step 2
A distinction should be made between varietal and blended wines by the grape variety that makes up the wine. The first contains only one variety of grapes, and the second may contain a blend of up to several different varieties.
Step 3
Wines also differ by country of origin, each wine reflects its own "terroir" - a complex of factors from the composition of the soil to the local climate, affecting the quality of ripening grapes and its taste and aroma.
Step 4
By color, wines are divided into white, red and rosé. Rosé wines are made from red grape varieties using a special technology, they are usually as light as whites, but have a wider range of dishes to combine. The most famous are rosé wines from the Sancerre and Anjou regions. White wines are produced not only from white, but also from red grape varieties, they are usually light and pleasant, perfectly complement fish and seafood dishes. The famous white wines come from the Loire Valley, Alsace and parts of Germany and Italy. Red wines made from red grape varieties and mostly aged in oak barrels, on the contrary, are often more tart and juicy, perfectly suited to meat dishes and cheeses. The best red wines are traditionally considered to be Bordeaux and Burgundy wines, to which New World wines have been added in recent years.
Step 5
By percentage of sugar and alcohol, wines are usually classified according to several categories: Fortified wines have a sugar content of 2-11% and an alcohol content of up to 20% Liqueur wines have a sugar content of more than 21% and an alcohol content of up to 17%. Sweet wines have a sugar content sugar content 12-20% and alcohol content up to 17%. Semi-sweet wines have sugar content of 3-8% and 9-13% alcohol. Semi-dry wines have sugar content of 0.5-2.5% and 9-14% alcohol. Dry wines have an alcohol content of 9-14%, without sugar.
Step 6
By its carbon dioxide content, the wine is classified as still or sparkling. Quiet wines are those that do not contain carbon dioxide at all. The sparkling wine category includes champagne (produced only in the French province of Champagne), cremagne (high quality sparkling wines from France, but produced outside of Champagne) and simply sparkling wines produced in other countries of the world, but often mistakenly called champagne.
Step 7
Wines are also classified into ordinary (aged less than 6 months), vintage (aged for at least 18 months), and collection (aged in the cellars of the winery for at least 3 years). As a rule, the higher the quality of the wine, the greater its storage and development potential in the bottle.
