Wine

Wine Basics - Learn About Wine
Wine has been around for thousands of years, and for a newcomer wine can seem very intimidating. Really, many people in the world drink wine simply as a healthy, enjoyable daily drink. Many people make wine in their own back yards out of the available fruits and berries found there. Wine should not be intimidating or pretentious. It should be something you enjoyfor your own personal taste preferences.
The best way to learn about wine is to dive in and start tasting some!
Wow!! How many different types of wines are there?!?
How many different types of wines? Great question!! And the answer is... LOTS!!! Have you seen the wine aisle at the grocery store for gosh sakes?!? It goes on and on and on... and how do you choose?!?
Lets start with somebasics...
When you think of wine you think either red or white... The determining factor in whether or not a wine is red or white is whether or not the grape skins are left in during the fermentation process.
Wines tend to be named after the grape that is used to make them.... or the place they are made.... This is one of the reasons that there are so many different types of wines... soooo manygrapes!! Burgundy wine is made in burgundy. And... the Merlot grape is used to make Merlot wine.
Red wines tend to be rather dry and go well with pasta dishes, red meats, heavier foods. White wines tend to go best with chicken, turkey, seafood. White wines will range from faily dry to very sweet.
Different Types Of Wines - Red Wines
Merlot - Typically, the taste of this wine will be a dark fruityberry, cherry, and cassis with maybe some plum fruit as well as chocolate, herbs, and notes of leather.

Burgundy - This would be the most difficult wine to make... it has the taste of mineral, earth, leather, cherry, and other red fruits. Not a wine for the faint of heart!
Pinot Noir - This is a smooth and silky wine that will have either a smoky, spicy, tea, tart fruit flavor or it will havea fruity earthy floral flavor depending on the style in which it was made.
Shiraz - This is also known as Syrah - this is an Austrailian wine. There are many different varieties of this type of wine depending on the region that it was made in.
Zinfandel - tastes associated with this wine would be blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry, and dark cherry..
Madeira - This is a fortified wine whichmeans the fermentation process was stopped by adding alcohol to it. There are some of these wines out there over 100 years old!
Different Types Of Wines - White Wines
Sauvignon Blanc - This is a very aromatic wine and will give your senses the smell of lemon, grassy, grapefruit, and gooseberry aromas.
Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio - (cousin to Pinot Noir) - a bit of a heavier body wine thanSauvignon Blanc with hints of pears
Riesling - This wine will have an earthy smell to it mixed with floral and can range from very dry to very sweet.
Chianti - This wine will host flavors of cherry, plum, and raspberry fruit combined with smoke, leather, minerals, This is a traditional Italian food wine that goes great with not only spaghetti, lasagne, pizza but also with chicken, beef, vegetablesand cheese.
Viognier - This wine smells of banana and peach and floral aromas.
Different Types Of Wines - Specialty Wines
Sparkling Wines - Or better known as Champagne...
Muscat - This is usually a dessert wine that is medium sweet
Ice Wine - this is a dessert wine that can only be made when it is very cold out. Ice wine is made with grapes that have stayed on the vine longer thannormal... into the time when it begins to snow.
Port - This is a fortified wine. This is usually a dessert wine that goes great with cheese, dark chocolates and nuts
Rose' or Blush Wine - A Rose' wine is a low alcohol type of wine. Flavors will range from the tart, acidic wines with little or no oak, to big fruity wines.

Sherry - This is another fortified wine. It will range from light and...