Here is a quick reference to the most popular wine varieties and how to pair wine with food. This page describes the different types of wine per district and variety (riesling, pinot noir, etc.). It does not describe the styles of wines by colour, sweetness, or fizz. The repartition of wine types in a cellar is suggested in the buying guide. Please find herebelow basic varietal descriptions and pronunciations, tasting terms, plus suggestions on pairing the wines with food. A variety is the type of grape. It is written here with a lower-case initial. If only variety is mentioned on the bottle label, then the wine is called varietal and is named after the grape with a capital initial (Riesling, Pinot Noir, etc.). A varietal wine primarily shows the fruit: the grape variety dominates the flavour. Food-wine pairing: dry versions go well with fish, chicken and pork dishes. Districts: the classic German grape of the Rhine and Mosel, riesling grows in all wine districts. Germany’s great Rieslings are usually made slightly sweet, with steely acidity for balance.

Riesling from Alsace and the Eastern USA is also excellent, though usually made in a different style, equally aromatic but typically drier (not sweet). California Rieslings are much less successful, usually sweet and lacking in acidity for balance. Typical taste in varietal wine: Riesling wines are much lighter than Chardonnay wines. The aromas generally include fresh apples. The riesling variety expresses itself very differently depending on the district and the winemaking. Rieslings should taste fresh. If they do, then they might also prove tastier and tastier as they age.A very aromatic variety. Food-wine pairing: ideal for sipping and with Asian food, pork and grilled sausages. Districts: best-known in Alsace, Germany, the USA West Coast, and New York. Typical taste in varietal wine: fruity flavours with aromas of rose petal, peach, lychee, and allspice. A Gewürztraminer often appears not as refreshing as other kinds of dry whites.Chardonnay was the most popular white grape through the .

It can be made sparkling or still. Food-wine pairing: it is a good choice for fish and chicken dishes. Districts: chardonnay makes the principle white wine of Burgundy (France), where it originated. Chardonnay is grown with success in most viticultural areas under a variety of climatic conditions. Typical taste in varietal wine: often wider-bodied (and more velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon, grapefruit) flavours. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone (vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Tasting a USD 15 Californian Chardonnay should give citrus fruit flavours, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. Burgundy whites can taste very different. Food-wine pairing: a versatile food wine for seafood, poultry, and salads. Districts: New Zealand produces some excellent Sauvignon Blancs. Some Australian Sauvignon Blancs, grown in warmer areas, tends to be flat and lack fruit qualities. Of French origin, sauvignon blanc is grown in the Bordeaux district where it is blended with semillon.

It is also grown extensively in the upper Loire valley where it is made as a varietal wine. Typical taste in varietal wine: generally lighter than Chardonnay — Sauvignon blanc normally shows a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass. The dominating flavours range from sour green fruits of apple, pear and gooseberry through to tropical fruits of melon, mango and blackcurrant. Quality unoaked Sauvignon Blancs will display smokey qualities; best wine for french onionthey require bright aromas and a strong acid finish; best wine stores near bostonthey are best grown in cool climates.best white wine to drink with salmon For reference there is a longer list of white varietals.good red wine average price

Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vine growers and winemakers only use the name syrah. Food-wine pairing: meat (steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.) Districts: syrah excels in France’s Rhône Valley, California and Australia. Typical taste in varietal wine: aromas and flavours of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. best wine cooler australiaWhile shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world’s finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavours and excellent longevity. cheap wine bar central londonIts softness has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers. Food-wine pairing: any will do. Districts: a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown on the US West Coast, Australia, and other countries.

Typical taste in varietal wine: black-cherry and herbal flavours are typical. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. Food-wine pairing: best with simply prepared red meat. Typical taste in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young. With age, rich currant qualities change to that of pencil box. One of the noblest red wine grapes — difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness. Food-wine pairing: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes. Districts: makes the great reds of Burgundy in France, and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand. For reference there is a longer list of red varietals.You may be interested in related articles:It’s been a good year for wine, around the world. I’ve described in this space something like 10 wines a week, or more than 500 wines. Obscure wines gaining fame. Rich, heady red wines. After this it’s hard to narrow them down to the best 10 wines I’ve tasted in 2015.

On the other hand, the homework has been rather pleasant. Along the way it has become apparent that to be really good, a wine doesn’t have to be expensive — though sometimes it helps. And it can come from nearly anywhere. So here, in no particular order, are my 10 favorite wines of 2015. (Needless to say, they’re all highly recommended.) ▪ 2012 Merry Edwards Winery Pinot Noir, “Meredith Estate,” Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California: lush, intense aromas and flavors of black cherries, spice and earth, ripe, smooth tannins, long finish; Pioneering female winemaker Merry Edwards says her top pinot noir vineyard, Meredith Estate, in California’s Sebastopol Hills, makes deeper, more complex wines with each vintage since it was planted in 1998. Food match: Edwards recommends a veal chop with oyster mushrooms. ▪ 2012 Terrunyo Carmenère, by Concha y Toro, DO Block 27, Peumo Vineyard, Cachapoal Valley, Rapel Region, Chile (85 percent carmenère, 15 percent cabernet sauvignon): dark violet hue, hint of oak, concentrated aromas and flavors of black cherries, black plums and spice, lush fruit, ripe tannins, silky body;

Carmenère for decades was a major blending grape in France’s Bordeaux region. But in the 1870s a root louse plague killed nearly all of France’s vineyards. And when replanting began, growers didn’t bother with the grape because it was so finicky to grow. More than 120 years later it was rediscovered in Chile. It’s mellower than cabernet sauvignon, more powerful than merlot. It could become Chile’s top red wine. Food match: a hearty beef stew. ▪ 2014 Alamos Torrontés, Salta, Argentina (100 percent torrontés): orange blossom perfume, flavors of ripe apricots and tropical fruits, crisp; Born when Spanish missionaries created hybrids of the Muscatel and Mission grapes, it was little known outside Argentina until the late 20th century, when newfound political stability allowed an explosion of exports. It’s so perfumed its fans say you could put a dab behind each ear and go out for the evening. Food match: spit-roasted pig. ▪ 2013 M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut “Occultum Lapidem,” Côtes-du-Roussillon Villages Latour de France (50 percent syrah, 40 percent grenache, 10 percent carignan): hearty and full-bodied, aromas and flavors of rosemary and licorice, powerful tannins, long finish;

The syrah grape is a team player, blended with other red grapes to make it more approachable. In the South of France it is blended with grenache and carignan to make a complex wine of pleasing softness, fragrance and fruit. Food match: the best meatloaf your mother ever made. ▪ 2012 “Modus” Super Tuscan IGT Toscana (50 percent sangiovese, 25 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon): aromas and flavors of black cherries, mocha and cinnamon, rich and hearty, with firm tannins; Sometimes called “Chianti on steroids,” Super Tuscans were created to compete with the modest post-WWII Chiantis made mostly of traditional Italian sangiovese. Winemakers broke the rules by adding such non-Italian grapes as cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Food match: a two-pound grilled, rosemary-scented porterhouse steak. ▪ 2014 Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde, Portugal (loureiro and alvarinho): light, crisp and fruity, with floral aromas and flavors of white grapefruit and limes;

Tangy, crisp and mouth-watering, vinho verde translates as “green wine.” But the wine is white. The “green” means it is best drunk in its youth. Food match: mussels steamed in white wine and butter. ▪ 2012 Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars “The Leap” Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Grown, Napa Valley: big and bold, with aromas and flavors of black cherries, black pepper and black coffee, age-worthy; No country in the world makes better cabernet sauvignon than America. This one comes from a top micro-climate in Napa Valley next to towering mountain crags that help retain heat for ripening. It is aged in expensive French oak barrels for 20 months before bottling. Food match: roast lamb. ▪ 2013 Galerie Wines “Equitem” Sauvignon Blanc, Knights Valley, Sonoma County (100 percent sauvignon blanc): cut grass aromas, crisp and lively, with flavors of lemons, grapefruit and minerals; Sauvignon blancs range in flavor from gunflint at the tart end to pineapples at the ripe end, leading to chronic arguments about which is the real thing.

This one has three characteristics that win my vote — cut grass, grapefruit and minerals. You’d never mistake this for a chardonnay. Food match: oysters in all forms — raw, grilled with barbecue sauce, fancied up as Rockefeller. ▪ 2013 Rabble Wine “Force of Nature” Zinfandel, Mossfire Ranch Vineyard, Paso Robles (100 percent zinfandel): floral aromas, flavors of black cherries and dark chocolate, soft, ripe tannins, long finish; I like to compare zinfandels to everybody’s favorite uncle — hale and hearty, sometimes a little loud, but always mellow. Food match: grilled chicken with spicy barbecue sauce. ▪ 2013 “The Whip” white blend by Murrieta’s Well Winery, Livermore Valley (28 percent semillon, 24 percent chardonnay, 14 percent sauvignon blanc, 11 percent orange muscat, 11 percent viognier, 11 percent gewürztraminer, 1 percent white riesling): big, opulent, rich, complex and intensely fruity, with flavors of apricots, lemons and melons;