Wines

The Most Popular Types of Wine

By Gregory Dal Piaz

www.snooth.com

Getting to Know the Grapes

Want to branch out beyond your favorite wine but don't feel comfortable, not knowing what’s out there? Well, take a look at our rundown of the most popular varietal wines in America! This handy guide is an introduction to the grapes you want to learn about. In brief, easy–to-understand snippets (no fancy wine-speak here), you'll begin to understand what makes a Pinot a Pinot and how it differs from a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is America's most popular grape and with good reason. Made in styles that range from steely, mineral-laced wines with crisp green apple fruit to wines that are buttery, rich, and laden with tropical fruits, there is a Chardonnay that will appeal to every palate. Chardonnay is most closely associated with France's Burgundy region and California's northern valleys, though it has proven successful around the globe.

Pinot Grigio

Pinot Grigio is one of the world's most popular wines. Also known under the French moniker "Pinot Gris", and even the German "Ruländer" among others, Pinot Grigio is a chameleon of a grape. It is produced in a range of styles, from the light fruity Italian style that has gained popularity, to a more mineral, flinty rich wine favored by the French -- particularly in Alsace -- and emulated by many in the new world.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc has a long history in France, and is even one of the parents of the most famous grape of all, Cabernet Sauvignon. Although having achieved high levels of acceptance and popularity in France, Sauvignon Blanc is most famous in some of its new world incarnations. The citrus, pineapple and kiwifruit tones most common in New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc are paired with intensely green aromatics that recall gooseberries, freshly cut grass, and jalapenos, offering an unusual and unusually compelling blend of savory and sweet that has found a huge following.

Riesling

Riesling is a chameleon of a grape, able to produce world-class wines that range from bone-dry to unctuously sweet. Germany is most closely associated with Riesling, where all styles are made and the range of flavors runs the gamut from steely and crisp with crunchy mineral-driven flavors to fresh lime, apple and peach-flavored expressions -- and even rich, honied, candied fruit tones in the great dessert wines.

Champagne

Champagne is specifically a sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France; every other sparkling is simply that, sparkling wine. Made to be aged for a few to many years, in many languages "Champagne" is synonymous with "party". When young, Champagne exhibits the fresh fruit tones of its cépage or blend. Usually based on a blend that features either Chardonnay or Pinot Noir as its main ingredient, Champagne's fruit can range from citrusy to orchard fruits and even red berries. The wine gains distinct yeasty notes from its secondary fermentation, the one that adds the fizz, which is typically described as recalling brioche or bread. As it ages, Champagne tends to lose its obvious fruit, which is replaced by subtle nutty tones and subdued elements of dried

Cabernet Sauvignon

Originally of French origin, this versatile grape produces exceptional wines around the globe. Cabernet Sauvignon is usually medium- to full-bodied, with a fine structure that supports black and red fruit flavors with typical notes of olive, chili and herbs that add complexity.

Pinot Noir

California has long struggled with Pinot Noir. Finding the right vineyards for this most fickle of grapes -- one that enjoys a cool growing season yet needs warmth close to harvest to fully ripen -- has proven a challenge in such a sunny state. Cooler areas eventually became identified; the Santa Rita Hills, Russian River Valley and Mendocino's Anderson Valley are all prime spots for Pinot Noir in California. Unlike the lighter colored and sometimes delicate Pinots of Burgundy, California produces many rich, deep Pinots full of slightly chewy dark berry and cherry fruits with hints of cola, Asian spices and forest floor frequently adding complexity.

Syrah

Syrah is one of the few grapes to really be a global success. It combines a meaty core of ripe berry fruit with tones that range from herbal to peppery, in a package that tends to be medium-bodied with good acidity and softer tannins. With age, the wines can gain lovely leathery and black olive notes that make them a great match for savory and gamy dishes

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is considered America's own great indigenous grape, even though its origins lie on the Adriatic coast. Planted throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, Zinfandel is at its best in warm regions with cooler temperatures during harvest. The wines can range from off-dry Rosés, White Zinfandels, and light bistro-styled wines, to big, rich, powerful wines and even luscious wines for dessert bottling. The flavors range from plummy to raspberry, although deep blackberry fruit and brambly spice tones are most common.

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