Wine Definition

Wine is defined as the alcoholic beverage obtained from fermentation from the juice of freshly gathered grapes, the fermentation taking place in the district of origin according to local traditions and practices.

Types of Wines
Wines may be classified: By Colour By Nature By Taste By Year By Body Unspecified Nomenclature

By Colour
White Wine is made from White Grapes. Rarely it is also

made from red grapes provided they are used without skin.eg.Graves,Pouilly -Fuisse(French Bordeaux) Red Wine is made from red grapes.The solids and skin is retained in must during fermentation to give red colour to the wine.eg.Beaujolais (French Burgundy), Chianti(Italian) Rose Wine is made from red grapes but the solids are retained for a short time (12 to 36 hours).eg. (Marques de Caceres Rioja, Spain) Blush wine is made from mixture of red and white grapes. Red grapes should be from the same region. eg. Pinot Noir Blanc, White Grenache, and White Zinfandel

By Characterstic
Table/Still/Natural Wines are wines that are result of

fermentation of grape juice with no addition of other substances. Eg. Sauternes(FrenchBordeaux)Alcoholic Strength is from 8% to 14%. Sparkling Wines are those where natural CO2 from fermentation is retained in the bottle or has been impregnated with CO2.eg.Asti-Spumante (Italy), Champagne (France) Fortified wines are those which are fortified with a spirit like Brandy during or after fermentation.eg. Sherry(Spain), Port(Portugal), Malaga(Spain) Aromatized Wines are fortified wines which are flavoured with agents like root, bark, flowers etc.eg.Vermouth(France),Campari(Italy)

By Taste
Sweet Wines are those which are produced from

grapes having higher sugar content so that even after fermentation sugar is still left which is not consumed by yeast. Dry wines are produced from grapes with less sugar content and the fermentation is aloowed till all the sugar is almost exhausted.

By Year
Vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all,

or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. Non Vintage wine is which is usually a blend from the produce of two or more years. Note:On some bottles vintage year is printed and in some not it means that bottles with vintage year are wines made from grapes of single year which was declared as vintage because crop was very good.Bottles without Vintage year are wines wnich are blend of wines.

By Body
Light Bodied Wines-the term light refers to

content, texture and weight. These are not matured in casks but are left in vats before bottling.Alcoholic strength is less than 12% eg.Macon Blanc(France), Soave (Italy), Medium Bodied Wines are those with fairly good body, texture and flavour.eg.Rioja (Spain),Hermitage (France) Heavy Bodied Wines have heavy body, texture and higher alcoholic Strength eg.Shiraz(Australia), Maurud (Bulgaria)

Unspecified Nomenclature
Varietal Wines are wines of North America labelled

and named after the main grape variety used to make the wine eg.Zinfandel(Red), Sultana(White) Generic Wines are those named after a specific and long established European area eg.Graves, Hock Green wine or vinho verde are portugese wines made from grapes grown on granitic soil of Minho province. Organic wines are made from grapes in which no chemicals are added in the soil.eg.Listel(France)