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Wine Varietals |
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Varietal
wines are wines made from
a single variety of grape.
There are thousands of wine
grape varieties grown all
over the world; here we will
discuss the most popular white
and red varietals. |
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| White
Varietals |
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Chardonnay |
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This
is the single most sought
after grape in the world
today. |
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It
is grown in all parts
of the world including
all the major wine regions. |
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Chardonnay
produces many styles of
wine, from bright and
crisp to buttery and woody.
The wine’s style
is influenced by the region
where the grape is grown
and the method used in
production, such as whether
it is aged in oak or stainless
steel. |
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A typical style of California
Chardonnay is very fruity,
with possible apple and
pear qualities or a tropical
fruit essence, such as
pineapple. Another style
of Chardonnay may have
a citrus quality, tasting
of lemon or lime zest.
Richer Chardonnays will
have a
buttery, mouth-filling
quality. |
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If oak is used in aging,
vanilla and spices such
as cinnamon might be apparent. |
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Chardonnay
grapes have been used
for centuries to make
the great white wines
of Burgundy and Champagne
in France. |
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Complex
flavors mean the wine
can be paired with a wide
variety of foods from
creamy pastas to seafood,
pork, and chicken dishes. |
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Riesling |
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This
is one of the world’s
greatest grapes. |
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Riesling
is an ancient grape originally
from Germany that can
produce
dry, crisp wines or lush,
sweet dessert wines. |
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Rieslings
are rich in fruit flavors
with lovely aromatic nuances
of flowers and peaches
and a nice clean finish. |
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They
are great as a casual
picnic wine or as an aperitif
(a before- |
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dinner
drink); perfect with lighter
meats, fruits, and salads;
or with dessert when produced
in a dessert style. |
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Famous
Riesling growing regions
include Alsace, Washington,
and Oregon. |
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Pinot
Grigio |
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This
varietal originated in
northern Italy. It is
a variant of the popular
red grape, Pinot Noir,
and often grown alongside
it. |
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The
grape is known as Pinot
Gris in the Pacific Northwest
and France. |
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Pinot
Grigio has a dry, light,
fruity, or citrus flavor;
as Pinot Gris, it
can be creamy and appley;
from Alsace, in France,
it is especially aromatic. |
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Pinots
are good with a range
of foods, from omelets
to chicken cacciatore. |
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Sauvignon
Blanc |
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Sauvignon
Blanc is originally from
two famous regions in
France, the Loire Valley
and Bordeaux. It is also
grown and has great success
in Australia, most recently
in New Zealand and California. |
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When
grown in a cool to moderate
climate, such as New Zealand,
Sauvignon Blanc has a
wonderful crisp, clean
quality with flavors of
melon, herbs, citrus,
and figs. |
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Sauvignon
Blanc is a great match
with complex salads, or
seafood — especially
grilled fleshy fish, such
as shark and swordfish.
This wine is very adaptable
and complements many different
types of food. It is also
a palate cleanser. |
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Fumé
Blanc is a special style
of Sauvignon Blanc. It
is always dry, and usually
aged in oak to give the
wine a richer style; it
imparts herbal, olive,
smokey, or even fruity
flavors. |
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Fumé
Blanc pairs well with
richer fish, such as salmon,
and is quite nice with
shellfish, such as prawns
and lobster. |
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| Red
Varietals |
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Cabernet
Sauvignon |
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This
is considered the most
noble grape varietal because
it can be grown successfully
all over the world. |
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Cabernet
Sauvignon is the grape
in the great wines of
Bordeaux,
and hearty wines of Australia,
South America, Italy and
the Pacific Northwest.
California, especially
the Napa Valley, produces
some of the most complex
red wines in the world
using these grapes. |
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Flavors
and aromas include cassis,
black cherry, blackberry,
plum, chocolate, spices,
coffee, and cedar. |
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Most
Cabernets are aged in
French and/or American
oak, which adds to their
complexity. |
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Cabernets
are used in blended wines—often
with Merlot and Cabernet
Franc, the Shiraz grape
in Australia, and with
Sangiovese in Italy (creating
a style of wine called
Super Tuscan). |
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Cabernets
are great with richer
foods, including grilled
meats and grilled vegetables. |
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Merlot |
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Merlot
is a stellar varietal,
especially in California.
Historically it is used
in the Bordeaux region
to blend with Cabernet
Sauvignon. |
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Its
characteristics are similar
to Cabernet Sauvignon,
but it is softer in style,
less tannic, and ready
to drink sooner. |
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Flavors
and aromas include plum,
raspberry, cherry, vanilla,
and
baking spices. |
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Merlot
is very food friendly.
It goes with similar foods
as |
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Cabernet
Sauvignon. It is great
with steaks, barbequed
foods, and pork. |
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Pinot
Noir |
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This
grape is used in some
of the world’s greatest
wine, especially in the
Burgundy region. |
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It
is very difficult to grow
consistently, but when
growing conditions are
good, the wines are subtly
spectacular. |
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Pinot
Noirs from Burgundy have
flavors and aromas of
violets, hints of earthiness
with a bit of herbs and
lavender; a young Burgundy
has flavors of cranberry;
in a mature one, there
are deeper earth- |
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bound
aromas of mushroom and
woodland fauna; Pinot
Noirs from California
and Oregon are a bit more
fruit forward, with notes
of strawberry and raspberry
and, in younger Pinots,
a bit of cranberry or
freshly picked raspberries. |
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Foods
to pair with this wine
are quite diverse. The
wine works well with French,
Asian, California fusion,
and nouvelle Italian.
It is good with fleshier
fish, especially tuna,
and delicious with dishes
prepared with mushrooms. |
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Zinfandel |
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Almost
all Zinfandel vineyards
are in California. This
grape is used to make
a variety of wines, from
blush (such as white Zinfandel,
a sweet wine), to delicious
dry wine, to Port. |
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The
wine has a spicy, almost
peppery, quality. |
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Recently
many Zinfandels have a
high alcohol content (14-16
percent). |
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Zinfandels
are usually consumed young. |
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They
are great with American-style
food such as hamburgers,
steak, pizza, hearty pasta
dishes, and rich cheeses. |
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Syrah |
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Syrah
is a classic grape from
the Rhône region
in France. It is grown
in California as well.
It is known as Shiraz
in Australia. |
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Syrahs
from France produce rich
wines, well-structured,
full of pepper and spice.
In California and Australia
the wines are big and
jammy, full of black and
red berry fruit, and rich
plum flavors. |
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Syrah
pairs well with richer
dishes, red meats, game,
and herbs such as rosemary
and thyme. |
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Beefeater 24
Beefeater 24™ is a new gin which is handcrafted with 12 botanicals including a rare blend
of teas. Distilled in the
heart of England`s capital, Beefeater 24 takes its name from the unique 24-hour
steeping process and the city`s 24-hour stylish and sophisticated lifestyle ...More
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