THE 9 PRIMARY STYLES OF WINE
1. Sparkling Wine
2.Light-Bodied White Wine
3.Full-Bodied White Wine
4.Aromatic (sweet) White Wine
5. Rosé Wine
6.Light-Bodied Red Wine
7. Medium-Bodied Red Wine
8.Full-Bodied Red Wine
9.Dessert Wine
• As diverse as wine is, most bottles can be categorized into 9
different styles. Once you taste an example the 9 styles, you’ll
gain a good understanding of wine as a whole.
• It’s important to note that there are many nuances and subtle
differences (and a few exceptions).
SPARKLING WINE
• This wine first came about in
France and is synonymous with
the region of Champagne.
Sparkling wines are the most
technically challenging and time
intensive wines made in the
world.
• What to try
• Champagne is often too price
restrictive, so instead, keep your
eyes peeled for
Brut-level sparklers (i.e. not
sweet) like Cava, Prosecco,
Crémant or Champagne.
LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE
• These light easy-drinking dry white wines are some of the most-sold wines in
the world (even if red wines get more attention). Light whites are like the “beer
of wine” and, for this reason, they are perfect to drink with most foods. Some
of these wines are perfect for savory lovers (like Sauv. Blanc and Grüner) with
green herbal flavors of gooseberry and bell pepper.
• Wines that fit into this category include Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio) and
Sauvignon Blanc but they also include many lesser known wines like Grüner
Veltliner, Albariño and Soave (“swah-vay”). I would highly recommend
looking for a wine from a cool climate region (imagine the places with a rainy
month of June). Cool climates produce some of the best examples of this light,
zesty style.
LIGHT-BODIED WHITE WINE
FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE
• Full-bodied white wines are perfect for red wine lovers because of their rich smooth taste with
subtle creaminess. What makes them different than light white wines usually involves special
winemaking techniques including the use of oak-aging, (just like aged whiskeys, wine becomes
smoother with barrel aging too).
What to try
• The classic choice for this wine is Chardonnay and particularly Chardonnay from a warmer
climate (like California, Spain or Italy). Beside Chardonnay, another great option in this style is
Viognier.
FULL-BODIED WHITE WINE
AROMATIC (SWEET) WHITE WINE
• Aromatic grapes are some of the oldest wine varieties in the world. In fact,
Cleopatra is noted for her love of Muscat of Alexandria from Greece–a lovely
rich aromatic white wine. These wines have explosive, almost perfumed,
aromas that spring out of the glass into your nose. They can be either dry or
sweet, but most will taste a touch sweet due to all those perfume-y aromas.
• There are many great aromatic wines to try. A few examples of these include
Moscato d’Asti, Gewürztraminer and Riesling.
ROSÉ WINE
• Rosé is a true winemaker’s wine because it’s made by “dying” a wine for only a short time with
the skins of red wine grapes. Rosé wines were first popularized in the late 1700’s when French
wines imported in England were called “Claret” (sounds like “Clairette”) to describe their pale
red color. Today, you can find rosé wines of all styles (sweet or dry) made from many different
grapes from Cabernet Sauvignon to Zinfandel (known commonly as White Zinfandel)
What to try
• Instead of the sweet version, try a more dry style Rosé to taste its subtle elegant flavors. Some
of the most classic versions of dry rosé come from Southern France in Provence and the Pays
d’Oc region. The varieties used to make these wines include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and
Mourvèdre -which are all red wine varieties! Since rosé is made everywhere, perhaps stick to
one made with one or several of the aforementioned varieties to experience a classic rosé.
ROSÉ WINE
LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE
• Light-bodied red wines are typically pale in color (you can see through them in a glass) and
have very light tannin. FYI, tannin tastes astringent in wine and dries your mouth out in the
same way that putting a wet tea bag on your tongue would. For this reason, light red wines are
some of the most coveted wines in the world.
What to try
• The classic light red wine that most people know is Pinot Noir but, besides that, Gamay Noir is
another great wine to try in this category. Gamay is most known by the name of a region where
it grows called Beaujolais.
LIGHT-BODIED RED WINE
MEDIUM-BODIED RED WINE
• Medium red wines are what I like to call “food wines.” They offer up tons of flavor with a
balance of zesty acidity which makes them match with a wide variety of foods (from zesty
salads to rich and cheesy lasagna). These are the perfect mid-week wines for red wine lovers
What to try
There are many varieties that span the mid-weight red wine category so, to name a few familiar
ones, check out Grenache, Sangiovese, Merlot, Zinfandel, Montepulciano, Cabernet Franc and
Barbera.
MEDIUM-BODIED RED WINE
FULL-BODIED RED WINE
• Full-bodied red wines are the deepest darkest and most tannic of all the red wines. Tannin
might sound weird and bitter but the tannin in wine binds to proteins in our saliva and it has a
palate-cleansing effect. This is why a bold red wine pairs so good with a fatty steak like ribeye.
Full-bodied red wines are also quite pleasing and stand on their own as a cocktail wine.
What to try
• You’ve no doubt experienced one of these wines if you’re a wine lover, they include
Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and even Pinotage. These are perfect examples of
how bold a wine can be.
FULL-BODIED RED WINE
DESSERT WINE
• In the mid to late 1800’s, sweet wines were more popular than dry wines. In fact, several of the
most exalted wines in the world, from Sauternes in Bordeaux to Essencia from Hungary, are
practically as thick as maple syrup. Dessert wines today now range from dry to sweet and are
some of the boldest, most intensely flavored (and aromatic) wines in the world.
What to try
• There are many different types of dessert wines to explore however, if you can start with a Port
or a Sauternais-styled wine (a late harvest white wine), you’ll have a great preview of what
dessert wines can offer.
DESSERT WINE
