Learn wine, in plain English
One wine word at a time. What the label means, what it tastes like, and which bottle to grab.
Styles of wine
What's a good sweet red wine?
For a good sweet red, start with Stella Rosa Black or a chilled Lambrusco like Riunite: both are fruity, soft, low in alcohol and easy to find for around $7 to $13.
What is dry red wine?
Dry red wine is any red with almost no leftover sugar, which covers most reds you will see, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec and Chianti.
What's a good sweet white wine?
Moscato is the easiest good sweet white wine to find, with Barefoot and Bartenura on nearly every shelf, and a regular (not dry) Riesling is the pick if you want something sweet but less sugary.
What is dry white wine?
Dry white wine is white wine with no noticeable sweetness, and the most common ones are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and unoaked Chardonnay.
What is sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine is any wine with bubbles, and the big three are Champagne from France, Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain; Prosecco is the easiest good bottle for around $15.
What is rosé wine?
Rosé is pink wine made from red grapes whose skins touch the juice for only a few hours, which gives it a light color and a fresh, strawberry-and-citrus taste somewhere between a white and a red.
What is orange wine?
Orange wine is white wine made like a red, with the grape skins left in the juice for days or months, which turns it amber and gives it a tangy, slightly grippy taste (no oranges involved).
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with as little intervention as possible: organically grown grapes, wild yeast, and little or nothing added, which often makes it fresher, funkier and less predictable than regular wine.
What is dessert wine?
Dessert wine is any wine sweet enough to stand up to dessert, like Port, Sauternes, ice wine, late-harvest Riesling and sweet sparkling wines, usually served in small pours after dinner.
What is a red blend wine?
A red blend is a red wine made from two or more grape varieties, and the popular American ones like Apothic, 19 Crimes and Menage a Trois are designed to taste smooth, fruity and easy.
What is a light red wine?
A light red wine is a red with pale color, gentle grip and bright fruit, like Pinot Noir, Beaujolais (Gamay) or Lambrusco, and it is the best red for people who usually drink white.
What is a good low alcohol wine?
The easiest low alcohol wines to find are Moscato d'Asti-style Moscatos (around 5% to 7%), German Riesling (around 8% to 9%) and Lambrusco (around 8%), compared with about 12% to 15% for most wine.
This vs that
Prosecco vs Champagne: what's the difference?
Prosecco is a fruity, light Italian sparkling wine that costs $12–20, while Champagne is a toastier, finer-bubbled French sparkler that starts around $40, so pick Prosecco for brunch and parties and Champagne when the moment deserves a splurge.
Pinot Grigio vs Sauvignon Blanc: what's the difference?
Pinot Grigio is light, mild and neutral with soft lemon and pear, while Sauvignon Blanc is zesty and loud with grapefruit, lime and fresh-cut grass, so pick Pinot Grigio for easy sipping and Sauvignon Blanc when you want a white with real kick.
Chardonnay vs Sauvignon Blanc: what's the difference?
Chardonnay is usually fuller and rounder, often buttery and vanilla-tinged from oak, while Sauvignon Blanc is lighter, tangier and grassy, so pick Chardonnay with creamy or rich food and Sauvignon Blanc with fresh, zesty dishes.
Pinot Noir vs Cabernet Sauvignon: what's the difference?
Pinot Noir is a light, silky red with cherry and strawberry flavors, while Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bold red with blackcurrant and a drying grip, so pick Pinot for salmon, turkey and lighter meals and Cabernet for steak and burgers.
Merlot vs Cabernet Sauvignon: what's the difference?
Merlot is softer, plummier and smoother, while Cabernet Sauvignon is bolder, darker and more grippy, so pick Merlot when you want an easy red for pasta, pizza or sipping, and Cabernet when there is a steak on the table.
Brut vs Extra Dry: what's the difference?
Despite the name, Extra Dry sparkling wine is sweeter than Brut: Brut has up to 12 grams of sugar per liter and tastes crisp, while Extra Dry has about 12–17 and tastes softer and fruitier, so pick Brut for food and mimosas and Extra Dry for sipping on its own.
Chardonnay vs Pinot Grigio: what's the difference?
Chardonnay is fuller and richer, often with butter and vanilla from oak, while Pinot Grigio is light, crisp and delicate, so pick Chardonnay for creamy or roasted food and Pinot Grigio for light meals and easy afternoon sipping.
Red vs white wine: what's the difference?
Red wine is made with dark grapes fermented with their skins, which gives it color, deeper fruit flavor and tannin, while white wine is usually made from pressed juice alone and tastes lighter and crisper, so pick red for hearty food and cool nights and white for seafood, salads and warm days.
Pinot Noir vs Merlot: what's the difference?
Pinot Noir is lighter and brighter, with red cherry and a bit of earthiness, while Merlot is fuller and plusher, with plum and chocolate, so pick Pinot for fish, poultry and warm weather and Merlot for pasta, pizza and pork.
Pinot Grigio vs Pinot Gris: what's the difference?
Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same grape with an Italian name and a French name, and the label usually signals the style: Pinot Grigio is light, crisp and neutral, while Pinot Gris is rounder, richer and fruitier, so pick Grigio for easy sipping and Gris when you want more flavor.
Malbec vs Cabernet Sauvignon: what's the difference?
Malbec is juicier and softer, with plum, blackberry and cocoa, while Cabernet Sauvignon is firmer and grippier, with blackcurrant and cedar, so pick Malbec for barbecue, burgers and tacos and Cabernet for steak and slow-roasted meat.
Cava vs Prosecco: what's the difference?
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine made the same way as Champagne, so it tastes drier, more citrusy and a bit toasty, while Prosecco is an Italian sparkler that is fruitier and softer, so pick Cava for food and a Champagne-like feel on a budget and Prosecco for easy, fruity sipping.
Shiraz vs Syrah: what's the difference?
Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape, and the name usually hints at the style: Shiraz tends to be ripe, jammy and plush in the Australian way, while Syrah tends to be leaner and more peppery like France's Rhône Valley, so pick Shiraz for barbecue and big flavor and Syrah when you want a savory, spicy red.
Grapes and regions
What is Prosecco?
Prosecco is a sparkling wine from northeast Italy made mostly from the Glera grape, and it tastes light, fruity and easygoing, like green apple, pear and a little honeysuckle with big, frothy bubbles.
What is Champagne?
Champagne is sparkling wine made only in the Champagne region of France, usually from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and it tastes crisp and dry with lemon, apple and a toasty, fresh-bread flavor.
What is Cava?
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine, mostly from Catalonia, made the same way as Champagne but from local grapes, and it tastes dry and crisp with lemon, apple and a light toasty edge for about $10–15.
What is Port wine?
Port is a sweet, strong wine from Portugal's Douro Valley that has brandy added partway through fermentation, so it tastes rich and syrupy like blackberry jam, chocolate and caramel, at around 19–20% alcohol.
What is Moscato?
Moscato is a sweet, low-alcohol white wine made from the Muscat grape, and it tastes like peaches, oranges, honey and flowers, often with a light fizz.
What is Chardonnay?
Chardonnay is the world's most popular white wine grape, and it can taste either crisp and lemony when made in steel tanks or rich, buttery and vanilla-like when aged in oak barrels.
What is Pinot Noir?
Pinot Noir is a light-bodied red wine grape that tastes like cherry, raspberry and strawberry with a little earthiness, and it's smooth, low in tannin and one of the most food-friendly reds there is.
What is Cabernet Sauvignon?
Cabernet Sauvignon is the world's most planted red wine grape, and it makes full-bodied, dry reds that taste like blackcurrant, black cherry and cedar with firm, mouth-drying tannins.
What is Pinot Grigio?
Pinot Grigio is a light, dry white wine, best known from northern Italy, that tastes crisp and refreshing with lemon, green apple and pear and almost no oak.
What is Merlot?
Merlot is a medium-to-full-bodied red wine grape that tastes soft and plummy, with black cherry, plum and a little chocolate, and it's smoother and less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon.
What is Chianti?
Chianti is a dry red wine from Tuscany, Italy, made mostly from the Sangiovese grape, and it tastes tart and savory with sour cherry, tomato leaf and dried herbs.
What is Lambrusco?
Lambrusco is a fizzy red wine from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, made from a family of Lambrusco grapes, and it tastes like juicy berries and cherries, ranging from bone dry to sweet.
What is Malbec?
Malbec is a full-bodied red wine grape, now most famous from Mendoza, Argentina, that tastes juicy and plush with blackberry, plum and a hint of cocoa, and it's softer than Cabernet.
What is Riesling?
Riesling is an aromatic white wine grape, best known from Germany, that can be bone dry or very sweet and always tastes bright and zesty, with lime, green apple, peach and honey.
What is Sauvignon Blanc?
Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, dry white wine grape that tastes zesty and green, with grapefruit, lime, passion fruit and fresh-cut grass, and it's usually unoaked and very refreshing.
What is Zinfandel?
Zinfandel is a bold red wine grape grown mostly in California that tastes jammy and spicy, with blackberry, raspberry jam and black pepper, and it's often higher in alcohol than other reds.
What is Syrah?
Syrah, also called Shiraz, is a full-bodied red wine grape that tastes dark and spicy, with blackberry, blueberry, black pepper and sometimes smoked meat or olive.
What is Petite Sirah?
Petite Sirah is a deep purple, full-bodied red wine grape grown mostly in California that tastes like blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate and black pepper, with big, firm tannins.
Quick answers
Does wine go bad?
Yes, but slowly: most unopened grocery-store wine tastes best within about two years for whites and rosé and about three to five years for reds, as long as it is kept somewhere cool and dark.
How long does wine last after opening?
Most opened wine stays good for about 3 to 5 days with the cork back in and the bottle in the fridge, sparkling lasts 1 to 3 days with a stopper, and boxed wine keeps for about 4 to 6 weeks.
How much alcohol is in wine?
Most wine is about 11% to 14% alcohol by volume, with light sweet styles like Moscato d’Asti as low as about 5% and fortified wines like port around 19% to 20%.
How many glasses are in a bottle of wine?
A standard 750ml bottle pours five 5-ounce glasses, or about four if you pour 6 ounces.
How many ounces are in a glass of wine?
A standard glass of wine is 5 ounces (about 150ml), which is what US health guidelines count as one drink and close to what most restaurants pour.
How many calories are in a glass of wine?
A 5-ounce glass of dry wine has roughly 110 to 130 calories, sweet wines run higher, and a full bottle of dry wine is somewhere around 600 calories.
How many carbs are in wine?
A 5-ounce glass of dry wine has roughly 3 to 5 grams of carbs, brut sparkling can be as low as 1 to 3 grams, and sweet or dessert wines can climb well past 10 grams.
How do you open wine without a corkscrew?
The safest way is to drive a screw into the cork and pull it out with pliers or the claw of a hammer; if that fails, push the cork down into the bottle with the handle of a wooden spoon.
Can you freeze wine?
Yes, wine freezes at around 15 to 20°F, so a home freezer will freeze it solid, and it is great for saving leftovers to cook with, though it won’t taste quite as good for sipping afterward.
Should red wine be chilled?
Yes, slightly: most red wine tastes best at about 60 to 65°F, a little cooler than room temperature, so 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before pouring is a good habit.
What does dry wine mean?
Dry wine simply means wine that isn’t sweet: the yeast turned almost all of the grape sugar into alcohol, leaving little to none behind.
How should you store wine after opening?
Put the cork or cap back on right away, stand the bottle upright and keep it in the fridge, red included; that alone keeps most wine good for about 3 to 5 days.
What are tannins in wine?
Tannins are natural compounds from grape skins, seeds and stems (and oak barrels) that make red wine feel drying and grippy in your mouth, like a strong cup of black tea.
Why does wine give me a headache?
The most common culprits are the alcohol itself and dehydration, with histamines and tannins in red wine as other possible triggers; sulfites get most of the blame but are less often the cause than people think.
How do you chill wine fast?
Submerge the bottle in a bucket of ice, cold water and a big handful of salt, and it will be cold in about 10 to 15 minutes, much faster than the freezer.