Red Wines - Red wines are made from black grapes fermented with the grape skins, seeds, and stems. The grape skins are where the red color comes from. - Red wine is high in tannins, which cause that bitter, dry taste in your mouth after you take a sip. - It’s best to drink red wines at, or slightly below, room temperature. - Common varietals: Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Beaujolais White Wines - White wines are made from both white grapes and black grapes. But while red wines are fermented with grape skins, white wines are not. Instead, the skins are separated so only the clear grape juice is used. - White wine has few tannins; its acidic nature is what outlines its fresh, crisp and tart flavours. - Chill white wine before drinking to bring out its flavors. - Common varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Chardonnay Rosé Wines - Rosé wines are known by its blush pink color, which is created when the juice of black grapes is fermented with the skins for a very short period of time, from a few hours to a few days until the juice turns colour. - Like white wine, it is also low in tannins, though some rosés are dry. - A common misconception about rosé is that it is made by mixing red and white wines, but this practice is actually a big no-no in the wine world! - Common varietals: Provence Rosé, Grenache Rosé, Pinot Noir Rosé, Syrah Rosé Sparkling Wines - Sparkling wines have naturally occurring carbonation, hence the nickname “bubbly.” Sparkling wines are made from black and white grapes, and the fizzy carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. - Common varietals: sparkling white wine, Champagne, prosecco, cava, sparkling rosé, sekt Orange Wines (Skin-Contact Wines) - Both rosé and orange wines result from allowing the juice from freshly pressed grapes to macerate, or soak, with the skins. While rosé is made with red wine grapes and less skin contact time (than red wine), orange wine is made with white wine grapes and more skin contact time (than white wine). - Orange wines have more tannins than white wine and rosé, but significantly less than red wine. - Common varietals: Orange Rosé, Orange Pinot Grigio, Orange Sauvignon Blanc, Orange Riesling Dessert + Fortified Wines - Dessert wines are very sweet wines that are drunk after a meal with dessert. They are high in sugar and generally higher in alcohol content. - Fortified wines are wines sweetened with spirits like brandy during the fermentation process; lower-alcohol fortified wines are considered dessert wines. - Common varietals: Icewine, Moscato, Port, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala