Kinds of Wine

Shatbhi Basu, Mixologist and beverage Consultant explains, “The most common and known wine among the lot is still wine”. I will say they are great wines. They are  better called table wines. These are best for everyday usage and true value for money. Still wine can be further classified into white, rose and red wines. Another set of wines ‘sparkling wines’. They include champagne and wines  form other regions of France and the rest of the world some are Fortified.

Wines, to which additional alcohol is added to incease shelf life. Among fortified wines are “aromatized wines”, flavoured with herbs, spices and other aromatics. An example woukd be Vermouth wine”. Among women the most popular wine is Rose(pronounced as ‘rosary’). It is called so because of its colour and also romantic association.

Before we consider the question of what wine types are hot for 2010, we must first understand the various types of wines and the reasons for their specific classifications. The first category of wines is by color, as red wine and white wine. The second classification is by the type of grape fruits used for preparation of the wines. The third grouping is based on the country or region of origin of the wine and the grapes. The fourth categorization is done on specific qualities or features, such as blush, sparkling, and non-alcoholic.

Types of Red Wines

Red wines are prepared from black grapes, which are fermented as whole grapes, keeping the pips and skin intact. These wines are prepared either as sweet or light and as mellow or fresh. The major types of red wines are Merlot, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Shiraz or Syrah, and Zinfandel.

Vines blossom in two fairly small bands of latitude about 30-50° North and 30-40° South of the equator. This is because the climatic conditions required for raising high quality vines are strictly defined.

1. Cool Winters
Vines need cool winters when they can "sleep" and gather strength for the production of the subsequent summer's crop. However, it can't be overly cold, or the roots of the vine will be injured by frost, and the plant will die.

2. Warm, Damp Springs
Spring must be warm and damp (though not too wet) so that the plants can bud and produce the small blooms that will ultimately become bunches of grapes.

Ah, there's nothing quite like a rich, dark hearted wine sitting happily in a sparkling clean decanter is there? Not only does it look lovely, it heightens our sense of expectation. It also looks super-posh, and every once in a while that can't be a bad thing.

So why do we decant? Which wines do we make a point of decanting? How do you actually do it?

WHY DECANT?
There are two main reasons for decanting.

1.To remove sediment in aged (red) wines As red wine ages, a deposit may form. This sediment is totally harmless and natural, but not very pleasant in the mouth. The purpose of decanting here is to make sure the wine pours clear and bright.