Wine is not just a drink, it’s a journey of flavours, regions, and traditions over centuries.

There are over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes, each shaped by a unique winemaking process in a particular length of time. This results in such range of flavours that can leave you frozen in front of a store shelf, or your bartender.

But no need to worry. Our guide will introduce you to the top wine varieties every connoisseur loves. along with their flavour profile and perfect food pairings. So, you can order like a pro and make a lasting impression on a friend or significant other.

Let’s raise a roast and begin our journey.

What are the Basic Types of Wine?

To make your choice easier, let’s divide our rows of bottles into 5 basic wine categories that are:

1. Red wines
2. White wines
3. Sparkling wines
4. Rose wines
5. Sweet and fortified wines

The details of each variety along with its top flavours are given below.

1. Red Wines

Red wine is brewed from black-skinned grapes having colourless juice. It is known for its bold and rich flavours. Its red colour is from the grape skin that is mixed to juice during fermentation.

The bitterness and mouth-drying ability of red wine come from the preservatives called “tannins”. The preservative which increases the age of wine. Aging is done in Oak barrels to add some smoothness and flavour to it.

Red wine comes in variety of flavours and aromas according to grape type, region and processing method. Some of the popular wine varieties are:

• Merlot (Mer-low)

If you’re a beginner and looking for a medium-bodied red wine, merlot is an excellent choice. It is known for its smooth texture, fruity flavours and low tannins.

Merlot produces less powerful wines of diverse styles that go easy on the palate. That’s why, new wine drinkers prefer it.

• Flavour Profile: Plum, black cherry, raspberry, and hints of chocolate.
• Origin: Bordeaux, France
• Food Pairings: Merlot complements slow-cooked foods like pork, pasta, tapas, and tomato-based dishes.

• Pinot Noir (Pee-noe Nwahr)

Pinot Noir is also a medium-bodied red wine. It is a delicate and elegant wine type reserved only for the finer taste buds. It takes time for the palate to identify and appreciate its amusing aroma and subtle tannin profile.

Pinot Noir bottles typically have a slender design and kept in cold spaces mimicking its cold climate origins. It ages well and takes several years to gain its true finesse.

• Flavour Profile: Red fruit flavours like cherry, raspberry, clove, and leaf litter.
• Origin: Burgundy, France
• Food Pairings: This wine has undertones of mushrooms and forest floor. They make it a great match for earthy dishes like duck, salmon, and mushroom risotto.

• Zinfandel (Zin-fan-dell)

If you enjoy fruity and spicy flavours, Zinfandel is a great option. It somewhere comes in between and can make you switch from medium-bodied to full-bodied red wine.

This red wine is known for its boldness and versatility. It offers a broad, exotic array of fruits, Asian spices and sweet tobacco. It suits mostly to lively, playful, and bold tastes.

• Flavour Profile: Jammy fruit notes like blackberry, sour cherry, and blueberry with hints of pepper, spices and tobacco.
• Origin: Croatia (most commonly grown in California)
• Food Pairings: Zinfandel pairs with spicy foods like barbecue ribs, pizza, pasta, and most Indian and Thai dishes.

• Shiraz (Sheer-as) or Syrah (Sear-ah)

Known as Shiraz in Australia, Syrah is a bold, full-bodied red wine. It is the heart of Australia’s best red wine blends and comes in wide expressions and styles.

Shiraz is generally best known for its rich palate with savoury notes of leather and earth. Its flavour evolves as the bottle is consumed.

• Flavour Profile: Dark fruits like blackberry, plum, pepper, and smoky bacon.
• Origin: Rhône Valley, France
• Food Pairings: Syrah is an intense wine that pairs with rich flavours like barbecue, grilled meats, and spicy foods.

• Cabernet Sauvignon (Kab-er-nay Saw-vin-yawn)

Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied red wine with an intense characteristic flavour. It is globally regarded as the most noble and popular wine variety.

It comes in big structured bottles to complement its firm tannins and premium flavour profile. The best Cabernets can age for decades, softening over time with their fruit characters intact.

• Flavour Profile: Notes of blackcurrant, tobacco, and green pepper, with hints of vanilla if aged in oak.
• Origin: Bordeaux, France
• Food Pairings: Hearty dishes of red meat match the elevated tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon. E.g. grilled steaks, lamb, and rich cheeses.

2. White Wines

White wine offers a crisp, refreshing contrast to red. They are made from wine grapes that are fermented without the skin, leading to lighter, more delicate flavours.

The process of white winemaking makes sure to utilise only the grape juice and extract all the pigments. They are mostly aged in stainless steel barrels to maintain their fresh aroma. Oak barrels are considered if extra taste is required.

White wines range from dry to sweet in style according to levels of ripeness at harvesting time. They lack the tannins and have less age than red wine.

White wines are categorized on bases of sweetness and acidity. Below are some top varieties of white wine you should know:

• Moscato (mos-kah-toe)

Moscato is the official “Entry wine” to welcome you in the white family. It is lower in alcohol, has low acidity, fruit-sweetness and fresh notes. These qualities make it more approachable than other white wines.

Moscato wine is made from the world’s oldest-known grapes, the Muscat grape. It is available in affordable rates and friendly flavours.

• Flavour Profile: Stone fruit like peach and apricot with sweet orange aromas.
• Origin: Greece or the Middle East
• Food Pairings: Moscato pairs with soft cheeses, fruit platters and desserts to complement its sweetness.

• Riesling (Reese-ling)

Riesling is the world’s fifth most planted white wine grape and Australia is the leading global producer of it. Australian Reisling is drier and offers more acidity than European varieties.

It is a late-ripening highly aromatic white wine known for its ability to range from dry to sweet. Its processing is focused on preserving the pristine beauty of grapes.

• Flavour Profile: Citrus and stone fruits like apricot, lemon peach, and honey
• Origin: Germany
• Food Pairings: Riesling is perfect for sea food, spicy dishes and Asian cuisine to match with its acidity.

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• Pinot Gris (Pee-no Gree)

Also known as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris is a versatile white wine. This light-bodied wine is perfect for casual drinking and offers a straightforward, refreshing taste.

Its juicy stone-fruit characters and crisp acidity make it friendly to a variety of foods.

• Flavour Profile: Pear, green apple, and citrus
• Origin: France and Italy
• Food Pairings: Pinot Gris pairs well with light dishes like salads, seafood, white meat, and Mediterranean style dishes.

• Sauvignon Blanc (Saw-vin-yawn Blahnk)

Sauvignon Blanc is a zesty, aromatic white wine known for its fresh taste. It is mainly due to its tropical characters but extra complexity can be added by some extra barrel time.

It offers crispy acidity and lifted aromas and comes in slender elegant bottles.

• Flavour Profile: Fresh, grassy, and citrus flavours like lime, green apple, and gooseberry.
• Origin: Loire Valley of France and New Zealand
• Food Pairings: Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with cheese, risotto, herb crusts and green vegetables.

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• Chardonnay (Shar-dun-nay)

One of the most popular types of wine, Chardonnay offers a wide range of styles, from light and crisp to rich and buttery, depending on how it’s aged.

After many ups and downs, Australian wine drinkers revived their Chardonnay love affair now. You can add some butterscotch, vanilla or caramel notes with help of oak barrel.

• Flavour Profile: Yellow citrus (pear, apple) to tropical fruits (banana, pineapple)
• Origin: Burgundy, France
• Food Pairings: Its complexity is complemented by heavy dishes from seafood and chicken to creamy pasta.

3. Rosé Wines

Rosé wines are made using red wine grapes but with less contact time with the grape skins, giving the wine its signature pink colour. Then wine is settled in cold environment before being clarified and packaged.

It has fruity and light taste, making it the perfect summer wine. Any grape variety can be used to make rose wine. It is served cold in aroma collector glass to capture its subtle floral notes.

• Flavour Profile: Fruity flavours like strawberry, honeydew melon, rose petal, and orange.
• Origin: Unknown
• Food Pairings: You can pair it with crispy flavours like nutt cheese, white meats, herbs and root vegetables (garlic, onion, shallot).

4. Sparkling Wines

For celebrations or special occasions, sparkling wines are the perfect choice. Their bubbles come from a secondary fermentation process.

Most famous example of sparkling wine is Champagne from France. Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain are also popular types of wine in this category.

They have thick glass bottles and wire closures to contain the pressure from the bubbles. Popping their cork makes a sudden pressured release adding to the sense of occasion.

• Flavour Profile: Fruity flavours like strawberry, honeydew melon, rose petal, and orange
• Origin: France, Italy, Spain
• Food Pairings: They complement any food from oysters and caviar to fried chicken and chips.

5. Fortified Wines

For those with a sweet tooth, fortified wines like Port and Sherry offer a rich delicious experience. They are unique wines that are “fortified” with help of a distilled spirit, like brandy. Brandy increases their sweetness and alcohol content.

Fortified wines are typically bottled in smaller, darker bottles to preserve their flavour and intensity.

The most well-known fortified wines include Port, Sherry, and Madeira, each with its own distinct characteristics and production methods.

• Flavour Profile: Sugary and extra sweet notes like nuts, caramel and fruits.
• Origin: Europe
• Food Pairings: They are enjoyed as dessert wines or paired with strong cheeses, chocolate, or fruit-based sweets.

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