If you like to drink wine, but don't know a whole lot about it, you've come to the right place. Follow along as BBT breaks down the basic levels of red, white, and rose wine.
RED WINE
Red wine is surely an acquired taste. If you're not sure what you're looking for or what you like to drink, searching for a red can be intimidating. But actually, red wine can be broken down into three different types: light-bodied, medium-bodied, and full-bodied.
Light-bodied reds include wines like Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Lambrusco, and St. Laurent. These light wines are a perfect into reds. These wines are dry, easy to drink and absolutely delicious when paired with foods like meat and cheese.
Medium-bodied reds include wines like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, and Barbera. These wines are not to light, not to heavy, they are just perfect. These wines are gateway wines to the rich and intense flavors of deep reds.
Dark reds have the highest tannins, most likely the highest alcohol content, and have the richest flavors. These wines have flavors so bold that they are often able to stand on their own.
WHITE WINE
Again, sometimes a new wine can be daunting and intimidating. Especially with white wines, don't we always end up with our go-to white that we get every time? White wine can be broken down to these four categories: bold and dry, light and dry, sweet, and herbaceous.
Bold and dry wines include Chardonnay, Viognier, and Trebbiano. Chardonnay is one of the most popular white wines that consists of citrus and oak flavors that pairs perfectly with foods like lobster and risotto.
Light and dry wine are fresh, clean, and pair perfectly with light dishes like chicken or grilled salmon. Some of the light are dry wines are Pinot Grigio, Chablis, and Chenin Bla.
Sweet wines are hit or miss for some people. Some examples of sweet wines are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Moscato. One thing that most people don't realize about sweet wines is that they can often counterbalance spice, which makes sweet wines great to pair with spicier foods.
Herbaceous wines are lighter with green, floral undertones. Some of these wines include Sauvignon, Gruner Veltliner, and Vinho Verde.
ROSE WINE
Oh the beautiful shades of Rose. While like other wines, it isn't just limited to one specific type. So here are four of our favorite rose wines.
Merlot: Along with Merlot having the prettiest shade of pink, this sweet wine has some of the best hints of pomegranate, peach, raspberry, and orange.
Pinot Noir: We love this pink-hued dry rose wine that pair well with white meat and fatty fish.
Grenache: Grenache is made using red grenache grapes that have an amazing cherry flavor. Best types of food to pair with this one? Mediterranean foods.
Malbec: The main fruits in Malbec are blackberry, cherry, and plum, creating a crisp finish,