Dating back as far as 6000 BC, wine is one of the oldest beverages in the world. Most historical and religious texts make some reference to the beverage, and most every culture as some form of wine that is prominent and widely enjoyed. As you might expect of a beverage with such a long and illustrious history, there are many different wine types in the world today. Though the term wine traditionally refers to an alcoholic beverage that is made from fermented grapes, there are types of wine that are made from other fruits and even some that are made from starches.
When most people talk about wine types, they are referring to grape wines and the standard designations of white, red and rose. While this does give a very general idea of what varieties of wine are out there, it is nowhere near all inclusive. Every different type of grape produces a different type of wine. The different colors of wine are based upon the color and type of the grapes that were used to make the wine. Additionally, wines can be named for the region in which they were grown. Though grapes do grow all over the world, most wine is made in either France or Italy.
In more recent times, the United States has become a strong producer of wine. Though not one of the larger exporters of wine in the world, the US is ranked about number 4 in the world for wine production, with over 2 million tons of wine produced each year. European wines are traditionally named for the region in which they were grown, for instance Bordeaux or Chianti wine types, which are both regions of France. Non-European wines are more often named for the type of grape from which they were made, as in Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
For wine lovers, the different wine types offer a lot more variety than simply color. Some grapes are sweeter than others, and produce a much sweeter wine. Wines that are made from grapes with a lower level of sugar, and therefore not as sweet, are referred to as being “dry wine.” Others have other notes in their flavor from elements that are in the soil where they were grown. These differences make certain wines more complimentary to specific meals or courses of meals, such as a dinner wine, versus a desert wine. At the end of the day, it all comes down to a matter of your own person taste.
