WINE 101: Just The Basics

PROJECT

WINE 101 JUST THE BASICS

LEVEL

BEGINNER

INSTRUCTOR

EIZEL MY WINE WORDS PETER & ALLIE MERRICK

VARIETALS REGIONS VINTAGES

VARIETALS (n.) species of grapes

white wine

These are commonly known white wine varietals.

CHARDONNAY PINOT GRIGIO SAUVIGNON BLANC RIESLING GEWURZTRAMINER VIOGNIER

red wine

These are commonly known red wine varietals.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOT SHIRAZ PINOT NOIR MALBEC SANGIOVESE

REGIONS (n.) areas where grapes are grown

united states

Let’s take a look at CA, OR, WA, NY & MI.

CA | Napa CA | Sonoma CA | Central Coast OR WA NY MI

france

It’s all about tradition bound in terrior.

Champagne Burgundy Bordeaux Loire Rhone Alsace

italy

There are twenty regions, but let’s start with three areas.

North Central South

spain

The culinary capital of the world also makes a bit of wine.

Rioja Catalonia Toro Ribera del Duero Navarra Jumilla La Mancha Jerez

australia

Let’s understand the wine down under.

Barossa Valley McLaren Vale South West

VINTAGE (n.) the year a wine is harvested

vintage A wine is defined by its varietal, region & vintage.

That said, the year the grapes of a wine are harvested speaks volumes. While there are good & bad vintages in every region, there are always exceptions to the rule. Be careful about judging a book by its cover & a wine by its vintage. The vintage is the wine’s birth year. And just as we change as we get older, so does a wine & what it has to offer.

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