How wine is classified? || Wine Classification || Wine Basic

 Wine Classification

As I mentioned in the previous article of “What is Wine?”, Wines are frequently separated based on their place of origin. This is linked to the custom of using specific grape cultivars and related grape-growing and winemaking methods in many European nations. While wines in the New World are categorized similarly, very few areas are consistently linked to specific styles. While much of the New World has long used European regional names, like Chablis and Burgundy, the more appropriate use of brand-name or grape-varietal designations is gradually replacing this practice.

These consist of categories including still table wines, sparkling wines, fortified wines (dessert wines, appetizer wines). The presence or absence of the grape skin during fermentation determines the wine's color, not the grape juice, which is nearly always clear.

Still Table Wine

The most elaborate classification scheme is needed for still table wines, which comprise the majority of wines. The first classification system divided wines into divisions according to color: white, red, and rosé. This has the advantage of being widely accepted, but it also shows clear variations in usage, flavor, and production techniques.

White wines are usually produced with an acidic character because they are meant to be consume with meals. When wine is mixed with food proteins, its acidic quality is balanced and can complement and enhance food flavors. The majority of white wines got little to no maturation in oak barrels. An association with oak flavors usually benefits only those wines that have distinct varietal aromas. Generally speaking, sweet-finishing wines are meant to be consume on their own—either as a "sipping" wine or to go with or instead of dessert. This category includes the majority of ice wines and botrytized (late-harvest) wines.

The majority of red wines made nowadays are dry. Their intended use as a food beverage is supported by the lack of any discernible sweetness in the flavor. Most red wines contain bitter and astringent compounds that bind to food proteins to create a balance that would not otherwise develop. Red wines that have aged well are occasionally kept to be enjoyed after the meal. There is no need for food to develop smoothness because of their diminished tannin content. Also, when there are no conflicting food flavors present, the delicate and complex bouquet of aged wines can often be enjoyed to its finest.

Most of red wines that age well benefit from some maturation in oak cooperage. Small oak cooperage (225-liter barrels) storage usually speeds up maturation and adds subtle flavors. Following in-barrel maturation, wines are typically aged in-bottle at the winery before release. When less oak character is desired, cooperage with a capacity of more than 1000 liters may be used. Alternatively, the wine could be aged in inert tanks to avoid oxidation and the absorption of accessory flavors.

One of the most noticeable differences between red wines is the consumer market for which they are produced. Wines processed for immediate consumption have light flavors, whereas those processed to improve ageing potential frequently offered early enjoyment and are initially excessively tannic. Beaujolais nouveau is a fine representation of a wine made for immediate consumption. Premium 'Cabernet Sauvignon' and 'Nebbiolo' wines, on the other hand, represent the other extreme, in which long ageing is frequently required for the development of their finest qualities.

Rosé wines are the most maligned group of table wines. This is undoubtedly due to their mode of production. The skins of the crushed grapes are removed from the juice shortly after fermentation starts to achieve the desired rosé color. The extraction of compounds that give red wines their flavor, on the other hand, is limited. Few, if any, rosé wines age well, and as a result, they lack the respect and following of connoisseurs. Also most have a sweet finish, which wine enthusiasts often dismiss. To avoid the stigma associated with the term "rosé," some ostensibly rosé wines are referred to as "blush" wines.

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wines are frequently classified according to their method of production. The three main techniques are traditional (champagne), transfer, and bulk (Charmat). They all use yeasts to produce the carbon dioxide that causes the effervescence. Although precise, classification based on manufacturing method does not have to reflect significant differences in sensory characteristics. Traditional and transfer methods, for example, typically aim to produce dry to semidry wines that emphasize subtlety, limit varietal aroma, and have a "toasty" bouquet. The duration of yeast contact and grape varieties used in sparkling wines frequently differ more than the method of production. Although most bulk-method wines are sweet and aromatic (for example, Asti Spumante), some are dry with subtle aromas.

Carbonated sparkling wines (in which the sparkle comes from carbon dioxide incorporated under pressure) exhibit an even broader range of styles. These include dry white wines like Vinho Verde (which gets its sparkle from malolactic fermentation), sweet sparkling red wines like Lambrusco, most crackling rosés, and fruit-flavored "coolers."

Fortified Wine

All of the terms used to describe fortified wines are a bit misleading. Some, for example, achieve their high alcohol content without the use of distilled spirits (for example, sherry-like wines from Montilla, Spain). As a result, they are not technically fortified. There are also issues with the alternative designations of aperitif and dessert wines. Many table wines are used in the same way that aperitif or dessert wines are. Some consider sparkling wine to be the ultimate aperitif, and botrytized wine to be the ultimate dessert wine.

Wines in this category, regardless of designation, are typically consumed in small amounts and are rarely completely consumed shortly after opening. The high alcohol content prevents microbial spoilage, and the distinctive flavor and resistance to oxidation often allow them to be stable for weeks after opening. These are desirable characteristics for wines that are typically consumed in small quantities. The exceptions are Fino sherries and vintage ports, which lose their distinct characteristics several months or hours after bottling, respectively.

Fortified wines are made in a variety of styles. Aperitifs with a dry or bitter taste are typically consumed before meals. They stimulate the appetite and cause the digestive juices to be released. Fino sherries and dry vermouths are two examples. These are flavored with various herbs and spices. Fortified wines are typically sweet in flavor. Oloroso sherries, ports, madeiras, and marsalas are all good examples. These wines are consumed after meals or as a dessert.

Cheers to the never-ending journey of wine discovery, where each pour invites us to savour not just a beverage, but a story of craftsmanship and history in every drop. Join us for additional wine studies, where each categorization is a new chapter in this enjoyable odyssey.

*The tables of the above wine classification are unable to upload on blogger, if you need the tabular form of classification then feel free to ask.