Today, we see an increasing number of wines on the market, from the variety of wines, to the variety of packaging, to wines that bubble up in red or white bottles, still or open. However, while there are many types of wine on the market, almost all of them can be divided into three categories: still wines, sparkling wines, and fortified wines.
I. Still Wines
As the name implies, still wine is a wine that contains no carbon dioxide. No bubbles appear when the bottle is opened and poured into the glass. To make still wine, the grapes are picked, destemmed, pressed, fermented, pressed, aged, and bottled. Carbon dioxide is a natural product of the fermentation process. Most still wines are made with carbon dioxide escaping from the fermentation vessel, so the finished wine is usually free of carbon dioxide. However, in some special cases, such as when yeast causes a secondary fermentation of the sugar in the bottle, some bubbles may appear in some still wines. In this case, you can simply pour the wine into a wine cooler to remove these bubbles.
Still wines are the largest of the three categories, and most of the wines you see on the market are still wines. There are many different types and styles of still wines, depending on the classification criteria.
1. By color – red, white and pink
There are three types of wines based on color: red, white, and peach. Of these, red and pink wines are made from red grape varieties, while white wines can be made from both white and red grape varieties. In red wines, the pressing is done after the alcohol fermentation is complete and the pigments in the grape skins are extracted during the fermentation process to produce a dark purple or ruby red wine. The color of the wine then lightens as it ages, becoming garnet, tawny or brown. White wines are pressed before alcohol fermentation. The contact time between the juice and the skins is very short, and very little pigment is extracted from it. Therefore, red grape varieties can also be used to make lighter colored wines. White wines are mostly lemon-green or lemon-yellow in color, developing over time to golden yellow, amber, or even brown, and some white wines are cash-yellow in age due to varietal and stylistic reasons.
Pink wines also derive their color from contact between the juice and the skins, but the contact time is much shorter than in red wines, so that pink, salmon or orange colors are usually presented as pink, salmon or orange. In addition, the difference in contact time between the juice and the skins also makes a very noticeable difference between red, white and pink wines – the tannin content varies. White wines usually have no tannins or very low tannin content. Pink wines contain a small amount of tannin, while red wines have a relatively high tannin content, which can bring a noticeable firmness and astringency to the mouth.
Of course, in addition to these three color categories, there are also wines with unique colors and styles, such as orange wines. To make orange wine, the winemaker crushes the white grapes and ferments the juice, skins, and seeds in a container. Depending on the grape variety, ripeness of the fruit, fermentation time and the container, the finished wine will have different colors, such as orange, amber, yellow, gold and even pink.
2、Dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet wines are classified according to their sweetness.
The sweetness of a wine is determined by the sugar content of the wine. The higher the sugar content, the sweeter the wine will taste. Generally speaking, still wines can be classified as dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet or sweet according to their sugar content. During wine fermentation, yeast converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Dry wines are made when the sugar in the wine is completely consumed, or when only a small amount of residual sugar (less than or equal to 4 g/l) remains after alcohol fermentation and is undetectable.
Residual sugar content in still wines of different sweetness levels
Winemakers can increase the sugar content of a wine by concentrating the sugar in the berries, manually stopping the fermentation, or adding threonine to the wine to make a sweet wine. Semi-dry and semi-sweet wines contain 4-12 g/l of sugar and 12-45 g/l of sugar respectively, and can exhibit a noticeable sweetness in the mouth, but not enough to match most desserts. The sugar content of sweet wine is generally higher than 45g/l, and sweetness is one of its main characteristics.
3、By body – light, medium, full
Body refers to the weight and texture of the wine in the mouth, and is one of the most important factors in wine tasting. It is not a single component, but the result of a combination of factors such as extraction, alcohol content, tannin and sugar content of the wine. Depending on how a wine behaves in the mouth, it can be broadly classified as light, medium, or full-bodied.
Generally speaking, light wines are delicate and fresh in style, with low alcohol, high acidity and low tannin content. They are suitable as aperitifs. Typical examples include Pinot Grigio from northern Italy, Gamay from Beaujolais, and wines from cooler regions such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc without oak treatment.
Full-bodied, full-flavored wines with high alcohol and tannin content, and sweet wines with high sugar content, are ideal for pairing with full-flavored dishes. Typical examples include Chardonnay wines produced in warm production areas and aged in oak barrels, as well as wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec and other varietals.
Medium-bodied wines tend to have medium alcohol, tannins and extract. These wines are well adapted to food and can be paired with a variety of delicious dishes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Gracie and Pinot Grigio can make medium-sized wines under suitable climatic conditions.
4. Aging ability – fresh and easy to drink and ageable
Many people who first encounter wine may have the misconception that the older the wine, the better it smells. However, only 1% of the world’s wines are suitable for aging, while the remaining 99% do not benefit from aging. This is because, depending on the characteristics of the grape variety, local customs, winemaking techniques, winery or brand positioning, some wines are made fresh and easy to drink, while others are delicate, rich and suitable for aging.
Bottled Aged Wines
Fresh, easy-drinking wines are usually best served when they are first bottled and released to the market, providing lively, floral, fruity or herbal aromas and flavors. As the wine grows in the bottle, the original flavor of the wine dissipates and does not develop more complex aromas, and the taste becomes progressively more boring. A large number of wines on the market and some entry-level wines fall into this category and need to be consumed as soon as possible within 3-5 years.
For wines suitable for aging, bottling is a new stage in their development. The components of the wine are better integrated during the aging process, and the taste becomes softer and more robust, creating three more complex and attractive aromas and flavors. Most of these wines are full-bodied, with a good balance of acidity, alcohol, tannins and sugar, the elements that make up the structure of the wine, and excellent winemaking. Premium Burgundy Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Bordeaux-style blends, Sauternes and Barsac sweet whites, Germany
