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Wednesday - Wine Dictionary
Today's Wine Dictionary Article
Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?
At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.
So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.
Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.
Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.
While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.
Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?
At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.
So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.
Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.
Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.
While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.
Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.
Short Review on Wine Dictionary
Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does ...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
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Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – Another Great Sangiovese Wine from Tuscany By Loren Sonkin Some of the great wines in Italy, and the world, hail from Tuscany. Other articles have discussed Super Tuscans, and some of the great wines based on the Sangiovese grape including Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. In this article, another great Sangiovese based wine is explored: Vin Nobile di Montepulciano. »
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Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:10:12 -0800
Torres make some of Spain's best wine brands. I love Vin Sol, Vina Esmeralda is fun, and Sange de Toro isn't bad. They also make some impressive high-end wines, and this - the latest addition to their portfolio - is a rather impressive, if slightly 'modern' Priorat. Similar soils, and not all that dissimilar climate to the Douro in northern Portugal, and there's certainly a sort of kindred spirit here with high-end Douro wines. This is the top wine from their Priorat project - the regular Salmos
Indian Zampa Wine to Enter UK and Dubai Markets
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:01:15 -0800
Indian Zampa Wine to Enter UK and Dubai Markets By Jono • November 25, 2008 • No Comments Indian wine producer, Vallee de Vin, based in Mumbai, are preparing to sell 125,000 litres their flagship wine, Zampa, in the UK and Dubai. The company, which is one of the biggest Indian wine producers, plans to start making sales within the next six months. Neeraj Deorah, a Vallee de Vin director, told Business Standard: “Though India ...] Categories: News Tags: Indian Wine
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Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:27:32 -0800
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Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?
At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.
So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.
Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.
Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.
While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.
Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does it matter?
At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.
So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australias iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.
Many more modest Australian wines with to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words wine of South Eastern Australia. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.
Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.
While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than Merlot.
Our second question is does it matter? Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it. However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darby Higgs is an expert on Australian wines made from unusual and rare grape varieties. He is the manager of the Vinodiversity website at http://www.vinodiversity.com
Short Review on Wine Dictionary
Which is for You - Blended or Varietal Wines?Darby Higgs
Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, what does it mean? and does ...
Click Here to Read More About Wine ...
Wine Dictionary Products we recommend
The FTD Paradise Garden Basket - Standard
Heather wrapped gently around the basket handle crowns this bouquet of gerbera daisies, alstroemeria, and more. C21-3108S
Price: 42.99 USD
Wine Dictionary in the news
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – Another Great Sangiovese Wine from Tuscany
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:31:33 -0800
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – Another Great Sangiovese Wine from Tuscany By Loren Sonkin Some of the great wines in Italy, and the world, hail from Tuscany. Other articles have discussed Super Tuscans, and some of the great wines based on the Sangiovese grape including Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. In this article, another great Sangiovese based wine is explored: Vin Nobile di Montepulciano. »
Priorat from Torres
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:10:12 -0800
Torres make some of Spain's best wine brands. I love Vin Sol, Vina Esmeralda is fun, and Sange de Toro isn't bad. They also make some impressive high-end wines, and this - the latest addition to their portfolio - is a rather impressive, if slightly 'modern' Priorat. Similar soils, and not all that dissimilar climate to the Douro in northern Portugal, and there's certainly a sort of kindred spirit here with high-end Douro wines. This is the top wine from their Priorat project - the regular Salmos
Indian Zampa Wine to Enter UK and Dubai Markets
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:01:15 -0800
Indian Zampa Wine to Enter UK and Dubai Markets By Jono • November 25, 2008 • No Comments Indian wine producer, Vallee de Vin, based in Mumbai, are preparing to sell 125,000 litres their flagship wine, Zampa, in the UK and Dubai. The company, which is one of the biggest Indian wine producers, plans to start making sales within the next six months. Neeraj Deorah, a Vallee de Vin director, told Business Standard: “Though India ...] Categories: News Tags: Indian Wine
Pike Brewery's Barrel-Aged, Stout-Hearted "Entire"
Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:27:32 -0800
Shavonne Maes with Pike Pub's first bottle of Entire, owners Charles & Roseanne Finkel By the time you read this, alas, there will be virtually none left, at least not at the Pike Pub & Brewery where it originated. Not that the total production of 100 cases of 12 22-ounce "dinner size" bottles) was all that much to begin with. Ten cases reserved for the pub's walk-in customers, almost half of which were sold, at $9.99 apiece, by the end of Monday's lunch rush. The rest are being distributed
Wine Making “Vin Rouge” From Kits | Wine Making Kits Blog
Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:45:41 -0800
Old experienced wine connoisseur making some Italian Barolo wine with a wine making kit
Vin Cotto
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:08:33 -0700
Here's what you can do with your left over wine...vin cotto! I still have some left over red wine that I just couldn't throw out and now I know what I can do with it!
Wine Deliveries by Hybrid
Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:23:53 -0700
VinLux Fine Wine Transport, a warehousing and delivery service in Napa, has received the first two production-model hybrid electric-diesel medium-duty trucks produced by Peterbilt Motors Company.
Wine Serving
Wines | Zinfandel Grape
Labels: Wine Bottle
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