Wine Families.

A lot has said about Wine over the years, the more you read the more complex it gets, The complexity of wine makes it difficult to understand the the exact characteristic of  Wine.

Here are some of the main families of Wines - easier to understand according to their color and personality.

For each category, the main grape varieties and the most common appellations are listed, together with advice on food matches. A grape variety may appear in several families as it will be given different expression in different wines, depending on the terroir in which it was grown.

1 - LIGHT  DRV  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics- easy to drink, light, refreshing palate thanks to a good acidic structure;

                         simple, fairly uncomplex aromas, a fresh finish.

Grape varieties - Aligote, Chasselas, Chardonnay, Gros-Plant, Jacquere, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc, Romorantin, Sauvignon, Sylvaner, Tressallier.

Food matches - simple, straightforward food without too many complex flavours, seafood including oysters, raw or cooked vegetables, snails, frogs legs, grilled fish, fish terrine, fried fish, charcuterie, goat's cheeses.

How to serve?  - drink very young, serve very chilled, around 8°C (46°F).

2 - SUPPLE,  FRUITY  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics -  full, fresh, fruity palate; expressive fruit and/or floral aromas; a fragrant, thirst-quenching finish.

Grape varieties - Altesse, Chardonnay, Chenin, Clairette, Gros-Manseng, Mauzac, Rolle, Sauvignon, Semillon, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino.

Food matches - food of varying styles, from the most simple to the most elaborate, but without too many complex aromas; raw or cooked shellfish, seafood pasta, simply cooked or grilled fish, fish mousseline, charcuterie, medium-textured and hard goat's cheeses.

How to serve? - drink within 3 years of bottling, serve chilled, between 8° and 10°C (46-50°F).

3- FULL-BODIED,  DISTINCTIVE  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics - a meaty white with a rich, distinctive, perfectly balanced palate; complex, elegant aromas; long, persistent finish.

Grape varieties - Chardonnay, Chenin, Marsanne, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon, Semillon.

Food matches - fairly sophisticated, flavoursome food; mushrooms, scallops, fried fois

gras, cooked lobster, fish in a cream sauce, white meat in a cream sauce, creamy cheeses such as Saint-Felicien, Saint-Marcellin, mature goat's cheeses such as Picodon.

How to serve? -  should be aged for 3 to 5 years in the bottle before drinking, serve not too chilled, between 10° and 12°C (50-54°F).

4 - VERY  AROMATIC,  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics  -  rich, lively palate with distinctive flavours; exuberant fruity aromas,often spicy, sometimes fresh nut or wheat aromas; persistent finish with plenty of character.

Grape varieties  -  Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Palomino, Riesling, Savagnin, Tokay-Pinot Gris, Viognier.

Food matches - very aromatic food cooked with spices and herbs; meat curry, chicken with a cream and mushroom sauce, lobster a I'amiricaine, salmon with fennel, cooked pressed cheeses (Beaufort, Comte, etc) or strong-flavoured cheeses (Munster, etc.

How to serve?  - Muscat and Viognier are to be drunk young and served chilled, between 8° and 10°C (46-50°F); the others should be drunk after 3 to 5 years in the bottle and served not too chilled, between 10° and 12°C (50-54T).

5 - MEDIUM  SWEET  AND  SWEET  WHINE  WINES:

Characteristics - rich texture from the varying amounts of residual sugars present with a sweet,

fatty body balanced by good levels of acidity; significant fruity, honeyed aromas; persistent,aromatic finish.

Grape varieties - Chenin, Gros- and Petit-Manseng, Muscadelle, Riesling, Sauvignon, Semillon, Tokay-Pinot Gris Food matches - rich, fatty food, either classic or more with spicy or sweet and sour flavours, foie gras, chicken in a spicy cream sauce, cream based desserts. How to Serve - drink after minimum of 3-5 years in the bottle, served chilled between 8 and 10°C. STAY TUNED FOR MORE........................