Wine for Beginners: 15 Basic Ideas to Start With

How wine is made and named

🌿 Grape variety

The type of grape, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. It shapes the flavour more than almost anything else.

🌿 Terroir

The mix of soil, climate and slope of a vineyard, together with local know-how. The same grape can taste very different from place to place.

🍷 Fermentation

Yeast turns the sugar in grape juice into alcohol. Whether it runs to the end decides if the wine is dry or sweet.

🌿 Vintage

The year the grapes were harvested. Weather changes from year to year, so the same wine can taste different between vintages.

The main types

🍷 Red wine

Made from dark grapes fermented with their skins, which give colour and tannin. Usually fuller and richer in taste.

🍷 White wine

Usually made from pressed juice with the skins removed. Tends to be fresher and lighter, with fruit and acidity in front.

🍷 Rosé (Rosé wine)

Dark grapes with only brief skin contact give a pink colour. Light, fruity and best served cool.

🍷 Sparkling wine

Wine with bubbles of carbon dioxide made in a second fermentation. Champagne, Cava and Prosecco are examples.

🍷 Dry wine

A wine with little or no sugar left, so it does not taste sweet. Most table wines are dry.

Words for taste

🍷 Tannins

Natural compounds from skins, seeds and oak that make the mouth feel dry, like strong tea. They are found mainly in red wine.

🍷 Acidity

The fresh, mouth-watering sharpness of a wine, a bit like lemon juice. It keeps wine lively and helps it match food.

Reading, tasting and serving

🍷 Protected designation of origin (Appellation)

The official name of the place a wine comes from, such as Chianti or Rioja. It tells you where, and often how, the wine was made.

🍷 Wine tasting (Tasting wine)

Look at the colour, smell it, taste it and notice how long the flavour lasts. Compare and describe; there are no wrong answers.

🍷 Serving temperature

Whites are best at about 8 to 12 °C, sparkling at 6 to 8 °C and reds at about 14 to 18 °C. Too warm and the alcohol stands out; too cold and the flavours go quiet.

🍷 Wine and food pairing (Wine and food)

Match weight with weight: light dishes with light wines, rich dishes with fuller ones. Acidity cuts through fat, and trying combinations is half the fun.

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