Wine Styles Guide

Wine Styles

Structure, descriptors, grapes, and food pairings for the world's most searched wine styles.

Fortified & Sweet Wine

Moscato — Moscato is a lightly sweet, low-alcohol aromatic white — grapey, floral, and often lightly sparkling (frizzante). Moscat…

Madeira — Madeira is a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, deliberately heated (estufagem or canteiro) for remar…
Port — Port is a fortified sweet red (and some white) wine from Portugal's Douro Valley — grape spirit stops fermentation, pres…
Sherry — Sherry is a fortified wine from Jerez, Spain — biologically aged Fino and Manzanilla are dry, pale, and saline; Oloroso …

Cabernet Sauvignon — Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied red built on high tannin, dark fruit, and oak structure. It is the benchmark steak w…
Grenache — Grenache is a medium- to full-bodied red with red fruit, spice, and often high alcohol but gentle tannin. It shines in S…
Malbec — Malbec is a plush, full-bodied red with soft tannin, dark fruit, and violet notes. Argentina's Mendoza flagship delivers…
Merlot — Merlot is a medium- to full-bodied red with softer tannin and plummy fruit. It bridges Cabernet's power and Pinot's eleg…
Nebbiolo — Nebbiolo is a high-acid, high-tannin Italian red with haunting tar, rose, and cherry aromas despite often pale color. Ba…
Pinot Noir — Pinot Noir is a light- to medium-bodied red with bright acidity, soft tannin, and red fruit. It excels with salmon, roas…
Sangiovese — Sangiovese is Italy's signature red grape, built on high acidity, firm tannin, and sour-cherry fruit. Chianti and Brunel…
Syrah / Shiraz — Syrah (Shiraz in Australia) is a full-bodied red with dark fruit, pepper, and smoky or meaty notes. Northern Rhône Syrah…
Tempranillo — Tempranillo is Spain's noble red — medium body, moderate tannin, and red cherry with leather and vanilla from oak. Rioja…
Zinfandel — Zinfandel is a bold California classic — high alcohol, jammy black fruit, and spice from ripe grapes and often American …

Dry Rosé — Dry Rosé emphasizes crisp acidity and minimal residual sugar — the dominant style in Provence, Loire, and premium New Wo…
Provence Rosé — Provence Rosé defines the pale, dry, elegant pink wine style — subtle strawberry, white peach, and herb notes with salin…
Rosé — Rosé spans pale Provence-style wines to deeper, fruit-forward examples from short skin contact with red grapes. Generall…

Cava — Cava is Spain's traditional-method sparkling wine, traditionally from Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada. It offers Champa…
Champagne — Champagne is the benchmark traditional-method sparkling wine — fine bubbles, high acidity, and layers of toast, citrus, …
Prosecco — Prosecco is Italy's Charmat-method sparkling wine — fresh, fruity, and approachable with gentle bubbles. Glera grape del…

Albariño — Albariño is a crisp, saline Atlantic white from Spain's Rías Baixas — peach and citrus with bright acidity and subtle bi…
Chardonnay — Chardonnay spans lean unoaked styles to rich, buttery oaked examples from barrel fermentation and malolactic conversion.…
Chenin Blanc — Chenin Blanc is a high-acid white capable of dry, off-dry, sparkling, and noble sweet styles. Loire Valley Vouvray and S…
Gewürztraminer — Gewürztraminer is intensely aromatic — lychee, rose, spice, and ginger leap from the glass. Alsace produces the benchmar…
Pinot Grigio — Pinot Grigio is a light, crisp white prized for easy drinking and food flexibility. Italian versions are lean and neutra…
Riesling — Riesling ranges from bone-dry to lusciously sweet, always with piercing acidity and aromatic precision. Off-dry styles t…
Sauvignon Blanc — Sauvignon Blanc is a high-acid, aromatic white with citrus, herb, and mineral notes. Its lift cuts richness and pairs wi…
Viognier — Viognier is an aromatic, full-bodied white with apricot, floral, and sometimes subtle spice. Condrieu in the Northern Rh…