You just can't go to a party and ask about wine names you have never heard of before. Most people know about Chardonnay and Merlot among the popular wines. However, these are premium wines that may not be available easily in many countries.
There are so many brands that it becomes difficult to know about them all. About 125 wine descriptions can tell you about the varieties available. You can get into an embarrassing situation at a party, especially when you realize the wine you thought would be sweet and fruity turned out to be dry and pungent. In most cases, it could be that you got the name wrong.
Wines are generally made from grapes, but then different varieties can be blended together to bring taste that is unique to the winemaker. Such differences have led to quite a few different names for the same type of wine. Most either adapt to the type of grape used or use the name of the region or place where it originated from.
Understanding wine names is important, because they are often difficult to pronounce, and you may not know what a bottle actually contains by reading the brand name. Your preference for wine comes first, and then the brand. By knowing more about how names are given, you will be in a position to make an informed decision when you have to buy a bottle.
Grape Variety, Winemaker, Or Region Dictate How Wines Are Named
European wines traditionally have been named after the regions they come from. For example, the famous Rioja wine is name after the Rioja region in Spain that has produced wine for centuries. Champagne is another example of a sparkling white wine being named after the region.
In other parts of the world, wine names are classified by the type of grapes used. Merlot is a red grape variety widely grown in the Bordeaux region of France. It is now grown in Italy, Washington in USA, and Chile. This variety is usually blended with other grapes, but the wine retains the Merlot brand name.
International marketing trends have made it necessary for some brands to be named after trademarks have been obtained. Compulsions come in because the wine has to be named after the marketing company. Such names do not tell you where the wine comes from. You have to find out by searching through different sources using brand names and other information on the bottle.
How To Get The Pronunciation Right
It would be very difficult to get all the names right considering wine is manufactured in different countries. One way of getting the names right is to decide on the type of wine you are interested in and then study the important ones in the category.
French wine is quite popular, so it makes sense to know some popular names. It will help when you have to buy a bottle for personal use. Another useful way is to get hold of an audio CD that has all the names pronounced by an expert. You will not have any difficulty pronouncing wine names the next time you come across them.
Author Resource:
For all you wine lovers out there see how many Calories are in your glass then dismiss it and open another bottle of Good White wine and enjoy!
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