Types of Wine

Though this guide focuses on red and white wine, it’s useful to know a bit about all five types of wine: red wine, white wine, rosé wine, sparkling wine, and dessert wine.

Red wines tend to have strong, rich flavors. Depending on the type of grape and the amount of time it’s aged, red wine can range in color from dark purplish red to full red to russet brown. To make red wine, “black” grapes (actually purple) are crushed and the juices left in contact with the skin for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. This skin contact is crucial: the skin gives red wine its color and its structure (see How to Talk About Wine).

White wines are generally more delicate in flavor than red wines and are typically served chilled. Though called white wines, these wines actually range in color from pale yellow to deep gold or even pale green, depending on the grape and the age of the wine. Most white wines are made from “white” grapes (actually pale yellow or green in color).

Also called blush wines, rosés are made with red wine grapes, but with just a few hours of skin contact. The brief skin contact gives the wine just a pink “blush” and a delicate structure. Rosés are often consumed as “picnic wines” and can be tasty and refreshing when chilled to about 60°F (15°C) and drunk on a hot day.

As yeast ferments the sugar in grape juice to produce alcohol and wine, it produces carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. To make sparkling wines (such as the most famous, Champagne), the winemaker puts the wine through a second fermentation, adding sugar and yeast to the wine to create carbon dioxide “bubbles.” Sparkling wines are usually made from white grapes.

Because yeast typically can’t survive in an environment containing more than 14% alcohol, most naturally produced wines have an alcohol content of less than 14% by volume. Certain winemakers (such as those in Porto, Portugal, where Port is made) found a way around this limitation: they added extra sugar or alcohol to the wine as it fermented, resulting in wines with higher alcohol content. Most, though not all, of these wines are also sweeter than regular wines and are consumed after meals. These dessert wines are also called fortified wines because their alcohol content has been strengthened.