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Wine Varietals

Type	Varietal	Notes
Dessert	Black Muscat	Used in production of sweet, fortified wines, a strain of Muscat Blanc.
Dessert	Eiswein	Often high acid grapes, pressed while frozen. Very concentrated and sweet.
Dessert	Icewine	Often high acid grapes, pressed while frozen. Very concentrated and sweet.
Dessert	Late Harvest Dessert Wine	Made from various grapes, either white or red, harvested late in growing season when grapes are overripe and high in sugar. Produces sweet, concentrated wines best used for dessert.
Dessert	Madeira	Madeiras can range from dry to sweet, tend to be nutty, brown sugar, dried fruits. Great with hard cheeses
Dessert	Muscat	Aromas of apple, orange, rose. Low acidity, full body, off-dry to very sweet.
Dessert	Port	Fortified red wines, high in alcohol and sugars. Great with cheese or bitter-sweet chocolate.
Dessert	Sauternes	Produced from semillon and sauvignon blanc, harvested very late with botrytis. Concentrated, floral and honey flavors.
Dessert	Sherry	Very similar to Madeira, fortified and oxidized. Tend to be nutty, dried fruits. Great with cheeses, dessert
Dessert	Tawny Port	A lighter style Port, aged in oak cask up to 40 years. Oxidated flavors, great for introduction to port wines.
Dessert	Tokay	A concentrated honey, apricot, peach flavors. Great with Crème brule.
Other	Fruit Wine
Other	Marsala	Very similar to Madeira, fortified and oxidized. Tend to be nutty, dried fruits. Great with cheeses or dessert and often used for cooking.
Other	Sake	A Japanese rice wine. Ranges from very dry to sweet. Great with sushi.
Other	Vermouth	An aromatized wine, the wine is flavored with fresh herbs. A great aperitif, comes in sweet and dry styles.
Red	Barbera	Cherries, Sweet and Sour. Great with pizza and pastas.
Red	Barolo/Nebbiolo	Dark black fruits, aromas of tar, leather, truffles. Best when aged at least 7-10 years.
Red	Beaujolais/Gamay	Black cherry, light bodied, high acid. Best when fresh and young. Terrific pizza or Thanksgiving turkey.
Red	Bordeaux Blend	Plums, blackberries, cassis, mushrooms, leather. Pairs well with grilled meats, mushrooms. Produced from blends containing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
Red	Cabernet Blend	Blends may include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from California, Washington, or other countries.
Red	Cabernet Franc	Cassis, bell peppers, mushrooms, leather, plums. Medium body, medium acidity. Pair with grilled meats.
Red	Cabernet Sauvignon	A rich red wine with layers of ripe berries, currants and vanilla oak. Pairs well with richer, heavier foods.
Red	Carmenere	Medium bodied wines with red fruits and herbal aromas. Most famously from Chile.
Red	Chianti/Sangiovese	Cherries, tobacco, clay. Great with Tuscan foods, grilled breads, tomato based sauces, braised meats.
Red	Corvina	These wines tend to be light and fragrant with aromas of cherries, strawberries and nuts. Primary grape used in Valpolicella. And Bardolino.
Red	Dolcetto	Sweet red fruits, medium body and acidity. Great pairing with duck and gamey meats.
Red	Grenache	Dried fruits, strawberry and raspberries. Medium body, medium acidity. Great with gamey meats, foul.
Red	Malbec	Similar to Merlot, earthy and very dark color. Gives color to the Bordeaux Blend.
Red	Meritage	Blends containing at least three of the traditional Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from California or Washington.
Red	Merlot	A flavorful red wine with plums, cherries and spice with a touch of oak. Complements rich, hearty foods.
Red	Petite Sirah	Full bodied, tannic with dark black fruits and spicy. Not related to Syrah, often blended with Zinfandel in California
Red	Pinot Meunier	The cousin of pinot noir, used in Champagne as blending grape, gives aroma and complexity to champagne.
Red	Pinot Noir	A medium-bodied red wine with cherries, berries and some earthy qualities. Complements medium to full-bodied foods with moderately robust flavors, such as duck and lamb.
Red	Pinotage	Medium body, med acid, very earthy flavors, raspberries and dark cherries. Created and commonly made in South Africa.
Red	Primitivo	An Italian wine of deep red textures with blackberries and spicy notes. Complements hearty, spicy foods, including bar-b-que, pasta, and pizza.
Red	Rhône Red Blend	Blended from Syrah, Grenache, and other grapes in the Southern Rhone Valley. Great value, pairs with rustic foods.
Red	Rioja/Tempranillo	Rich dark plums, blackberries with tobacco spices. Good value wines, pair with lamb or beef.
Red	Shiraz/Syrah	A plush red wine brimming with wild berry and black cherry fruit characters and hints of black pepper and spice. Known as Shiraz in Australia and Syrah in the Northern Rhone Valley and American wines.
Red	Tempranillo Blend	Rich dark plums, blackberries with tobacco spices. Good value wines, pair with lamb or beef. Blended from Tempranillo with other grapes such as Grenache and Mouvedre.
Red	Tuscan Blend	Sangiovese, Cab Sauv. and Merlot based wines. Dark fruit, medium acid, great with grilled meats.
Red	Valpolicella	Light bodied, high acid, red cherries and raspberry. Pair with mushrooms, pastas with tomato based sauces.
Red	Zinfandel	A deep red wine with blackberries and spicy notes. Complements hearty, spicy foods. Excellent with bar-b-que, pasta, and pizza. Distinctly American, although also grown in Australia.
Rose and Blush	Blush Wines	Red wines that see only a little skin contact. Often sweet, great wines for warm summer day. Goes well with spicy foods such as Thai and spicy bar-b-que.
Rose and Blush	Rosé Blend	Red wines that see only a little skin contact. Often bone dry, great wines for warm summer days.
Sparkling	Champagne Blend	Made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier. The smaller the bubbles the higher the quality. Reserved for wines from the Champagne region of france.
Sparkling	Prosecco	Apples, peaches, pear skins. Very small bubbles and a great value. Some residual sweetness, great with spicy foods or as an apertif.
Sparkling	Sparkling Blend	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier. The smaller the bubbles the higher the quality. Often made in the same style as Champagne blends.
White	Albariño	Fresh kiwi, peaches, citrus nice minerality. Often has a bit of fizz when young and fresh.
White	Bordeaux White Blend	Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. High minerality, with a roundness from French Oak. Great with oysters
White	Chardonnay	A rich white wine with tropical fruit, vanilla and oak flavors. Pair with medium-bodied foods with rich sauces.
White	Chenin Blanc	Medium body, high acid with flavors of red apples and melon. Produced in sweet, semi-sweet and dry styles. Signature white grape of the Loire region of France, including Vouvray.
White	Fume Blanc	Sauvignon Blanc, with the addition of sweet American Oak. Terrific with white fish and seafood.
White	Gavi	Light crisp with almonds, citrus and mown grass. Grape is Cortese. Great aperitif.
White	Gewurztraminer	Aromas or lychee, and spice. Produced in dry and sweet styles. Good balancing wine for bitter foods (greens)
White	Moscato	A frizzante (slightly sparkling) version of Muscat from northern Italy. Good as a dessert wine.
White	Pinot Blanc	Flavors of almonds and apple. Soft, simple wines with medium acidity and body.
White	Pinot Grigio	An aromatic, crisp white wine with citrus, peach and melon flavors. A good wine to choose to compliment light appetizers or a first course.
White	Pinot Gris	Minerals, pine and orange. Medium acidity and body. Terrific with white fish and seafood. Same grape as Pinot Grigio; used heavily in Alsace and Oregon.
White	Rhône White Blend	Viognier, Marsanne and Roussane blends, aromas of fruit loops and white flowers. Low acid medium to full body
White	Riesling	Very aromatic and complex, floral, citrus, honey, apricot, peaches. Dry to sweet styles.
White	Sauvignon Blanc	A crisp white wine with lemongrass and citrus notes. Serve with light herbal and/or tangy foods or grilled poultry.
White	Semillon	Figs, honey, lemon flavors and aromas, low acid full bodied. Used to make Sauternes, and White Bordeaux.
White	Soave	Delicate and light, perhaps a hint of almonds, perfumes and gentle flowers, gentle acidity sli,ghtly bitter finish.
White	Trebbiano	High acid, low aroma and flavor. Often blended with other wines for acidity.
White	Vernaccia	A lovely mix of bitter almonds, tangy acidity and a straw-yellow color
White	Viognier	Floral nose, white flowers, stone fruits and honey, low to medim acidity, rich, round mouthfeel
White	Verdelho	Full bodied, aromatic and fruity white grape grown in Southern and Western Australia. Originated from Portugal.