There are many types of wine available to share and drink. In fact, each varietal of wine has a specific characteristic and taste that can be paired with a type of food (for example, generic pairings of red wine and red meat and white wine and fish/chicken is very common). Master winemakers also blend certain varietals of wine, such as 55% Merlot and 45% Petite Syrah. However, like any drink or food, there is no consensus on what is considered the best wine and what is preferred is up to the taste of the drinker. However, there are many common varietals of wine that can be shared or stored depending on the age and type of wine. Three common wine varietals are the cabernet sauvignon (a red varietal), chardonnay (a white varietal), and a moscato (a dessert white varietal).
Chardonnay is America’s number one selling white varietal and is considered a popular dry white wine in the United States. The wine is made from the Chardonnay grape, which is a green-skinned grape that is low-maintenance grape to grow. The wine is also relatively priced and a good bottle for a good price. Chardonnays offer an impressive range of flavors and can include buttered, oak influenced fruit. The fruit flavors common profiled in chardonnays include apple, pear, tropical, citrus, and melon, and can leave a dry but sweet profile on the palate. These wines can be consumed in the summer months because of the crisp flavor profile and consumed without food pairings because the flavors are not generally pungent. However, foods that can be paired with are non-red meat foods, such as poultry, pork, seafood, or recipes with heavy cream or butter. This wine can also be paired with salads or any foods that have a light flavor profile. Chardonnays, like many other wines, will slowly become undrinkable over time. To ensure that your wine is drinkable, it is best to share with guests in a reasonable timeframe after opening. However, if stored at the proper temperature and conditions, you can expect a chardonnay to last for a few years.
Cabernet sauvignon is a very strong red wine varietal that is popular in the United States and Europe. Cabernet sauvignon is produced from the cabernet grape, which is a deep red or purple-skinned grape that is very difficult to grow since the vines require a specific air moisture profile (thus, these grapes are only grown in certain locations). The price per bottle of wine can vary dramatically based on the vintage since some years can have great harvests and some harvests can be affected by drought. Furthermore, the grapes are very sensitive to external forces, such as smog and smoke (for example, wildfires close to wine country in California affected the grapes for the cabernet crop, and the grapes had a smoky flavor and were thus, unusable). Thus, some wines can be as little as $20 a bottle and some as much as $100. A cabernet sauvignon is known to have a very peppery and pungent taste, with hints of plum, apricot, apple, and pear. Because of the very spicy flavor, these wines are best paired with red meat such as steak or lamb, and while this wine can be consumed without food, it may overpower some palettes. Our Cabernet Franc is made from estate grown fruit and aged in Hungarian oak barrels. People love the hints of smoke, chocolate and raspberry, a smooth, rich finish. It is important to keep it around 60 degrees Fahrenheit when storing.
Lastly, a moscato wine is a white dessert wine that is notably sweet (and to some, too sweet). A good moscato will be sweet but also crisp and slightly fruity, and will have a non-syrupy complexion. Our Long Weekend has similar qualities to Moscato; its irresistibly sweet taste can be consumed with a meal or after a meal as a digestif. Most importantly, these wines must be served chilled to have the desired taste profile. So when sharing a sweeter wine a person should be sure to chill the bottle a few hours before serving the wine to preserve taste.