With more than 75,000 different wines now being produced around the world, and the variety available enables people to try everything from a nice drop of Australia's Domaine de Bel Air and Innocent Bystander Wines.
While being able to taste the difference between the various types of wine is seen to be somewhat of a dark art, not as tough as it seems. Learn a little bit about training your nose to pick out the aromas most common to each of the wine categories, and you too will very soon be able to spot the difference between a Merlot and a Shiraz.
We'll start with the reds. Merlot - certainly the most popular of the reds has a characteristic blend of exotic spices and rich fruity flavours. A Cabernet Sauvignon, however, is richer still, and slightly more expensive. There are a strong earthy tones in the mix, and a woody finish is pretty common.
To sample a slightly fruitier, smokier wine, try a Pinot Noir. The strawberries, plums and cherries give it a lighter colour than the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, so it is a little livelier. On the dark side, there is the Shiraz. The dark blackberries and blueberries and, of course, the liquorice are unmistakable in this wine.
A light Italian wine, Barbera, comes complete with a silken texture and vibrant cherry red hues, and will blast drinkers with flavours of plums, currants, and berries. Chianti, slightly heavier and more velvety in texture, smells and tastes a little much like dried cherries, with a light vanilla finish.
Now on to the whites. Chardonnay, the nation's favourite, ranges from light and zingy to scents of butter and oak. Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, is much drier in texture and flavour, lightly smelling rather akin to freshly-cut grass.
You will certainly notice the difference in fruitiness in the medium-bodied Pinot Grigio. It is packed full of flavours of melon, apple and peaches to make it extra refreshing on hot days. It sits perfectly with seafood and pasta precisely because it is so light. For something with a spicier name and a spicier finish, the Gewrztraminer is in a league of its own. It's perhaps not as popular as the Pinot or Chardonnay, but its spices and bitter grapefruit aftertastes make it a wine to remember.
Reisling is another very fruity wine with strong blasts of apples, pears and peaches. It is a very versatile wine that stretches across a broad range of cuisines. There is a citrusy wine called Semillon that smells slightly like burnt toast, but, rest assured, it tastes much better. The hints of lemon and lime twist their way around your taste buds. To round off our collection of tastes in the wine world, we have Moscato. This has powerful hints of peach, orange and even coriander to match its attractively musky aroma.
While being able to taste the difference between the various types of wine is seen to be somewhat of a dark art, not as tough as it seems. Learn a little bit about training your nose to pick out the aromas most common to each of the wine categories, and you too will very soon be able to spot the difference between a Merlot and a Shiraz.
We'll start with the reds. Merlot - certainly the most popular of the reds has a characteristic blend of exotic spices and rich fruity flavours. A Cabernet Sauvignon, however, is richer still, and slightly more expensive. There are a strong earthy tones in the mix, and a woody finish is pretty common.
To sample a slightly fruitier, smokier wine, try a Pinot Noir. The strawberries, plums and cherries give it a lighter colour than the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, so it is a little livelier. On the dark side, there is the Shiraz. The dark blackberries and blueberries and, of course, the liquorice are unmistakable in this wine.
A light Italian wine, Barbera, comes complete with a silken texture and vibrant cherry red hues, and will blast drinkers with flavours of plums, currants, and berries. Chianti, slightly heavier and more velvety in texture, smells and tastes a little much like dried cherries, with a light vanilla finish.
Now on to the whites. Chardonnay, the nation's favourite, ranges from light and zingy to scents of butter and oak. Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, is much drier in texture and flavour, lightly smelling rather akin to freshly-cut grass.
You will certainly notice the difference in fruitiness in the medium-bodied Pinot Grigio. It is packed full of flavours of melon, apple and peaches to make it extra refreshing on hot days. It sits perfectly with seafood and pasta precisely because it is so light. For something with a spicier name and a spicier finish, the Gewrztraminer is in a league of its own. It's perhaps not as popular as the Pinot or Chardonnay, but its spices and bitter grapefruit aftertastes make it a wine to remember.
Reisling is another very fruity wine with strong blasts of apples, pears and peaches. It is a very versatile wine that stretches across a broad range of cuisines. There is a citrusy wine called Semillon that smells slightly like burnt toast, but, rest assured, it tastes much better. The hints of lemon and lime twist their way around your taste buds. To round off our collection of tastes in the wine world, we have Moscato. This has powerful hints of peach, orange and even coriander to match its attractively musky aroma.