ADVANCED
Series One
What’s in your glass?
Exploring the Varietals
Exploring the varietals, growing regions, what’s happening in the vineyards, flavor profiles, harvest success and creating a wine tasting panel.
THE REDS
PINOT NOIR
Exploring the Varietals
Elegant, silky and sensual. Pinot Noir is delicate, supple and medium-bodies. It boasts flavors and aromas of earth, mushrooms, cherry and strawberry. It is one of the most food-friendly reds due to its natural acidity.
Pairs well with: Roast duck, bruschetta, mushroom risotto.
MERLOT
Exploring the Varietals
Soft, versatile and fruity. Merlot is consumed as a single-varietal; however, it also plays a major role in blended wines. The most common flavors and aromas from Merlot include plum, blackberry and chocolate. Depending on its style, Merlot can be paired with red meat, tomato-based dishes and even seafood.
Pairs well with: Roasted lamb, bacon-wrapped scallops, pork chops.
ZIFANDEL
Exploring the Varietals
Spicy, jammy and bold. Known for its rich, dark color and juicy, fruit-forward flavors. California is the primary location Zifandel is grown. Flavors and aromas include blackberry preserves, boysenberry, licorice, backed plum and black pepper.
Pairs well with: BBQ ribs, pepper-crusted steak, meatballs and marinara.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Exploring the Varietals
Classic, rich and complex. The veteran of red varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon is similar to Merlot, only bigger, bolder and more intense. The aromas and flavors are what we tend to associate with classic red wines: blackberry, black currant, plum, chocolate, tobacco, eucalyptus and cedar wood. Because of the grape’s powerful fruit and tannin structure, Cabernet Sauvignon is typically aged in both barrel and bottle to develop more complexity.
Pairs well with: Steak, braised ribs, veal.
THE WHITES
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Exploring the Varietals
Crisp, dry and refreshing – the lightest white of the group. This grape is a bit of a chameleon; it takes on a wide range of flavors that can be grassy and herbaceous if it’s coming from New Zealand, to citrusy and tropical if grown in California. This is a good wine to pair with goat cheese whose tangy acidity is complemented by Sauvignon Blanc’s zippy acidity.
Pairs well with: Oysters, spring salad with vinaigrette, garlic lime grilled shrimp.
PINOT GRIGIO
Exploring the Varietals
Light, lively and food-friendly. Common flavors and aromas include ripe pear, melon and citrus. Pinot Grigio is light and neutral which makes it perfect for pairing with seafood or light appetizers.
Pairs well with: Caprese salad, fish tacos, ceviche.
CHARDONNAY
Exploring the Varietals
Full-bodied, velvety and creamy. The most common and well-known white varietal. Chardonnay can come in two styles: unoaked, which is less-common, lighter and more delicate and oaked, a more classic-styled Chardonnay, which brings forward buttery, oaky, vanilla notes. Flavors can range from tropical fruit (pineapple, guava) to tart green apple to marshmallow.
Pairs well with: Grilled chicken, crab cakes, roasted butternut squash.
BLENDS
BONUS KNOWLEDGE
Exploring the Varietals
Have you been noticing a surplus of wines labeled, “Red Blend” on the wine aisle lately? Blended wines are quickly growing in popularity among wine consumers and wine producers. In order for the above wines to legally carry a varietal name, at least 75% of the wine must be made from that varietal. Blends, on the other hand, allow winemakers a greater freedom to control the wine’s balance, flavor, texture and complexity by blending without the confines of a varietal specification. The result is a unique combination of red varietals (red blend) or white varietals (white blend) whose versatility in style are boundless. Have a few favorite go-to red varietals? Try experimenting with a red blend that includes all of your favorites!