Basic Wine Buyers Guide

Since I have been working in an industry that sells wine I have been asked many times what are the differences from all the wines on these shelves.  Here is a brief description of the types of wines and what food to eat them with.  I also included wines you should try if you are not sure what you are looking for.  I picked inexpensive wines so you don’t break your budget:

White Wine:

• Chardonnay:  The flavor is dry, oaky and full-bodied
  • Drink this wine with Seafood, Poultry, Shell Fish and goes great with Caesar Salad
  • My suggestions:  Woodbridge, Clos Du Bois, Yellow Tail and Hogue.
• Sauvignon Blanc:  The flavor is dry, citrusy and grassy nose (nose is the smell)
  • Drink this with Seasoned Poultry, Fish, and Summer Salads
  • My suggestions:  Chateau St. Jean Fume Blanc, Barefoot, Ecco Dominai, Rancho Zabaco
• Pinot Grigio:  The flavor is light, crisp, fruity and dry.  Quickly becoming the most popular white wine.
  • Drink with Mild Fish, Pasta and Mild Cheese
  • My suggestions: Santa Margharita, Blackstone, Turning Leaf, Cavit and Bella Sera

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• Riesling: Light, sweet or semi sweet (Very popular with the first time wine drinker)
  • Drink with Poultry, shellfish and fish
  • My suggestions:  Chateau Ste. Michelle, Robert Mondavi and Hogue
• Gewurtztaminer:  Medium-bodied, Semi-sweet and Spicy
  • Drink with Smoked Meats, Fish, Fowl, Asian Dishes
  • My suggestions:  Forest Estate, Domaine Trimbach, Covey Run
• White Zinfandel:  Light, Fruity (great start for a first time wine drinker)
  • Drink with light Fare, Picnics
  • My suggestions:  Woodbridge, Sutterhome and Barefoot
• White Merlot:  Fruity, light (next step after you get bored with White Zinfandel)
  • Drink with burgers, cookouts
  • My suggestions:  Beringer, Sutterhome
• Moscato: Sweet and light (my mom’s favorite and she hates wine).
  • Drink with light fare
  • My suggestions: Beringer, Gallo

Red Wine:

• Cabernet Sauvignon:  Very Dry, Full Bodied (needs to be aged usually appreciated by experienced wine drinkers)
  • Drink with steak, Pasta Meals, Mild Cheeses
  • My Suggestions:  Robert Mondavi, Stags Leap (expensive), Yalumba
• Merlot:  Dry, Medium-full bodied
  • Drink with Beef, pasta meals, Pizza and Sword Fish
  • My Suggestions:  Independant Producers,  Columbia Crest, McWilliams, Barefoot, Yellowtail
• Zinfadel: Dry, Medium-full bodied
  • Drink with BBQ Meats, Tomato Based Dishes, Spicy/Ethnic Cuisine
  • My Suggestions: Gnarly Head, Ravenswood, Rancho Zambaco
• Pinot Noir:  Dry, Medium Body
  • Drink with Pork, Chicken, Lamb and Salmon
  • My Suggestions:  Sebastiani, Mark West, Estancia
• Shiraz:  Dry, Sometimes a sweet finish, Medium Body (my favorite)
  • Drink with Beef, Lamb and Fish
  • My Suggestions: Rosemont, Yellowtail, McWilliams
• Beaujolais:  Light, Fruity, Dry
  • Drink with Pasta, Beef and Fish
  • My Suggestions:  Georges Duboeuf