Wine Basics - red or white or fortified?

Wine Basics

Don't get stuck deciding which wine goes best with turkey. Simply be prepared to present your guests with a simple choice -
red or white.

Wine Basics:

____________

Fortified Wine Basics
Fortified wines are generally served as an apéritif or after-dinner drink.

Madiera
Blonde to brown, dry to very sweet, as an apéritif or after-dinner drink
Marsala
Rich, smoky, sweet to dry, as an apéritif or after-dinner drink
Oloroso
Dark, rich, full-flavored Sherry
Port
Sweet, usually an after-dinner drink
Sherry
As apéritif or after-dinner drink, serve dry sherry chilled, sweet sherry at room temp

Red Wine Basics
Red wines are generally best when served at approx 65° F

White Wine Basics
Whites wines are generally best when served between 50-55° F

Asti Spumante
Sweet, sparkling, Italian wine, dessert or as an apéritif
Barolo
Robust, bold bouquet
Beaujolais
Light, dry, fruity
Bordeaux (white)
Fragrant, fine
Burgundy (white)
Dry, rich, mild
Chablis
Crisp, dry
Champagne
Tart, elegant
Chardonnay
Buttery, oaky
Chenin Blanc
Light, sweet, floral
Gewürtztraminer
Spicy, crisp, perfumy
Lambrusco (white)
Semi-sweet, slightly effervescent
Liebfraumilch
Light, sweet
Mirin (aka Sake)
Sweet, golden, Japanese rice wine
Muscadet
Light, dry
Muscatel
Sweet, rich, dessert wine
Pinot Blanc
Dry, crisp
Pinot Gris
Crisp, rich
Retsina
Turpentine-like, traditional, Greek wine
Riesling
Light, sweet, floral
Sake (aka Mirin)
sweet, golden, Japanese rice wine
Sauternes
Sweet, elegant, dessert wine
Sauvignon Blanc
Light, crisp, fruity
Sémillon
Dry or semi-sweet
Sparkling Wine - only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France is authentic "Champagne"
Tart, fancy
Spumante
Sweet, sparkling, Italian wine, dessert or as an apéritif
Vouvray
Dry, semisweet, sweet, or sparkling
Zinfandel (white)
Fruity, sweet, light, spicy

Champagne bottle sizes

Bordeaux bottle sizes

Cheers!

Food Historian