Getting the words right.

Getting the words right

Those in the ‘business’ of wine and those who purport to be ‘experts’ usually throw out wine varieties and production terms with considerable ease.  However, since 82% of the wine in this country is consumed by less than 20% of the population, about 80% of the world is often just a little uncomfortable with pronunciations in public settings.  So if you are truly a connoisseur, this story is likely not for you….however, for most of us, perhaps the very brief pronunciations and notes below will help us be just a LITTLE more at ease in the company of a bunch of wine ‘snobs. 

Wine varieties: 

Cabernet Sauvignon: [cab-bear-nay  so-veen-yon] a red grape that makes one of the most highly regarded wines in the world.  It always finished ‘dry’ [without any sweetness]

Cabernet Franc:  [cab-bear-nay   frăăk]  a red grape, a cousin of Cabernet Sauvignon usually made into a dry red wine, but sometimes made into a rosé [rose-zay] with a little sweetness.

Pinot Noir: [pee-no  nwah] a red grape that is usually lighter in color but is also nearly always a dry wine.

Syrah: [sirr – ah]:  a deep red grape made into dry red wine.

Riesling: [rees-ling]:  a white wine,  one of the most widely planted in northern Ohio which usually has a little to a considerable amount of sweetness.  [Look on the back label of a bottle and you will likely see a bar that will indicate the level of sweetness.  It is a tool created by the International Riesling foundation to help guide shoppers.]

Chardonnay: [shar-doe-nay]: the most famous of the white wines which are almost always dry. 

Gewürztraminer: [guh-verts-tra-mee-ner]:  because of its tongue-twister spelling, one of the grape names most often avoided in public settings, this white wine is very aromatic and usually just a little sweet.

Pinot Grigio [pee-no  gree  gee oh]:  this white wine is fruity and usually just a little sweet.

Gruner Veltliner [gru-ner  velt- leener]: a white of Austrian heritage made frequently off-dry.

Seyval Blanc: [say-val  blaaank]:  a French American hybrid grape made into a white nearly dry wine.

Vidal Blanc: [vee-doll   blaaank]:  a French American hybrid white used for a slightly sweet table wine or for ice wine.

For additional information:  dwinchell@ohiowines.org