Classification of Wines

Types of wines

Table of Contents
Still Wines
Sparkling Wines
Fortified Wines
Aromatised Wines

Still Wines
This is the largest category. The alcoholic strength may be between 9% and 15% by volume. The
wines may be:
Red: being fermented in contact with grape skins from which the wine gets its colour. Normally dry
wines.
White: usually produced from white grapes, but the grape juice (must) is usually fermented away
from the skins. Normally dry to very sweet.
Rose: made in three ways – from red grapes fermented on the skins for up to 48 hours; by mixing
red and white wines together; or by pressing grapes so that some colour is extracted.
It may be dry or semi-sweet. These are called blush wines in the USA when made wholly from red
grapes.

Sparkling Wines
The most famous is Champagne. This is made by the methode champenoise (secondary
fermentation in the bottle) in an area of north-eastern France.
Effervescent wines made outside this area are called vins mousseux or sparkling wines and are
made by either the methode champenoise (now to be called methode traditionelle), the Charmat
method (tank fermented and sometimes termed the methode cuve close), the transfer method, or
the carbonation method.
They may vary from brut (very dry), sec (medium dry), demi-sec (medium sweet), to doux (sweet).

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 Classification of Wines

Fortified Wines
Fortified wines such as Sherry, Port and Madeira have been strengthened by the addition of
alcohol, usually a grape spirit.
These are now known within the EC as liqueur wines or vins de liqueur. Their alcoholic strength
may be between 15% and 22%, by volume.
Sherry (from Spain) 15-18% ; made from white grapes -fino (dry), amontillado (medium), oloroso
(sweet)
Port (from Portugal) 18-22% ; strong sweet; typically drunk as a dessert wine – ruby, tawny,
vintage character, late bottled vintage, vintage
Madeira 18% (famous dessert wine; made on the Portuguese island of Madeira) – Sercial (dry),
Verdelho (medium), Bual (sweet), Malmsey (very sweet)
Marsala 18% – a dark sweet wine from Marsala in Sicily

Aromatised Wines
An aromatised wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 14.5% by volume and a maximum
alcohol content of 22% by volume according to EU law Council Regulation (EEC)
The majority of older brands come from France and Italy but there are now a range of small ‘craft’

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 Classification of Wines

producers around the world.

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