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Wine Cheat Sheet
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Drinks · Wine Cheat Sheet
Styles, grapes, label terms, and the numbers that actually matter — enough to order, taste, and store with confidence.
Wine Styles
RedFermented with grape skins — tannin and color come from contact timeWhiteSkins removed before fermentation, even from red-skinned grapesRoséBrief skin contact, then removed — pink color, not a red/white blendSparklingA second fermentation traps CO2 (Champagne, Cava, Prosecco)FortifiedSpirit added, raising ABV (Port, Sherry, Madeira)DessertHigh residual sugar, often from late-harvest or botrytized grapesCommon Red Grapes
Cabernet SauvignonFull-bodied, high tannin, blackcurrant, ages wellMerlotSofter, rounder, plum and chocolate notesPinot NoirLight-bodied, high acidity, red fruit, notoriously hard to growSyrah / ShirazBold, peppery, dark fruit — same grape, different regional nameSangioveseItaly's Chianti grape — high acidity, cherry, earthyMalbecDark, fruity, associated with Argentina (originally French)Common White Grapes
ChardonnayRanges bone-dry/steely to rich/buttery depending on oak useSauvignon BlancHigh acidity, crisp, grassy/citrus notesRieslingVery high acidity; ranges bone-dry to very sweet — check the labelPinot Grigio / GrisSame grape — Italian style lighter, Alsatian style richerMoscatoAromatic, low alcohol, usually sweet, often lightly sparklingReading a Label
VintageYear the grapes were harvested, not bottledAppellation / AOCA legally defined growing region — often implies the grape tooEstate BottledGrown, made, and bottled by the same producerReserveNo fixed legal meaning in most countries — a producer's own claimOld WorldEurope — labels favor place name over grape (e.g. "Bordeaux")New WorldAmericas, Australia, NZ, S. Africa — labels favor the grape nameTasting Terms
TanninDry, gripping sensation from skins/seeds/oak — mainly in redsAcidityThe tart, mouth-watering sensation — not the same as sweetnessBodyHow light or heavy a wine feels, roughly like skim vs. whole milkDryLittle to no residual sugar — the opposite of sweet, not of fruityFinishHow long the flavor lingers after swallowingLegsStreaks on the glass — indicate alcohol/sugar, not qualityServing Temperatures
Sparkling6–8°C (43–47°F) — coldest of allWhite7–13°C (45–55°F) — crisper whites colder, richer whites warmerRosé7–10°C (45–50°F)Light Red13–16°C (55–60°F) — e.g. Pinot Noir, chill slightlyFull-Bodied Red16–18°C (60–65°F) — just below room temperatureFood Pairing Basics
High acid winePairs well with rich, fatty, or creamy foodHigh tannin redPairs well with fatty red meat — protein softens tanninSweet wineShould be at least as sweet as the dessert it's served withDelicate dishPair with a delicate wine so neither one overpowers the otherOpened Bottle: How Long It Lasts
Sparkling1–3 days (use a sealed stopper, not a regular cork)White / Rosé2–4 days, refrigeratedRed3–5 days — refrigerate too, despite the "serve at room temp" adviceFortified2–4 weeks — higher alcohol slows oxidation"Corked" doesn't mean bits of cork in your glass
A wine is "corked" when a compound called TCA has contaminated the cork, giving the wine a wet-cardboard or damp-basement smell — a genuine fault, not just a broken or crumbly cork. Real cork sediment or a loose cork is harmless; a musty, flat smell instead of the wine's own real aroma is the actual sign to send a bottle back.