Beverages

Wine

Wine has been produced for over 8,000 years, making it one of humanity's oldest crafted beverages. I prefer dry white wines—Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay are my go-to choices.

Quick Facts

• Origin — Georgia (the country), around 6000 BC
• Annual Production — 26 billion liters worldwide
• Top Producers — Italy, France, Spain, USA, Argentina
• Grape Species — Vitis vinifera (European wine grape)
• Varieties — Over 10,000 wine grape varieties exist

My Favorites: Dry Whites

• Pinot Grigio — Light, crisp, refreshing. Notes of citrus, green apple, and pear. Perfect for warm weather. Originally from Burgundy, now famous in Northern Italy.
• Chardonnay — The most popular white wine in the world. Ranges from crisp and mineral (unoaked) to rich and buttery (oaked). Incredibly versatile grape.

Understanding "Dry"

In wine terms, "dry" simply means not sweet. During fermentation, yeast converts grape sugar into alcohol. In dry wines, most or all of the sugar is fermented out, leaving little residual sweetness. The opposite of dry is sweet, with off-dry wines falling in between.

• Dry — Less than 10 g/L residual sugar (most table wines)
• Off-Dry — 10-35 g/L (slightly sweet, like some Rieslings)
• Sweet — Over 35 g/L (dessert wines, ports)

Other Dry White Wines Worth Trying

• Sauvignon Blanc — Zesty, herbaceous, high acidity. Marlborough (New Zealand) versions are famous for their grapefruit and passion fruit notes.
• Albariño — Spanish white with stone fruit and citrus. Great with seafood.
• Grüner Veltliner — Austria's signature white. Peppery, citrusy, refreshing.
• Muscadet — Bone-dry French wine from the Loire Valley. Mineral, lean, perfect with oysters.
• Vermentino — Italian/French Mediterranean white. Bright, herbal, saline quality.

Red Wine Basics

• Cabernet Sauvignon — Full-bodied, tannic, ages well. The "king of reds."
• Pinot Noir — Light to medium body, elegant, earthy. Difficult to grow.
• Merlot — Soft, fruity, approachable. Great entry point for red wine.
• Malbec — Argentina's signature grape. Rich, plummy, smooth.
• Syrah/Shiraz — Bold, peppery, meaty. Syrah in France, Shiraz in Australia.

Wine Regions

• France — Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône, Loire. The benchmark.
• Italy — Tuscany (Chianti, Brunello), Piedmont (Barolo), Veneto (Prosecco, Pinot Grigio).
• California — Napa Valley, Sonoma. Known for bold Cabernets and buttery Chardonnays.
• Spain — Rioja, Ribera del Duero. Tempranillo is the star grape.
• Argentina — Mendoza. World's best Malbec at great value.
• New Zealand — Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is world-famous.

Serving Temperatures

• Sparkling — 38-45°F (coldest)
• Light Whites — 44-50°F (Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc)
• Full Whites — 50-55°F (oaked Chardonnay)
• Light Reds — 55-60°F (Pinot Noir)
• Full Reds — 60-65°F (Cabernet, Malbec)