Order wine like a pro in Charlotte: a guide to basic wine and grape types
By Jillian Mueller
You can find the perfect glass of wine for you in Charlotte with just a little direction on varieties and flavors.
Courtesy of Foxcroft Wine
Ever feel like the wine list from your favorite restaurant/bar/brewery is written in another language? Depending on how many European wines are on the list, it actually might be — but that doesn’t mean that you have to guess to find something delicious to sip.
I spent years taking blind guesses while ordering wine and ended up gulping down or abandoning glasses that I didn’t particularly enjoy. At a certain point, I just assumed that I hated all white wines because I’d ordered wrong so many times. While there’s no guarantee you’ll love any glass or bottle, just a little bit of knowledge can steer you toward the taste you’re craving.
Whether you’re looking for a deep spicy red, a zesty porch sipper or anything in-between, bookmark this guide and pull it up next time you’re at the bar to help you find the perfect glass for your mood and budget.
Terms to know
Body: The intensity of the flavor of a wine is called the body. A full bodied wine is richer with hearty flavor than a lighter bodied wine, which will be more easy drinking and delicate.
Tannin: The gripping, bitter flavor found in red wines, dark chocolate and black tea is tannin. Tannins leave a dry feeling in your mouth and add a rich, savory feel to red wines.
Acid: If you’re looking for a zesty glass, look for a high acid glass of wine. Acid gives a wine a tart, mouthwatering quality — think a glass of lemonade on a hot day
Sweetness: The terms dry, off-dry and sweet describe the amount of residual sugar you can taste in a wine. A dry wine (or trocken, if it’s a German grape) has very little sweetness. An off-dry wine will have a moderate level of sweet flavor, and a sweet wine is your most sugary option.
When shopping for sparkling wines, brut is the driest option, with dry being a mid-level sweetness. Demi-sec and doux are your most sugary-sweet and best dessert wine options.
ABV: ABV stands for Alcohol By Volume and measures the percentage of alcohol in the wine, and is important to note when you decide to have a glass (or two, or three). Most wines range from about 11-14% ABV, with 11-12% being a low alcohol wine and 14%+ considered a high alcohol one. You should always savor your wine with plenty of water and tasty food, but be especially careful to hydrate and practice moderation with the higher ABV glasses.
Oaked: Some wines are stored in wooden containers, which can add smooth smoky flavors of vanilla, clove, cedar or coconut to the wine.
Here are some of the grapes and wines you’ll typically see on wine lists at restaurants and bars:
White wine (from lowest to highest body)
A full bodied wine has a hearty flavor, whereas lighter bodied wines are more delicate. Courtesy of Foxcroft Wine
Riesling
Riesling wines range in sweetness from dry to very sweet, but virtually any bottle will pair well with spicy food.
Flavors: lime, green apple, peach and honeysuckle.
This easy-drinking white wine is called Pinot Gris if the grapes are from France and Pinot Grigio if they are Italian grapes. It tastes great with seafood and light meals.
These are usually among the most budget-friendly wine options on your list so you can get extra bang for your buck. You may also see Sancerre on your wine list, which is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from central France.
Flavors: grapefruit, peach and tropical passionfruit with a mineral finish
Tip Top Market carries the Lieu Dit Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Jillian Mueller
Chardonnay
One of the most popular white wines, Chardonnay can be oaked or unoaked — and the oak makes a world of difference. Oaked Chardonnays are usually higher alcohol with a strong buttery, vanilla and banana flavor, while unoaked Chardonnay wines are more crisp, acidic and fruit-forward.
Flavors: green apple, pear, tropical fruit, If oaked-Vanilla and butter.
Body: medium
Alcohol: medium
Sweetness: dry
Acid: medium
Try it:
Oaked - Cuvee des Renards Bourgogne Blanc by Domaine Des Vercheres Burgundy, $14 glass, $29.99 bottle at Foxcroft Wine.
Unoaked - 2018 Cooper Mountain Chardonnay, $32.99 bottle at Foxcroft Wine.
Rosé
Although you’ll sometimes find rosé wines on the white wines list, rosé is technically its own category. They vary by grape and technique, just like reds and whites. As a general rule, rosé wines are lower in alcohol content, refreshing and easy drinking, making them perfect to sip on sunny days.
Provence rosé:
Sometimes called summer water, these rosés from southern French regions including Provence and Savoie are refreshingly sippable and not too sweet.
Flavors: strawberry, rose, watermelon, salt
Body: light
Alcohol: low
Sweetness: dry
Acid: high
Try it: Bieler Pere et Fils Rose Sabine $7 glass, $21-bottle at The Loyalist Market.
Pinot Noir rosé
Expect to see a few fruit-forward Pinot Noir rosés popping up in your favorite wine shops as we get closer to sunny and warm pink wine weather.
Flavors: strawberry, raspberry, citrus zest
Body: medium
Alcohol: low
Sweetness: dry
Acid: medium
Try it: Slo Down Send Nudes Rose, $25 bottle at The Hobbyist.
Syrah rosé:
Although they have a reputation for being light and delicate, some rosé wines, like the Syrah rosé, are full of rich and bold flavors that can pack a major punch.
Têtu rose carries the flavors of cherry, lime zest and peach skin. Courtesy of Local Loaf
Red wine (from lightest to fullest body)
Find a smooth and fruity Merlot like Amplify Lightworks Volume 4 Merlot Natural at Salud. Jillian Mueller
Pinot Noir
Light and flavorful, Pinot Noirs are crowd-pleasing and easy-drinking red wines. You can even pop your bottle in the fridge for 20 minutes before you uncork it for a cool treat on warmer days.
Flavors: bright cherry, strawberry, vanilla if oaked
