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White Wines
Chardonnays
Fume
Blanc -German
Whites-Gewurztraminer- Moscato -
Pinot Grigio- Riesling-
Sauvignon
Blanc-Semillon
Blush/Rose Wines
White Zin-White Merlot
Minnesota/WI
Wines
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Red Wines
Barbera- Barbaresco-Bardolino
- Beaujolais- Cabernet Sauvignon
Chianti
- Gamay-Malbec-Merlot
Nebbiolo-Pinot
Noir-Sangiovese
Shiraz-Syrah-Valpolicella-Zinfandel |
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Barbera-
Most
successful in Italy's Piedmont region. High acidity, deep ruby color and
full body, with low tannins & berrylike flavors. |
Barbaresco-
A
red wine from the Piedmont Region of Italy, made from Nebbiolo grapes it
is lighter than Barolo . |
Bardolino-
A
light red wine from the Veneto Region of Italy. Blended from several
grapes the wine garnet in color, dry and slightly bitter, sometimes
lightly sparkling. |
Beaujolais-
Typically
light, fresh, fruity red wines from and area south of Burgundy, near
Lyons, in eastern France. Areas: Beaujolais-Blanc, Beaujolais-Villages,
Brouilly, Chénas, |
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 Blush
& Rose Wines
Blush
wine describes wines that vary in color from pale pink to apricot to
salmon. Most common are Rose, White Zinfandel and White Merlot.
These wines are produced from red grapes, but the grapes are processed
with the skins for only a very short time. This limits the
transfer of color from the grape's skin. (Red wines are processed
with the skins - white wines are not) The wine continues its
processing as white wine. Blush wines became popular in th the 1980's as
white wines became popular and grape growers looked for wines to use the
glut of red wine grapes. Blush wines tend to be slightly
sweet. They are an excellent wine to serve when you're not sure if
everyone invited to your dinner likes wine.
Mac's has White Zinfandels and White Merlots from many vineyards at many
price points, including a wonderful Rose from Alexis Bailey in
Hastings.
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Chardonnay
(Shar-doe-nay)
Chardonnay was the most sought after white grape through the 1990's. It
can be made sparkling or still. Often wider-bodied (and more
velvety) than other types of dry whites, with rich citrus (lemon,
grapefruit) flavours. Fermenting in new oak barrels adds a buttery tone
(vanilla, toast, coconut, toffee). Apple, Pear, Vanilla, Fig, Peach,
Pineapple, Melon, Citrus, Lemon, Grapefruit, Honey, Spice, Butterscotch,
Butter & Hazelnut. These wines are typically medium in sweetness and
have a heavy body. A good choice for fish and chicken dishes.
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 Chianti
From a blend of grapes this fruity, light ruby-to-garnet-colored red
may be called Chianti Riserva when aged three or more years.
Chianti
Classico-
From a designated portion of the Chianti wine district. To be
labeled Chianti Classico, both vineyard and winery must be within the
specified region.
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 Fume
Blanc
& Pouilly-Blancs
Widely known as Sauvignon Blanc - In California it is often labeled Fume
Blanc. Grassy & herbaceous flavors and aromas mark this light and
medium-bodied wine, sometimes with hints of gooseberry & black
currant.
Robert Mondavi deserves credit
for this renaming of this varietal to distinguish the style it is made
in. Mondavi made a sweet style from the 1966 and '67 vintages, labeling
their wine "Sauvignon Blanc", but changed to a dry version in
1968. To denote the change to their customers, they came up with the
"Fumé Blanc" name after Pouilly-Fumé, one of the most
popular dry-style Loire Valley versions. Rather than copyrighting or
trademarking the name, Mondavi offered to allow anyone to use the Fumé
Blanc name to market a dry-style Sauvignon Blanc. Note that the term is
only used on American wines.
"Fumé" literally
translates to "smoke," but this has nothing to do with a
"smoky" flavor in the wine, although that is a popular notion.
It instead refers to the morning fog that covers the Loire Valley and is
"as thick as smoke." Any smoke-like smells or flavors in
Sauvignon Blanc probably arise from aging in toasted oak barrels and are
definitely not due to any inherent character of this grape variety.
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 Gamay
Beaujolais makes its famous, fruity reds
exclusively from one of the many Gamays available, the Gamay Noir à Jus
Blanc. Low in alcohol and relatively high in acidity, the wines are
meant to be drunk soon after bottling; the ultimate example of this is
Beaujolais Nouveau, whipped onto shelves everywhere almost overnight. It
is also grown in the Loire, but makes no remarkable wines. The Swiss
grow it widely, for blending with Pinot Noir.
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 German
White Wines
German
wines are named after the place they come from-usually a combination of
a village name and a vineyard name. The finest German wines have another
element in their name-a Pradikat. A Pradikat is an indication of the
ripeness of the grapes. Wines with a Pradikat hold the highest rank in
the German System.
There are six Pradikat levels which range from the least ripe to the
ripest- The more ripe the grape the more sweet the wine: *Kabinett *Spatlese
*Auslese *Beerenauslese *Eiswein *Trockenbeerenauslese
These wines range from sweet to
very sweet and have a medium to light body.
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Gewurztraminer
A
distinctive floral bouquet & spicy flavor are hallmarks of this
medium-sweet wine. Grown mainly in Alsace region of France &
Germany, and also in California, Eastern Europe, Australia, and
New Zealand.
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Malbecs
One of the traditional "Bordeaux varietals", Malbec has
characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot. A midseason ripener, it can bring very deep color, ample tannin,
and particular characteristic notes of plum and aniseplum-like flavor
adding complexity to claret blends.
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Merlots
Merlot
red wines are deep in color, full body, high alcohol, and low in tannins
are characteristics of wines made from the merlot grape varietal. The
aromas and flavors can be plummy or sometimes chocolaty. These wines are
typically dry and have a medium body.
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Minnesota
& Wisconsin Wines
These
wines may vary depending upon varietal and which region the grapes are
from.
These wines are typically medium in sweetness and have a medium body.
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Moscato
These
wines are typically medium in sweetness and have a medium body.
They are frequently almost "sparkling"
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Nebbiolo
The great grape of Northern Italy, which excels there in Barolo and
Barbaresco, strong, ageable wines.
These wines are
typically and have a body.
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Pinot Grigios
At its best this varietal produces wines that are soft,
perfumed with more color than most other white wines. Grown mainly in
northeast Italy, but as Pinot Gris it is grown in Alsace & known as
Tokay.It can have the richness of a Chardonnay and the crisp acidity of
a Sauvignon Blanc. Its aromas suggest honeyed peach and other stone
fruits, and its flavors include notes of citrus and pear. The
Oregon Pinot Gris are especially excellent op
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Pinot Noir
(Pee noh nwahr) Pinot
Noir is lighter in color than Cabernet or Merlot wine. It has relatively
high alcohol, medium-to high acidity, and medium-to-low tannin unless it
is oak barrel aged. Its flavors and aromas can be very fruity - often
like mixed red berries -or earthy and woodsy depending on how it is
grown and/or vinified.
These
wines are typically dry and have a medium body.
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Rieslings
Flavors
of apricot & tropical fruit with floral aromas are characteristics
of this widely varying wine. Styles range from dry to sweet.
Riesling has a powerful and distinctive floral and apple-like aroma that
frequently mixes in mineral elements from its vineyard source and is
often described as "racy." High levels of residual
sugar.
These
wines are typically sweet and have a light body.
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 Sangiovese
Known for its supple texture, medium
to full-bodied spice flavors, raspberry cherry & anise. Sangiovese
is used in many fine Italian wines including Chianti.
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Sauvignon
Blanc
Grassy & herbaceous flavors and aromas mark this light and
medium-bodied wine, sometimes with hints of gooseberry & black
currant. In California it is often labeled Fume Blanc. New Zealand
produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs in a markedly fruity
style. Practices that expose the grapes to more sunlight yield
wine that is more melon-like in aroma.
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Semillon/Blends
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 Shiraz
Black cherry, spice, pepper, tar
& leather with smooth tannins & supple texture make this wine a
growing favorite. With early drinking appeal it also has the
ability to age well to form more complex wines.
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 Syrah
Black
cherry, spice, pepper, tar & leather with smooth tannins &
supple texture make this wine a growing favorite. With early
drinking appeal it also has the ability to age well to form more complex
wines.
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Valpolicella
(Val po lee
CHEL lah)This wine is a fuller red wine. Valpolicella has a velvety
texture which pairs well with hard cheeses. There perfect wine for a
cold winter night. These wines are typically dry and have a heavy body.
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White
Merlot
A Rose wine made
from Merlot Grapes
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Sometimes called blush. A light pink wine, dry to sweet, made by
removing the skins of red Merlot grapes early in the fermentation
process.
Delicious
wines perfect for all but the strongest foods. Easy going for the
beginning wine drinker.
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White
Zinfindel
A blush or
Rose wine made by removing the skins of the Zinfandel grapes early in
the fermenting process. Delicious wines perfect for all but the
strongest foods. Easy going for the beginning wine drinker.
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 Red
Zinfandel
Often
a zesty flavour with berry dominating. With
predominant raspberry flavors and a spicy aroma, Zinfandels can be
bold and intense as well as light and fruity. It takes well to
blending bringing out flavors of cherry, wild berry & plum with
notes of leather, earth & tar. It is the most widely
grown grape in California. Much of it is turned into White Zinfandel, a
blush wine that is slightly sweet.
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If
you don't see your favorite here, ask and we'll order it
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