Wine: Perfect for Any Palate?

Answer 1

Sharing a bottle of wine is a magical experience. In fact, memorable moments that center around wine consumption happen every minute of the day throughout the world. In many ways, wine is the great equalizer; anyone can drink a glass and enjoy it. While a serious wine drinker will think nothing of buying an expensive vintage for his collection, millions of other people are content to buy a cheap box of wine for their dinner parties. Above all, wine is many things to many different people.

Grape varietals grown in major wine-producing regions throughout the globe often create the different ways in which wine tastes to people. For example, Malbec is a popular grape varietal exported out of Argentina, although it was initially grown in France’s Bordeaux region. Serious wine drinkers often love its earthy, full-bodied flavor, and Malbec is currently one of the hottest wines sold on today’s market.

Every continent, save for Antarctica, has a wine-producing region, and with today’s vast and intricate trade networks, any kind of wine can be shipped around the globe. Certain regions, however, have perfected the way in which they combine grape varietals to create the most popular wines. These regions include Central Europe (France and Germany), Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and the Pacific coast of the United States. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Bordeaux, Chianti, and South Africa’s Pinotage are some of the most consumed red wines on the market, and all of these vary in sweetness and body. Some vineyards even blend these red varieties to create new wines.

White wines are also diverse. Like red grapes, the white varietals are grown in major wine-producing regions throughout the globe. The most popular white wines, however, are Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc. As with red wines, sweetness and body, often affected by soil and climate, greatly vary between these popular varietals.

Overall, different wines suit different tastes. Wine is as diverse as the people who consume it. Whether it is a robust Argentine Malbec or a dry Riesling from Alsace, a glass of wine is never dull. Indeed, wine is the perfect antidote to life’s more ordinary moments.