White Zinfandel and Beaujolais

Wine lesson – White Zinfandel and Beaujolais

 

White Zinfandel and Beaujolais are both fruity and lighter-bodied.  They are both good with many of the same foods:  dips, appetizers, mild cheese, picnic/sandwiches, Asian food, light pasta, poultry, and fruits and desserts.  So what’s the difference?

 

White Zinfandel is called a “Blush” wine, and is similar to the European Mateus Rose.  It looks pinkish or rosy in the bottle (if the bottle is clear).  It is made from the Zinfandel grape, and has a lower alcohol content than other wines so is suitable for drinking.  “White Zinfandel” refers to the difference in processing that results in a lighter wine than the often bold and spicy Red Zinfandel, or Zinfandel wine.

 

Beaujolais is a French wine from the Burgundy region generally made from the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and few tannins.  It is a French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine, which refers to the strict controls France uses for their wines.  A similar wine from outside the specific region cannot legally be called Beaujolais, in the same way that sparkling wines made outside of the Champagne region cannot be called champagne, although they may be labeled as made using the méthode Champenoise or méthode traditionnelle.

 

Making notes of all wines that you like or don’t like will help you find out which grapes you like, the processing used to produce a wine you like (or don’t), and increase your knowledge when purchasing wine by the glass or by the bottle to end up with a wine you enjoy.

Red wine, plum wine

I like all sorts of wine, and generally have a glass with dinner.  Although I like dry wines, I’ll have plum wine when I order sushi.  The sweetness of the plum wine counters the zip of the wasabi, and goes with the rolls I order – salmon, avocado, shrimp tempura – I have a pretty basic sushi palate.

 

I love wine, and am self-taught; learning about wine is as easy as drinking a glass and noting whether you like it or not. 

 

It’s fun to try, and comparing notes will help you learn.  Keep your notes in a handy pocket reference guide, to keep with you so you’ll be able to buy it when you think of it.

Love wine, or want to?

I love wine, and am self-taught; learning about wine is as easy as drinking a glass and noting whether you like it or not.  When I was looking for a Merlot to have as my go-to wine, I sampled many bottles of Merlot, in different price ranges.  The one I liked best wasn’t the most expensive; it was about $7 per bottle, several years ago.  I like yellow tail, from Australia; it has fruit and spice notes, which I like, and I discovered I like all their wines. 

 

I was in Napa years ago, and in one day we visited six wineries.  Note:  don’t have wine and cheese for lunch when you’re visiting six wineries in one day.

 

The best thing about tasting so many wines in one day was that I found out what I liked (Chardonnay) and didn’t like (oaky Chardonnay).  If you can, take advantage of a wine tasting to see what you like.  If going to wine country isn’t possible, have your own wine tasting with friends:  Select a type of wine (Merlot or Chardonnay, for example, and have each person or couple bring one in a variety of price ranges).  For a blind test, cover the labels.  Each person makes notes and scores the wines they like best.  Not everyone has to agree on the “best” wine, and the most expensive wine won’t necessarily taste the best to everyone.  It’s fun to try, and comparing notes will help you learn.

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