Wine Tip #10 – How Many Types Of Wine Are There?

In 2006, there were approximately 45,000  different types of wine being produced in the world. Recently that number was increased to 75,000. Wow! That’s a lot of wine to try in one persons drinking life, even for a wino like me. If you’re new to wine you might be wondering how many types of wine there are. Basically, wine can be broken down into four categories: table wine, sparkling wine, fortified wine and sweet wine. Let’s quickly go through each one so you have an idea of their differences.

Table Wine -For the sake of simplicity, essentially all wines are considered table wines which include white, red and rosé wines. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, for example, in many European countries a table wine is considered to be of a lesser status then their quality wines. Take Italy for instance, a wine is considered a table wine when the vintner doesn’t produce their wine according to local regulations. These winemakers purposefully forgo the denominations of DOCG and DOC because they believe those regulations restrict their ability to make top notch wines. Which means, just because a wine in Italy displays those denominations on their labels and is considered higher quality wine because they follow the local regulations doesn’t guarantee the wine is of high quality. Many Italian wines that are considered table wines are some of the highest quality wines Italy produces. Tuscany is a great example of this.

So when you see the word “table wine” on a wine label don’t confuse it with cheap or read to much into it. Depending on where the wine comes from it could mean a few different things. Knowing what you know now you won’t judge the wine by it’s label and if it sounds good for heaven sake give it a try!

Sparkling Wine – Is exactly what it sounds like, wine that contains bubbles. Actually it is the carbon dioxide that makes the wine fizzy. The carbon dioxide is either infused or happens through natural fermentation. Most of us are familiar with white and rosé sparkling wines but make no mistake there are several yummy red sparkling wines available.  A sparkling wine can’t boast the name Champagne unless it was made in Champagne, France. Sparkling wine can be really dry or really sweet. Sparkling wine comes from a variety of different countries like Cava from Spain or Mousseux or Crémant refer to sparkling wine that was produced outside of Champagne, France.

Fortified Wine – also known as liqueur wine is wine that has a distilled beverage added to it, such as brandy. Fortified wines can be dry or sweet and are generally served in small amounts as digestifs.  Port, Vermouth and Sherry are all fortified wines you might love or have tried.

Sweet Wine or Dessert Wines - Ice wine is one of my favorite dessert wines. There are many techniques used to produce sweet wines. Generally they are served as an digestif.

So, while there are over 75,000 different wines being made across the world they can be broken down into four different types of wines.  Now you know for yourself so you can hold a conversation with a wine snob if need be and worst case scenario, just nod your head and agree, drink more and find a diversion!