Date: Fri 22-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-12

Quick Words:

Wisdom-Small-misconceptions

Full Text:

(clarifying some wine misconceptions for Wine Wisdom, 3/22/96)

Wine Wisdom-

Simplifying Some Silly Misconceptions

By Steve Small

The subject of wine has often been shrouded in misconceptions, misinformation

and misunderstandings. It must seem sometimes as if you are allowed to drink

wine only if you have a thorough understanding of vintages, grape varieties

and other wine trivia. Encountering the disdain of those who know more about

wine than you do is enough to discourage many novice wine drinkers from really

learning about wine.

Thankfully, the times seem to be changing. More and more of us are simply

enjoying wine as a beverage. However, as we enjoy our glasses of wine, it can

still be a little confusing or intimidating. One large source of confusion is

the use of the same terms to mean completely different things. Hopefully, the

following explanations will shed some light on the situation.

Chablis, Burgundy and Champagne are the three largest sources of terminology

confusion. These are all European wines that have been appropriated by US

winemakers to mean something quite different.

In the US, Chablis is a white wine, on the dry side, usually sold in jugs. It

is made from any white grape the producers care to use. American Chablis is

almost always the least expensive white wine sold in stores. French Chablis is

a steely, dry white wine made in the Burgundy region of France. Chardonnay is

the only grape used to make French Chablis. These cost around $15 or more for

a 750 ml bottle, and improve with age.

Burgundy in the United States is a blended red wine, on the dry side, usually

sold in jugs and inexpensive. Burgundy is also a region in France, as I

mentioned earlier, where some of the world's best and most expensive wines are

made. Red Burgundys are made from Pinot Noir. White Burgundys are made from

Chardonnay. Chablis is one type of white Burgundy, as is Pouilly-Fuisse.

Champagne in the US is a sparkling wine. It ranges in taste from sweet to dry,

and prices go from $3 to $50 a bottle. The inexpensive domestic Champagnes use

many different grapes to achieve the specific taste they want. French

Champagne, on the other hand, is a sparkling wine made from the grapes Pinot

Noir, Pinot Meunier and/or Chardonnay. To be called Champagne, the French

insist it be bottled in the Champagne region east and south of Paris. The

French would prefer everything else be called, simply, sparkling wine.

Just when you thought this wine business wasn't so tough, I throw these

complications at you. Obviously, any subject can be as complicated as you want

to make it. So let me take you back to the basics... No matter what you call

it, take the bottle, pull the cork, pour it into a glass and enjoy!

(Steve Small is the proprietor of Steve's Liquor Store, in Ricky's Shopping

Center at 71 South Main Street/Route 25 in Newtown.)