One way to classify wine is by color: red, white, or rosé. Choosing one of these wines is a matter of individual taste. The determination of choice can be based on the food being eaten or served, the occasion, or even the time of year. Most wines are classified by color before any other distinction.
The wine can be classified as regular without bubbles or bubbly. Regular wines are the ones we drink at any time; while sparkling wines are the ones we reserve for special occasions. These wines are further broken down into table wines or light, dessert or liqueur wines, and then sparkling wines, those with bubbles.
Wine is made from fermented grape juice. The United States and Europe have established standards that regulate the alcohol content in wines. It is by these standards that wine is divided into table, dessert and sparkling.
According to established regulations, table or light wines cannot have an alcohol content higher than 14 percent in the US, and in Europe, the alcohol content will range between 8.5 and 14 percent. cent by volume. The 14 percent limit occurred due to the natural fermentation process. Once the alcohol level reaches 14 percent or less, there is not enough sugar in the juice to raise the alcohol content beyond that amount. Another reason for this is that the natural yeasts that settle on the grapes die and the fermentation process stops when the alcohol level reaches 14 percent. In more recent years, many grapes are grown in warmer climates, so the natural alcohol content has dropped to 14.5 or 15.5 percent. The grapes become overripe with warmer temperatures and the natural sugar content is much higher, resulting in a higher alcohol content before the juice stops fermenting. In addition, gonzo yeast is added. This yeast does not die but continues its process beyond 14 percent alcohol content. These, however, are still classified as table wines as the alcohol content occurs naturally. California wines, such as red Zinfandels, Cabernets, and Chardonnays, can fall into this category.
Dessert wines, or liqueur wines (as Europeans call them), have additional alcohol added, raising their alcohol content above that 14 percent level. Sometimes this category of wine is sweeter than table wine, but not always, and they are not always served after dinner. The bottom line here is that additional alcohol has been added.
Sparkling wine is bubbly wine. This type of wine contains bubbles naturally formed by carbon dioxide during the fermentation process. Some winemakers choose to keep these bubbles in the wine. Both the United States and Europe call these wines sparkling. Champagne that is made from a specific variety of grapes made under specific circumstances comes from a region of France with the same name, Champagne. Champagne is a very popular and well-known sparkling wine. All sparkling wines are not champagne. However, until an updated agreement was made between the United States and the European Union, winemakers could label any natural sparkling wine as champagne. The word champagne could even be capitalized. The word American or Californian should now be added as a prefix for champagne so wine buyers know that it is not the sparkling wine made in Champagne, France.
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