The Five Wine Types

Great food needs to be paired with great wine! At Fiori Italian Restaurant and Bar, we offer a proud selection of Italian and non-Italian wines to give you a well-rounded meal. Our staff is knowledgeable about the perfect wine pairings and the characteristics of each wine selection. Let’s go over the five main types of wine: Red, White, Rosé, Sparkling, and Dessert.

1. Red Wine

Red wines are made from dark-skinned grapes, and their color comes from the process of maceration, where the grape skins are left in contact with the juice during fermentation. This skin contact also contributes to the tannin content of red wines, which are natural compounds that create a drying sensation on the palate. Tannins are what give red wine its structure and ability to age.

2. White Wine

White wines are typically made from light-skinned grapes, and unlike red wines, the skins are removed from the juice before fermentation. White wine contains two ingredients: grape juice and yeast. This results in a crisp, light, and refreshing wine that gets its character from the grape's natural acidity and aromas.

3. Rosé Wine

Rosé is a beautiful and unique wine that gets its signature pink hue from a brief period of contact with the red grape skins. The result is a wine that offers the freshness of a white wine with some of the fruity characteristics of a red.

4. Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is defined by its effervescence- the delightful bubbles created by carbon dioxide. These bubbles are a result of a secondary fermentation, which can occur either in the bottle (like in Champagne) or in a large tank (like in Prosecco). Sparkling wines can be white, red, or rosé, and they range from bone-dry to sweet.

5. Dessert Wine

Dessert wines are made to be sweet and are the perfect ending to a meal. Their sweetness is achieved by various methods, such as stopping fermentation early to leave residual sugar, harvesting grapes late so they are extra-ripe and full of sugar, or using grapes affected by noble rot or freezing.

Taste buds watering yet? Our staff is always here to guide you and ensure every sip enhances your dining experience. Browse our beverage menu, lunch menu, and dinner menu to find your new favorite pairing. Salute!