Varietal refers to the grape from which the wine was made.
Varietal: Amarone (Ah-ma-roh-nay)
Color: Deep ruby red, raisiny
Description: Typically a rich Italian dry red wine, displaying flavors of licorice, tobacco and fig. Goes well with game and ripe cheese.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon (Ka-ber-nay So-vee-nyon)
Color: Dark, garnet-purple that browns when aged
Description: Known for its depth of flavor, aroma and ability to age. Full-bodied and intense, with cherry- currant and sometimes herbal flavors.
Varietal: Chardonnay (Shar-doe-nay)
Color: Golden, white wine
Description: Can range from clean and crisp with a hint of varietal flavor to rich and complex oak-aged wines. Typically balances fruit, acidity and texture.
Varietal: Malbec (Mahl-bec)
Color: Inky-red
Description: Wonderfully rich, complex, inky wines with supple tannins and ripeness. Aromas include cherry, plum, raisins, coffee and chocolate.
Varietal: Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris (Pee-no Gree-joe or Pee-no Gree)
Color: White wine that varies in color, from straw-yellow to copper-pink
Description: The low acidity of this white grape helps produce rich, lightly perfumed wines that are often more colorful than other whites.
Varietal: Pinot Noir (Pee-no Nwar)
Color: Varies from cherry red to purple-brown
Description: Pinot Noir is a red wine of light to medium body and delicate, smooth, rich complexity. The Pinot Noir grape is one of the most challenging wine grapes to bring to full potential.
Varietal: Riesling (Rees-ling)
Color: Ranges from greenish-yellow to amber-yellow
Description: Known for their floral perfume, they can be crisp and bone-dry, full-bodied and spicy or luscious and sweet, depending on where they're made.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc (So-vee-nyon Blahnk)
Color: Clear, pale, yellow tones
Description: White wine best known for its grassy, herbal flavors. Also called Fume Blanc, and is a popular choice for fish and shellfish dishes.
Varietal: Syrah/Shiraz (Sah-ra or Shi-raz)
Color: Dark, violet red
Description: Can produce strong tannins and complex combinations of flavors including berry, plum and smoke. Known as Shiraz in Australia.
Varietal: Zinfandel (Zin-fan-del)
Color: Blood red, bordering on black
Description: Light to full body and berry-like or spicy flavors. The Zinfandel grape is also widely used in the popular off-dry blush wine known as White Zinfandel
