WINE 101 | WORLD WINE CATEGORIES

House Wine

The term ‘house wine' pertains primarily to the food and beverage service industry. Specifically, it refers to what is typically the least expensive table wine on a wine list or menu. An establishment's house wine will vary depending on its cost and availability to the establishment. The producer or winery's name may or may not appear on the menu or wine list.

When a winery employs the term ‘house wine', the term is typically applied to the least expensive or to an inexpensive wine or wines which enjoy a certain level of popularity with customers .

Table Wine

The term ‘table wine' is typically applied to any wine meant to be paired with food (other than desserts) in the form of a meal or snack. Most ‘table wines' are dry, although some may exhibit varying degrees of sweetness. ‘Table wines' however, are never as sweet as ‘dessert wines'. Additionally, ‘table wines' may typically contain anywhere from 5 to 15% alcohol by volume. Contrary to popular belief, not all ‘table wines' are inexpensive products. They can be both very inexpensive, or indeed in some cases, very expensive . The term ‘table wine' should not be confused with the term ‘house wine'. Not all ‘table wines' are ‘house wines'. However, all ‘house wines' are ‘table wines'!

Vintage Wines

‘ Vintage' wines are wines produced in a particular year. All ‘vintage' wines carry a year on their label. Specifically, grapes used to produce a ‘vintage' wine are grown and harvested in a specific year, they were crushed in that specific year, subsequently fermented into wine in that specific year, but not necessarily bottled in that same year as the wine may go on to age for some time in barrels or tanks prior to it being bottled.

Non-Vintage Wines

‘Non-vintage' wines never carry a year on their labels. Typically, ‘non-vintage' wines are blends of wines produced in different years—that is to say, they are blends of ‘vintage' wines from different years. Blending is a technique used to produce wines which remain relatively consistent regardless of when they are purchased.

Varietal Wines

‘Varietal' wines are wines produced from a specific grape variety. A ‘varietal' wine will always carry the name of the grape variety on its label. A wine produced from more than one grape variety is referred to as a ‘ varietal blend'. Not all ‘varietal blends' will carry the names of the grape varieties used to produce them on their labels. Typically, ‘varietal blends' which do not identify the grape varieties used on their labels are referred to as ‘non varietals'.

Premium & High End Wines

The definition of ‘premium' applies to wines which are typically produced in much smaller quantities than is the norm. In addition, ‘premium' products are usually produced in a more time consuming fashion using methods and equipment of greater cost to the winery. Grapes used to produce ‘premium' wines are always of the finest quality procurable. All of these factors translate into wines of higher cost reflecting the pinnacle of the winemaker's skill and art. ‘Premium' wines are also referred to as ‘high end' wines.

TOP