For years people in the wine trade have used style as a vehicle to help someone make a wine selection and we choose to organize our wine shops in this format. Ultimately, everyone shopping for a bottle is looking for something to suit a particular situation, be it a specific meal, general dinner invite with no idea what is being served or just sharing a bottle with friends and conversation. Choosing wine by style makes your selection easier and opens up your options of what to pick, because there are really only five styles of wine even if there are hundreds of grape types and thousands of producers. Trust me, it's a fun way to buy wine.

Before we get into the categories, one thing that needs to be understood is that one grape variety can be made into multiple styles and that often depends on the quality of fruit the winemaker has to work with. Remember that if tonnage is reduced on the vine, flavour is increased in the fruit and winemakers want to highlight that in a bottle. As for grape types, Chardonnay for example is often thought of as a wine tasting of oak, yet it is often made without, in a crisp dry style or even left with some residual sugar as a sweeter wine. So again, choosing by style lets you explore all the options and to try something different that will still hit the spot.

Dry Whites without Oak - the meal highlight

This category is the most versatile with food pairing because these wines are generally fresh, with crisp fruit flavours that will highlight the food it is served with. Think of how versatile a lemon can be. You can squeeze them on just about anything to accentuate the flavours and in this case the wine takes that role. So if you don't know what is being served for dinner, this is the style to buy.

Examples are many with Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc top of the list but Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer are all made by fermenting to dryness in stainless steel and at cold temperatures to retain the grapes' natural flavour.

Dry Whites with Oak - the meal in a glass

Most often thought of as a Chardonnay taste, an extra layer of flavour has been added to these wines by barrel fermenting and ageing. This process will create a richer texture and a softer mouth feel. Winemakers love to work with barrels. American oak generally adds a coarser, more pungent flavour than the subtler French. These barrels cost money, and their use will be reflected in the price of the wine. Most importantly, the best fruit is often used to produce the best, most complex product and many winemakers opt to use oak barrels when working with such ripe grapes. Often portions of a finished wine are handled separately in stainless tanks and barrels then blended to achieve the desired balance in a richer wine.

Examples are generally Chardonnay, with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Blanc and even Pinot Gris, (though sometimes to the detriment of the fruit flavour). Oaked whites are tougher to match with food because they can often dominate anything delicate, so match the flavour and richness of the dish or contrast when appropriate, as curry (if it's not too hot) can work wonderfully.

Sweeter Whites - temper the heat and sooth the stress

Succulent and juicy, some of BC's best table wines have some residual sugar left after fermentation and are a joy to drink. 'Off dry' means just a hint of sugar, 'medium dry' more noticeable and 'medium sweet' generally made from late harvest (super ripe) fruit, but all have their place at the table of any lover of wine. With spicy foods, nothing resets the palate like a wine with some sweetness, and with soft creamy cheeses the match can often be sublime. My favourite time to drink this style is when I'm tired and cranky, because in this state, we are all more sensitive to astringency and the fruity goodness offers a welcome relief.

Most common examples are Gewurztraminer and Riesling with Muscat and various crosses of grape varieties like Kerner, Schonberger and Siegerrebe often produced in small quantities. Rose can fit here too. Riesling is by far the most interesting with food because of the zingy acidity it possess and the intensity of flavour that can stand up to as much garlic as you like.

Lighter Reds - because sometimes heavy is too much

Bright with flavour and often crisp with acidity, this style is probably the best when matched with a meal, though softer versions can certainly hit the spot for a casual session without food. Most important, it lets the dish be the star and much like dry white without oak, it pushes the flavours of the meal forward and doesn't dominate. Too often a BIG red is chosen for a delicate meal resulting in no synergy of flavour.

Most common examples are Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir and Sangiovese with limited oak handling. In this category it is important to remember that the rules are not always set in stone, Merlot, Shiraz and even Cabernet can be made in a lighter style if the fruit quality suits it, talk to your retailer about setting you on the right track. Often people are looking for a full-bodied version of the first three grapes and in hotter years they can definitely gain ripeness and texture (also increased tannin levels). But many have had an experience where the perception of a wines' richness was increased with the right match of a meal because the greatest rule of thumb in pairing is "acid cancels acid" making both taste richer.

Stronger Reds - big and bold with mouth filling flavours

By far the most popular style of wine for red wine drinkers and myself included, but over the years I have found that I don't "always" want to be punched in the mouth with extracted fruit, spicy oak, chewy tannins and a blast of alcohol. Those that do are adamant about the rich, full throttle taste they want and in BC, producers' work hard to try and fill this need. Unfortunately, we sometimes end up with wines that to achieve that bigness have way too much oak taste, masking the fruit flavours. Personally, I would much rather have a medium bodied red with good fruit flavour and spicy oak highlights than a full bodied one that tastes like a piece of lumber. Hot years are definitely the best in BC, but cropping fruit back to lower yields in the vineyard and modern technology can deliver a tasty wine in cool years.

The best examples in BC are Merlot and Cabernet Franc, though Shiraz/Syrah is starting to emerge with fantastic results from a select group. Cabernet Sauvignon is a tough one to get fully ripe but in the south they do manage, though the wines often need some bottle age to soften the tannins. Meritage blends are generally the most complex wines produced and often just labeled as Cab/Merlot but they too can be quite chewy upon release.

Bubble - sparkling wines for any occasion

BC makes great fizz and more wineries are coming out with their own version even if it is in small quantities. The VQA term is methode classique, which simply means the second fermentation that creates the bubbles is done in the bottle, just like Champagne. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of wine and pleasure you receive, plus this style of wine can go with as wide a range of food styles as dry white without oak because you have crisp fruit flavours. So don't wait for a birthday to pop a bottle.

There are good examples of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sparkling blends but Riesling is probably the most widely used, because of the bright acidity that you need to go through that second fermentation and still stay fresh. Some Pinot Meunier is grown (the other classic champagne grape) but 100% Blanc de Blanc is also being done with good results, with most a Chardonnay/Pinot Blanc combination.

Liquid Candy - another stand-alone style

If you are counting, it is obvious that there are five styles of wine plus two, with bubble and dessert deserving their own category. Everyone has heard of BC Icewine and though I'm not going to get into the process of making it, I will say that the grape type used really does affect the taste. All are super sweet but the balance of acidity can really lift the flavours and make you forget that you are drinking something with the same amount of residual sugar as honey. If you have only ever tried one from a kit and found it too sweet, that is because there is no natural acid so don't kid yourself that you have had the real thing, all you had was sugar water with alcohol.

On the other hand, more late harvest wines are being produced and can offer similar pleasure for a third of the price tag. Definitely not as much intensity, but much better for matching with soft rind ripen cheese and especially blues. Only a few fortified port style wines are produced here and tend to taste more like an Aussie Sticky, rather than something from Portugal. Remember that when pairing with dessert, the wine MUST be sweeter than what it is served with, so avoid sugary desserts and use bitter chocolate, tart fruit or even add a savory element to the dessert.

To me, Riesling is the king of Icewine grape varieties and though Ehrenfelser is a close second, Pinot Blanc, Muscat and Vidal are often used as well. The only thing to watch for is that sultana raisin taste that, besides being boring, has no real finesse compared to the honeyed apricot and nut flavours from the dessert wines of top producers. Sparkling Icewine is even being made and it is the ultimate in hedonistic pleasure to experience.

Cheese and Wine Pairings
Advice from food and wine expert Glenn Barlow on the perfect combinations for wine and cheese. Read More ...

Cooler Cuisine, by Barlow & James:

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