I'm tired of berry and spice wines. Where can I get some wine made from grapes?!
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
I’m searching for a wine made from grapes only. I’m so tired of berry and spice wines! I like grapes! Any suggestions?
—Steve, Erie, Pa.
Dear Steve,
I have a feeling that you’re actually drinking wines made from grapes, but the tasting notes on the back of the wine labels describe the wine as tasting like berries, spices, etc.
Wine is rarely described as tasting “grapey,” I suppose because it would seem a bit redundant. It’s more effective to tell the difference between the styles of wines by focusing on the more nuanced flavors. Remember that those flavors come from the grapes, and are modified and amplified during fermentation, which unlocks hundreds of chemical compounds that are found in other foods. Wine lovers also use a colorful vocabulary to describe all the different ways wines taste (coffee and beer lovers have the same affliction).
If you’re looking for a wine that’s made in a more “grapey” style, keep an eye out for Beaujolais Nouveau, which is released the third week of November. It’s made quickly and without any influence from oak barrels, so it tends to have a fresh, fruity profile that should remind you of table grapes or grape juice.
—Dr. Vinny
