How Do You Compare Red and White Wine?

Many people with even just a basic understanding of wine know that there are certain "rules" about what is and is not proper when it comes to your menu and your choice of red or white, specifically, red meat means red wine, and everything else means white.  But what's the real difference between these two choices, and how can you tell which is going to be best for your particular menu?

It's important to remember that wine is just a beverage made when you ferment grapes or other fruits; the fermentation process is when sugars are converted to alcohol.  When you make beer, the natural starches in the barley or other grains is much like sugar, and this is what converts to alcohol during that fermentation.  Many people assume that any type of wine is just made from grapes, but there are many fruits that can be used, including apples, bananas, strawberries, elderberries, blackberries, and so on. 

Wines are named after the fruit they are made from, and when they are made from grapes, it is the type of grape it is made from.  For example, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Merlot are all types of grapes.  If not named after the grapes, they are named after the area they are grown in, such as Bordeaux, Rioja, Chianti, or Cotnari.

You may not think that there is much difference then between red or white wine; since it's all grapes, why go so far so as to even make rules about what foods to serve it with?  However, think about the difference between coffee and tea.  Typically you think of coffee as a "heavier" beverage and tea as something lighter.  Coffee has a much more pungent flavor and is typically stronger than tea.  You can also compare cola with lemon-lime soda; cola is a heavier drink while the lemon-lime soda is crisper and lighter.  In the same way, red wine is typically "heavier" than white, and usually has a much stronger flavor.  It is usually more pungent in taste.  White wines are usually crisper, lighter, and have a fruitier flavor. 

The main reason that certain wines are recommended with certain foods is that you never want the food to interfere with its flavor, and vice versa.  You also want something that's strong enough to complement the flavors of the food as well.  For example, people rarely have tea with chocolate; the strong flavor of the coffee is a better fit for the sweetness of the chocolate.  Of course, recommendations for wine are not hard and fast rules, and there's no reason you can't mix things up and stick with the flavor that you prefer regardless of what you're eating.  Try a few different combinations and see what makes you palate the happiest.