Claret
Claret
Claret is the traditional British term for red wines produced in Bordeaux, France. It refers to a blended red wine, often dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, known for being elegant and structured. The term derives from the French clairet, used in the 12th century to describe a pale, lightly coloured red wine that was lighter in body and color than modern Bordeaux reds. Modern claret is generally dry and medium to full bodied with smooth, velvety tannins.
See Also
Cristal Champagne
Cristal Champagne is the flagship cuvée of the champagne house Louis Roederer, famously known as the world's first luxury champagne. It was created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II, the tsar of Russia.
Port
Port wine is a sweet, fortified wine from Douro Valley, Portugal. It is created by halting the fermentation process early by the addition of brandy, resulting in a rich, high alcohol wine.
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine refers to the type of wine with significant amounts of carbon dioxide dissolved in it, which makes it fizzy or bubbly. Carbon dioxide is introduced through a secondary fermentation process in the bottle (e.g., Champagne) or tank (Prosecco).
Organic Wine
Organic wine is made from grapes grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, according to the principles of organic farming.
Tawny Port
Tawny Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal's Duoro Valley. It is aged in small oak barrels which encourage more oxygen interaction, causing the color to shift from red to brownish amber and creates a caramelized taste.
Natural Wine
Natural wine is produced with minimal intervention, using organic or biodynamic grapes and little to no additives, synthetic chemicals, preservatives or artificial yeasts. There is no legal definition for natural wine and it is often described as a winemaking philosophy, rather than a strict style.
Rosé
Rosé is a type of wine that is made from red grapes that gains its signature pink color through brief contact with the grape skins. Rosé combines the crispness of white wine with the red fruit flavors of red wine, featuring notes of red fruit, flowers, citrus and melon.
Fortified Wine
Fortified wine is a style of wine to which a distilled spirit (usually brandy) has been added, resulting in a higher alcohol content (15-22%). The spirits are either added during fermentation to create sweet wines like Port, or after fermentation to craft dry wines like Sherry.