CRISP, DRY WHITES

• Predominant building blocks: Sourness and fruitiness

• Flavours:Lemon, lime, gooseberry, grapefruit, green apple, pineapple.

• Other flavours include floral, grassy and mineral-like.

• Wines produced in this style tend to have a natural backbone of crisp acidity with light to medium body.

• They're considered good food wines as this acidity cleans the palate between bites.

• Crisp, dry whites can be inexpensive and are ideal as picnic and barbecue wines, or sophisticated companions to gourmet fare like caviar or oysters on the half shell.

• Their best food matches highlight summer vegetables, such as fresh tomatoes, spinach, mixed greens, artichokes and asparagus. They also work with sour ingredients like goat cheese, feta and yogurt.

Regions

• Sauvignon blancCanada (British Columbia, Ontario)Chile (Casablanca Valley)France (Bordeaux, Languedoc, Loire)Italy (Friuli)New ZealandSouth AfricaSpain (Penedés, Rueda) United States (California)

• Dry RieslingCanada (British Columbia, Ontaio)France (Alsace)GermanyUnited States (Oregon, Washington State)

• OthersAligoté - Canada (Ontario)Chenin Blanc - South Africa, United States (California)Cortese di Gavi - Italy (Piedmont)DOC Frascati - Italy (Latium/Lazio)DOC Vernaccia di San Gimignano - Italy (Florence)Gruner Veltliner - AustriaMuscadet - France (Loire)Orvieto - Italy (Umbria)Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi - Italy (The Marches)Vinho Verde - Portugal (Vinho Verde)Viognier - France (Cotes du Rhone)Viura - Spain (Rioja)

BIG, FAT WHITES

• Predominant building blocks: Fattiness with some sourness and fruitiness.

• Flavours:Buttery, creamy, oily, nutty, toasty, oaky and spicy; subtle fruity and floral flavours.

• Intricate processes give wines in this style their identifiable complexity, with rich, creamy texture and buttery aromas and flavours.

• Big, fat whites are always full-bodied, usually with high alcohol.

• Medium-tasters and nontasters, who love bold, unique flavours like vanilla, oak and woody-ness, generally love this wine style.

• Many fatty dishes require a white wine with this weight, complexity and creamy nature.

• Best food matches for wines in this style are high-fat and deep-fried foods, fatty cheeses and heavy vegetables such as shrimp tempura, double- and triple-cream brie and potatoes. You can also pair big, fate wines with Alfredo-, butter-, pesto- and olive oil-based sauces.

Regions

• Oaked ChardonnayAustraliaCanada (British Columbia, Ontario)ChileNew ZealandSouth AfricaUnited States (California- Napa, Russian River, Sonoma)

• OthersMeursualt - France (Cote de Beaune)Pouilly-Fruisse - France (Burgundy)White Burgundy (Premier Cru, Grand Cru) - France

LIGHT, FRUITY REDS

• Predominant building blocks:Sourness and fruitiness, sometimes with pleasant bitterness.

• Flavours:Cherry, strawberry and gooseberry; sometimes spicy and mineral-like flavours.

• One of the most famous wines in the world falls into this style - red Burgundy

• Light, fruity reds may be light- to medium-bodied, but aren't simple. They can offer fantastic depth and layers of flavours, good structure and a long lasting finish.

• In North America, the most prestigious wines produced in this style are Pinot Noirs, mostly in cooler climatic regions. This climate gives the resulting wines elegance, finesse and sophistication as well as great acidity.

• Best food matches include fatty fish, such as salmon and swordfish, chicken, quail, squab, feta, goat cheese, beets, cabbage, whole wheat pasta and wild mushrooms.

Regions

• GamayCanada (British Columbia, Ontario)France (Beaujolais, Languedoc)

• Pinot NoirCanada (British Columbia, Ontario)France (Burgundy)United States (California, Oregon, Washington State)

REDS WITH FORWARD FRUIT

• Predominant building blocks:Fruitiness and fattiness with subtle sourness and subtle pleasant bitterness.

• Flavours:Ripe berry fruit flavours, black cherry, black raspberries; sometimes with mineral, floral, grassy and spicy characters.

• Many of the wine regions of the world are producing wines in this fruit-forward style.

• This style of wine has medium to full body.• Forward fruit means the moment you sip, ripe

berry flavours fill your palate. The texture is velvety and there's little to no bitter aftertaste.

• Due to their moderate tannin, reds with forward fruit can work with gentle heat and spice. Pair caramelized fruit preserves low in sugar with these wines, as well, such as a diabetic raspberry jam on barbecued chicken or ribs.

• Wines in this style also work with mushrooms, bacon and highly fatty cheeses, such as aged cheddar,brie, blue cheese and parmesan.

Regions

• MerlotAustraliaCanada (British Columbia, Ontario)ChileNew ZealandUnited States (California)

• OthersBurgundy - FranceCotes du Rhone-Villages - FranceGrenache - AustraliaMalbec - FranceShiraz - AustraliaZinfandel - United States (California)