Amoré Vineyards
Bath

Big Creek Vineyard
Kresgeville

Blue Mountain
Vineyards
New Tripoli

Cherry Valley Vineyards
Saylorsburg

Clover Hill Vineyards
& Winery
Breinigsville

Franklin Hill Vineyards
Bangor

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery
Andreas

Pinnacle Ridge Winery
Kutztown

Vynecrest Winery
Breinigsville

White Wines

Chardonnay (SHAR-doe-nay): The world's most popular dry white; it's medium-to full-bodied, with rich apple and citrus flavors and sometimes a buttery tone from fermentation and aging in oak barrels; a good choice for simply prepared seafood and poultry dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc (SO-vin-yawn BLONK): Generally lighter than Chardonnay, with bright melon and citrus aromas and a herbal character suggesting bell pepper or freshly mown grass; a versatile food wine for shellfish, lighter fish and chicken dishes, pasta with pesto and Caesar salad.

Riesling (REES-ling): A light-bodied wine of German origin with flowery aromas of honeysuckle, apples, and peaches; Rieslings range from slightly to very sweet and can be either table or dessert wines. Drier versions go well with chicken and pork dishes, as well as spicy foods.

Gewürztraminer (Guh-VERTZ-tra-meener): Another aromatic variety of German origin with aromas of rose petals, peaches, grapefruit, lychees, and allspice, and full, fruity, spicy flavors ideal with Asian food, ham, pork and grilled sausages.

Chenin Blanc (SHEN-in Blonk): A relatively light, fruity variety with melon, apple, and peach/apricot aromas and flavors; used to be more popular than it is today; a nice wine by itself or with casual meals (salads, sandwiches, etc.)

Muscat (MUSS-cat): A very flowery dessert-style wine, with floral and peach/apricot aromas and flavors; great with desserts of fresh fruit or fruit/nut tarts.

Other white varieties of note include Semillon (SEM-e-on), Viognier (V-OWN-yay), and Pinot Grigio (PEE-no GREEG-e-o).

Red Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon (CA-burr-nay SO-vin-yawn): The king of red wines; makes the great red Bordeaux wines of France, and among the finest reds in California, Chile and Australia; full-bodied with rich currant flavors, but can be somewhat rough (tannic) when young; best with simply prepared beef and lamb dishes.

Chambourcin (Shom-bor-san): Chambourcin is a vigorous grape variety developed from a complicated parentage of at least eight of the American species of Vitus. It has a good resistance to downy mildew and powdery mildew, and also to phylloxera, a serious insect pest which has had catastrophic effects in many parts of the world. Chambourcin grapes are producing a range of styles of wine from Rose, medium bodied reds, sparkling fermented, to Vintage and Tawny Ports.

Merlot (Mare-LOW): Similar to Cabernet, but softer and fruitier, with cherry-like flavors and hints of tobacco and mint; the current rave among novice wine consumers, because it's easy both to drink and pronounce.

Pinot Noir (PEE-know Na-WAHR): Makes the great reds of Burgundy in France, and good wines from California and Oregon; more delicate than Cabernet or Merlot, with strawberry and tea-leaf aromas and flavors; excellent with grilled salmon, roast chicken, and grilled lamb.

Zinfandel (ZIN-fan-dell): California's native red (nobody's figured out where it came from) and perhaps the world's most versatile wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to light, beaujolais-style reds, rich, heavy reds, and even ports; has a zesty, berryish flavor that perfect for tomato-sauce pastas, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.

Syrah (Sah-RAH): A hearty, spicy red that excels in France's Rhone Valley, California and Australia (where it's known as Shiraz); wonderfully wild black-fruit aromas and flavors, with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat (yes, Virginia, roasting meat!); great with steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.

Sangiovese (San-gee-oh-VAY-zee): The grape that produces the fine reds of Italy's Chanti region and, of late, good wines from California; the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors and a hint of dried flowers; a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.

Barbera (Bar-BEAR-a): Another classic red of Italian origin with juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and excellent acidity to pair with foods featuring tomato sauces; not as well known as Merlot but with many of the same attributes.

Other reds of note include Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo (NEB-e-o-low), Mourvedre (More-VED-dra), Grenache (Gra-NOSH), and Petite Sirah.

Hold your glass against a white background, such as a tablecloth or wall, and notice the wine's color and clarity. The wine should be brilliant, not cloudy or murky, and its color should be appropriate for its type and age:

Young white table wines range in color from pale straw,
sometimes with greenish tints, to rich amber.

The color depends on the grape variety, the ripeness of the grapes at harvest, the way the wine was fermented and aged, and how much oxygen the wine was exposed to during vinification and bottling. White wines fermented and/or aged in barrels will be darker than those aged entirely in stainless steel tanks. As they age, white wines darken, assuming a deeper golden color, and with excessive age, they will actually begin to brown. If a young white has a brownish tinge, you probably don't want to taste it.

Red wines, on the other hand, grow paler as they age.

Young reds range in color from a translucent cherry for lighter wines such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir to a deep ruby, sometimes with purplish tints, for a Zinfandel or Syrah. Older red wines will display a brickish hue around the edges. In a younger red, this is a sign of premature oxidation.

The most important faculty we employ in perceiving a wine's character is our sense of smell. In fact, most of what we take to be taste is in fact odor. Think of how the taste of food changes when you have a bad cold and can't smell.

When you swirl wine in a glass and sniff it, the volatile essences of the wine are carried by thousands of nerve endings in your nasal cavity to the olfactory bulb in your brain. The same thing happens, via the retronatal passage in the back of the mouth, when you sip and swallow wine. In effect, flavors are odors in your mouth. Swirling volatilizes the wine's aromas and sniffing draws them into the olfactory bulb, which "interprets" them -- i.e., compares them to other familiar smells.

This is a complex process, because a wine consists of over 200 different chemical compounds, many of which are identical or similar to those found in fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and other substances. That's why wine geeks compare the aromas of different wines to smells as various as apple, melon, citrus, cherry, berry, raisin, honey, peach, vanilla, butterscotch, mint, bell pepper, grass, green olive, clove, licorice, cedar, coffee and chocolate. They're not being fanciful; there's a chemical correlation underlying the comparison, and this fact explains the rich metaphorical language used to describe a wine's sensory characteristics.

The primary grape smells of a wine, distinct by variety, make up its aroma, while secondary characteristics, caused by factors such as fermentation and oak and bottle aging, blend with its fruit smells to form the wine's bouquet.

There are also smells associated with spoilage in wine. A vinegary smell is caused by acetic acid, while a nail polish aroma reflects the formation of ethyl acetate. Rubbery, skunky, rotten egg or garlic/onion aromas are byproducts of sulfides, while a barnyard aroma results from a yeast spoilage organism called brettanomyces. Faulty corks can cause a moldy or wet cardboard aroma, while a sour milk aroma is due to another spoilage organism called lactobacillus. These organisms won't hurt you, but if they're in high enough concentrations to notice, the wines they mar are probably not worth drinking, and you should return them to the retailer or restaurateur from whom you purchased them. Given modern wine technology, you will not encounter flawed wines very often.

To fully appreciate a wine's aroma, swirl it in your glass -- not too vigorously, or you might have a large cleaning bill. The aroma should be clean and fresh, without any of the off-odors mentioned above. If the wine is young, you should smell the characteristic scents associated with the variety (see the Varietal Descriptions & Pronunciation Guide), perhaps accented by the smell of the barrels it was aged in. If the wine is older, you'll likely notice a less fresh and fruity aroma, but one with more complexity .

Many people find ordering wine in restaurants an intimidating prospect, because they believe they lack the knowledge to ask the right questions, respond appropriately when asked their preferences or correctly pronounce wine names. For help, see our Varietal Description & Pronunciation Guide in this section.

Be prepared.

Have an idea of how much you want to spend. This will narrow your choices and focus your attention on the wines in your price range.

Decide on a white or red. This will depend on your personal tastes -- and those of your companion(s) -- and what you plan to eat. If you're in a party with differing preferences, consider ordering two different types of wine -- say, a Chardonnay and Cabernet.

Ask the waiter for advice. Particularly in upscale restaurants with a good wine selection, your waiter is likely to be fairly knowledgeable about the wines on the list and how they complement different menu items. Tell him/her your taste preferences, how much you want to spend, and what you're planning to eat, and ask for a suggestion.

Stick to familiar brands and varieties in restaurants without a good selection or knowledgeable waitstaff. Most restaurants will offer at least a few wines from well-known, reputable brands. In addition to being of reliable quality, they're likely to be relatively good values as well. As your wine education progresses, branch out to try other brands and varieties.

Many wine-oriented restaurants offer a good selection of wines by the glass. This is a good way to try several different wines with a meal and to accommodate the varying preferences at your table. For $8-$12, you can try two different wines (perhaps a white with the first course and a red with the entree, or one dinner and one dessert wine) and avoid being stuck with leftover wine you may not be able to -- or want to -- take home with you.

Don't be fazed by the rituals.

After you order wine, the waiter will bring the bottle to the table and show you the label to satisfy you it's the wine you ordered. Make sure you get the right vintage. Then, he/she will uncork the bottle, present the cork to you and pour you a small taste, waiting for your approval before pouring for everyone else at the table. If the wine's okay, nod and the waiter will pour for everyone else. If you think something's wrong with the wine, see our Aroma section for descriptions of common wine flaws, tell the waiter right away, and ask for another bottle. They shouldn't argue with you, unless your assessment of the wine's quality is clearly off-base.

As a rule, white and sparkling wines are best served well-chilled (45 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit), with lighter, fruitier whites at the low end of the scale and fuller, more flavorful whites, such as Chardonnay, at the upper range. An hour in the refrigerator or a half-hour in the freezer is usually enough. Over-chilling should be avoided, because it stuns a wine's aromas and flavors.

Red wines should be served at cool room temperature (55 to 65 F.), with lighter, fruitier reds, such as Beaujolais or Pinot Noir, at the lower range of the scale and fuller-bodied varieties, such as Cabernet and Zinfandel, at the top.

Of course, specific conditions may call for exceptions to these rules. On a hot day, for example, when room temperatures may run into the 70s or 80s, it's a good idea to chill a full-bodied red slightly before serving, to mute its alcoholic "heat." Conversely, a very rich white may be best served at close to room temperature, so its complex aromas and flavors may be fully appreciated.

You don't need a fancy, expensive cellar to store your wine. If you're like most wine consumers, you'll enjoy your wines soon after you bring them home, so all you need is a cool, dry, dark place away from direct sunlight and free of vibration. A small wine rack or even a carton would do to house the wines for a while.

The basic requirements are a cool steady temperature, ideal cellar temperature is 55 to 65 degrees fahrenheit, and protection from direct sunlight and vibration. Bottles that won't be consumed for awhile, whether in racks or cases, should be stored on their sides so the corks don't dry out.

If you plan to buy and store a significant quantity of wine for future use, you'll likely need a larger space, such as a closet, crawl space, compartment under a stairway, or portion of a garage or basement. Choose a space larger than you might need initially, because once buying wine becomes a habit, you'll fill the space up quickly.

If you plan on becoming a serious wine collector, including wines requiring long-term aging, you might want to invest in a fully outfitted wine cellar. A variety of companies offer the various building blocks of such cellars, such as wine racks, refrigeration units, humidifiers, and so on.

Although taste is essentially a function of smell, see Aroma, tasting reveals aspects of a wine's personality that smelling cannot.

Humans can perceive combinations of only four tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. These sensations are localized in taste buds on different parts of the tongue: sweetness on the tip, with acidity and bitterness on the sides and to the rear.

When tasting a young, dry (no residual sugar) white wine, for example, you may notice its acidity (tartness), while a strapping young red may leave an astringent sensation (like over-seeped tea or walnut skins) from the grape tannins in its skins. (Reds ferment with their skins; whites don't.) Some varieties, like Riesling, Chenin Blanc, and Gamay Beaujolais, have a fruity taste, while dessert wines will be overtly sweet. (Wines can be fruity without being literally sweet.)

Wines differ in body (the "weight" of a wine) as well. Generally, those with less alcohol are light-bodied, while those with higher alcohol have a medium-bodied or full-bodied texture. A wine without requisite body may seem thin or watery, while a heavy-bodied wine may seem almost viscous. Some wines display a round, supple texture, while others, particularly tannic reds, may taste rough or coarse. Wines too high in alcohol may taste hot and harsh. Whatever taste sensations a wine imparts, the key to its quality is balance, the harmony of all its elements -- fruit, acid, tannin, alcohol, wood (if any), etc. For example, a wine may fall short of the mark because a low level of acidity leaves it tasting slightly flat or a high level of tannin gives it an unpleasing bitterness. Another important indicator of a wine's quality is its aftertaste or finish. If the aftertaste is short (fades quickly), it's unlikely to be a high-quality wine, while a long finish is one sign of a quality wine.

By the way, professional tasters spit the wine out because they don't have to swallow to learn what they need to know (a little sloshing in the mouth does the trick), and to stay sober while tasting many wines, whereas we civilians get to swallow. Sometimes it's nice to be an amateur.