THE BIG 6

In today's "lesson" we are going to cover the big 6 wines. These are the basic wines that cover the gambit of everything you may want/need in a wine. I'm sure you can guess that there are 3 whites and 3 reds. They range from light to full body for both red and white. We are also going to give you a general idea of pairing with them. Essentialy don't match color of the wine but match the body of the wine.

White Side of Big 6-3 Types

Riesling - This the lightest and sweetest of the three whites. It does however have the most acidity. This acidity, that some people have problems with, is actually what makes it pair beautifully with food. This wine chilled is wonderful on a summer day. It tends to have notes of apple and pair. There also can be some minerality depending on where the grapes have grown. Pair this delightful little find with spicy food (BBQ would be awesome!) or pair it with a light buttered noodle covered in some fresh parm!

Sauvignon Blanc -  This is the medium body to light body wine of the whites. This will have more mouth watering fruits and tends to have wonderful citrus flavors. Once again this is awesome on a hot summer day. There is still some acidity in this wine making pairing easy. Since it's medium to light body don't eat anything too heavy with it. Fish or chicken is a staple go to or even fresh burgers on the grill would be nice. Also acidity is awesome for cutting through richness in food....ie butter sauce/ cheese sauce.

Chardonnay - This is by far the fullest body you will get out of a white. The grape is so complex and the process of making it makes this a wonderfully thought provoking wine. Also this wine can potentially pair with red meats. It has the slight acidity but wonderfully juicy and tropical fruits. And as a bonus because it's been fermented a second time in oak there are distinctly vanilla and buttery flavors. It's a fruit pastry in a cup with less calories! Chardonnays will taste different depending on if it's old world or new world. If you aren't sure about the oak taste have someone steer you towards a lighter oaked wine to start you off. And did I mention this pairs wonderfully with food. So open a bottle and enjoy the complex fruits of this wine. If you want to just study what you can find in this wine pair it with mild cheeses.

Red Side of Big 6-3 Types

Pinot Noir - This is the sweetheart of wines. It's has tart cherry and raspberry flavors with a light ruby color. It's the lightest in body for the 3 reds. It also contains a bit of acidity that makes pairing this wine very easy. It also will be the only red you will get the silky mouth feel that you get with whites. Again if you are pairing this try light body food with it. This is also a good transition into red wines for those of you who have stuck with sweet whites or whites all together. This truly is a very fruit forward wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - This is a fuller bodied than the Pinot Noir. It also will be the wine that starts to have tannins. Those "things" that make your mouth feel covered in velvet and cause a slight drying. Cab Savs will have very spicy flavors ranging from sweet spices to savory spices. This wine is more complex the PN and will have more plum or fig flavors to it. Merlot is very similar to cab sav and they are often grown together and mixed together. This will go well with more acidic foods because they help calm down tannins especially in tannin overloaded young/cheap wines. So try pasta sauce!

*Magical Pairing - dark chocolate with cab save. Get really bitter dark chocolate like 80-90% and you won't be left wanting. Cherry cordial in your mouth! Trust me this is a MUST try pairing!

Shiraz/Syrah -  Both types here are the same grape but with different names. Syrah is from France and when it moved/migrated to Australia they changed the name. This is a high tannin and bold wine. It also has the spicy flavors but less leather and more complex. Syrah has such a wonderful velvet in the mouth that is rich like creamy chocolate. This is a must try with pizza!. Try to make or get fresher pizza that has a good acidic pizza sauce.


I hope this helps you on your hunt to finding the perfect wine to try this weekend. Remember that the best way to learn about wines is the TRY THEM! You'll never know until you try. Also when going to a tasting make sure you taste with crackers. The old saying is buy on bread and sale on cheese. Cheese can cover many flaws so if you get a young/cheap wine that's a little off make sure you pair it with cheese and food. After all wine was meant to be enjoyed with food.

Let me know what you think and if you have any questions!!!!!!!