Red or white is what you will be asking yourself when choosing a wine as a gift. Why not accompany wine rackwith a vintage bottle of wine for someone special.

Both types of wines possess different qualities and flavours to suit specific occasions. Red wine is rich and ‘oaky’ in its flavour. White wine is lighter and crisper and doesn’t offer that complexity in flavour that red does. There are two process factors which affect the unique distinct taste of a wine: the grapes used and the fermentation process. Green grapes are used to make white wines, whereas black and red grapes make up red wine. During the fermentation process for red wine, the grape stems, seeds and grape skins are left in the pressing. White wine differentiates the stems, seeds and grapes skins are removed from the resulting squeezed juice. Tannins and pigments produce that complex flavour in red wines; this is because stems, seeds and skins are retained in the juice.

What gives wine some of its flavour? Tannins are compounds that produce that sharp taste experienced in tea, coffee and wine. These compounds are extracted from plants and, in the wine making process, grapes. Not only do Tannins provide a complexity in the wine, it prevents oxidation in the ageing process. Red wine tends to be aged for a far longer than white, which is why Tannins are vital to this process. As the wine matures, the bite in the tannins diminishes and becomes mellow. Depending on the label, red and white can both be excellent additions to your meal. So get ready to sample, get the table matsready and a range of wines to try. You small samples of each wine in shot glasses. Red wines tend to accompany strong flavoured meals and white normally goes with weaker flavoured dishes. However there are no set rules, it depends on a person’s own taste and requirements. White is great for chicken or fish dishes, while traditionally, red wine compliments meat dishes.