viinityypeissä

Viinityypeissä refers to the categorization of wines. The most fundamental division is based on color: red wine, white wine, and rosé wine. Red wines are made from dark-colored grape varieties and typically ferment with their skins, imparting color and tannins. White wines are usually produced from white grape varieties, though some red grapes can be used if the skins are removed before fermentation. Rosé wines are created by limiting the contact time of dark grape skins with the juice during fermentation, resulting in a pink hue.

Beyond color, wines are classified by their sweetness level, ranging from bone dry to very sweet. Dry wines have little to no perceptible residual sugar. Off-dry wines have a slight sweetness, while medium-dry and medium-sweet wines offer more noticeable sweetness. Sweet wines, including dessert wines, have a significant amount of residual sugar.

Another common classification is by the grape varietal, such as Chardonnay, Merlot, or Sauvignon Blanc, where the wine's characteristics are largely determined by the grape it's made from. Wines can also be categorized by region of origin, like Bordeaux, Chianti, or Napa Valley, as the climate, soil, and winemaking traditions of a specific area significantly influence the wine's style. Sparkling wines, characterized by dissolved carbon dioxide giving them effervescence, form another distinct category. Finally, fortified wines, which have had a spirit added during or after fermentation to increase alcohol content and often sweetness, are a separate group.