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RED WINES
Cabernet Sauvignon (cah bear nay so veen yon) - From California and other regions, full-bodied and rich. Flavor can include nuances of berry, herbs, cedar and chocolate. Gains smoothness and complexity with age.
Burgundy (burr gun dee) - Both the name for a blended wine in the United States; fruity, uncomplicated and for casual dining, and also a wine from France made from the Pinot Noir grape.
Gamay Beaujolais (gam may boh joh lay) - Light, fruity wine made in the US from the grape of the same name. Made both as a light-bodied, fruity wine and in the grapey "nouveau" style; both best enjoyed young and chilled.
Merlot (mehr lo) - A grape from France now gaining popularity under its own name in California, Washington state and elsewhere. Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but fruitier and softer in character.
Petite Sirah (puh teet seer rah) - A dense, rich, peppery wine. Syrah and Shiraz are similar wines (though earthier and fruitier) made in California and Australia.
Pinot Noir (pee no nwah) - A light-to-medium-bodied (and colored) wine made in California and the Northwest from the grape of the same name. Complex, smoky and earthy, with a velvet texture.
Zinfandel (zin fan dell) - A California orignal; medium bodied with a berry/spicy character and some tartness. Gains complexity with age. Sometimes also made as a swett, alcoholic "late harvest" wine.
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