A short course in grape.
Fifteen varieties worth knowing — from Cabernet's structure to Chenin Blanc's lift — each profiled with the regions, rituals, and pairings that define them.
Weekly flights on the harbor.
Join us every Friday evening at the seaport shop for tastings curated to the season — coastal whites in summer, cellar reds through winter. Free for Seaport Club members, $25 for guests.
Reserve Your Spot →Wine Grapes & Styles Guide
Learn the differences between red, white, and rosé wines, discover the grapes behind your favorite bottles, and explore flavor profiles, food pairings, and winemaking techniques.
How Wine Is Made
Harvesting Grapes
Wine begins with carefully harvested wine grapes grown specifically for winemaking — ripeness, acidity, and sugar are all measured at picking.
Fermentation
Natural or cultured yeast converts grape sugars into alcohol over days to weeks, transforming juice into wine.
Style Creation
The amount of skin contact during fermentation determines whether the wine becomes red, white, or rosé.
Red Wines
Red wines are made from dark-skinned grapes. During fermentation, the grape skins remain in contact with the juice, creating color, tannins, structure, and complexity.
White Wines
White wines are typically made from green or yellow grapes and fermented without the skins, producing a lighter color and fresher profile.
Rosé Wines
Rosé wines are made from red grapes, but the skins remain in contact with the juice only briefly, creating their beautiful pink color.
🍇 The Simple Rule
Flavor Profiles
Red Wines
- Bold
- Tannic
- Blackberry
- Cherry
- Dark fruit
- Oak
White Wines
- Crisp
- Citrus
- Floral
- Green apple
- Minerality
Rosé Wines
- Fresh
- Fruity
- Strawberry
- Watermelon
- Light-bodied
Food Pairing Guide
Red Wines Pair With
White Wines Pair With
Rosé Wines Pair With
Popular Wine Grapes
13 grapes shown
| Grape | Style | Body | Flavor Notes | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Red | Full | Blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco | Bordeaux, France |
| Merlot | Red | Medium | Plum, cherry, cocoa | Bordeaux, France |
| Pinot Noir | Red | Light | Red cherry, raspberry, earth | Burgundy, France |
| Syrah | Red | Full | Blackberry, pepper, smoke | Rhône, France |
| Malbec | Red | Full | Blackberry, violet, cocoa | Cahors, France / Argentina |
| Chardonnay | White | Medium | Apple, lemon, butter (oaked) | Burgundy, France |
| Sauvignon Blanc | White | Light | Grapefruit, grass, gooseberry | Loire, France / NZ |
| Riesling | White | Light | Lime, peach, petrol, honey | Mosel, Germany |
| Pinot Grigio | White | Light | Pear, lemon, almond | Veneto, Italy |
| Gewürztraminer | White | Medium | Lychee, rose, ginger | Alsace, France |
| Grenache | Rosé | Light | Strawberry, watermelon, white pepper | Provence / Rhône |
| Mourvèdre | Rosé | Medium | Herb, earth, red plum | Bandol, France |
| Sangiovese | Rosé | Medium | Sour cherry, tomato leaf | Tuscany, Italy |
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Frequently Asked
Ready to discover your next favorite wine?
Visit us at the
Norwalk Seaport
Coastal wines, small-batch spirits, and harbor-side tastings. Drop anchor at 123 Water Street or explore the collection online.