There is a lot of culture packed into wines you’ll want to drink

Some say that wine is just fermented grape juice, and they drink almost any wine. Others feel that wine is an art and pay $1,000s to taste the finest vintage. Most of us are somewhere in between.

It’s like my attitude about football. I wouldn’t pay for premium seats, but I tune into the playoffs and like picking up tidbits to make watching the game more fun.

Luckily, it’s easy to learn about wine in Chicagoland. Perks like in-store tastings and deep discounting stem from our unique regulatory laws that encourage trade and support the livelihood of local beverage professionals and their families, including mine.

Whether sipping from a plastic cup in a grocery aisle or discussing enology with an acclaimed winemaker, all wine knowledge can be distilled into four simple variables: the grape, the soil the grape is grown in, the climate the grape is grown in, and the human culture.

Grape: The grape is wine’s prime influencer, so follow the grape! Four grapes to get to know are dubbed “Noble” because: 1) They consistently ripen. 2) Their wines consistently meet the demands of the law and the market, ranging from simple to stunning. 3) They sell. These grapes (with general descriptions and food complements) are Chardonnay (rich white; sometimes oaky, sometimes sweet; served with richer foods prepared with butter); Riesling (lighter white, ranging from bone-dry to honey-sweet; pair with foods prepared with fruit, spicy cuisine, and foods that match the wine’s sweetness); Cabernet Sauvignon (bold red; served with rich protein); and Pinot Noir (lighter red; served with lighter protein and rich veggie dishes.) Note that wines are named for the grape in the New World, including the U.S. In the Old World, wines are named for their region, with grapes dictated by law.

Climate: In warm climates, grapes ripen to high sugar levels but lose acidity. Resulting wines are rich in alcohol (nowadays up to 16%!) but may lack zip. Cool climates limit grape sugar but maintain acid. These wines are lower in alcohol (up to 12%) with refreshing acidity. So, if you enjoy robust wine, look for your chosen grape grown in southern Italy and France, most of California and Australia, and Washington State. If you enjoy a lighter experience, follow your grape to northern Italy, France, Oregon, Germany and Austria.

Soil: This is what you and I call dirt. Depending on the vineyard, a grape grower may call it diatomaceous earth, siliceous stone or other technical term. Generally, soil with little water – such as rock – produces small, undiluted grapes and concentrated wine. If you enjoy chewy, concentrated flavor, look for mountainous regions such as Italy, Washington state, much of Chile and Argentina. For lighter texture and flavor, turn to the gently rolling hills of Oregon and France.

Culture: Culture includes law, winegrowing and making, and just what’s going on. 1) In the U.S., wine law can be summarized as not poisoning anyone and paying your taxes. In the Old World, law controls every step in the vineyard and winery. 2) In the U.S., producers are free to grow grapes and make wine at will, with experiments yielding hits (such as White Zinfandel and disease-resistant rootstock) and misses (White Zinfandel, White Merlot, etc.). Experimentation, however, leads to confusion. For instance, is this Chardonnay sweet or dry? In the Old World, the law dictates techniques and resulting flavors so that customers know what they’re purchasing from a look at the label. 3) Here’s an example of wine’s multifaceted culture: In April 2024, international Rhone Rangers (a California-based group loosely formed in the 1980s to celebrate the wines of Rhone, France) will gather in Walla Walla, Washington, for tastings, lectures and winemaker dinners sponsored by Hospice du Rhone (hospicedurhone.org). Indeed, one of the topics will be the November 2023 discovery in France’s Rhone Valley of a 1,900-year-old winery.

That’s a whole lot of culture packed into just fermented grape juice.

• Mary Ross is an Advanced Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), a Certified Wine Educator (Society of Wine Educators) and recipient of the Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award of Excellence.” Write to her at food@dailyherald.com.