Wine Basics
Learn the basic wine terms used when speaking to customers.
This training takes about 3 minutes.
Red Wine
Usually richer and fuller in flavour.
Common grapes:
Shiraz
Cabernet
Merlot
Pairs with:
Steak
BBQ
Grilled meat
White Wine
Usually lighter and fresher.
Common grapes:
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Riesling
Pairs with:
Seafood
Chicken
Salads
Rosé
Fresh and fruity.
Often made from Grenache.
Pairs with:
Seafood
Light dishes
Warm weather drinking
Wine Body
Body describes how light or rich a wine feels.
Light
Fresh and easy drinking
Medium
Balanced and food friendly
Full
Rich and powerful
Useful Words When Selling Wine
- Fresh
- Smooth
- Rich
- Easy Drinking
- Food Friendly
- Good Value
Use simple words customers understand.
Avoid technical wine language.
Basic Food Pairing
| Steak/BBQ | Seafood | Light Dishes |
| Shiraz, Cabernet, Malbec | Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé | Rosé, Light Reds, White Wine |
The 10 second Recommendation
When recommending wine, follow this structure:
- Style
- Grape
- Food Match
Example:
“This is a smooth Shiraz from Australia.
It’s rich but easy drinking and works great with grilled meat.”