Often it can seem like knowing how to pronounce all of the different types and styles of wine out there is a bit like learning a foreign language, and it basically is, since so many of the wines we wind up buying retain their Old World names. This can be daunting, especially if French, German, Spanish and Italian aren’t languages with which you’re familiar. It can be even worse when you say the name in a way you think is correct, only to have the name smugly said back to you by a waiter or shopkeeper the correct way, automatically causing you to lose the taste you once had for the bottle.
Since no one likes feeling uncomfortable when it comes to wine, and it’s even less fun to be made to feel like an amateur, we’re here to help. Here are the wine terms with which you’re most likely to come in contact the most often, and how to pronounce each one like you’re a pro.
Amarone
Pronounced ah-ma-ROH-neh
That luscious and rich red wine from Italy’s Veneto region.
Beaujolais
Pronounced boh-joe-lay
Not to be confused with Beaujolais Nouveau. One of the best alternatives out there to Pinot Noir.
Bourgogne
Pronounced boor-guh-nyeh
The region where the most celebrated Pinot Noir is the world is made.
Carménère
Pronounced car-men-err
The delicious wine from France that found a new home in Chile.
Chablis
Pronounced shah-blee
If you are into minerally Chardonnay, this French wine should be your jam.
Château Haut-Brion
Pronounced shah-toh oh-bree-oan
The ORIGINAL first growth Bordeaux château. We say that because it was the first château of the five to open.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Pronounced shah-toh-nuf-dew-pahp
The famous Rhone appellation the Pope once called home.
Chianti
Pronounced key-AHN-tee
The most famous Italian red wine.
Côtes du Rhône
Pronounced coat deh rone
The birthplace of Syrah.
Dolcetto
Pronounced dohl-CHET-oh
The perfect pizza wine from Piedmont, Italy.
Grüner Veltliner
Pronounced GREW-ner VELT-lee-ner
The high-end white wine from Austria.
Languedoc-Rousillon
Pronounced lahn-gweh-doc roo-see-yon
The French wine region that produces the wines that are always the best bang for your buck.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Pronounced mon-teh-pul-chee-AH-noh dah-BRUTE-so
The perfect red sauce wine from Italy.
Premier Cru
Pronounced preh-m’yay crew
The designation for the second best wines in Burgundy.
Header image via Shutterstock.com
