On the very simplest level, our wine preferences are, for the most part, identified by color. Red and white are the dominant choices and are shorthand for what we like in a wine – often without knowing it.

Red wine is characterized by flavors of chocolate, red and black fruits, black pepper, smoke and spice, among others. The prominent flavors in white wine include citrus, melon, tropical fruit, grass (the kind you mow), perfume and honey. Chardonnay is often categorized by its butteriness, and petroleum is a common trait in Riesling.