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EASTERN ONTARIO AMATEUR WINE COMPETITION 2008

DESCRIPTION OF WINE CLASSES

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Red Wine Classes 2008
CS. Cabernet Sauvignon Open to red wine made from a minimum of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon. The classic taste of Cabernet Sauvignon is fruity with black currants, blackberry or plum. An immature CS often has green pepper, mint, or tobacco aroma, while a mature CS may also have some cedarwood flavour.
ME. Meritage Open to red wine made from at least 90% of any combination of Cabernet Sauvignon (CS), Cabernet Franc (CF) or Merlot. The Meritage style of wine is typically mid to full-bodied wines showing elegant flavours. The classic taste of Cabernet Sauvignon is fruity with black currants, blackberry or plum. An immature CS often has green pepper, mint, or tobacco aroma, while a mature CS may also have some cedarwood flavour. Cabernet Franc is more herbaceous than CS and is the most aromatic of the Bordeaux varietals. Merlot usually tastes very berryish (black or red berries) and if under ripe gives some undertones of green pepper and black olives flavours to the wine.(Note: Wines which qualify for the CS class must be entered in the CS class above)
RH. Rhone Varieties Open to red wines made 90% or more of any combination of Syrah/Shiraz, Petite Syrah, Alicante, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre or Carignan. Typically, such wines sourced from these hotter climate grapes generally have higher alcohol and heavier flavours. Syrah/Shiraz often has a black currant, raspberry or plummy flavour. When barrel aged it can have smokey, spice and black pepper overtones. It is a deeply coloured and tannic wine. In blends, Grenach, a low tannic wine, is added to enhance the red fruit flavours, while Cinsault and Mourvedre provide more alcohol, colour, tannin and spiciness.
LB. Light-Bodied Red Open to dry or off-dry red wines with less than 2% residual sugar. Generally they have a limited tannic content.For example,Light Bodied Red made from Gamay Noir, Sangiovese, Zweigelt or blends of one or more of these grapes. Rosé table wines would also go into this class.
PN. Pinot Noir Open to red wines made from 90% or more Pinot Noir. It produces a lighter wine than Cabernet, with less tannin and having a moderate natural acidity. Pinot Noir wine often has aromas of red fruits like strawberry , raspberry and cherry. Mature wine made in the older French style can have a earthier smell with some mushrooms, and/or leather and/or soya aroma present. When made from unripe or immature grapes it can have a herbaceous/spicy nature. Other descriptors include plummy, barnyard, earthy, smoky etc.
OR. Other Red Open to any red table wine or blend that does not fit into one of the other red classes.
RK. Red Kit Open to any dry red kit wine, not made from fresh grapes, juice or frozen must. (This does not exclude red kit wines from being entered into other red classes, where applicable).
RNV. Red Non-Vinifera Open to red wines made 90% or more of any combination of American or French Hybrid grapes. While the most commonly known are Baco Noir and Marechal Foch there are many others including the newer Minnesota varieties and the traditional North American. As with other classes, balance is of the essence.
White Wine Classes 2008
SB. Sauvignon Blanc Open to wines made from at least 90% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. This wine has a wide range of tastes ranging from sour green fruits, to vegetable flavours like peas, to exotic fruits like mango. It is a high acid wine with a pale yellow color. A classical Sauvignon Blanc made from cool climate grapes can have a distinctive pungent aroma sometimes described as "Cat's-pee on a gooseberry bush"
OC. Oaked Chardonnay Open to wines made from at least 90% Chardonnay grapes which have been aged 6 months or more in an oak barrel. Such wines typically have tropical fruits,butter,vanilla,oaky flavours and aromas.
UC. Unoaked Chardonnay Open to wines made from at least 90% Chardonnay grapes- unoaked,steel fermented. The taste of green apples with some minerals is typical of this style with its high acid, light and unoaked crisp approach.Chablis from France is an examaple of this style of wine.
RE. Riesling Open to wines made from 90% or more from Riesling grapes, in a dry to medium dry style. (Sweeter wines should be entered into the semi-sweet class). Citrus, grapefruit, peach, apricot, pineapple, mineral,honey and spice are some of the tasting and aroma characteristics of Riesling wine. Older wines can develop a petrolly aroma. It is usually a high acid wine and is rarely blended.
AW. Aromatic Whites Open to dry to medium dry white wines made from 90% or more of any vinifera combination of Gewurztraminer, Scheurebe, Muscat, Morio Muscat, Kerner, Bacchas, Muller-Thurgau. ( Note that Riesling is excluded as it has its own class). The other 10% can include any white wine, including Riesling.
WNV. White Non-Vinifera Open to white wines made 90% or more of any combination of White non-vinifera. The most common white hybrids are Vidal and Seyval Blanc, but there are many other French and American hybrids eligible for this class, and the traditional North Americans. As with other classes, balance is of the essence.
OW. Other Whites Open to any dry to medium dry white wine that does not fit into any of the other white wine classes.
WK. White Kit Wine Open to any dry white wine not made from fresh grapes, juice or frozen must. (This does not exclude kit wines from being entered into other white classes, where applicable.)
Other Wine Classes 2008
FW. Fortified Wines Open to any wine of any colour or sweetness above 15% alcohol made from grape or non-grape materials or any blend of grape and non-grape material.
NG. Non-Grape Wines Open to any wine of any colour or sweetness below 15% alcohol made 100% from non-grape materials.
DW. Dessert Wines (Unfortified) Open to any wine of any colour with more than 6% residual sugar and below 15% alcohol made from grape or non-grape materials or any blend of grape and non-grape material.Ice wines belong in this category
SW. Semi-sweet Wine Open to any wine of any colour with 2.0 to 6% residual sugar. Unfortified wines with over 6% residual sugar belong in the dessert wine class
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