Good morning, and happy holidays!
If we’re lucky, we’ll have the opportunity to spend time with family and friends this holiday season. You might even be invited to someone else’s home, and if you are so fortunate, you might want to take a bottle of wine. But if you’re like me, someone who enjoys an occasional glass of wine, but who cannot really tell much difference between the taste of Charles Shaw ($2.00 to $3.00 per bottle) and Domaine Romanée-Conti ($19,700–$551, 314)—not that I’ve ever had it—you might also want to know how to pronounce the name of the kind of wine you take with you.
So, here’s a short primer on how to sound like a wine expert. Let’s start with the name of the person who actually is an expert on fine wine:
- sommelier (sawm-uh-l-YAY)
And now for the wines themselves. Following are seventeen types of wine and a pronunciation guide. Join me in at least sounding like I know what I’m drinking. Happy holidays!
| Wine | Pronunciation |
| cabernet sauvignon | CAB-er-nay soh-vin-YOH(n) |
| gewurztraminer | geh-VERTS-truh-meen-er |
| grenache | gruh-NOSH |
| montepulciano d’Abruzzo | mon-TAY-pul-chee-AH-noh dah-BRUTE-so |
| moscato | moh-SKAH-toh |
| muscadet | moos-kah-DAY |
| pinot noir | PEE-noh nwar |
| riesling | REECE-ling |
| rioja | ree-OH-hah |
| sangiovese | san-jo-VAY-zee |
| sauvignon blanc | SOH-vin-yoh(n) blohnk |
| semillon | seh-mee-YHO(n) |
| shiraz | shih-RAHZ or shih-RAHS |
| syrah | see-RAH |
| tempranillo | tem-prah-NEE-yoh |
| vinho verde | VEEN-yo VAYR-deh |
| zinfandel | ZIN-fuhn-del |
Donna Bradley Burcher |Technical Editor, Advisory | Symitar®
8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Ext: 765432
Pronouns she/her/hers
About Editor’s Corner
Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.
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