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50 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | MARCH 2025 | Wine Club The Sun Lakes Wine Club's next event is a blind tasting of six different wines — three white and three red. Knowing the basic shapes of wine bottles can be a useful clue to identifying the varietal of wine before even reading the label. The shape of wine bottles is more or less standardized across the world. Most table wines you find on the shop shelves will be packaged into three standard shapes. They are named after the wine regions where they were originally developed and used to store the f lagship wine of these regions. The Alsace bottle, also known as a Germanic bottle, this bottle is taller and thinner than other types, with gently sloping shoulders. The main grape contained in Alsace bottles is Riesling. Bottles holding French Riesling are often brown, while the ones used for German Riesling are more often green. The Bordeaux bottle is probably the most common bottle you will come across. The body of a Bordeaux bottle has a cylindric shape, with straight sides and high shoulders. The most popular wines in Bordeaux are Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, but you will also find Sauvignon Blanc in this type of bottle. The Burgundy bottle is most often used for Chardonnay (Chablis), Syrah and Pinot Noir. It is also commonly used for Fume Blanc and Chenin Blanc. It has a longer neck than the Bordeaux bottle and distinctive sloping shoulders, making it resemble a cone. Does the shape of a wine bottle effect the taste of the wine? No. Do some winemakers choose whatever shape bottle they desire at times? Yes! For information about the club, please look for an application in the Main Clubhouse Lobby or phone Steve Von Rajcs at (951) 217- 7225. At our events we try to learn a little, enjoy tasty wines and the company of others. Cheers to all!