Alcohol Category

Burgundy is a region in eastern France that produces excellent red wines, but the Burgundy wines produced in the United States are usually inexpensive jug wines made from different grape varieties.

Burgundy is a region in eastern France that produces excellent red and white wines. Some of the better wine-producing areas in Burgundy are Chablis and Pouilly-Fuissé, both of which produce exquisite white wines from Chardonnay grapes. Burgundy wines produced in the United States are usually inexpensive blends of different grape varieties.

This is a tangy and bittersweet French vermouth that's made with quinine and red wine. It's usually mixed with club soda.

Cabernet Franc grapes are related to Cabernet Sauvignon, but they make for a lighter, fruitier wine. The wine is often blended with others, but sometimes sold as a varietal wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make a hearty, complex red wine that's especially good with roasted meats and heavy stews. Domestic Cabernets are often excellent.

This sugarcane brandy is made in Brazil, where the name means "burning water." Velho Barreto is a well-regarded brand.

This popular Italian bitters is often mixed with soda, ice, and a twist of lemon and served as an apéritif.

These blended whiskies have a lighter body than those made in the United States. Crown Royal and Canadian Club are popular brands. Canadians follow the British convention of spelling whisky without an "e." Whiskey should be served at room temperature.

If made in France, this is a very dry, delicately flavored white wine that's made with Chardonnay grapes. It's great with seafood, especially oysters. If made domestically, like a California Chablis, it's a sweet and cheap jug wine.

This elegant white varietal wine is crisp and dry, and great with seafood, poultry, ham, egg dishes, salads, and any dish with a rich cream sauce. California Chardonnays are often excellent.

This excellent herbal liqueur is said to contain over 125 ingredients. It comes in two colors: green Chartreuse and the sweeter and less potent yellow Chartreuse.

This is a village in Provence that's known for its excellent red wines, which are blended from as many as 13 grape varieties. These wines tend to be pricey.

This is a grape variety that's often blended with others to make inexpensive white jug wines and domestic Chablis. It's relatively inexpensive and goes well with salads, seafood, poultry, ham, and spicy foods.

This is a chocolate and cherry flavored liqueur. It's often mixed with milk.

There are many varieties of cherry liqueurs, including the chocolate-flavored Chéri Suisse, Cherry Heering = Peter Heering, crème de cerise, Cherry Rocher, Kirschenliqueur, Cherry Grand Marnier = Cherry Marnier, and Maraschino liqueur.

A lot of cheap domestic red wines go by this name, but the real thing comes from Tuscany and has a seal of authenticity on the neck. Italian Chianti is a hearty wine that's great with Italian food

There are many well-regarded brands of chocolate liqueur, including Godiva, Truffles, Mozart, and Hagen Daz. Some liqueurs combine chocolate with other flavors, like Cheri Suisse, Vandermint, and Tiramisu.

This is a Mexican orange liqueur.

This is white rum flavored with coconut. Malibu Rum and CocoRibe are well-known brands.

Coffee-flavored liqueurs are used to make Black and White Russians and other mixed drinks. Popular brands include Mexico's Kahlúa and the rum-based Tía Maria from Jamaica. See the (Substitute for) Kahlua recipe posting on SOAR, or the Tia Maria recipe posted by Bar-None.

The very best cognacs are labeled VVSOP, Napoleon, Vieille Reserve, Grand Reserve, Royal, or Vieux. Next in the rankings are cognacs labeled Extra Old (XO), Extra, or Hors D'Age. After that comes VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Reserve, or VO. Next come cognacs with VS or *** on their labels. Connoisseurs also check for the cru, or place where the cognac was made. The best crus are Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne.

This is an orange liqueur that’s not as well regarded as Grand Marnier, but considered a step above curaçao and triple sec.

This is a sweetened blend of sparkling wines. It's cheap and tastes like it.

You should never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink, but some "cooking wines" sold at stores violate this maxim. Avoid them and instead cook with inexpensive, but drinkable, table wines. Avoid putting wine in aluminum or iron pans for prolonged periods.

Like Bourbon, corn whiskey is made from corn, but it's not nearly as elegant and smooth as its pricier relative. It's a bit hard to find, but some brands--like Platte Valley, Virginia Lightning and Turkey Mountain--are still being produced. Whiskey should be served at room temperature.

Boggs is a well-regarded brand.

This is a crème liqueur that has an apricot flavor.

This is a crème liqueur that has an almond flavor

This is a crème liqueur that has a pineapple flavor.

This is a crème liqueur that has a banana flavor. It's often used to make banana daiquiris.

This is a crème liqueur that has a chocolate flavor. Buy either white (actually clear) or dark crème de cacao--they both taste the same.

This is a crème liqueur that has a coffee flavor.

This is a crème liqueur made with black currants and rum. It's very sweet, and often mixed with white wine to make kir.

This is a crème liqueur that has a cherry flavor.

This is a crème liqueur that has a chocolate flavor.

This is a crème liqueur that's flavored with caraway seeds

This is a crème liqueur that has a strawberry flavor.