Red Wine
What is Red Wine?
Red wine is simply wine produced from
red (or black) grapes. Most everyone
knows that. What you might not know
is that almost all grapes have colorless
juice. The way that the red
wine gets its color is by letting the skins
soak in the juice until the red color bleeds
out.
Not only does soaking the skins give red
wine
its color, it also imparts a substance
known as tannin. Tannin is what gives
red wines a complexity that is beyond that
of most white wines. Tannin has a mouth drying quality that
causes the wine to feel firm in your mouth.
When a red wine is young, this firmness can
be quite intense.
Over time, the qualities of the tannin will
mellow and blend harmoniously with the
other characteristics of the wine.
This is one of the main reasons that red
wines usually age better than whites.
Major Red Wine (Grape) Varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon -
Thick skinned grape with lots of tannin.
They have a blackcurrant flavor and smell
similar to pencil shavings.
Merlot - Usually higher in alcohol
and will taste of black cherries and
sometimes mint.
Nebbiolo - High in tannin and acid
and need aging to mellow. They are
mainly grown in the Piedmont region
of Italy.
Pinot Noir - The most finicky of grapes
producing the widest range of quality.
The best are hauntingly silky, with aromas
of truffles and decaying leaves.
Syrah/Shiraz - Rich and spicy wine
with lots of tannin and the sweetness
of blackberries.
Tempranillo - Spain's big red, with
moderate alcohol and tastes of strawberries
and plums.
Zinfandel - Ranging from light and fruity
to big and spicy depending on the quality.
The best examples
are from California.
Other Red Wine (Grape) Varieties
Barbera - Low tannin with high acidity.
Creates a fruity and refreshing wine.
Carmenere - Produces a rich and spicy
wine and is popular in Chile.
Gamay - Gained favor in the Beaujolais
district of France. They actually taste
of grapes and are low in tannin.
Grenache/Garnacha - High in alcohol
and is usually sweet andpeppery.
Malbec - A smooth and plummy variety
from Argentina.
Sangiovese - Main grape in Chianti.
This wine has medium acidity and tannin.
Touriga Nacional - An aromatic grape
commonly used for making Port.
European Red Wines
The Europeans label their wines by
the region in which the grapes are grown,
not the grape variety like in the U.S.
Many times they are blends of multiple
grape varieties.
Here is a chart of some of Europe's red wines:
Region | Country | Grape Varieties |
Bardolino | Italy | Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella |
Barolo | Italy | Nebbiolo |
Beaujolais | France | Gamay |
Bordeaux | France | Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc. |
Burgundy | France | Pinot Noir |
Châteaunuf-du-Pape | France | Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, etc. |
Chianti | Italy | Sangiovese, Canaiolo, etc. |
Côtes du Rhône | France | Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, etc. |
Port | Portugal | Tinta Borroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, etc. |
Rioja | Spain | Tempranillo, Grenache, etc. |
Valpolicella | Italy | Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella |
Enjoying Red Wine
Red wine is usually intended to be consumed
with a meal instead of on its own. The bold
flavors and characteristics (compared to most
whites), will stand up to and sometimes complement
flavorful foods. But I often enjoy a good red
wine all by itself.
Red wine will really shine when it is served
at the proper temperature. If the temperature
is too cold, the subtle flavors and textures will
be lost. If the temperature is too warm, the
wine will taste somewhat flat and totally
non-refreshing.
Most people know to drink red wine at room
temperature, but that is not really true.
Unless of course, you keep the temperature in
your house similar to that of an old English castle.
Most reds taste best between 62°F to 65°F
(16°C to 18°C).
For more specific guidelines, see chart below.
Sample Red Wines | Temperatures |
Beaujolais, Nebbiolo, Port, light and fruity reds | 54°F - 59°F (12°C - 15°C) |
Simple Pinot Noirs, light Rioja, Argentine Tempranillo | 59°F - 63°F (15°C - 17°C) |
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Shiraz, big Zinfandel | 63°F - 68°F (17°C - 20°C) |
Yes, I know, you're not going to get
a thermometer and take the temperature
of the wine every time you are going to
drink it. What I would recommend is to
actually drink wines at all three of the above
temperatures until you get a feel for them
without a thermometer.
With practice, you will have a good idea
of the approximate temperature.
General Temperature Guidelines
1.Simple, fruity red wines should be
consumed at the lest temperature of
the other reds.
2.Complex, heavier wines should be
consumed at the warmest temperature
(but still cool) of the other reds.
3.More expensive, higher quality wines
should generally be served at the
warmer temperatures.
4.Less expensive wines generally need
to be served at lower temperatures.
The important thing to know is that a
red wine needs to be warm enough to
experience all of the flavors, but cool
enough to be refreshing. Never drink a red
wine above 68°F (20°C) if you can help it.
The glass of a red wine should feel slightly
cool in your hands.
Tip - It takes about 3 hours to chill a bottle
of wine down to the temperature of the
refrigerator. Before drinking, take the room
temperature wine and let it sit in the refrigerator
from 15 to 40 minutes (depending on the type).
Tip - It's always better to serve a red wine
at a temperature that is too cool than too warm.
You or your guests can always just warm the
wine with your hands or simply wait a couple of
minutes before drinking.
