红酒简介(English Version)

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.

** copy from webpage**