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 and peppery.
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• Simple, fruity red wines should be consumed at the coolest temperature of the other reds.
• Complex, heavier wines should be consumed at the warmest temperature (but still cool) of the other reds.
• More expensive, higher quality wines should generally be served at the warmer temperatures.
• 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.
