Tasting Characteristics of Red Wines

Sweet and Sour – The sweet and sour fruity flavors are common in Italian wines. They prefer to drink wines with their meals as opposed to by itself, so this style works well when accompanied with certain foods such as duck. Many Italian grapes produce that sour, cherry-like flavor. Some examples are, Sangiovese (san-joe-VAY-say), Barbera, Dolcetto (dohl-CHET-oh), and even Chianti (key-AHN-tee). Other places, including California, use these grapes but rarely do they produce the degree of bite that the Italians achieve.


Fruity and Juicy – For those that don’t prefer the mouth drying quality that tannin causes, these wines fit the bill. They are usually fairly light, with an emphasis on fruit flavor and are designed to drink young. No need to age these wines. There can be vibrant blackberry, cherry, plum or maybe black currant flavors. Zinfandel, Merlot, and Tempranillo (tem-pra-NEE-yoh) are a few of the grapes used for this style. California and even Chile produce some fine examples of light, fruity reds. France, though not quite as fruity, has Beaujolais (boh-jhoe-lay). Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape and is a good wine for those white wine drinkers who haven’t quite acquired the taste for reds. These wines also are good for dinner because they go well with a variety of foods.

Soft, Strawberry – Mellow, strawberry or raspberry-like flavors with more noticeable tannin than the fruity wines above can be found in wines such as Pinot Noir (pee-noh nwahr) and Red Rioja (ree-OH-ha). Pinot Noir is a finicky grape so the quality varies wildly. Try a French red Burgundy (made with Pinot Noir grapes). They make some of the most silky and delicious examples. But again, cheap bottles are drastically worse than good ones. Aging also helps to achieve the mellowness and complex aromas.

Rich, Spicy – Deep fruit flavors, hints of chocolate, black pepper and other spices are common in the Syrah or Shiraz grape. Australian Shiraz sets a benchmark for the style. Sometimes smoky flavors accent the Rhone Valley’s Syrah in France. Often these wines have an earthy or mineral quality. These great tasting wines are better suited to cooler weather because of their rich, almost warming characteristic.

Firm, Blackcurranty – For full flavored richness with the distinct taste of blackcurrant and firm tannins, Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect choice. Aging makes a big difference in its mellowness and range of flavors. A good quality Cabernet Sauvignon or Cab for short, should exhibit a complex depth of flavors. The aroma sometimes resembles pencil shavings or cigar boxes. Because of the high tannin content, they are sometimes blended with Merlot grapes to soften it up. Even though price and quality varies, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape creates a fairly consistent tasting wine. (2basnob)


See also : sushi, steak