Wine Basics: an Overview of the Seven Types of Red Wine
Knowing a few things about wine is a very handy skill. You can be trusted to order wine in a restaurant, you will be asked which foods go with a certain wine, and you can impress your friends and family with your wine trivia.
Before you can claim to be an expert, you need to learn some of the basics. One of the first things you'll need to learn about is what types of red wine are available and popular on today's market.
This list won't tell you everything you need to know, but it will help you understand what you're reading on the label when you pick up a bottle of red wine for dinner.
There are basically seven types of red wine. They are categorized by the type of grape used to make them. Besides these seven basic types of red wine, there are also many blends using more than one kind of grape. Here we'll focus only on the seven main types of red wine.
Barbera
Barbera is among the most commonly grown grapes in the world, being found on five continents. The Barbera grape produces a ripe, crisp-tasting wine that is used to blend with many other types of red wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular types of red wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is, like the Barbera, among the most commonly grown grape types on the planet. Cabernet Sauvignon wines age extremely well.
Merlot
Merlot is a great starter wine that nearly any wine drinker can appreciate. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, though it is lovely on its own.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is an exquisite grape which makes an excellent wine. It is strong enough to stand on its own and usually is not blended with other types of red wine.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is most commonly used to make Chianti, but has not yet gained worldwide popularity. Recently, it has been used in some California reds. This is one to watch, as it may soon become very popular in American wines.
Shiraz (Syrah)
The Shiraz grape produces a very fine, spicy red wine. It is used in some of the best contemporary French wines and produces an amazing deep and bold flavor.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a very versatile and useful grape. Although most people associate Zinfandel with White Zinfandel wine, the Zinfandel grape can actually be used to make very deep reds as well. It has a very high sugar content, which can translate into very high alcohol content in the finished wine.
Knowing a few things about wine is a very handy skill. You can be trusted to order wine in a restaurant, you will be asked which foods go with a certain wine, and you can impress your friends and family with your wine trivia.
Before you can claim to be an expert, you need to learn some of the basics. One of the first things you'll need to learn about is what types of red wine are available and popular on today's market.
This list won't tell you everything you need to know, but it will help you understand what you're reading on the label when you pick up a bottle of red wine for dinner.
There are basically seven types of red wine. They are categorized by the type of grape used to make them. Besides these seven basic types of red wine, there are also many blends using more than one kind of grape. Here we'll focus only on the seven main types of red wine.
Barbera
Barbera is among the most commonly grown grapes in the world, being found on five continents. The Barbera grape produces a ripe, crisp-tasting wine that is used to blend with many other types of red wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular types of red wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is, like the Barbera, among the most commonly grown grape types on the planet. Cabernet Sauvignon wines age extremely well.
Merlot
Merlot is a great starter wine that nearly any wine drinker can appreciate. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, though it is lovely on its own.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is an exquisite grape which makes an excellent wine. It is strong enough to stand on its own and usually is not blended with other types of red wine.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is most commonly used to make Chianti, but has not yet gained worldwide popularity. Recently, it has been used in some California reds. This is one to watch, as it may soon become very popular in American wines.
Shiraz (Syrah)
The Shiraz grape produces a very fine, spicy red wine. It is used in some of the best contemporary French wines and produces an amazing deep and bold flavor.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is a very versatile and useful grape. Although most people associate Zinfandel with White Zinfandel wine, the Zinfandel grape can actually be used to make very deep reds as well. It has a very high sugar content, which can translate into very high alcohol content in the finished wine.
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