Wine is the most diverse, complex, and thrilling drink in the world. There are many types of wine out there, but red is definitely the most popular one of them all. When people talk about the wine they throw in terms like “tannin”, “full-bodied” and “Riesling”, but understanding all of this requires a viticulture degree in wine.
Not to dwell on it too much, we mentioned red wine and we’re going to tell you the top 5 red wines everyone should try.
5. Sangiovese
Native to the Tuscan region of Italy, Sangiovese is a dry wine that is literary translated “Blood of Jove”.
It’s called Sangiovese because of the popular grape type used to make these wines. Although Sangiovese isn’t that popular around the world, as it is in Italy, it can be found in most countries.
Sangiovese wine is high in acidity, medium bodied, with substantial tannins that taste like cherry and strawberry.
This type of wine goes perfectly with foods native to Italy, such as pizza and pasta. For a great pizza and wine pairing guide, check out WineO Mark.
4. Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir receives the nickname “Red Burgundy” due to the region of origin which is Burgundy, France. Like the Sangiovese, it is a dry wine made out of very finicky grapes. But the grapes of this wine require a very specific type of soil, which is specific only to the region of origin. This is the reason why less and less Pinot Noir is produced yearly.
Less wine produced means a bigger market price, hence the reason why Pinot Noir is one of the most expensive wines out there.
However, even if the grapes require a specific soil type, Pinot Noir is produced in almost every wine producing country.
The flavor of this wine is fruity like cherry and strawberry, and the taste can often be tempered with herbs and warm spices. This wine is excellent with foods from ethnic cuisines, to classical dishes. You can say that Pinot Noir is highly versatile with food. If you’re interested in Pinot Noir, you can learn more.
3. Syrah / Shiraz
Native to the Rhone region of France, Syrah/Shiraz is a dry wine that goes by both names in different parts of the world. In Europe and North America, it is known as Syrah, while Shiraz is the name give by Australians and South Africans.
This wine is the most popular wine type in Australia, with more than 23% of the wine being produced from the land down under. This is very weird as France is the country of origin, but it is the Aussies who have adopted it.
Syrah/Shiraz is deep purple in color and medium to full-bodied, with strong tannins and jammy flavor of boysenberry and blackberry. This wine is excellent with roasted and grilled meats.
2. Merlot
Merlot is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, grape in the world. Merlot is native to the Bordeaux region of France, but you can say that every wine producing country has adopted the Merlot as its own. However, not everyone produces the best grapes as they require a cooler climate. The optimal candidates for Merlot are still the Bordeaux region and Washington State. Merlot makes up about 5.81% of the total worldwide wine market share, and it is a dry wine that has a higher percentage of alcohol, typically around 13%.
Merlot is a heavy bodied wine that lacks the tannin bite and is complemented by softer fruit flavors such as plum or black cherry.
Merlot is a type of wine that goes excellent with a variety of foods, most popular being grilled or baked poultry, beef, and any other dish that uses cheese or cheddar.
1. Cabernet Sauvignon
Yet another wine that is native to the Bordeaux region of France, Cabernet Sauvignon is called “The King of Red Grapes”. This grape type grows very well in most of the countries in the world, but it is specific to the Bordeaux region, Napa Valley of California, Italy, Australia, Washington State, and large parts of South Africa.
This wine type is usually full-bodied with heavy tannin that gives the wine a rich dark fruit flavor of black cherry, blackberry, and black currant. The wine gives out a pinch of herbal, leafy notes that enriches the dark flavor. Cabernet Sauvignon goes excellent with red meats such as lamb, pork, beef, etc.
