Red Wine

Red wine gets its distinctive colour from the skins of red grapes - which tend to be more of a black/ purple colour. To produce red wine, the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice during fermentation, a method that imparts the distinct colour, flavour, and texture to red wine. Famous red grape varieties range from the robust cabernet sauvignon and merlot to the more delicate pinot noir and the spicy syrah/ shiraz. Equally important to the grape variety is where it is grown. Regions such as Bordeaux, Tuscany, Napa Valley, and Rioja are revered for their high quality red wines. Red wines can vary in colour from a deep pink to almost black. Flavours can be equally varied from raspberries to plums with all kinds of spice, floral and savoury flavours. Many reds are aged in barrels which can be made of French, American or East European oak which add flavours such as vanilla, coconut and cloves. A crucial component in the flavour of a red is tannin which comes mainly from the skins. This can be felt as a drying sensation in the mouth like you get from a strong cup of tea. Some reds like Beaujolais Nouveau have little to no tannin whereas others like Barolo are famed for their prominent tannin. Tannic reds have a strong affinity with red meat and mature hard cheeses like cheddar. They also work as a preservative allowing certain reds like the best wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy and other regions to age and improve for years, sometimes decades. As red wines mature, their flavours deepen, mellowing out the tannins and allowing the emergence of complex secondary and tertiary aromas and flavours. A well-aged red wine can offer an extraordinary drinking experience. Most reds, however, are best drunk young.