DIFFERENT TYPES OF RED WINE

If you’ve ever thought of becoming a wine connoisseur, you may just want to learn a little bit about what makes each kind of wine so unique. Having the knowledge will help you to enjoy the many wonders of wine. Red wine in particular has many subcategories that you’ll want to brush up on them so you can share your knowledge with others, and then have a group to enjoy wine nights with. You’ll come to find out that there are 3 types of categories for wine: full-bodied, medium-bodied, and light-bodied. Each of those has their own wines and distinct tastes that make them so different and special. Let’s learn a little bit about full-bodied wines today.

Full-bodied wine has a ton of flavor. If you’d like to pair with a meal, make sure the dish is more flavorful than the wine. Meats are definitely a good match for a full-bodied wine. One full-bodied wine is called “Cabernet Sauvignon,” which is the most important because it’s the easiest to grow as long as it’s in a warm climate. It’s originally from Bourdeaux in France. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make medium to full-bodied types of red wines. Their tannin levels are really high, and that is a natural preservative that comes from the skin, stems, and seeds of the grape and oak wood in which the wine is aged. Tannins taste astringent, which basically means they leave a dry texture in your mouth after you drink the wine. A Cabernet Sauvignon is usually made with merlot, and can bring a lot of fruitiness to the wine. Merlot is so much fruiter than Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a lovely flavor with a good aftertaste. Merlot is dark colored and high in alcohol content. Merlot is the most planted grape in Bourdeaux.

Another full-bodied wine is called Malbec, which was originally used as a blending grape in Bourdeaux wines, but has recently become the star of Argentina and Chilean wines. This wine has a deep red color with full-bodied flavors of berries and tannins. Argentina winemakers discovered that Malbec thrives in a long growing season with lots of sun, making it a perfect grape for South America. Mourvedre wine is another full-bodied wine that is famous in the Rhone region of France, in Jumilla and Valencia in Spain, California, Washington, and Australia. It makes wine with high tannins and high alcohol content. The Mourvedre grape is used mostly in red wine blends such as Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre (GSM).

Lastly, the Nebbiolo is a lovely full-bodied wine in which the Nebbiolo grapes grow in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Borolo, Brabaresco, Nebbiolo d’Alba, and Gattinara wines are made from this grape. Nebbiolo wines like Barbaresco and Barolo are known for their complex and full-bodied flavors. These wines will require a lot of aging to become the masterpiece they need to be. The aromas and flavors of Nebbiolo wines are super fruity with lots of spices. They will tend to have a lot of tannins and be high in alcohol content. Now go and enjoy some of this knowledge and put it towards your next wine tasting adventure.