Red+Wine



= Major types of red wine =

Syrah (or Shiraz)
(Sah-ra or Shi-raz) Shiraz or syrah are two names for the same variety. Europe vintners only use the name syrah. Toffee notes if present come not from the fruit but from the wine having rested in oak barrels. The shiraz variety gives **hearty, spicy** reds. While shiraz is used to produce many average wines it can produce some of the world's finest, deepest, and darkest reds with intense flavors and excellent longevity.
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/syrah-small.jpg width="116" height="169" align="right" caption="Syrah vine picture" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/syrah"]] ||
 * [|Syrah vine picture] ||
 * Food pairings:** meat (steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.)
 * Districts:** syrah excels in California, in Australia, and in France's Rhone Valley.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: aromas and flavours of wild black-fruit (such as blackcurrant), with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.

Merlot
(Mare-lo) **Easy to drink**. The softness of Merlot has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine drinkers.
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/merlot-small.jpg width="139" height="188" align="left" caption="Merlot vine picture" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/merlot"]] ||
 * [|Merlot vine picture] ||
 * Food pairings:** any will do.
 * Districts:** a key player in the [|Bordeaux blend], merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington State, Chile, Australia, etc.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors. The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The [|Merlot] type of wine is less tannic (rough) than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet sauvignon
(Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw) Widely accepted as one of the world's best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with cabernet franc and [|merlot]. It usually undergoes oak treatment. With age, polyphenols polymerize: the grip fades away. The rich **currant** qualities of the Cabernet Sauvignon wine change to that of **pencil box**. **Bell pepper** notes remain.
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/cabernet-sauvignon-small.jpg width="105" height="181" align="right" caption="Picture of cabernet sauvignon" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/cabernet-sauvignon"]] ||
 * [|Cabernet sauvignon] ||
 * Food pairings:** best with simply prepared red meat.
 * Districts:** cabernet sauvignon is planted wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany. It is part of the great red Médoc wines of France, and among the finest reds in Australia, California and Chile.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and **gripping** when young.


 * Malbec **

[|Malbec vine picture] (Mal-bek) Malbec is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines.
 * Food pairings:** all types of meat-based meals.
 * Districts:** malbec has its origins in the French Bordeaux region. It is grown as côt in the Loire Valley and auxerrois in Cahors. Malbec has also been recognized as médoc noir or pressac again in France. Malbec is widely grown in Argentina, where it is the most popular red grape variety. It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler regions of California.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces an easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.

Pinot noir
(Pee-know na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/pinot-noir-small.jpg width="120" height="166" align="right" caption="Picture of Pinot noir vine" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/pinot-noir-of-Wiltinger-Rosenberg-Saar"]] ||
 * [|Pinot noir] ||
 * Food pairings:** excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, and lamb.
 * Districts:** makes the great reds of [|Burgundy] in France, and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New Zealand.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: very unlike [|Cabernet Sauvignon]. The structure is delicate and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of [|polyphenols]. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.

**Zinfandel**
(Zin-fan-dell) Perhaps the world's most **versatile** wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.
 * Food pairings:** very much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine; tomato-sauce pastas, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.
 * Districts:** only found in **California**.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.

Sangiovese
(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/sangiovese-small.jpg width="169" height="184" align="right" caption="Picture of sangiovese vine" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/sangiovese"]] ||
 * [|Picture of sangiovese vine] ||
 * Food pairings:** a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.
 * Districts:** sangiovese produces the Chiantis of Italy's Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors.

Barbera
(Bar-bear-a) Not as popular as [|Merlot] but with similar attributes.
 * [[image:http://www.guideduvin.com/pictures-of-grapes/barbera-small.jpg width="120" height="185" align="left" caption="Barbera vine picture" link="http://www.frenchscout.com/pictures-of-grapes/barbera"]] ||
 * [|Barbera vine picture] ||
 * Food pairings:** barbera wines are versatile: they **match many dishes**, including tomato sauces.
 * Districts:** another classic red of Italian origin. Widespread in California.
 * Typical taste** in varietal wine: juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and //**excellent acidity**//.

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Sources [|Major types of red wine]

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