Introduction to Red Wine

Cherry, vanilla and leather, oh my! These are just a few of the tasting characteristics you will find in red wines. There are two entrenched camps when it comes to wine: those who take their wine very seriously, and those who choose to take a lighter approach. Make no mistake, wine can be a serious business, however there is a certain time and place to unwind and go with the flow of life. In this, our intro to red wine, we hope to cover a few of the basics and leave you a little more informed about that darker wine that always ends up at the table.

The guidelines, or tasting notes on a red wine are difficult to generalize. Dark fruit such as cherry or blackberries can be often present. Tannins, the cause of the dry-mouth feel in wine, can be rather noticeable in a red wine, however a sweeter wine will have less. Earthy undertones can be present, just as a woody character can come from red wine aged in wooden barrels. Warmer climates can offer stronger flavours and more complex tastes as they offer a longer growing period for grape based flavours to develop.

Red wine, like all wine, is produced all over the globe. Each variety of grape and specific location offers its own characteristics, known as terroir. Generally speaking, the closer to the equator a red wine is grown and produced, the richer its flavour. Italy, southern France, and Argentina are a few of the many locations producing great red wine. Each grape has ideal conditions in which it thrives; a malbec from Argentina, a merlot from southern France and an Italian borolo each are excellent in their own way. Confused yet? Not surprising. The wealth of knowledge to be gained to any beginner is overwhelming. If there is an interest, and some dedication on your part knowledge will be gained in time; as the saying goes Rome was not built in a day.

Matching food and wine involves delicately balancing complimentary and contrasting flavours while still allowing the subtleties of each to shine. Red wine works well with chocolate and beef. Some dishes with lighter proteins such as pork and fish can stand alongside a lighter red wine if the dish itself is a rich one. Pleasure and taste are personal; what matters most when pairing food and wine is to have the pleasure and pallet of the consumer in mind.

There is a lot to know about red wine, and we have only scratched the surface. Hopefully there is enough information here to hold a brief conversation, and maybe peak enough interest to watch for follow up articles on the subject. For now, all the best and remember a glass of wine can be just fine, just please drink responsibly.