Perhaps you’ve been at a dinner table and heard someone say they drink only red wine. Maybe you’ve asked your friend what they’d like you to drink when you get to their event or dinner, and they’ve offered “a red” as the only descriptor. The red wine world is a vast and complex one; whether you’re sipping a classic glass of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or drinking a glass of Sangiovese, which is packed with tobacco, red cherry, and leather flavors, or perhaps an icy, tannin-forward Syrah, It’s difficult to imagine any other category that can be described with just one word. Although there are many red wine grapes originating from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and more that we do not mention in this article in this guide, we’ve summarized the most crucial details about the 12 most important red wine grapes that you’re likely to find at your local bottle store or menu at a restaurant.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most planted and loved grape varieties across the globe that provides the foundation for the wines of Bordeaux, Napa Valley, and more.
Merlot
Merlot is a red wine made from the grape variety with an identical name. Its style runs from fruit-forward to sweet with oak to more refined and nuanced, able to last for a long time. Merlot is among the most critical components of the most classic blends from Bordeaux. It is found on the Right Bank. In Pomerol, exceptionally, it is typically crafted into wines (or blended into blends, usually together with the Cabernet Franc), among the best worldwide.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a wine made from a grape variety with an identical name. Most Pinot Noir Wines are red. However, they can also be used to create fantastic roses (look for the Inman Family “Endless Crush” OGV Estate Rose for a delightful and complicated illustration). Pinot Noir can also be one of three principal grape varieties in Champagne, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.
Syrah
Syrah is an alcoholic wine made from the grape of the identical name. It’s typically made as a red wine, which is logical considering the dense skins and the higher levels of tannins and phenolic compounds, which can be extracted through maceration and fermentation. However, Syrah is also a significant participant in the scene of Rose. The examples that come from Rhone Valley Provence, Languedoc, and beyond are incredibly appreciated by people all over all over the world.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel wine is red and made from a grape variety with an identical name. Since it is at its best in terms of quality and expression in the United States, it is typically branded by the name of the wine on its bottle. Most Zinfandel wines are dry, red, and still, although sweet and sweet late-harvest wines are undoubtedly available and occasionally sparkling.
Grenache
Grenache wine has been made in a variety of countries and is available in a variety of styles. Its most popular types are red. However, Grenache is also an essential function in roses. Most of the time, it’s known as Grenache (or, more rarely, Grenache Noir), but in Spain and other wine-producing Spanish-speaking nations, it’s referred to as Garnacha.
Malbec
Malbec is a wine that comes from a grape with an identical name. It is usually red; however, as with other red wines, it can also be made into rose and white. In the past, white Malbec was not a common sight, and even though it is available, a few examples are being made in Argentina. Malbec rose is often seen, but this grape shines the most in red wines in its bottle or as part of an assemblage.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is among Italy’s extensively grown grape varieties; however, given the names used in Italian wines, it’s unlikely to discover a bottle labeled as Sangiovese. Instead, you’ll need to be aware that Sangiovese is the most widespread grape variety used in Chianti blends and is the only one permitted within Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In addition to Italy, Sangiovese has some successes in some areas of Australia, particularly McLaren Vale, and in Oregon, Arizona, and California. Sangiovese is mainly grown all over Italy.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc shines on its own and in blends from the French Loire Valley to Napa Valley, Canada, Argentina, and beyond. A more excellent glass from Cabernet Franc will focus more on the herb and bell pepper flavors; a warmer glass allows the brambly berries, wild strawberries, and plums to shine more clearly. In both cases, the most excellent examples highlight bell peppers, spices, herbal flavors and aromas, and notes of tobacco and minerality. If the wine was matured in oak-seasoned, sweet spices, hints of chocolate might appear.
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is a wine cultivated throughout the Piedmont (or as in Italian, Piemonte) region of Italy, in the northwest country. Two of the most famous wines produced by Piedmont are made entirely of Nebbiolo: Barolo and Barbaresco.
Tempranillo
The location of ‘tempranillo’ and ‘crianza’ on these labels implies that crianza, like Tempranillo, is a grape variety.
Tempranillo is a red wine made from a grape with an identical name. In the known New World, it’s likely to be labeled that way; however, on labels from the traditional growing regions in Spain, the region’s name is more likely to be included. It is essential to know that most red wines from Rioja are blends made from Tempranillo, and most of the top reds from Ribera del Duero are purely Tempranillo.
Montepulciano
Montepulciano wine is typically a red wine made by the grape variety with the same name. However, it also produces an excellent rose. It is usually linked to Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which is grown in Abruzzo, located in central east Italy.