Red, Red Wine!
Today, I am going to change things up a bit and do a post about wine. I am a huge wine fan, if you didn’t already know, and I want to discuss red wine a bit in this post. I wonder sometimes if the reason people don’t drink wine or even try it is that it’s confusing. It’s not like beer, where it’s pretty straight forward on the types. I admit, it can get pretty confusing with the different types of wine, even their flavor descriptions can sometimes leave you going… what?! So let me give a brief description of a few different types of red wine. This is my own personal opinion and to be honest, there could be a million more types that I don’t even know about. I am no expert on wine, I am just a big fan! This is just to be informative and to hopefully help you if you are interested in trying a red wine. I will do a post about whites and blushes later, but one step at a time!
The most important thing I want to note before I get started is… ignore those stupid wine pairing lists. Seriously. Wine is delicious and although sometimes a certain type of wine will go better with a certain type of food, don’t ever limit yourself! The only thing I do recommend is don’t drink super sweet wines with a meal. It’s overwhelming and one takes away from the other.
Zinfandel
Of course I had to start with my favorite! Zinfandels are amazing and almost anyone will enjoy a glass, even a non-wine drinker. They can range in taste in color, as I have seen them to be the most versatile wine. I believe most Zinfandels come from California because the grapes thrive on the heat and sun. Zinfandels are normally sweeter. The lighter colored Zinfandels, called White Zinfandels, are normally lighter than the darker, much redder colored Zinfandels. If you are having your first wine, especially at a restaurant, I would very, very highly recommend a White Zinfandel.
Merlot
This is my second favorite red wine. It has a very different flavor than that of a Zinfandel. Most of them have berry and herb flavors to them and some can be pretty heavy. I have heard that it’s a great starter red wine, so if you aren’t interested in a Zinfandel, this might do the trick. It is a pretty simple wine with great flavor. It can put up a fight against a steak or other meat, which is what I normally have with a Merlot. As I said, you don’t need to follow the pairings, but some wines just taste better with certain foods and I believe the Merlot is one of them.
Pinot Noir
What I love about Pinot Noir is the flavor. Every one that I have tried has had this hint of cherries or pears or just some wonderful fruity flavor. It’s a delicate, soft wine that has a smell almost as good as its taste! I have read that the flavor of this wine highly depends on where it is grown. It is difficult to grow so there are only a few places where you will see them.
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a very dark wine, from what I have seen. It ages well and has a wonderful smell. This is the type of wine that I read somewhere (once upon a time, no idea at this point) is supposed to have health benefits when used in moderation. Now the flavor of a Cabernet Sauvignon is kind of unique, with most I have had resembling a sort of oak or woody flavor. Don’t let that throw you off, it’s actually very delicious!
Shiraz or Syrah
This is a wine I have not had very often, but do enjoy. They are usually a dark red with flavors of black pepper and spice. I was told that this type of wine goes great with chocolate. The ones I have had have been rich in flavor and pretty complex.
These are only a few types of red wine, but I believe they are some of the more common varieties. Wine is something that I think grows on you with age; I just got in when I was young! I love having a nice glass of wine with dinner or after a long day. If you haven’t tried wine before and are interested in giving it a shot, I hope you will!
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Category: Tips & Ideas, Wine
