Learn About the Different Types of Red Wine

If you are not a wine drinker yet, choosing a wine seem confusing, but even when you’re faced with a wide selection, it’s not as tricky as it may seem. Let’s start with the fact that there are four primary types of wine: red, white, rosé, and sparkling. Red wines have bold flavors, white wines are lighter, rosé is a balance between red and white, and sparkling wines are effervescent and run from dry to sweet. Once you have narrowed it down, it makes it a little bit easier to choose. If you’re interested in red, we have some advice.

Red Wine

Choosing between red wines is not exactly a piece of cake, though, as there are more than 50 types! So, let’s start with the basics. Why is red wine red? Red wine gets its color from the skins of the grapes from which it is made. Red grapes can be reddish, purple, or even blue, and red wine color is classified using descriptors like garnet, dark red, light red, ruby red, opaque purple, deep violet, maroon, and more. Interestingly, white wines can be made from red grapes, by separating the juice from the skins and seeds before starting the fermentation process. Red wines run the gamut, from sweet to dry and from high to low alcohol content. Finding your favorites may take some trial and error.

Red Wine Styles

The winemaker has a major impact on the style of wine produced. Typically, red wines are classified by their “body-type,” which refers to their mouth feel and the tannins they contain. A light-bodied wine will have fewer tannins present than a medium-bodied wine, but a medium-bodied wine will not be nearly as tart as a full-bodied wine. If you compare mouth feel, light-bodied wine feels more like water and full-bodied wines feel heavier, like milk. The more full-bodied the wine, the darker the color will be. Popular medium-bodied wines include Merlot, Malbec, and Sangiovese. Light-bodied wines include Pinot Noir and Beaujolais Nouveau, and full-bodied wines include Cabernet, Syrah, and Shiraz.

Red Wine Varietals

The most common red wine varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Shiraz, Sangiovese, Malbec, and Grenache. Often, you will hear someone refer to wines by the name of their regions, like calling something a Bordeaux. This actually refers to a red wine from France, either Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or Merlot, and each of these wines is made from a grape with the same name. Likewise, a Chianti is a wine from the Chianti region of Italy, made of Sangiovese grapes.

Different Types of Red Wine

There is a red wine for every palate and every mood. If you like sweet wines, you have quite a selection, delicious as dessert wines or for drinking instead of white wine. Shiraz tastes peppery, spicy, and like sweet red fruit. Brachetto d’Acqui is one you may not have heard of, but it has rich floral and fruity notes and a sweetness from increased sugar. Port is a fortified red wine, aged in a barrel, with further alcohol and sugar added after the initial fermentation. Vintage Port is particularly special because it’s aged in the bottle for up to 40 years. Black Muscat is a sweet wine known for tasting of raspberry, black tea, and violets. Semi-sweet reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel. Not into sweet? Red wine can be dry or even very dry, with some of the most popular dry red wines being Chianti, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, and Burgundy.

Common Descriptions of Red Wine Flavor

Aside from words like full-bodied and mouth feel, there are other terms you will hear used to describe the flavor of red wine. Some wines taste of fruits like cherry, plum, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, currant, or fig. Some taste peppery, or of spices like clove or cinnamon. Others taste like certain flowers, like roses, violets, or lavender, while some have a darker flavor, like coffee, cocoa, tobacco, or leather. Some wines are described as buttery, which means the wine has a cream-like texture and a smooth finish.

Riesling and Vegetarian food

It can be challenging to find the right wine for vegetarian dishes, but Riesling offers many delicious pairings. An off-dry Riesling is lovely with Indian vegetarian and vegan dishes, for instance. For salads and vegetables, opt for a dry Riesling.

Common Questions About Types of Red Wine

• What are the four main types of wine?
The four types of wine are red, white, rosé, and sparkling.

• How many types of red wine are there?
There are more than 50 different types of red wine.

• What is the most popular red wine in the world?
There are many different types of wine that are popular, but globally, Cabernet Sauvignon wins most popular.

• Which red wine is smoothest?
Some of the most popular smooth red wines are Merlot, Chianti, Malbec, and Shiraz.

• How long does red wine last after opening?
If you keep the cork in a bottle of red wine, it will last for three to five days, as long as it’s stored in a cool, dark, place.

• How long does red wine last unopened?
Stored properly, most red wines will last for three to five years. However, most will taste best within months of bottling.

• What’s the best way to store red wine?
Red wine should be stored on its side in a cool, dry, dark place, because it can be damaged by light, humidity, and extreme temperatures.

• Is red wine a healthy option?
Red wine can be beneficial for heart health because it has high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Dry red wine is better for you than sweet, which has a higher sugar content.

• How much red wine is ok to drink daily?
It is considered safe for your health to drink one to two glasses of red wine each day, consumed with food to prevent damage from the alcohol.

• What foods go well with red wine?
Meats, cheese, and desserts can all pair beautifully with a red wine chosen to intensify or complement the flavors of the food.

• How long should red wine breathe after being opened?
Most red wines will taste better if you let them breathe for about 30 minutes. However, a young or highly tannic wine may need two hours to fully aerate.

• What’s the best way to drink red wine?
Red wine is best enjoyed at room temperature, after it has had the proper time to aerate. Red wine glasses should have an oval or egg-shaped bowl that narrows slightly at the top. To open up the flavors, swirl the wine in your glass before drinking.

• What is red wine used for besides drinking?
You can use a dry red wine for cooking, and, of course, red wine can be made into vinegar, for use in many applications, including making delicious red wine vinaigrette.

Visit Aurora Cellars to Try Our Award-Winning Wines

If you’re interested in tasting award-winning wines from a boutique winery, you owe it to yourself to check out Aurora Cellars. Sibling-owned-and-operated, Aurora Cellars is on a unique and exciting property in the heart of the Leelanau peninsula, where compact clay soil and rolling hills provide the perfect place to grow and produce world-class wines in a spectacular setting. While relaxing in the ambience of our gorgeous vineyard and the old-world charm of our tasting room, you can enjoy a premier wine tasting experience, whether you prefer a flight of wines or wine by the glass. Whether you want to come for a wine tasting tour or you’re interested in the vineyard as an outstanding venue, Aurora Cellars is the place to be.  Contact us through our website for general information or reach out for availability and pricing.