Wine Blog

You will find that one of the easiest ways to get to know your way around wine flavors is through grape varieties. Each grape variety has specific characteristics. In some regions, one grape variety is used to make a wine; in others, winemakers blend several varieties in a single wine. To help you identify grape varieties, below is an overview of each of the major red grapes and their characteristics.

You will find that one of the easiest ways to get to know your way around wine flavors is through grape varieties. Each grape variety has specific characteristics. In some regions, one grape variety is used to make a wine; in others, winemakers blend several varieties in a single wine. To help you identify grape varieties, below is an overview of each of the major red grapes and their characteristics.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the big daddy of the red wine world. It is like the Chardonnay, as it is widely planted and distributed. The result of this is that there are so many versions of this grape. Many people think of Cabernet Sauvignon as being a wine that needs to age, but that is only because the best red Bordeaux need age. Most non-premium varieties are ready to go right away.
Under ideal conditions, it produces an aromatic, tannic wine that ages and evolves to be both elegant and powerful. Perfectly balanced Bordeaux is one that has classic notes of black-currants, cedar, cigar boxes, pencils, mint and dark chocolate. Sounds delicious!

Gamay
For the most part, you will find Gamay produced as Beaujolais. It mainly grows on the hills in south Burgundy. The aroma of a young Gamay is described as a wave of cherry and strawberry fruit. On the palate, Gamay wines are bright and crisp. They are moderate in alcohol and have very little tannin. Wines from Gamay grapes are ideal for all kinds of foods.

Merlot
Merlot started out as a Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux and has risen to international popularity. The great wines of Pomerol and St. Emilion in Bordeaux are based on Merlot with Cabernet in the blend. These wines show Merlot at its toughest and most intense. Merlots popularity is because it is softer, fruiter, and earlier maturing than Cabernet Sauvignon and displays some of the same aromas along with mint, and tobacco. In general, drink Merlot young.

Pinot Noir
At its best Pinot Noir is beautiful with a seductive silky texture and at its worst, it is heavy or flat. A good mature Pinot Noir has complex flavors of strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, violets, all-spice, tobacco and hay. Pinot Noir is relatively low in tannin and acidity and needs a cool climate to grow. Too much warmth, Pinot Noir can develop baked together flavors, losing its elegance.

Sangiovese
A taste of Sangiovese and you will immediately conjure images of Italy. The name of the grape may not seem familiar, but it is the principal variety behind Chianti, Italys most famous red wine. It is taken very seriously in Tuscany, and you will find it in California, Australia, and Argentina. It is naturally tannic and is best used in a blend, usually with Cabernet Sauvignon. It requires a hot climate in order to produce its required richness and alcohol content. In cooler climates, it tends to have sharp and bitter tannins.

Syrah
Called Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, Syrah is one of the greats of southeastern France’s Rhone Valley grape. At home in France, it produces wines that are smoky, herby, and austere. Australian Shiraz tends to be richer, softer with a leathery quality and personally one of my favorites. All Syrah/Shiraz need a year or two from the vintage to hit its stride. Top wines will last about ten years.

Zinfandel
It is disputable where this grape originated, but it is indisputably California’s grape today, with almost no winemakers in other places producing it. The best Zinfandel is spicy and heartwarming. Other styles range from off white to high intensity sweet wines. Try a bottle not more than three or four years old, because that’s when the Zinfandel character is strongest.

Contributor: Stuart Glasure [Designer, Fashion Artist, Creator: "Zany Wearables", Wine Enthusiast]
www.ZanyGiftware.com
www.WineDefinitions.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stuart Glasure [Designer, Fashion Artist, Creator: "Zany Wearables", Wine Enthusiast]
www.ZanyGiftware.com
www.WineDefinitions.com

–

Chocolate Chip Decorated Cake Single Layer 8″ RoundTopped with Tropical Punch and Grape Butterfly Gummie Our single layer cakes are baked fresh with only the finest ingredents. They are great for a birthday surprise, and you can include your own special message on a gift card.

Jennifer Buchanan/The Herald (click to enlarge) – Everett Herald
Ambrosia from Blooms, the Mystique Red from Ott & Murphy and the 2005 cabernet sauvignon from Blooms are a few of the wines that will be paired with Brix chocolate for the Red Wine & Chocolate event at Taste 4 Wines on Valentine’s Day weekend

Bottlenotes Guide to Wine: Around the World in 80 Sips
Today wine is more popular than ever—and consumers need up-to-date, sensible, and sophisticated advice from those in the know. Based on one of the Web site’s most popular tasting events, this book will take readers on a journey through time and today’s vineyards. Combining essential information about wine, featuring a primer about the different categories and a one-of-a-kind regional guide, what more could a wine-lover want? Inspiring wine drinkers to expand their knowledge base and explore their taste preferences, Bottlenotes will take a look at the most interesting wine spots, including: Napa, California; Italy; Australia; Lebanon; Israel; China; South Africa; Chile; and others! It used to be that there were two choices when you ordered wine—European or Californian? But now the wine world is multicultural and international. In order to stay in the game, it’s important to learn from those in the know—and the folks at Bottlenotes are here to help!

Customer Review: Handy Book
This book was given to me and became one of several books I have about wine. I was happy to discover that this one is informative, written in a great voice and looks a lot like a small cookbook so it has a new home in my kitchen where I’m often doing my wine drinking. All in all, a handy book to have around.

Customer Review: Great intro to wine
This is a great intro to wine, as well as a good reference for people who already have some wine knowledge. It covers regions, grapes varieties, and food and wine pairings. The language is fun and informative. I really enjoyed it. Will buy it as a fun present with a bottle of wine for friends’ birthdays, etc.

As a continuation to, ?White Grapes are as Different as Apples and Oranges,? red grapes are very much the same. Sometimes it is hard to believe that one small piece of fruit can vary so much. Even though there are dozens upon dozens of varieties of red grape, the following is a short list of what I feel are the major red varieties.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir originates in Burgundy but can also call places such as Tasmania and New Zealand home and is often considered to be the lightest of all the red grape varieties. Flavours and aromas again can vary but usually are reminiscent of raspberry and strawberry while having spicy and earthy aromas. Because of the variety of flavours and aromas that can be produced from Pinot Noir, it is important to ask a retailer when first getting involved in this variety because as easy it is to have a stunning bottle it is just as easy to have a bottle that would give you nightmares. It is also important to keep in mind that although Pinot Noir is a low yielding variety it is not always necessary to spend a lot of money to get a nice bottle of wine you just need to know what to look for (which is where asking comes into play if you are unsure of a particular region or vineyard).

Shiraz/Syrah

Just as Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are essentially the same, Shiraz and Syrah are essentially the same with the differences lying only in their styles and origins. Syrah has much more spice and be a leaner and elegant Old World style grape while its brother Shiraz is a fruitier and more oaky New World star. Syrah has characteristics that range from plum to redcurrants with a lot of spice while Shiraz is a rich and intense wine that will remind you of raspberry, cedar and earth. Both are quite intense in their own right and sometimes need an acquired taste for strong, powerful fruity and spicy wines to be fully appreciated.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is a native to France?s Bordeaux region and aside from being one of the best established in grape growing regions around the world, it is also considered by many (including myself) the ruler of red wines. This is also in part due to their thick skins and high acidity having created some of the best and oldest red wines around. Having an amazing universal appeal, Cabernet Sauvignon has a variety of flavours and aromas. These aromas can vary from leather and mint to fruity such as cherry and plum and contribute to the ?full body? feeling that this wine is known for.

Merlot

A well known wine, Merlot often runs neck in neck with that of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is grown all over the world including countries such as Australia and America with it?s origins in France. With flavours that can be on the fence between lightweight and medium bodied, Merlots flavours tend to be full of plum fruit flavours with little tannin. One of the more drinkable varieties, Merlot is a quick favourite with people who are just started to acquire a taste for red wine.

Zinfandel

Perhaps not as big in many parts of the world it can definitely be said that Zinfandel (also known as Zin) has found it?s calling in the United States where in the Napa Valley it has had huge success in creating some amazing wines. Zinfandels are known to create wines varying from light bodied to full on power houses to sweet dessert wines and ports. A fact that many people are starting to become aware of is that Zinfandel and Primitivo from Italy are not different varieties but in fact are twins.

While there are many more varieties of red grape that were not touched upon such as Tempranillo, Grenache and Pinot Meunier, the above list hopefully will shed some light on the many varieties of red grapes that are used to produce wine as even a basic knowledge of grapes will greatly enhance your ability to understand and appreciate a bottle of wine.

Finest Wine Racks is a major supplier of a variety of wine racks including wood wine racks, metal wine racks, counter top, floor standing wine racks and wine storage systems. A pioneer with their “Product Selection Assistant Tool” Finest Wine Racks aims to make your shopping experience easier.

Ken Finnigan – CEO
Finest Wine Racks

–

Nu GRAPE SODA “A Flavor You Can’t Forget”, 12-Ounce Glass Bottle (Pack of 12) Grape Flavored Soda in glass bottle