Red Wine

Where it started

Early wines in places like Provence were mostly pale, because long maceration of red grapes was unknown or uncommon; deep red wine came later.¹ Bordeaux introduced the idea of classifying wines in 1855 for the Paris Universal Exhibition.²

Where and how it's made

Only the skins of black grapes contain color; the juice is clear.³ For red wine, crushed grapes ferment with their skins so pigment and tannin move into the wine. In the Douro, rising temperature and alcohol during fermentation release color and aroma from the skins.⁴ After pressing, many reds age in oak, which softens tannin and adds spice.

Red wine tolerates slightly more volatile acidity in U.S. standards than white, 0.14 grams per 100 mL against 0.12.[^cfr4.21] A red at 14 percent or less may be labeled red table wine.[^cfr4.21]

Grape choice sets the frame. Bordeaux's red vineyard is 66 percent Merlot, 22.5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 9.5 percent Cabernet Franc.⁵ Merlot's tannins are more moderate than Cabernet's, so it matures earlier.⁶ Cabernet Sauvignon can age 10 to 20 years or more, though five to nine is more typical.⁷ The Médoc, on Bordeaux's Left Bank, makes only red wines.⁸

Place matters as much as grape. Bordeaux's Left Bank Médoc leans on Cabernet for power and structure, while Saint-Émilion, Pomerol and Fronsac, on limestone and clay, are shaped by Merlot and give silky, rounded wines.⁸⁹ In Piedmont, Barolo is pure Nebbiolo with garnet color, rose and violet aromas and elegant, complex tannins.¹⁰ New Zealand's Pinot Noir grows mostly in its cooler southern regions.¹¹

How to taste it

A large round bell-shaped glass suits delicate reds like Pinot Noir.¹¹ Serve light reds around 15°C.¹¹ Look at color: purple suggests youth, brick suggests age. Feel tannin on your gums and acidity on the sides of your tongue. Pinot Noir is light enough for salmon or chicken and complex enough for duck or lamb.¹¹ Save big Cabernet for steak and hard cheese.

Styles and what the label means

• Light and fresh — Pinot Noir, Gamay. red-grape-varieties →
• Medium and supple — Merlot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo.
• Full and tannic — Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Syrah.
• Bordeaux blends — Merlot and Cabernets. wine-regions-france →
• Red table wine — U.S. class at 14 percent or less.[^cfr4.21]
• Fortified reds — Port. port →