It just doesn’t get much better than a truly magnificent bottle of red wine, enjoyed at a casual dinner party with friends or sitting solo in the backyard watching the sunset. There’s something unique to red wine that makes it feel more calming and indulgent than any other wine or cocktail. Perhaps it’s the sense of sophistication it brings or the show of it all with its sniffs and swirls. Whatever the reason, we love a great bottle of red. If you’re new to red wine or have simply always stuck with a favorite varietal or two, it’s time to branch out and get to know everything this ruby red world has to offer.
What to look for when tasting red wine
One of the most beautiful things about red wine is its diversity. Unfortunately, this is also what makes it more than a little bit confusing. Red wine can fall into many categories based on its flavor, boldness, body, tannins, acidity, sugar levels, and alcohol content. Trying to wrap one’s head around all of these things can be confounding when all you’re trying to do is enjoy a drink or two. That’s why we’ve broken down fifteen of our very favorite red wine varietals and indicated quite simply what to expect when you open that bottle. We’ve judged these popular varietals based on their body, acidity, dryness or sweetness, and commonly found flavors.
In wine terminology, the word body refers to a wine’s mouthfeel, including its weight, richness, and texture. A full-bodied wine will feel rich in the mouth, with big flavors and often heavy tannins. A light-bodied wine will be lighter in the mouth, and likely have a fruit-forward, less complex flavor.
Acidity refers to the tartness in a wine. Acidity, or lack thereof, in wine will affect its freshness, structure, balance, and overall taste.
Whether a wine is considered to be sweet or dry refers to its sugar content. Sweet wines will contain a lot of residual sugar and taste sweeter than dry wines, which contain little to no residual sugar.
Main types of red wine
The world of red wine is quite expansive—a mixture of exquisitely creative, ever-changing blends and traditional varietals that have remained unchanged for generations. Balancing these two worlds is one of the things that makes wine so remarkably fun, albeit sometimes overwhelming and, admittedly, confusing.
While there are more than 10,000 wine varieties grown throughout the world, many are lesser known or unique to just one obscure region or village. While those hidden gems are undoubtedly fascinating and delicious, some red wine varietals have stood the test of time, remaining solid in their golden reputations. These are some of our favorite tried-and-true red wine varietals.
Barbera
- Body: Medium to full
- Acidity: High
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Most often enjoyed young, Barbera has prominent flavors of dark cherry, strawberry, and blackberry.
- Food pairings: Red meats, salmon, veal, and mushrooms
Cabernet Sauvignon
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Tannic and rich, with dark fruit flavors like blackcurrant and cherry. Cabernet Sauvignon can also have spicier, richer notes of tobacco and chocolate.
- Food pairings: Fatty steak, lamb, aged and hard cheeses
Carménère
- Body: Medium
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Rich and deep with red and black fruit, Carménère can also taste herbaceous with spiced undertones.
- Food pairings: Smoked meats like lamb, wild boar, goat, beef brisket, and pork ribs
Gamay (Beaujolais)
- Body: Light to medium
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Bright notes of red cherry and blackcurrant, this wine is also very floral with notes of violet.
- Food pairings: Seafood, poultry, light cheeses
Grenache (Garnacha)
- Body: Medium to full
- Acidity: Medium
- Dry/Sweet: Dry to sweet
- Common flavors: Spicy and vibrant, Grenache often has fruity notes of cherry and strawberry, with touches of cinnamon and orange peel.
- Food pairings: Poultry, pork, spicier foods with red pepper and paprika
Malbec
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Malbec boasts darker fruit flavors like plum and blackberry, as well as tobacco and black pepper.
- Food pairings: Steak, pork, lamb, bleu cheese
Merlot
- Body: Medium to full
- Acidity: Low to medium
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Merlot carries fruity flavors of blackberries and plum, often with vanilla and spice in more aged varieties.
- Food pairings: Lightly spiced dark meat, pork, caramelized onions and mushrooms
Nebbiolo
- Body: Medium to full
- Acidity: High
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Nebbiolo is a floral wine with rich red fruit on the nose and darker, deeper flavors of leather and coffee on the finish.
- Food pairings: Salty foods, fattier meats, buttery pasta, and spicy dishes
Nero d’Avola
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: This wine boasts rich flavors of black cherry, licorice, and tobacco, but younger varieties have lighter notes of red fruit.
- Food pairings: Lamb, duck, beef, rich pasta dishes
Pinot Noir
- Body: Light to medium
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Smooth and gentle, Pinot Noir usually contains notes of red fruit like raspberry and strawberry and often has an earthy finish.
- Food pairings: Saucy pasta, turkey, brie, pork, pizza
Pinotage
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Dark, fruity, and rich, this wine is spicy with a complex palette of licorice and dark leather.
- Food pairings: Venison, duck, barbecued meats
Sangiovese
- Body: Medium to full
- Acidity: High
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Earthy with notes of cherry and fig, Sangiovese also commonly hints of spiced plum and cranberry.
- Food pairings: Italian dishes, salty cheeses
Syrah/Shiraz
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Syrah is rich and often boasts notes of blackberry, sweet licorice, and vanilla.
- Food pairings: Ribs, burgers, roasted lamb, hearty soups, and stews
Tempranillo
- Body: Full
- Acidity: Medium to high
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: A bold wine with fruity notes of raspberry and cherry, Tempranillo can also have notes of leather and tobacco when aged.
- Food pairings: Pasta arrabbiata, roasted vegetables
Zinfandel (Primitivo)
- Body: Full
- Acidity: High
- Dry/Sweet: Dry
- Common flavors: Zinfandel is rich and red fruit-forward with touches of smoke and black pepper.
- Food pairings: Meaty pasta, barbecued dishes, pizza
Frequently asked red wine questions
What red wine is most popular?
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular wine in the world as well as the most widely planted wine grape worldwide. Other extremely popular varieties include Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Zinfandel, Grenache, and Sangiovese.
How long should red wine be decanted?
Generally, the older and more full-bodied a red wine is, the longer it should breathe. Young, lighter wines such as Pinot Noir need only be decanted for 30 minutes or so before serving, while an aged, more robust, and tannic wine like Cabernet could need up to two hours.
How should red wine be served?
The ideal serving temperature of red wine depends on the wine’s body and varietal:
- Lighter reds like Pinot Noir and Gamay should be served at cooler temperatures to bring out their fruit flavors, around 55F.
- Medium-bodied reds
Wines like Merlot and Malbec should be served between 55–60F. - Fuller-bodied reds
Such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah should be served at room temperature, around 60–65F.
Which glasses are best for red wine?
Shopping for stemware can be a confusing process. It seems that now every varietal comes with its own recommended glass. Though one might roll one’s eyes at this apparent need to skyrocket stemware sales, there are surprisingly legitimate reasons behind the madness. Exposure to oxygen, the wine’s proximity to the drinker’s nose, and even bowl size are all important elements in the wine-drinking experience, and glasses help us get it right. Depending on the red wine you’re drinking, there are generally four different wine glasses to choose from – full-bodied, medium-bodied, light-bodied, and universal wine glasses. For further explanation, we break down all of the options for you here.
How long will red wine stay fresh after opening?
If you happen to have any wine left after enjoying the bottle (it’s a rare occurrence, to be sure), with a few careful steps, you can squeeze a few more days out of that wine. Open bottles of red wine tend to last a few days longer than white due to the presence of tannins, which act as a sort of preservative. Depending on the tannin content of your red wine, you can hang on to an open bottle for between three and six days. Just be mindful to re-cork the bottle securely and store it in the refrigerator. Even though red wine isn’t usually meant to be served chilled, the low temperature will help that wine hang on a bit longer by warding off bacterial growth.
What is the best type of red wine?
The answer to this question will, of course, be different for everyone. The best type of red wine will depend on what you’re looking for, the meal you’re enjoying, the mood you’re in, the occasion, and a thousand other factors.
If you’re new to red wine, we recommend first establishing what you like in terms of body and flavor using the information above. Do you like a lighter, fruitier wine that’s ideal for sipping in the sunshine? In that case, you might find Gamay or Pinot Noir to be the best. If, however, you’re looking for a moody and complex glass to pair with a rich venison stew, the best option could be a Syrah or Pinotage. Perhaps you’re looking for the perfect wine for an Italian-themed dinner party, complete with charcuterie and pasta marinara? In that case, you can’t beat a great Sangiovese.
After all, the process of finding the wines you like best couldn’t be more fun.
