Red wine types and products

Have a look at the red wines below and follow the links provided to see our selection.

Barbera - a fruity and refreshing wine is produced from this grape. It is relatively low in tannin with relatively high acidity.

Cabernet Sauvignon - This is a blackcurrant flavoured grape and due to its thick skin contains a large portion of tannin.

Carmenere - This Chilean variety is used to produces a rich and spicy wine.

Gamay - This is a French grape which produces a wine that can be described as grape flavoured and has low relative tannin.

Grenache/Garnacha - A sweet and peppery flavoured wine is produced from this grape - often high in alcohol.

Malbec - This is an Argentinean grape resulting in a robust red wine that is smooth and plummy.

Merlot - A generaly sweeter grape with flavours sometimes described as black cherries or slight hint of mint. Depending on the length of fermentation can contain a higher level of alcohol.

Nebbiolo - A primarily italian grape which is very high in tannin and acid but does mellow with age.

Pinot Noir - This is a hard to grow grape which suffers from various diseases and blights however it does produce what is arguably the widest range of quality red wines. The best pinot noir flavours have been described as silky with aromas of decaying leaves and truffles.

Pinotage - This is a South african grape variety developed by crossing pinot noir and Cinsaut(a shiraz varient) and developed as such to create a hardier grape that could be grown in South Africa. Like the pinot noir, the wine produced is described as having aromas of decaying leaves and truffles.

Syrah/Shiraz/hermitage - This grape produces a rich and spicy wine with lots of tannin and the sweetness of blackberries. A hardier grape variety and thus widely used as a blending grape.

Tempranillo - A big red Spanish grape which produces wine with moderate alcohol and flavour best described as strawberries and plums.

Zinfandel - Primarily a californian grape which is going through a worldwide descoverance. It has flavours which range from light and fruity to big and spicy and is very dependant on the quality.

What is a red wine ?
A red wine is a wine that gets its colour from the skin of the red or black grape. This is done by allowing the skins to remain with the grape juice through part of the fermentation process.
What makes a red wine into a dry red wine or a sweet red wine?
By allowing the fermentation process to continue for longer, more of the natural sugars in the grape juice are converted into alcohol and therefore the sugars are 'used up' and result in a dry wine. The converse will result in a sweet red wine as residual sugars add the sweetness. There are obviously variations in the length of process that result in the semi dry red wine.
How do red wines get their different flavours?
This is where the very beauty of red wine comes into its own. There is such a vast array of factors that effect the flavour of the wine and some of which are :-
a) The particular grape variety used. This in itself can be modified by adding blends into the equation whereby a particular wine could be made from more than one variety of grape. However, to carry the grape varieties name on its label it has to contain a certain percentage of that varieties ingredients. On average this is around 85% but does vary per type. This is mostly due to some varieties being harder to grow than others and therefore needs bulking up to produce that particular red wine in viable quantities.
b) Growth influences - These include the natural elements to the particular season ie climate, rainfall, soil type, sunshine and length of season and this can and will vary from year to year and country to country and this can have great influence on both the yeild and flavour of red wine.
c) Cellar influences - These range from the length of time in the fermentation process, the storage medium and temperature. Commonly we know that oak barrels will add to the flavour and sometimes this is a negative impact to that particular variety. The temperature at which the wine is fermented has such a role in the process that it nearly resulted in the pinotage never reaching our tables.
d) Time of picking. This impacts on the amount of sugars produced in the grape ie the longer the grape is left to ripen, the more sugars are produced and therefore this can result in sweeter or higher alcohol content and in some instances a loss of flavour.
From the above we can see that this gives a vast array of possibilities thet makes the exploration of red wine into an annual, worldwide challenge for both the vintners and the end consumers.
Is red wine good for me?
Numerous studies indeed conclude that red wine in moderation is good for you and the reason is far from the variety, climate, fermentation process etc but lies primarily in the anti-oxidant resveratol contained in red wine. This anti oxidant has been shown to have abilities related to reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer.
What temperature should red wine be served ?
Each red wine and varient has its own best temperature that can be argued between experts right up to the point at which the worlds supply of that years crop has been consumed and therefore the exact temperature is not an exact science. As a normal wine lover, I use the guide that red wine should be consumed at a temperature range between 54 F (12 C) and 68 F (20 C). This is commonly above refrigiration temperature and below room temperature and therefore suggest that you use the guide of putting your room temperature bottle into the refrigerator 20 minutes before airing it. This will result in the wine feeling cool to the hand (below body temperature). Remember that red wine should be aired before consumption and this means opening the bottle around 5 minutes before serving. This allows a small amount of oxidation and enhances the flavour.
Current grape varieties used in red wine production.
This list is definately not exhaustive but will contain names that you are familier with. Follow the links to find out more about the variety and the red wines currently available from our online retailers that contain this particular grape varient.