Finding the Right Red Wine for your Palate

Red wine, a title recognized by many. This particular title invokes thoughts of sweet, dark, strong and seductive flavors, while a lighter wine does not have the same effect. With the vast array of red wine options before you the most popular and well known ones should include sweet red wine, dry red wine and deep red wine. There are many options within these categories as well. Starting with sweet red wine, it lends a sweet, fruit taste and is made from fruits and other similar flavors. Fruit wines are popular because of the sweetness that works well with desserts and other light flavors. The next type of sweet red wines include traditional red wine. These often include European wines like Italian and French red wine, including Beaujolais. These are both sweet and popular, but can also hold their own against bolder food flavors, like popular BBQ dishes. The sweetest of all red wines are the ports. They are often fortified with liquor, most commonly brandy and are complimentary as an after dinner drink as not to compete with the meal itself. Ports offer three different levels of flavor and sweetness. The Ruby Port is the youngest and the sweetest. Dry red wine is the least sweet type of red wine available and is immensely popular. Among dry red wines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Pinot Noir. If you are looking to try something a little different, consider branching outside your comfort zone and tasting an Australian red wine or Shiraz. These are both great dry red wines that are paired great with full bodied, rich meals like steak, lobster and dark stews. When looking for a great red wine, it’s important to consider the taste you really want to get out of the experience. If your tastes lie on the sweet side, then taste more of the sweet red wine varieties. If you are looking something a little more rich and bold, check out the wide array of dry red wine available. White Wine