Types of red wine : Barbera

Barbera

(Bar-bear-a) Not as popular as Merlot but with similar attributes.

Food pairings: barbera wines are versatile: they match many dishes, including tomato sauces. Read more

Types of red wine : Sangiovese

Sangiovese

(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)

Food pairings: a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.

Districts: sangiovese produces the Chiantis of Italy’s Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California. Read more

Types of red wine : Pinot noir

Types of red wine : Pinot noir

Pinot noir

(Pee-know na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, with no roughness.

Food pairings: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, and lamb. Read more

Types of red wine : Malbec

Types of red wine : Malbec

Malbec

(Mal-bek)

Food pairings: all types of meat-based meals.

Districts: malbec has its origins in the Bordeaux region of France. Read more

Types of red wine : Merlot

Wine Merlot

Merlot

(Mare-lo) Easy to drink. The softness of Merlot has made it an “introducing” wine for new red-wine drinkers.

Food pairings: any will do.

Districts: a key player in the Bordeaux blend, merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington State, Chile, Australia, etc.

Typical taste in varietal wine: the Merlot type of wine is tannic (rough) but less so than Cabernet Sauvignon. A middle palate gap is common. Typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors.

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