Interesting Guide about Types of Red Wine for Beginners

We love wine, and we try as much as possible to make sure our loved ones fall in love with this beauty called wine. And why shouldn’t they? Not only is winery one of the most fun thing to do, but it is also as classy as it is intoxicating especially the good bottles of wine. And of course, have one more thing to talk about when we do fall in love with our French soulmate.

So at a point in our lives, we were all novices in the art of wine, especially red wine. The best way to put it is that we were a sort of red wine beginner – so it is the duty of seasoned wine lovers to endear beginners to it. This is the reason for this interesting guide about types of red wine for beginners. This will show you all you need to know about red wines, types of red wines, and other additions which are important to enjoying red wine.

1. Identification

As a beginner, the first thing you need to know is how to identify different red wine types. Each red wine has the particular and unique wine characteristics that make it recognizable and easily identifiable. Taste, flavor and of course labels are some of the identifiers of red wine (labels wouldn’t exactly apply when the wine has been poured).

2. Exploration

As a beginner, you need to open your mind to different varieties of red wine. There are hundreds of red wine varieties (lucky us) available and while you can go through every single one of these wines, you need to check out the more popular and renowned ones. Hence, the idea of this article.

3. Taste, Sweetness, and Dryness

Most beginners in red wine prefer the varieties that tend to have more sweetness than dry ones. While dry wines are usually regarded as the best, it is important to let a beginner be a beginner. One more thing to note, sweetness in wine doesn’t mean sugary sweet or honey – all you get is a little hint of residual sugar or original grape sweetness.

Without further ado, here are the some of the types of red wine we recommend for beginners

Pinot Noir

Simply put, you cannot get into red wine without first taking a sip of Pinot Noir. It is easily one of the most popular red wines in the world, even wines generally so it is difficult to not have heard the name Pinot Noir in the world of wines. The wine is native to the Burgundy region of France (you can probably guess that). However, it is grown in several wine producing regions in the world such as California and New Zealand.

The wine is a light body to medium bodied dry and fruity wine with unique aromas of cranberries and cherries. Pinot Noir has a light red color when poured in the glass and has an equally light body when tasted.

For beginners, New World Pinot Noir is considered more ‘juicier’ and having more sweetness while the Old World (the ones originally from France) are usually more acidic.

Cabernet Sauvignon

If the name Pinot Noir was unmistakable, Cabernet Sauvignon is even more unmistakable. The wine whose grape is naturally occurring blend of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc – hence the unique name is a great wine for beginners to test and experience firsthand tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon is arguably one of the most popular red wines in the world, and this particular red wine type is renowned for its tannins which is one of the many special things about this red wine. Tannins are important in winery and it is imperative that you know whether you like them or not. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied wine with the characteristic aroma of cherries, plums, and vanilla (yeah, the aging in oak is responsible for this). Like a full-bodied wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is as dry as they come with practically no hint of sweetness.

The wine originated in France and while the French variety of the wine is still revered, Cabernet Sauvignon is easily grown in several other wine producing regions like Italy and Australia.

Due to the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon is very dry, it is better enjoyed when paired with food. The best food pairing with Cabernet Sauvignon is fatty foods like burger and steak.

Zinfandel

Zinfandel or the California Zinfandel is a unique red wine type that offers you some of the best red wine experiences. As a beginner, one of the necessary things to know is the impact of alcohol and which red wine better show you alcoholic content than the great Zinfandel.

 

Due to the higher alcoholic content of the wine (minimum of 14% and some as high as 17%), this affects the taste of the wine. Wine lovers usually refer to the taste of Zinfandel being bigger than other wines on this list – the high alcohol content is responsible for this. Others say the wine also feels bold and reduces the perception or feel of tannin in its taste.

As you can see from the name, you would expect that Zinfandel would have originated from California. This was the belief of many people in the world until it was recently proven that Zinfandel actually originated from Croatia.

The red wine comes with a flavor that shows notes and hints of raspberry and cinnamon. It also has a hint of chocolate.

Syrah

Syrah is one of the most popular red wines associated with beginners – the particular reason for this not known but the several unique wine characteristics of the wine would likely have a thing to do with it. Syrah is a full-bodied dark wine (it is darker than most red wines you will come across) that comes with a blackberry aroma and a peppery flavor.

Syrah originated from France but it has an Australian sibling, Shiraz. The two are more or less one – the only difference is that one is more peppery (Shiraz) while the other (Syrah) is a bit fruitier.

As beginner, you need the best red wine glasses to ensure optimum satisfaction. Check out several 1500 ml Bohemian crystal glasses options we have made available to you.