Today…August 28th…is National Red Wine Day! Let’s celebrate and talk red wine. You know I’m a white wine fan through and through but as the nights get cooler I am drawn more and more to reds. There are so many varietals of red wine out there, so how do you choose? My current faves are Red Blends. Malbecs and Zinfandels.
What is a red blend? It’s essentially any domestic wine that’s not made from a specific grape variety. They are HUGELY popular right now and are on track to become more popular that Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the grapes can be a combination of many kinds, you might find that you like one red blend over another, but that’s true about any wine label. My current red blend favorite is from ONEHOPE. It’s slightly sweet, but not overpowering.
Another favorite of mine is zinfandel. It’s a black-skinned grape and grown at over 10% of California vineyards. The taste of the zinfandel depends on the hipness of the grapes from which it is made. Red berry fruit flavors like raspberry predominate in wines from cooler areas, whereas blackberry, anise and pepper notes are more common in wines made in warmer areas.
Lastly, if you haven’t checked out a Malbec yet, do yourself a favor and buy one today. This is a purple grape with robust tannins and is known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. You can find Malbec primarily in South West France but those from Argentina are becoming increasingly celebrated and that’s my true favorite. I have to give another plug to ONEHOPE because their Reserve Malbec is mind-blowing. It sells out because it’s that frickin good!
There are always our tried and true reds such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Petite Sirah, and many, many more. What’s your favorite red wine?
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