Red wines produce from red and black grape varieties.
Squeezing grapes gives colorless juice. For the final drink to be red, the grape skin is soaked. In addition to color, the peel produces tannin - a substance that complicates the texture of the wine; on it the whole structure of the composition.
Direct tasting will tell not only about the quality of tannin, but also about the age of red wine: the younger it is, the more intense tannin (excessive astringency, causing dry mouth).
With the age of the drink, tannins soften the taste of wine, giving it additional valuable characteristics.
This feature is valid only for red wines. White wines do not improve quality with age.
The best grades.
The classification of wines has a direct dependence on quality.
Bottles without indication of the aging period on the label, put up for sale at a bargain price, are the cheapest wines without outstanding taste characteristics.
Ordinary wines are given a young age not exceeding two years of storage in special barrels. They are made from good varieties of grapes, but as far as taste is concerned, they are far from perfect.
When the duration of wine aging exceeds the three-year threshold, it goes into the category of collection. Of course, their production takes place according to special technologies from the best grape varieties, which makes the collection wines so excellent.
Sometimes the cost of one bottle can reach a whole state.
Here is just a short list of the best samples.
- Cabernet Sauvignon has a scent of black currant and a scent reminiscent of pencil shavings. The most common variety, well combined with almost any dish, except fish and seafood.
- Merlot contains the highest percentage of alcohol, which does not reflect at all its rich, rich taste with a cherry or mint shade.
- Nebbiolo is produced in Piedmont (Italy). Has a high percentage of tannin and acid. With age it becomes softer.
- Pinot Noir is the noblest variety of red wine. Its manufacture is a complex and expensive process. The taste is perfect, without flaws and roughness. Perfectly combined with fried salmon, chicken, lamb.
- Syrah (Shiraz) smells like a wild currant with notes of black pepper.
- Tempranillo Spanish wine with strawberry and cream flavor.
- Zinfandel distinguishes the piquant taste of an amazing combination of berries and pepper. The most versatile wine.
- Malbec is a very rich red wine with a slightly woody hue. The taste resembles a ripe plum with a blackberry. It goes well with red meat cooked on a barbecue.
Many cooks use red wine as an ingredient for a dish, but there is one rule that says "if you did not dare to drink this wine - do not cook with it." It's about the quality of an alcoholic beverage.
And to the note: it is better to use wine of the same "nationality" as the dish being prepared. That is, if the kitchen is Italian, then the wine should be from Italy.
The choice of red wine for cooking is not limited to any strict rules. Just need to remember about the characteristics of wine varieties, at least at the level of sweet-sour.
Red wine for health.
It has long been proven that the use of a small amount of red dry wine has a beneficial effect on the human body.
The studies carried out revealed three most useful varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Syrah.
This article does not cover a tenth of all information about the subject, but we hope that it helped to learn a little more about red wines.