Top 10 Types of Red Wine Grapes

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					What kind of grapes make all the red wine
types? What are their differences? Is there
a best red wine?
1. Cabernet Sauvignon
  Typically makes a full-bodied, dry wine and is widely known as one
  of the top varieties in the world.

  Planted nearly anywhere that red wine grapes
  are grown: California, France (Bordeaux
  region), Australia, Chile, and more.
2. Merlot
  One of the more popular red wine types due to its smoothness and
  low-level acidity that make it a very drinkable wine.
   This grape makes a beautiful stand-alone wine, but it is
   often used in blends, particular with the Cabernet grape.

                                             Merlot has long been a key ingredient in
                                             Bordeaux blends, but due to its increasing
                                             popularity it is also now grown in Washington
                                             State, California, Chile, Italy, Australia, and
3. Pinot Noir
  Known to be a difficult one to grow, but when conditions are right,
  it produces an exceptional light- to mid-body wine with a wonderful
  complexity.                        The characteristics and flavor of Pinot
 Regions:                                     Noir varies greatly by the area in which
 Grown in Burgundy, New Zealand, Austria,     it’s grown, making it difficult to pin a
 Oregon, and California. Several California   “typical” description on wine made from
 wineries use Pinot Noir grapes to make       it.
 delicious rose-style champagnes.
4. Syrah (called Shiraz in South Africa and Australia)
  Known to produce spicy, fruity red wine types that have low to
  mid-range acidity, which, like the Merlot, make it a very drinkable
  wine.                             Regions:
Note: The Petit Syrah grape that grows          The best growing regions for the Syrah grape
abundantly in California isn’t related to the   are found in the Rhone Valley of France,
Syrah grape.                                    California, South Africa, and Australia.
5. Zinfandel
   This grape produces a low- to mid-range acidity, medium to full-
   body with fruity, peppery flavors. While it is easily a great stand-
   alone wine, it is also considered the most versatile grape.
                                       While the Zinfandel grape is often used in
                                       blends with other grapes, it is not always
 Regions:                              mentioned on the wine label.
 The Zinfandel grape is mostly grown
 only in California.
6. Sangiovese
  Used to produce the famous Chiantis and is Tuscany’s signature
  grape. This grape produces a beautiful, complex, mid-body, red
  wine with varying aromas and flavors.
                                 Sangiovese is grown in the Tuscany region of
                                 Italy, and while there has not been much
                                 success in growing this grape outside of the
                                 region, recently California has been able to
                                 bottle some good wines from this grape.
7. Malbec
  Produces a wine whose acidic characteristics vary quite a bit by
  the region growing the grape, but it typically has an easy drinking
  taste of berries and spice.
   The most widely-grown and popular grape of
   Argentina, where it thrives on the hot sun. It is
   also grown in Chile, Australia, and California,
   and to a lesser extent in Bordeaux (where it
   was once very popular).
8. Nebbiolo
  A red wine grape that is responsible for the many fine red wines of
  Italy. This grape tends to produce a light and very dry wine with
  high acidity, but does well with extensive aging.
                                     Piedmont, Italy
9. Grenache
  Increasing in popularity for creating a good stand-alone wine that
  is mid- to full-bodied with fruity flavors, like strawberry. It is also
  often blended with other grapes.
   Grown in Rhone Valley (France), Spain, and in
   California, where it was once commonly used
   in rose and red jug wines.
10. Gamay
    Used in the wines from the Beaujolais region of France. Gamay
    wines are light-bodied, fresh, and fruity and are meant to be
    drunk soon after they are bottled.
 Largely grown in Beaujolais, France. Two
 wineries produce Gamay in California, but
 some wine connoisseurs don’t regard
 them as being “real” Gamay wines as the
 quality is not on par with France’s Gamay.
Selecting the right type of wine is decided by your
personal taste, by the type of food you plan to serve
with it, and even by the glasses you plan to serve it in.
Visit our site for info on different types of
       wine, wine tasting and more…

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