Red Wine Cheat Sheet | One on Wine

Hi, my name's Mary. Let's talk about red wine. Approaching red wines can feel like approaching a porcupine. They'll bite ya. Do they bite? No, no, no, no, no, no, they sting. Red wine is like porcupines. They're very hard to understand. I'm gonna give you a quick little guide to help you pick the best red for you. Behold, the boldness chart. I've picked five popular reds, and I'll show you where they fall on this list and why. This tells you everything. The body, the flavor, the fruitiness, the dryness, everything. This is one on wine. Guide to boldness. You wanna know what makes these reds different? We need to talk about one thing first, tannins. What are tannins? Why do some wines have more tannin than others? Now for some science. Tannins are polyphenols. No, no, I'll make this quick. Tannins are the organic substances found in bark stems, seeds, grape skins, and wood. Tannins are responsible for wine's astringency and bitterness. That's the drying effect of wine. If you've ever taken a sip of bold red and the front of your mouth dries out, that's the tannins doing what they do. So how do the tannins get into the wine? When grapes are pressed without the seeds, stems, and grape skins, you'll get your white wine. When winemakers are making red wine, they leave in the seeds, skins, and sometimes stems in the juice during the maceration process. Strong glass. The seeds and skins release tannins into the wine and impart that deep color. Then if that wine goes into an oak barrel, that's even more tannins. Most white wines don't have a high tannin. However, when white wine is aged in an oak barrel, it gets its tannins from the wood. Some wines are loaded with tannins and some people love that. They'll say, ooh, this wine has a lovely tobacco taste and a velvety blum. And others will say, why does this taste like I just vacuumed the attic with my mouth? Pinot falls on the front end of our boldness chart because of the low tannins, but do not think that that means it lacks flavor. Pinot has low tannin, but that helps the fruit flavors of cherry, raspberries, and cranberries stand out. Pinot noir does go with everything, but I would say stick to the lighter meals with pinot noir. The low tannins and the bright flavors and acidity make it an easy match for dishes like salmon or chicken. Not drinking any more Merlot! That's a line from Paul Giamatti movie Sideways. No? I'll show myself out. But don't listen to Paul Giamatti. Listen to Paul Giamarri. Oh, it just keeps getting worse. Merlot is an incredibly rich, velvety wine, perfect for those looking for a medium-body red. Merlot is super versatile, and although it has low tannins, it's not as light in body as a pinot noir, so it can cozy up to a steak just as easily as it can with a cookie. Merlot goes great with winter comfort foods like shepherd's pie and meatloaf. Fun fact, red wines grown in warm areas tend to ripen faster, producing more sugar, and therefore having a higher alcohol content. Also make sure you check the alcohol. Some wines can be 13%, and some can be 15%. And I know 2% doesn't seem like much, but it can mean the difference between having a thought about your aunt's new haircut and saying that thought out loud. If you're having a party and everyone wants red wine, you want Malbec. It's rich, fruity, and lovely with medium tannins and medium acidity. This wine is such a crowd-pleaser, they should fire it from T-shirt guns at wine parties, just like, boom, boom, into the crowds. Now let's talk Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon originated from the Bordeaux region in France, and it's actually a hybrid of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. So you're getting black cherry, wood, grass, plum, a lot like Sauvignon Blanc. Cab has a bit of a vegetal taste, which I know sounds unappealing, but along with those deep flavors from the fruit, it's balanced beautifully. When you're drinking a Cabernet Sauvignon, pair it with a bold umami flavor like steak, balsamic and blue cheese, a lamb shank, or anything else that a caveman might enjoy, or cavewoman. Fun fact, a high tannin wine on the richer end of our spectrum will pair well with a high fat food because the tannins soften the fat. So if you're having a triple cream cheese or a nice hunk of beef brisket, the higher tannin wines like Cabernet Sauvignon will cut through fat and let you taste more of the food. Lower fat needs less tannin. Let's say you're at a wedding and they have Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Just think about what you're eating. Are you having fish? Grab a Pinot. Are you having steak? Cab it is. Are you giving the maid of honor speech? Grab both and a tequila and turn the microphone volume down. Herbs, smoke, bacon fat. Some things that I shout while I'm sleeping and these are some of the flavors that you hear people talk about when they taste Syrah. Syrah is the deepest, darkest red on the list. If you are looking for that dark, black cherry tobacco richness with a little higher alcohol, Syrah is your girl. But maybe you've heard of Shiraz. Same grape, but it's made in Australia. So this is kind of the gist of how Shiraz got its name. I'll be France. It's called Syrah. Syrah? Syrah. With unctuous, rich, fatty, creamy, barbecue pork, brisket, anything umami, Syrah is the perfect party host for decadent dishes. I hope you've learned a lot. So let's see how Mary's wine is aging. Is this? Oh, it is not ready.