By Brent Thayer, Meat/Alcohol Buyer
There are many styles of red wine and one might assume that they are all the same, but they are not. The one common thread in red wines is that they use red grapes. Outside of that, the world of red wine is vast. The style and taste of red wine is determined by a lot of variables, but two main factors stand out: the type of grape and the region.
Throughout the world the grapes and techniques used have been combined to create many well known (and loved) styles of wine. Here are a few:
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country across a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon became an internationally recognized varietal through its prominence in Bordeaux wines, but is often sold in the US as just Cabernet Sauvignon. We carry several at the Co-op, such as Lapis Luna, which is made in California, and Riojana which is a wine co-op in La Rioja province, Argentina.
Pinot Noir, also known as Pinot nero, is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black. Pinot Noir is grown around the world, mostly in cooler climates, and the variety is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. Pinot noir is a red wine with a complex flavor profile that includes notes of fruit, earth, and spice. It pairs well with soft cheeses, mushrooms, pork, and lamb dishes. I would recommend Ezimit Pinot Noir or Left Coast, both of which are available at GreenTree.
Malbec is another style that is popular with our shoppers. The taste of Malbec is truly unique. It’s jammy, with medium tannins and medium acidity. It has notes of coffee, leather, black pepper, vanilla, and tobacco, with some even describing it as being meaty or smoky tasting. Malbec (French pronunciation: malbɛk) is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are grown mostly in France and Argentina. A couple of good Malbec options available at the Co-op are Natura and Art of the Earth.