Red wine types full#

Merlot pairs well with shellfish, especially when it is served with a salty meat like bacon or prosciutto. It also compliments dishes that include mushrooms or green vegetables like chard. Try serving it with grilled meat or fish. Merlot is a diverse wine that can be paired with many different foods. The Merlot grape is often used in Bordeaux wines. It is well known for its delicious and decadent flavor notes of cherries, rich plums and sweet vanilla. It is also more refreshing to have a drink that is colder than room temperature, especially when you are drinking wine with a meal. Light bodied wines should be served a little cooler than this, so should be kept in the fridge for up to an hour before being served.Īs you drink the glass of wine it will gradually come to room temperature, unlocking the different flavor notes as it changes temperature. Medium bodied red wines should be served at cellar temperature, which is about 55 degrees fahrenheit. Put it in the refrigerator about 15 minutes prior to serving. The general rule is, the heavier the wine the warmer it should be.įull bodied red wines like merlot and shiraz should be served at just below room temperature, around 60 to 65 degrees fahrenheit. There is a common misconception that all red wine should be served at room temperature. What Temperature Should You Serve Red Wine?

Red wine types full#

So a full bodied wine will have a higher alcohol content and will feel heavier in the mouth than a light bodied wine. The body of wine tends to be directly related to the alcohol content, as alcohol is what makes the wine more viscous. There are also some medium-bodied wines that sit in the middle. Light-bodied wines are less viscous, meaning they have a thinner consistency than heavy-bodied wines. When talking about wine, its ‘body’ refers to how it feels in your mouth. The fruity flavor notes are also easier to pick out than some of the more floral or oaky flavor notes, which makes these types of wines ideal for beginners. Tannins are released into the wine from leaves, grape skins and from the oak of the barrels.Īs a beginner, it is better to stick to smooth, fruity wines rather than tannic, oaky wines. Smooth is the opposite to ‘tannic’, which means that the wine has a bitter quality to it. When you use the word ‘smooth’ to describe wine, it usually means it is easy drinking. Keep reading to find out more about red wine, so you can impress your friends and family at your next dinner party. We have also provided some useful tips on which food to pair with the different types of red wine, so you can really bring out and compliment the individual flavor notes. But don’t panic! We have answered these all important questions and put together some information about the smoothest red wines which are most suitable for beginners. There is a lot to learn about red wine, even for a beginner just picking up the basics.

But which varieties of red wine are considered smooth? What is the difference between a light bodied red wine and a full bodied red wine? And what temperature should you be serving your red wine?