Syrah (or
Shiraz)
(Sah-ra or Shi-raz) Syrah and shiraz are two
names for the same variety. Europe vintners only use the name syrah.
Food
pairings: meat
(steak, beef, wild game, stews, etc.)
Districts: syrah excels in California, in
Australia, and in France’s Rhone Valley.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: aromas and flavors of wild black fruit (such as blackcurrant),
with overtones of black pepper spice and roasting meat. The abundance of fruit
sensations is often complemented by warm alcohol and gripping tannins.
Merlot
(Mare-lo) Easy to drink. The
softness of Merlot has made it an "introducing" wine for new red-wine
drinkers.
Food
pairings: any
will do.
Districts: a key player in the Bordeaux
blend, merlot is now also grown in Italy, Romania, California, Washington
State, Chile, Australia, etc. It is the fourth wine grape variety in terms of
coverage worldwide (after sultanine blanche, airen blanc, and grenache noir).
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: typical scents include blackcherry, plums and herbal flavors.
The texture is round but a middle palate gap is common. The Merlot type of wine
is less tannic (rough) than Cabernet Sauvignon.
Cabernet
sauvignon
(Ca-burr-nay so-veen-yaw) Widely accepted as
one of the world’s best varieties. Cabernet sauvignon is often blended with
cabernet franc and merlot. It usually undergoes oak treatment.
Food
pairings: best
with simply prepared red meat.
Districts: cabernet sauvignon is planted
wherever red wine grapes grow except in the Northern fringes such as Germany.
It is part of the great red Médoc wines of France, and among the finest reds in
Australia, California and Chile.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when young.
Malbec
(Mal-bek)
Food
pairings: all
types of meat-based meals, foie gras. Argentine Malbec suits Mexican, Cajun,
and Indian dishes, if you insist on having wine with such meals.
Districts: malbec has its origins in the
French Bordeaux region. It is grown as côt in the Loire Valley and auxerrois in
Cahors. Malbec has also been recognized as médoc noir or pressac again in
France. Malbec is widely grown in Argentina, where it is the most popular red
grape variety. It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler
regions of California.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is
grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces an easy-drinking style,
well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.
Pinot noir
(Pee-know
na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Pinot noir is difficult to grow,
rarely blended, with no roughness.
Food
pairings: excellent
with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes (notably sushi rolls).
Districts: makes the great reds of Burgundy (from
Bourgogne, France), and good wines from Austria, California, Oregon, and New
Zealand.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. The structure is delicate
and fresh. The tannins are very soft; this is related to the low level of polyphenols.
The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with
notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.
Yet pinot
noir is very transparent to the place where it is grown. The staggering range
of wines produced makes it pointless to define which personality is the best
expression of the variety.
Zinfandel
(Zin-fan-dell)
Perhaps the world’s most versatile wine grape, making
everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.
Food
pairings: very
much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine; tomato-sauce pasta, pizza,
and grilled and barbecued meats.
Districts: only found in California.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.
(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)
Food
pairings: a good
choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.
Districts: sangiovese produces the Chiantis
of Italy’s Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum
flavors.
Barbera
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(Bar-bear-a)
Not as popular as Merlot but with similar attributes.
Food
pairings: barbera
wines are versatile: theymatch many dishes, including tomato sauces.
Districts: another classic red of Italian
origin. Widespread in California.
Typical
taste in
varietal wine: juicy black cherry and plum fruit, a silky texture and excellent
acidity. You may wish to read tasting notes of Barberas at La Spinetta.
