The Legendary Red Wine All About The Impeccable Taste

The Legendary Red Wine

All About The Impeccable Taste

Remember the last session! 

There is more to red wine than you can imagine!

And definitely, there is something so special about red wine that you cannot take it out of your head. Antioxidants like polyphenols present in red wine are called resveratrol. They help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart. This part of red wine got noticed by doctors for being healthy.

Quite often red wine is seen as a healthy choice. It is particularly associated with the traditional Mediterranean diet. However, balance is the key and it is not an essential part of the diet. So, make sure that it is consumed in moderation even though the antioxidants that they contain have a wide range of benefits.

Is it okay to consume red wine every day?

Assuming that you are healthy, there is no reason to stop if you enjoy a glass of wine daily. But there is no reason as well that you should feel compelled to start a habit. Doctors agree that drinking just about a glass of wine per day can help maintain health.

Savoring a glass of red wine before going to bed may help you to unwind. It will also help you to improve your overall health. It does not matter whether you are pairing it with a home-cooked meal or simply sipping it in the backyard. Nevertheless, wine is an excellent addition to your regular evening routine.

Is red wine good for the skin?

Red wine will also help improve inflammation of the skin as well as blood circulation. Eventually, good skin will likely reduce signs of aging. Antioxidants like flavonoids, resveratrol, and tannins in wine can encourage the production of collagen. This helps in protecting your skin from pollution and harmful UV rays.

Wine, Wine & Wine

Red wines invariably are friends to hearty dishes, but enemy to white shirts. However, they are the simplest alcoholic beverages in the world. All you have to do is simply harvest some grapes, crush them, and let them sit with their skins for a while to add color. Subsequently, you have to wait for some diffusive yeasts to convert the sugar in the juice to alcohol. There is no heating involved here unlike beer or liquor. You will not even need a still to distill. All you need are some grapes, a container, and nature to convert it into wine.

The finest red wines nowadays follow this pattern along with an addition of innovations over the years. These include aging in oak barrels, cultivating yeasts, filtration, and the latest vineyard practices. Comparatively, these are recent inclusions to the red wine experience. Mandates however govern the production of red wines these days and they vary geographically. Different regions of the world have different rules dictating the type of grape varieties to be used. And how long the wines must age, the final alcohol content permitted, and how to label the bottle of wine.

Best Red Wine Brands

There are so many aspects to consider when you are trying to decide which red wine to buy. Right from price and taste to its vintage and age. Red wines are commonly produced in every major vine-producing corner of the world. It is impossible to condense them all. But here are some that especially deserve a corkscrew.

So many wines and so little time. Find the reds that are most worthy of your attention. Here is a short list of the 15 best Red Wines to drink in 2024.

• Achaval Ferrer Quimera: With 14.5 percent ABV this is the best Argentinian red wine coming from the Mendoza region. This wine with tasting notes of cedar spice, cherry compote, and dark chocolate is a blend with remarkable precision. Santiago Achaval and winemaker Roberto Cipresso specifically comb the vineyards for grapes and hand-select vines for this release. Typically, this blend consists of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, and merlot which originally hail from the Bordeaux region in France. Malbec as such plays a starring role in this wine and is the most highly-regarded grape variety in Argentina.

Achaval Ferrer Quimera is loaded with blackberry fruits and marvelous spices. This red wine is intensely concentrated with layers of black cherry compote, cedar spices, and salted dark chocolate. It weaves in and out of clove and vanilla. Then there is a palate-coating richness that builds into a serious finish along with dried herb and rose petal flourishes.

• Barons de Rothschild Legende Bordeaux Rouge: This best-value red wine comes from the Bordeaux region in France. With 12.5 percent ABV, it displays tasting notes of berry compote, earth, and sweet oak spice. It is the greatest new Bordeaux release in a decade., Légende wines typically come from the noteworthy Bordeaux house of Domaines Barons de Rothschild.

This winery was established as a First Growth in the year 1855. Truly, The wines they make represent the value-driven expression of Bordeaux’s notable appellations from Médoc to Pauillac. This Bordeaux Rouge edition is packed with red berry fruit, earth, sweet oak spices, vanilla, and warm wild berry compote. And to top it all, this wine retails for an affordable price.

• Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon: This best northern Californian red wine hails from the Napa Valley. Featuring 14.1 percent ABV it displays tasting notes of blackberry, brown spices, and vanilla bean. Charles Krug’s winery today stands tall and is the pillar of Napa Valley. With Peter Mondavi Jr.’s leadership and longtime winemaker Stacy Clark at the helm, the wines they make are utterly enjoyable. They are classically structured, and worth every moment they spend aging.

This 2018 vintage is sourced from five estate sites in Yountville. It is modestly priced and is immaculately full-bodied. The Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon is wonderfully rich with blackberry fruits mingled with brown spices, tobacco, and vanilla bean along with black cherry, blackberry compote, and black currants. It is delightfully supported by engaging fine-grained tannins.

• Cooper Mountain Pinot Noir: This best red wine comes from the Willamette Valley region of Oregon. With 13.5 percent ABV, it displays tasting notes of black cherries, dried roses, and earth. This territory of Oregon features a maritime climate. It is ingeniously situated on the same line of latitude as the pinot-producing Burgundy region in France. Moreover, the Willamette Valley is recognized as an excellent growing site for quality pinot noir.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards was founded by Bob Gross in the early 1990s. He had his sights set on an organic and biodynamic farming culture from earth to air. This winery noteworthily became organic-biodynamic-certified 20 years ago and has been pioneering responsible farming in the region. It is now joined by Barbara Gross, the daughter of the founder. Pinots grown here are reaching new heights and this delicious expression of wine abounds with flavors of black cherries, cranberries, damp earth, and dried rose petals.

• Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo: This is the best Italian red wine coming from the Abruzzo region. It features 13 percent ABV along with tasting notes of black currant, black olives, and raw meat. It is difficult to think of a red grape growing area that is typically more of an Italian expression than Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. And no producer who consistently elevates this grape variety to its highest potential than Emidio Pepe. Pepe still oversees the production of the wines along with his daughters and granddaughters since the founding in 1964. This winery has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing rich and hearty powerful red wines using traditional winemaking practices.

The grapes used in the making of Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are farmed biodynamically. They are destemmed by hand, pressed by foot, and aged in cement tanks for a minimum of two years. Moreover, no additives or manipulation is sought throughout the process. This wine is a pure, traditional, and age-worthy expression of the land. It results in a stunningly complex and structured red wine that is destined to get better with time.

• Felton Road “Cornish Point” Pinot Noir: This best red wine comes from the Central Otago region of New Zealand. Featuring 13.5 percent ABV along with tasting notes of dried cherries, mocha, and red berries, this breathtaking wine is deep, dark-fruited, and lively. The territory it comes from visages a cool atmosphere and mountainous terrain. It is home to some of the best areas for growing quality pinot noir in the world. And Felton Road Winery located in the heart of this region is well known to make several complex pinots.

The Cornish Point Vineyard is planted on an old gold miners’ settlement. It comprises a unique terrain bordered by water on both sides. Eventually, this helps to minimize frost. The rows of vines here are adapted to 345 degrees. It is so that the grapes receive an extra hour of morning sun alongside receiving less of the hotter afternoon sun. Moreover, these vines are coupled with biodynamic farming practices. Overall, it results in creating a deeply creamy wine along with fleshy flavors of dried cherries, red berries, and subtly dusty tannins. Supported by juicy and racy acidity, this wine happens to end in a mocha-tinged finish.

• Gaja Barbaresco: This best overall red wine comes from the Barbaresco region in  Italy. It features 14.5 percent ABV along with tasting notes of baking spice, cherry, tar, and violets. Wine lovers around the world invariably turn to cabernet sauvignon for intensity. And to pinot noir for elegance. Nevertheless, Nebbiolo grapes match them both on each count. Traditionally, this celebrated grape variety hails from the Italian region of Piedmont. This is where the thick-skinned grape assortment isn’t harvested until late in the growing season. It is done around when the autumn fog begins to roll in. Barolo and Barbaresco are the two villages here that have produced the finest Nebbiolos in the world for ages.

Angelo Gaja is one person who can take credit for showcasing Piedmont Nebbiolo on the international map. The first vintage release of Barbaresco happened in 1961. Gaja ever since begun pioneering modern winemaking practices including green harvesting, aging in small barrels, and more. These things were previously unheard of in this area and were initially considered controversial. The recent releases of Gaja’s flagship Barbaresco are among the most faithful and traditional expressions of the region. It displays signature notes of tar and violet, along with baking spice, candied orange peel, cedar, cherry, coriander, dark chocolate, and wild berries. All of these are complimented by great depth and gorgeous tannins that have aged well for several decades. Overall, this is a legendary wine from a legendary producer and is emphatically designed to give you a legendary drinking experience.

• Girolamo Russo A Rina Etna Rosso: This best chillable red wine comes from the Etna region of Sicily in Italy. It features 13.5 percent ABV along with tasting notes of ash, black pepper, clove, and red berries. Italy is truly home to some legendary red wines. Right from the Brunello of Tuscany to the Amarone of the Veneto. And to the Barolo and Barbaresco of Piedmont. Hulking reds further south are made from Aglianico and Sagrantino. They are establishing themselves as contemporary legends in their own right. These brooding red wines are full-bodied and can be served chilled while they still seriously offer character and flavor.

It is about time to explore the world of earthy Sicilian reds if you haven’t. We specifically recommend this one from Etna. This complex, terroir-driven wine is grown in the ash-laden volcanic soils of the region. It imparts an undeniable mineral quality to the juice. This mouthwatering expression of Girolamo Russo A Rina Etna Rosso oozes with flavors of black pepper, cloves, red berries, and smoky ash.

• Larkmead Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: This best organic red wine comes from the Napa Valley in California. It features 14.7 percent ABV alongside tasting notes of dark chocolate, dark fruit, fresh-turned-earth, and tobacco. This winery comes under the watch of winemaker Dan Petroski. It just does not focus on making world-class wine but helps shed light on the necessary work for studying climate change. Larkmead converted to organic farming practices in 2015.

Cabernet collectors across the world should love to stockpile these wines from the 2016 vintage. They are high with a naturally vibrant acidity mainly because of a moderate growing season. Signifiers of this assortment are deep, dark fruit along with a distinct freshness. Larkmead has them all in spades. These red wines incredibly add alluring brown spices, fresh-turned-earth, and tobacco wrapped in dark chocolate along with firm, dusty tannins and mouthwatering purple-violet notes. You can gracefully contemplate this wine over many hours. Remember to grab a bottle or two of this wine every year over the next decade.

• Louis Latour Château Corton Grancey Grand Cru: This best French red wine comes from the Côte Beaune region in Burgundy. It features 14 percent ABV along with tasting notes of baking spice blood orange, dried raspberries, and red currants. Louis Latour is one of the top names in all of Burgundy. They produce some of the most unique wines and Château Corton Grancey is one of them. It is a blend of four Grand Cru vineyards including Bressandes, Clos du Roi, Grèves, and Perrières.

This wine delivers profound notes of black and red currants, along with blackberry fruit, blood orange citrus, and dried raspberries. This taste is underscored by baking spices and dried red florals. This pinot noir red wine is a textural masterpiece that comes with mouthwatering acidity and grippy cedar-type tannins. 

• Penfolds Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet/Shiraz: This best Australian red wine comes from South Australia. It features 14.5 percent ABV along with tasting notes of black cherries, cassis, fruit cake, and new leather. Penfolds as such is the greatest winemaking estate in Australia. It is best known for its iconic wine Penfolds’ Grange. Peter Gago is the chief winemaker here who makes his mission to produce well-structured wines with deep flavors.

Both Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grown here originally hail from France. By the way, Syrah is known as Shiraz in the southern hemisphere. Tradition and geography dictate that they were not ever blended together in Europe earlier. However, the Australians discovered a real fondness for this individualistic pairing. Penfolds’ Bin 389 effectively combines 46 percent Shiraz with 54 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. This is characteristically an Aussie blend. Bin 389 is often referred to as Baby Grange out here. It is offered at an affordable price than the Grange. This red wine in fact is a crowd-pleaser and can thoroughly be enjoyed by wine lovers worldwide.

• Prats & Symington Prazo de Roriz: This best Portuguese red wine comes from the Douro region. It features 13.8 percent ABV alongside tasting notes of blood orange, cedar, cranberry, and raspberry. This country for long was thought of as little more than the place where port wine came from. However, consumers are now discovering that Portugal is also worthy of producing some excellent red wines that are available at bargain prices. Quinta de Roriz is owned by the Symington family. They started by producing port two centuries ago. This estate today spans over 222 acres where half the property is planted with Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional vines. These varieties are widely planted throughout Portugal and produce some of the most popular red table wines. They are also quite capable of producing some of the best reds of great depth and character.

The Prazo de Roriz is an exceptionally complex red wine for the price you pay. It shows brilliant medium to deep ruby hues inside the glass. This red wine comes along with bright wild berry aromas alongside fine French cedar spices that enjoin cranberry and raspberry. It is appealingly supported by firm tannins along with a touch of baking spices and blood orange. This wine goes extremely well on the palate.

• Tyler Winery Sanford and Benedict Pinot Noir: This best South Californian red wine comes from the Santa Rita Hills region. It features 13.5 percent ABV alongside tasting notes of black cherries, mocha, and red currant. California wines garnered international esteem in 1971 when botanist Michael Benedict and his friend Richard Sanford planted their eponymous vineyard. They were seeking a cool-climate site that would yield grapes capable of producing wines with enough depth and elegance to rival European classics. Their experiment bears fruit half a century later with a resounding success.

The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is now well established as the source of some of the most sought-after pinot noir grapes in the region. Justin Willett, the Tyler winemaker for over a decade now has been lucky enough to craft an acclaimed pinot from this vineyard. This winery utilizes the cooler climate vineyard sites with close proximity to the ocean. And the winemaker effectively creates perfectly balanced chardonnays and pinots. All the wines from Tyler are made in the exact same way to express the individual terroirs. This juicy, salty, and vibrant offering is among the elite wines distributed all around California.

• Vega Sicilia Único 2009: This best European red wine comes from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. It features 14 percent ABV along with tasting notes of cigar box, forest underbrush, and spiced plums. Vega Sicilia would be at the top if Spain classified its wineries as they do in Bordeaux. Remember that first growths typically dominate the pyramid of wineries ranked from first to fifth. This winery over a decade in the making is owned by the Álvarez family.

The 2009 vintage blend consists of 94 percent tempranillo along with 6 percent cabernet sauvignon. They have been aged for six years in oak prior to bottling where they remain for another four years before being released. This red wine comes with bountiful ripe flavors that fill the mouth. The taste is redolent of red cherries and spiced plums. The palate reveals a fresh yet elegant wine wavering between cigar box, deep forest underbrush, and muddled blueberries. Moreover, this special wine is expensive and should really be enjoyed on special occasions.

• Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon: This best American red wine comes from the Washington region of the United States. It features 14.5 percent ABV along with tasting notes of baking spices, black cherry, and menthol. This vine region is further north of Oregon. Paradoxically, it is best known for producing grapes that thrive in warmer climates. The majority of vineyards located west of the Cascade Mountains expose grape harvests to maritime weather. This creates an ideal growing condition for cool-climate grapes like pinot. However, vineyards in Washington mostly lie east of the Cascades. Therefore, maritime influences are normally blocked. This results in longer warm growing seasons that are perfect for hearty reds like cabernet sauvignon.

Woodward Canyon Winery is the second to be established in the prolific Walla Walla Valley of Washington. It is a family-run venture and has been churning out delicious reds since 1981. Artist Series Cabernet is a blend of grapes sourced from some of the most highly regarded vineyards of the region, including the legendary Sagemoor Vineyard. It results in a silky, medium-to-full-bodied wine bursting with notes of ripe black cherry, black pepper, blueberry, cassis, cedar, cocoa, menthol, and warm baking spices. However, it is ideal to wait for about five years before opening. This wine as such benefits from a little time to integrate within the bottle.

Old Friends, Old Manners & Good Times

There are few wines that can match the combination of elegance, richness, and age-worthiness. Gaja Barbaresco reliably delivers. Introduced by Angelo Gaja in the ’60s and ’70s, this is an enduring classic vintage that fully combines Piemontese traditionalism with norm-shattering vineyard practices. 

What to Look For in Red Wines

Here are some essential tips for what to look out for while choosing your bottle of red wine –

• Price – Some of the best wines are sometimes costly. Therefore, price is often considered while buying wine. However, you don’t always have to spend a small fortune to enjoy a truly memorable wine. The price of your wine bottle more or less always depends upon what you are looking out for.

• Vintage – The age of your wine is yet another factor to consider when you are trying to decide which wine to go for. It’s a fact that some vintages are better than others. But it is worth researching or consulting a trusted wine expert when you have questions and want to understand more about the vintage or the aging process of wine. Knowing such details will help you decide whether the wine you are choosing is best to drink young or will age well.

• Taste – The taste of your drink of course is paramount. And a few factors come into play within its ambit when it comes to red wine. The balance is a non-negotiable factor. There has to be an unspoken equilibrium in a great red wine. Right from tannins to alcohol to acid and fruit balance. It is always better to go for reds with pronounced aromatics. The nose invariably knows the best. See if you feel entranced. 

FAQs 

What temperature is ideal for storing red wine?

Most red wines should be stored at 12.8 degrees Celsius which is normal cellar temperature as well. Almost every wine will normally age when it is kept away from light and heat. So, store it in a dark and undisturbed corner of your closet if you do not have a wine fridge. The ideal serving temperature for most red wines is somewhere around the cellar and room temperature. But light-bodied wines like a white or rosé may be served fully chilled. This does not mean that you should store it in your regular fridge for a long time as the vibrations of a fridge motor can be disruptive to wines and throw off flavors. 

How long will the red wine last once the bottle is opened?

Light-bodied red wines with low tannins will last for a couple of days at least, while fuller-bodied wines with high tannins will last up to about five days. Moreover, you can also prolong the life of your opened red wine bottle by storing it in the fridge. However, remember to bring it back to the ideal serving temperature before pouring. Moreover, light-bodied red wines will taste too astringent when served chilled. 

What is the normal alcohol content in red wine?

Regular red wines usually clock around 12 to 15 percent ABV. Whereas dry white wines usually tend to feature between 11 to 14 percent ABV. As a general rule, it is likely that full-bodied wines have higher alcohol content than light-bodied wines. 

How do you choose a good red wine brand?

A red wine must first smell good and be pleasing to the nose. Experts also advise that you stay away from reds that are overly oaked. It is recommended that you seek out producers you already know and love when seeking out a new and delicious red wine edition. Get to know the work of a winery in past vintages of different grape varieties. It is a great place to start for picking the right quality red wine.

Another factor worth considering while selecting a good wine is the size of the winery. Red wines are mostly mass-produced, Quite often the best way to pick one is just to take a gamble and try something new. 

Which is the most popular red wine?

It is a fact that bold and assertive depths of cabernet sauvignon redolent of anise, black currant, and black pepper resonate most with American drinkers. It is worth checking them out.