Typical taste in varietal wine: the primary style is medium-bodied with fresh berry and plum flavors. Typical taste in varietal wine: often a zesty flavor with berry and pepper.įood pairings: a good choice for Italian and other Mediterranean-style cuisines.ĭistricts: sangiovese produces the Chiantis of Italy’s Tuscany region and, of late, good wines from California. (Zin-fan-dell) Perhaps the world’s most versatile wine grape, making everything from blush wine (White Zinfandel), to rich, heavy reds.įood pairings: very much depends on the freshness/heaviness of the wine tomato-sauce pasta, pizza, and grilled and barbecued meats.ĭistricts: mainly found in California, zinfandel was introduced in the 18th century to Italy (where it is called primitivo). The staggering range of Pinot Noir wines produced makes it pointless to define which personality is the best expression of the variety. Yet pinot noir is very transparent to the place where it is grown. The aromatics are very fruity (cherry, strawberry, plum), often with notes of tea-leaf, damp earth, or worn leather.

The tannins are very soft this is related to the low level of polyphenols. Typical taste in varietal wine: very unlike Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot noir is difficult to grow, rarely blended, without roughness.įood pairings: excellent with grilled salmon, chicken, lamb and Japanese dishes (notably sushi rolls).ĭistricts: makes extraodinary reds in Burgundy (Bourgogne, France), and great wines from Austria, Oregon, and New Zealand. Wine grape picture(Pee-know na-wahr) One of the noblest red wine grapes. Malbec and some such blends may present some health benefits. Malbec is often blended with other varieties such as cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and petit verdot to make Bordeaux style wines.

Often it produces an easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice. Typical taste in varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where the grape is grown and how it is transformed. It is also available in Chile, in Australia, and in the cooler regions of California. Malbec is widely grown in Argentina, where it is the most popular red grape variety. Malbec has also been recognized as médoc noir or pressac again in France. It is grown as côt in the Loire Valley and auxerrois in Cahors. Argentine Malbec suits Mexican, Cajun, and Indian dishes, if you insist on having wine with such meals.ĭistricts: malbec has its origins in the French Bordeaux region.

Food pairings: all types of meat-based meals, foie gras.

Zinfandel wines