Approximately
50 red wine varietals are currently widely available on the global wine
market, and all of them taste good. Although they vary remarkably in
taste, they do tend to be full-flavoured and relatively fruity. The
colour of the actual grape juice from which they are fermented is a
pale, almost white green for all but a few varieties, their range of red
colours comes from contact with anthocyan pigments in the grapes’ skin
during fermentation. Depending on the variety of the grape and how long
the winemaker keeps the skins and juice together, the colour can be
light red, intense violet, garnet, ruby red, brick red, dark red,
maroon, opaque purple, reddish brown, and even almost black.
Variations In Taste And Body
The climate where the grapes grew and the vintner’s art also affect red
wine’s taste and the characteristics of what is called its body.
The amount of time that the grapes’ skins and juice remain in contact,
for instance, affects its tannin content as well as its colour. Tannins
affect wine’s texture and the sensation it produces on the palate when
reacting to proteins. A wine’s tannin structure determines its
classification as light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full-bodied.
Light-Bodied Reds
Light-bodied red wines are relatively low in tannin and have less of a
presence in the mouth. They tend to be less demanding in their food
pairings and to have a relatively thin, almost water-like texture.
They’re usually young wines that have had little time to age, such as
France’s much sought-after Beaujolais Nouveau. Such light-bodied reds as
pinot noir can share a palate comfortably with all sorts of food, even
dishes traditionally associated with white wine.
Full and Medium-Bodied Reds
Full-bodied red wines roar, having a relatively high tannin content, and
often a higher percentage of alcohol. They tend to have a heavier, more
viscous, almost milk-like texture and to be able to muscle up well
alongside powerfully flavoured food. France’s red Bordeaux wines, such
Italian varietals as Barbaresco and Barolo, and cabernet sauvignon are
examples of these. Medium-bodied ones have more tannins than the lighter
ones but considerably less than full-bodied ones Popular examples are
Merlot, Chianti, and Syrah – also known as Shiraz.
Red Wine And Health
For the past two decades or so scientists and clinicians have been
finding that moderate red wine consumption can be beneficial to health
in numerous ways. Studies have pointed to the presence of such phenolics
as resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant, and such other substances as
catechin and quercetin, as the likely sources of these benefits. The
benefits vary, however, from wine to wine, as grapes grown in cool, damp
climates tend to have greater concentrations of resveratrol than those
grown in hot, dry ones.