10 red wine grapes and how they taste

The Pretty Lady's mummy gave me an interesting book for Christmas, and one of the more interesting things in it is a list of wine grapes and the kinds of flavours they impart to the finished wine. Here are 10 of my favourite red wine grapes, extracted from the book. Maybe in the near future I'll do the white wines, but as I prefer red wine, here we go:

1. Malbec

This grape tends to surface among wines from Argentina, which means that it is a great pairing for steak, or any other type of grilled red meat. Blackberry, dried fruit, black plum.

2. Montepulciano

This grape is Italian, I believe Tuscan in origin. Usually very drinkable, and perfect with the tomato and garlic flavours of Italian cooking. Blackberry and cherry.

3. Shiraz / Syraz

This one is actually Iranian in origin, and the Australian version makes for great big intense sunshiney barbecue wines. At our wedding, the best wine by far was an Australian shiraz called The Lackey. Blackberry, black pepper, dark chocolate and smoke.

4. Merlot

Big, full flavoured wines these - the Australians and the Chileans make the best. Blackberry, dark chocolate.

5. Mourvedre

Rather unusual to find on its own - a lot of the time it goes into a blend. Blackberry, game and leather.

6. Tempranillo

Some interesting Spanish wines come out of these, notably most good Riojas. Strawberry and dark chocolate.

7. Pinot Noir

Capable of changing flavours dramatically depending on age. Raspberries and red fruits when young, meat drippings, farmyard (?) and truffle when older.

8. Nero d'Avola

Right, this wasn't in the book. But it is one of my favourite varieties, and probably the best red wine for spicy Asian food. This is Sicilian, and makes for a dark, almost black fruity wine - exactly what it says on the tin, albeit in Italian! Tannic oak, plums, pepper.

9. Grenache

Another ingredient in Riojas, but also popular in Australia. Another one of our wedding wines was a mix of Grenache, Mourvedre and Shiraz. Mixed berries, meat, black pepper.

10. Cabernet Sauvignon

The great Bordeaux wine grape (although other grapes are used as well). Very very round and full bodied, but with a depth of flavour the Merlot cannot match. Blackcurrant, cedar, mint and eucalyptus.


There are many many more. And even more white grapes! Funny, I find white wine more uniform and less exciting in taste than red wines, despite there being more grape varieties. Maybe it's terroir after all...