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Making red wine is a process that is very meticulous by nature. Harvesting red wine grapes is the first and most crucial part of making red wine. This is because red wine grapes need to grown at the right time in a particular time cycle so that they will contain the right balance of acids and sugar – this will give us the correct alcohol content that we want to achieve in the wine. Here we take a look at some of the most popular grapes.
Pinot Noir: Burgundy is the number one location for cultivation of such type of grapes. Besides this in recent times, New Zealand also has started gaining a lot of appreciation for this type of red wine grapes grown in its territory. You will find such grapes in tiny bunches with thin skin. Although the yield will be lower compared to other types of grapes, the quality is always the best. The younger batch of these grapes will exhibit aromas and flavors like chocolate, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries and redcurrants. But as they mature, they can give aromas which are not pleasent to the nose such as animal fur, horsehair, farmyard aromas and manure.
Cabernet Sauvignon: although it is cultivated all over the world, Bordeaux is the first place that comes to our mind when we talk about Cabernet Sauvignon. These types of red wine grapes have tiny blue-black berries with thick skin. Some of the flavors and aromas that are associated with such grapes that are used for wine making are blackcurrants, green pepper, cedar, coffee and violets.
Merlot: the best type of such kind of red wine grapes is grown in Bordeaux. They are thin-skinned and have large berries. Merlot is less tannic when compared to Cabernet Sauvignon. Two of the main flavors of these red wine grapes are chocolate and fruitcake. Besides this, they may also exhibit characteristics of plums, blackcurrants and black cherry.
Syrah/Shiraz: these red wine grapes are responsible for producing fine wines especially in the Northern Rhône Valley. They are known as Syrah in the Northern Rhône Valley while in Australia, they are known as Shiraz. They are thick-skinned and produce wines that are long living. They can give a variety of aromas and flavors like raspberries, herbs, grilled meats, spice and charcoal.
