Red grape

red grape varieties

1. Main Grape Varieties to know
Merlot
Merlot is known for its elegance and finesse. It was used traditionally as a blending varietal to
add softness and elegance to a blend. Increasingly, it is being produces as a single varietal wine.
The Merlot grape has a very thin skin and as a result, there is relatively little tannin to extract
making, Merlot very soft and accessible on the palate.

Merlot is best grown in cool climates, where it benefits from lower temperatures and longer
ripening periods. It is a very tricky grape in terms of harvesting because it can over-ripen
quickly, but it can easily be picked under-ripe. When picked under-ripe, the wine expresses a
vegetal, herbaceous element, which can be likened to greenness on the palate. If the grapes are
picked over-ripe, the wine expresses a jamminess and cloyiness on the palate, which is equally
undesirable, it is important therefore to pick at exactly the right time.

Soil and Terroir
Merlot does best in clay soils, which have good water retention to maintain moisture around
the roots of the plant.

In The Cellar
Once optimally ripe, the grapes are picked and brought into cellar. Because Merlot has thin
skins, it doesn’t require long maceration periods to extract colour, tannin and flavour from the
skins. Merlot also has a shorter fermentation period. As a result, the wine is often medium-
bodied with softer tannins and a less dominant structure on the plate.
As a medium-bodied wine, Merlot has more subtle primary flavors and is therefore lift in the
barrel for far shorter periods of time than most other red grape varieties so as to ensure perfect
balance with the secondary flavors from the oak. Because Merlot has less tannin, it doesn’t
usually have the ability to age for long periods. It is therefore best to drink earlier.

Primary and Secondary flavors
Merlot grapes have to ripen perfectly in a moderate to cool climate. If the grapes are picked
under-ripe, the wine expresses green tannins, associated with an herbaceous-ness and stalk-
ness, like chewing on a bark. If picked over-ripe, the wine expresses jamminess and over-
stewed fruit. Perfectly ripe Merlot expresses primary red fruit flavors, like raspberries, red
cherries, strawberry and red plums as well as fresh herbs and soft fragrances, like roses and
violets.
The lighter primary flavors are balanced with lighter secondary flavors from the oak, such as
cinnamon, green pepper corns, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg and a touch of coffee and chocolate.



Food Pairing

2. The silky structure and fine tannins of Merlot make it suitable for paring with a wide range of
meats and sauces. It is therefore a great wine to recommend for a table of guests as it would
generally pair well with everyone’s dishes. Lighter meats like duck, pork, chicken and lamb and
ideal. When pairing with food, it is important to consider the sauce. Medium bodied sauces
with fresh herbs sprinkled on top pair fantastically with the subtle herbaceous-ness of Merlot. If
the dishes are too heavily spiced, or have a heavy sauce, it will overpower the gentle Merlot.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is often referred to as the king of red wine varietals. It is profound and
dominant and is grown in virtually every wine growing region in the world. The Cabernet
Sauvignon grape is small with a very thick skin, a little bit of flesh and large pips. The thick skin
imparts a deep color, lots of flavor and lots of tanning in the wine, which result in a big texture
on the palate. Because the grapes are small and thick – skinned, they are not susceptible to
disease and can flourish just about anywhere. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown in every
wine producing region in the world and therefore, in a variety of different climates, provides
there is enough sun to allow the grapes to produce enough sugar and ripen adequately.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the last red grape varieties to ripen. The extended growth cycle
and ripening period result in the intense flavors for which this varietal is known.

Soil and Terroir
Cabernet Sauvignon is affected the least of all the red grape verities by the soil that it grown in.
however, it grows best in well-draining soils with lots of sun exposure.

Cabernet Sauvignon in the Cellar
Because of its thick skin, Cabernet Sauvignon can be left to macerate for up to three weeks to
extract the intense flavors, tannins and color. It the ability to mature in oak barrels for longer
period of time because the primary fruit flavors are intense enough to balance with the bolder
secondary flavors imparted by the oak. The oak plays a second role – it extracts some of the
harsher tannins form the skins of the grapes in the fermenting juice and exchanges them for far
softer, rounder tannins for the oak, making the wine more accessible on the palate.
The powerful tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon provide the structure that holds all the flavors
together and allow the wine, once bottled and corked to mature for an extended period of
time.

Primary and Secondary Flavors
Cabernet Sauvignon is instantly recognizable for its profound palate, which is more or less
consistent throughout the regions where it is produced. Cabernet Sauvignon needs lots of sun
during the ripening stage. If there is insufficient sun or if the grapes are picked too early, there
is a distinct vegetative flavor, like green pepper which is not always desirable, and lots of green
tannins, which creates a harsh, raspy texture on the palate. If there is too much sun and the
grapes are over - ripe when harvested, the wine has a Jammy, over – stewed fruit flavor and a
cloying texture on the palate.

3. When cabernet Sauvignon has ripened perfectly, the primary flavors are dominated by
intensely flavored dark fruit, such as blackberries, black cherries and ripe dark plums, as well as
some red fruits flavors, such as red pepper (capsicum), and some green herbaceous flavors, like
mint and eucalyptus which add a wonderful freshness on the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon
produced in cooler climates sometimes have a lovely earthy texture as an expression of a
primary flavor, which gradually comes to the fore as the wine matures.

The powerful intensity of the primary fruit flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon has the ability to
balance beautifully with bigger, bolder secondary flavors imparted from the oak barrels, such as
cigar, cedar, pencil shavings, dark chocolate, coffee, liquorice and vanilla (especially when using
American oak in the production of New World Cabernet Sauvignon).
As Cabernet Sauvignon ages, the harsh powerful tannins become rounder and softer over time,
giving the wine a more silky, rich mouth-feel to balance with the wonderful dark fruit flavors
and spice notes. Therefore Cabernet Sauvignon is best to drink slightly older

Food Pairing
Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, bold varietal with intense dark fruit primary flavors balanced by
rich, bold secondary flavors. Therefore, it pairs well with intensely flavored dishes, such as beef,
venison, and lamb dishes that have been cooked for an extended period of time. The intensity
from the dish integrates wonderfully with the intensity of the wine and the big texture of the
Cabernet Sauvignon combines wonderfully with the distinct texture of the meat.
Being high in tannins, Cabernet Sauvignon does not pair well with vegetable dishes of vegetable
based sauces. It goes well with sauces which are big in flavors form the meat that has been
cooked in them.

Shiraz OR Syrah

Shiraz, sometimes referred to as Syrah (usually when made in Old World style – I.E. in cooler
climates), is a big, powerful variety that is often associated with a wonderful peppery-ness on
the palate.
Shiraz is grown throughout the wine regions of the world in many different climates. Grapes
grown in warmer climates express a plumy, jammy flavor on the palate, while grapes grown in
cooler climates express more vegetative flavors.
Shiraz performs best in moderate climates, where it has the ability to produce the most
wonderful flavor spectrum, ranging from subtle floral fragrances to intense red and dark fruit
flavor.

Soli and Terroir
Shiraz vines are known for their vigorous growth and can thrive in different types of soil. In
other to moderate the vigor of the vines, Shiraz grapes are often planted in low-vigor soils that
the energy can be concentrated on the ripening of the fruit, rather than the growth of the
shoots and leaves.

4. Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz prefer well-draining soils, has an extended growth cycle and
ripening period, and produces thick skinned grapes that are intense in color, flavor and tannin.

Shiraz in the Cellar
Shiraz grapes have very thick skins, so they undergo far longer maceration periods than most
other varietals to extract the color, flavor and tannins. They also undergo longer fermentation
periods, resulting in powerful flavors of intense dark fruit from the grapes.
Although both Shiraz and Syrah wines are made from Shiraz grapes, the difference in the name
reflects the difference in the winemaking styles used to produce the wine and the difference in
the resultant flavor profile.
Shiraz usually expresses intense dark fruit, while Syrah typically expresses more subtle red
fruit primary flavor. Both Shiraz and Syrah have distinct spicy elements, like chilies, roasted
spices and peppercorns (white, green and black), experienced as a slight prickle on the palate.

In terms of oaking, winemaker needs to take into account that intensity of the primary fruit
flavor in deciding what barrels to use.
European oak Barrels usually imparts subtle nuances of secondary flavors on the wine and is
therefore used for wine that express more subtle primary fruit flavors, like Syrah, to achieve
the perfect balance. American oak barrels are often used in the production of Shiraz, as the
intensity of the primary fruit flavors in the wine is strong enough to stand up to and balance
with the powerful secondary flavors imparted by the oak.
There is also a difference in the aging of Syrah and Shiraz. Since both are produced from the
same grape varietal with the same thick skins, both are high in tannins which make it possible
for the wine to age. However, Syrah has more understated and restrained flavors and has to
age for longer for the tannins to soften, slowly integrating with the primary and secondary
flavors, to develop a wonderful complex and elegant flavor profile. Shiraz on the other hand
has intense primary and secondary flavors which make it accessible on the palate far sooner, so
the wine drinks well earlier.

Primary and Secondary Flavors
Syrah is typically mode in cooler climate and shows softer, more subtle primary flavors, such as
floral fragrances of violets, lavender and rose petals, with a herbaceous element of sage,
rosemary and thyme , luscious red fruit, like red plums, red cherries and raspberries, and a
typical pepperiness on the palate. Syrah is usually oaked in European oak barrels, which imparts
more elegant, subtle secondary flavors, such as tobacco, bay leaves and cloves. As Syrah ages,
elements of leather start to appear, as well as dark chocolate to give a wonderfully luxurious
feel o the palate.
Shiraz is typically made in warmer climates, expressing primary flavors of intense dark fruit,
such as black plums, black cherries, blueberries and blackberries. And pepperiness experienced
as a texture or slight prickle on palate. Secondary flavors are usually far more powerful, like
fruit cake or dark fruit jam, vanilla, liquorices, star anise, cinnamon and coffee. This jamminess
and spiciness balances wonderfully with the intense primary fruit on the palate

Food Pairing

5. Both Shiraz and Syrah have wonderful underlying peppery notes and both would pair well with
dishes that are bolder in flavor and slightly spicier, like beef fillet with peppercorn sauce or
venison with juniper berries. Shiraz, being more powerful and intense in flavor, pairs beautifully
with intensely flavored meat dishes.

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is mostly used in Blends to add depth and texture, and is rarely produced as a
single varietal wine. It is a wine that adds fragrance, herbaceous and soft spice, contributing to
an extended finish and a texture in the middle of the palate. Cabernet Franc is used to smooth
out the intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon, adding perfume and delicate spice. When added to
Merlot, it provides extra broadness and texture on the Palate.
Cabernet Franc is related to Cabernet Sauvignon, and like Cabernet Sauvignon, it has the ability
to adapt and perform well wherever it is grown. When grown in cool climates, Cabernet Franc
expresses vegetative and herbaceous flavors, like capsicum, Mint, “forest floor” and sage.
When grown in warmer climates, it shows a jamminess that can be experienced as cloying on
the palate. Cabernet Franc does particularly well in moderate Climate with cool evenings,
expressing fine, elegant notes of violet and roses, red fruit, delicate spice and wonderful
minerality.

Soil and Terror
Cabernet Franc is one of the five main varieties grown in Bordeaux in France. Like Cabernet
Sauvignon, it performs well in gravelly, well draining soils, which result in a wonderful
expression of minerality on the palate

In the Cellar
Cabernet France has fairly thin skins and therefore undergoes relatively short maceration
periods to extract color, flavor and tannin from the skins. As a result, the wine has more subtle
and elegant primary flavors of red fruit and fragrance, and therefore requires relatively short
oaking periods to add soft nuances of secondary flavors to create a perfect balance. Cabernet
Franc is typically added a Cabernet Sauvignon to smooth out its intensity and add delicious
spices or to Merlot to add depth and texture to the mid palate on blend.

Primary and secondary flavors
When Cabernet Franc is grown in a moderate climate with cool evenings it produces a
wonderful depth of flavor from the primary fruit. It expresses subtle vegetative flavors of red
pepper (capsicum), herbaceous notes of sage and raspberries, red cherries ad red plums, and a
wonderful minerality. Cabernet Franc is also known for soil touches of spiciness or chilly,
experienced as a slightly prickle on the palate, which adds to the complexity of the blend.
The Secondary flavors are more soft and subtle to balance with the elegant primary flavors, and
may include toasted coconut, delicious spice, soft herbs, tobacco and cedar. As Cabernet Franc
ages, it develops mushroom and barnyard flavors.

6. Food Pairing
Cabernet Franc is medium bodied and softer on the palate, so it pairs well with lighter-styled
meat dishes, such as venison or beef that hasn’t been cooked for too long. The aromatic
element of Cabernet Franc would pair wonderfully with lamb with soft spices, or venison
prepared with juniper barriers or red berry sauce. Cabernet Franc as a single varietal wine pairs
well with vegetable dishes.

Malbec
Malbec is on e of the five classic varieties grown in Bordeaux. Used in blends, it adds an
intensity of vibrant and a wonderful purple color. In recent years, it has grown in prominence in
Argentina, where it is produced as a single varietal wine. It is typical grown in higher altitudes in
areas characterized by hot days and cold nights, allowing the Malbec grapes to ripen evenly
over a long period of time. Malbec needs lots of sunshine to ripen and vibrant red and stewed
fruit, giving a great prolonged finish on the palate.

Soil and Terroir
Malbec, like most of the other Bordeaux varieties (except Merlot), likes well-draining soils. It
performs particularly well when it has access to lots of water, when grown on slopes where the
soil is well-draining.

In the Cellar
The Malbec grape has an intense purple color which gives the wine a tremendous depth of
color. In Bordeaux blends, Malbec was traditionally used to add intensity to the color of the
wine. Prolonged exposure to the sun allows the Malbec grapes to ripen optimally. This results in
a great intensity of fruit flavors and big bold tannins, which become softer and rounder as they
ripen. Malbec can take a considerable amount of oaking to balance out the intensity of primary
flavors form the grape.

Primary and Secondary Flavors
Although Malbec is a full bodied varietal, it is characterized by soft, round tannins that have had
a chance to ripen optimally in vineyard.
Primary Flavors expressed in the wine include vibrant red fruit, like raspberries and cranberries,
stewed plums and fresh mint.
Secondary flavors that can be found in Malbec wines from the oaking process are more intense
in flovor, such as liqurice, star anise, and coffee, chocolate and vanilla. A slight jamminess can
sometimes be found as an expression of the warmer climate and an abundance of sun.
As Malbec ages, it begins to show subtle tobacco and leathery notes.

Food Pairing
While the old rule of pairing red wine with red meat applies, the stewed fruit aroma and soft
tannins of Malbec pair beautifully with duck, Ostrich and game as well as fragrant, aromatic
Moroccan style dishes.

7. Petit verdot
Petit Verdot is one of the five classic Bordeaux Varietals. It is a powerful wine with massive,
aggressive tannins, so it is added to blends in very small quantities to provide structure and add
texture, and is very seldom produced as a single varietal wine. Petit Verdot is on e of the last
varietals to ripen; its berries are small and concentrated with very thick skins, requiring long
periods to ripen optimally.

Soil and Terroir
Like most other Bordeaux varieties, with the exception of Merlot, Petit Verdot Performs best in
well draining soils. Petit Verdot is a varietal that has tremendous vigor, so it needs to be planted
in low vigor soils to counterbalance the tremendous growth in order to concentrate the flavors
and to ripen the berries.

In Cellar
Petit Verdot has small, thick-skinned berries, which undergo long maceration periods to extract
color, flavor and tannin. As a result the wine is exceptionally intense and powerful. It is
therefore added in small quantities (Usually never more than 10%) so as not to overpower the
other components in the blend. It is used in blending to add structure, an intensity of fruit
flavors and a depth of secondary flavors.

Primary and Secondary flavors
Petit Verdot is characterized by intense dark fruit flavors, like prunes, blueberries, black berries,
black cherries and dark plum. It also expresses subtle fragrances of violet and roses, and a slight
herbaceous element. Because it has such a high intensity of primary fruit flavors, Petit Verdot
can handle a fair amount of oaking, adding an array of secondary flavors, ranging from subtle
notes of pencil shavings, toasted coconut, vanilla and tobacco, to more intense flavors of
liquorices, black pepper, dark fruit jam, lather and Cedar.

Food Pairing
Although Petit Verdot is very seldom found as a single varietal wine, when used in a blend, it
pairs well with intensely flavored dishes, like beer and venison that have cooked for extended
periods of time