If you’re a red wine lover and wondering how you can enjoy it year round, in all weather, and with all seasonal food, there are certain grapes you should know.
What Is A Light Red Wine?
Light red wines are made from grapes that have certain qualities that come from skin thickness, tannin content, and harvesting times.
Light red wines are:
- low to medium in tannin
- medium to high in acid
- usually low to medium in alcohol
These qualities make these wines less likely to crush or conflict with food while making your mouth water with every bite. The following grapes can work with fish, vegetables, and even gamey meat and stews.
Lambrusco
This Italian grape has been popular for over 2,000 years. There are over 60 varieties grown in all sorts of terrain throughout Italy.
The region where Lambrusco is most popular is Emilia Romagna aka “the bread basket of Italy.”
This region is famous for balsamic vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Lambrusco can come in both dry, and off- dry (slightly sweet) expressions. It is most often “frizzante” or slightly fizzy or sparkling.
This playful grape can be light red and sing of strawberry, or inky black and burst with blackberry. It’s most often served with a slight chill.
What Are Foods To Pair With Lambrusco?
Lambrusco is very popular with all of the foods of Emilia Romagna.
Cured meats, cheeses, and bread dipped in Modena’s best balsamic are the way to go with this fun and fruity wine.
Many wine producers like Venturini Baldini make their own balsamic too.
Lambrusco To Try
- Venturini Baldini Montelocco ($18)
- Venturini Bladini Marchese Mandori ($18)
- Cantina Di Soliera Lambrusco Di Sorbara ($25)
Gamay
Gamay, or Gamay Noir, is a cousin of Pinot Noir and hails from Beaujolais, France.
Beaujolais neighbors Burgundy, home of Pinot Noir, and for many years was blended with it to intensify the fruit and cut costs. It ripens a few weeks earlier than Pinot and is less fickle to grow.
Gamay exhibits strawberry, raspberry, violets, and potting soil.
Beaujolais is known for a winemaking technique known as “Carbonic Maceration.”
This process involves the grapes fermenting on the inside before being crushed and separated from the skins. This results in a very fruity wine that has less tannins.
What Are Foods To Pair With Gamay?
Gamay is incredibly versatile with food. It is light enough to enjoy with fish, and is terrific with salmon. Gamay is considered the greatest of red wines for Thanksgiving because it can handle vegetables, herbs, and roast fowl wonderfully.
Gamay To Try
- Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais ($18)
- Domaine Du Pourpre Moulin A Vent ($18)
- Bonnet Rouge ($20)
- Domaine Lassange Saint Amour ($25)
- Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Village ($25)
- Yvon Metras Beaujolais ($35)
- Guy Breton Morgon ($50)
Pinot Noir
Neighboring Beaujolais to the north is Burgundy (Bourgogne), the home of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, respectively referred to as “Red and White Burg.”
A light to medium bodied grape, it’s planted in many countries but requires specific conditions to ripen properly.
This fickle grape, that was held in the spotlight in the movie Sideways, requires the right soil for drainage, just the right amount of heat to ripen, and cool nights to maintain it’s high acid.
Pinot Noir does wonderfully in regions with similar climate to Burgundy. New Zealand, Australia, Patagonia, Oregon, and parts of California grow world class Pinot.
Pinot Noir is low in tannins, medium to high in acidity, and low to moderate in alcohol.
Different regions of the world express this grape in different ways.
In France the fruit and earth are both very much on display with cherries, mushroom, dank soil and forest floor.
“New World” Pinot from outside France in warmer regions like California will exhibit less earth, more red fruit and cola”/sarsaparilla notes.
North of California in Willamette, Oregon the weather is closer to that of Burgundy as it sits on the same longitude. This is where to look for more earthy “Burgundian style” expressions.
What Foods Pair With Pinot Noir?
Salmon, roast duck, pork, and mushrooms (especially black truffles from Burgundy) are a perfect match for Pinot Noir. Acidic cheeses like Chevre (goat cheese) match Pinot’s high acidity.
Pinot From Around The World To Try
- La Crema Sonoma Coast (Calif) $25
- Jules Taylor (New Zealand) $22
- Domaine Drouhin Dundee Hills (Oregon) $40
- Bodegas Chacra Cincuenta Y Cinco (Patagonia, Argentina) $55
- Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marechale (France) $150
Grenache / Garnacha
One of the most planted grapes for red wine in the world. It’s found on it’s own or very often blended with other grapes.
In southern France’s Rhone region it’s blended with Syrah and Mourvedre to make Chateauneuf du Pape, and in Rioja Spain it’s found blended with Tempranillo.
Grenache brings bright red fruit and a touch of spice like white pepper and cinnamon to the game.
Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”, once told me that she thinks of it as the “Justin Bieber” of wines. Simple, pleasant, not too complex, and always a hit.
It’s often likened to a “candied fruit rollup.”
What Foods Pair With Grenache?
Grenache has medium tannins and slightly higher alcohol than other light red wines and can take on richer, meatier, and spicier fare. Mac and Cheese, Pizza, BBQ, and hearty stews are wonderful with Grenache.
Grenache To Try
- Kaena Grenache (USA) $20
- Yalumba Samuel’s Collection Bush Vine Grenache (Australia) $20
- Alto Moncayo Veraton Garnacha (Spain) $25
- Clarendon Hills Clarendon Vineyard (Australia) $25
- K Vintners “The Boy” Walla Walla Valley (USA) $40
This is just a snapshot of these popular grapes. Their versatility with food makes them all very popular around the world. From Grenache in Morocco to Pinot Noir at the southern tip of Patagonia they travel far and wide to match cuisine in need. They can range in price from $10 for some Gamay to $10,000 for some Pinot Noir from Burgundy. This makes them suitable for daily meals and special occasions alike. Enjoy them anytime of year with all your favorite foods. Cheers!
