Schiava is a wine made from a range of lesser-known grape varietals from Italy’s far north, in the Trentino and Alto-Adige regions. It has some unique characteristics that make it distinct from most other red wines, including its sweet and … Read More
Touriga Nacional is one of Portugal’s indigenous grapes and has gained an international reputation for being both high-quality and highly affordable. It is one of the main parts of a fortified Port wine, where it brings a dark inky color … Read More
Valpolicella is a famous wine region in Verona, Italy, home to a renowned red wine that is also called Valpolicella. While it appears in a few different styles, the standard Valpolicella is an easy-drinking red blend, made up of 3 … Read More
Mencia is a rare red wine varietal, exclusively planted in Spain and Portugal – more specifically, it is mostly cultivated in the northeastern corner of the Iberian peninsula, in the regions of Galicia and Dão. Mencia wines are characterized by … Read More
Wine Type & Food Pairing by Chris Link · Updated June 2026 Beaujolais — made from the Gamay grape — is one of those wines I keep a bottle or two of on hand specifically because it fills a gap … Read More
Wine Type & Food Pairing by Chris Link · Updated June 2026 Carménère is one of those wines most people have walked past at the store without knowing what it is. In France, where it originated, it’s almost entirely used … Read More
Wine Type & Food Pairing by Chris Link · Updated June 2026 Petite Sirah is one of the most underrated red wines in California — bold, inky, full-bodied, with dark blueberry fruit, dark chocolate, and a black pepper kick that … Read More
Italian Red Wine Food Pairing Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Food Pairing Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of the easiest Italian red wines to pair with everyday food. It is bold enough for pizza, pasta, burgers, sausage, grilled meats, barbecue, mushrooms, and charcuterie, but … Read More
Italian Red Wine Food Pairing Chianti Food Pairing Chianti is one of the best red wines for food because it has bright acidity, red cherry fruit, savory herbs, moderate body, and enough tannin to handle richer dishes without becoming too … Read More
Red Wine Food Pairing Pinot Noir Food Pairing Pinot Noir is one of the most flexible red wines to pair with food because it is usually lighter in body, lower in tannin, and higher in acidity than bigger reds like … Read More