Red Wine Types

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

Gamay is a red wine varietal, originating from Burgundy in France, but also frequently grown in the Loire Valley. It’s commonly associated with the Burgundy appellation of Beaujolais, so much so that the names “Beaujolais” and “Gamay” have become almost … Read More

Carménère is one of the classic Bordeaux blending grapes, typically used to add color to a red blend. It’s not massively popular in its home region, comprising just a few hundred acres of vineyards. There are significant plantings in regions … Read More

Carignan is a red grape varietal that originates from Spain, but is better known in the south of France. For a long time, it had a bit of a bad reputation as a thin, workhorse wine. This was mostly due … Read More

Bobal has long been the second most popular red grape variety in Spain. However, it remains a dark horse in the international wine scene. It is native to Valencia, a region in South-East Spain that’s known for extremely high temperatures … Read More

Petite Sirah, neither ‘Petite’ nor ‘Syrah’, is a grape that produces inky-purple wines with full body, high tannins and high acidity. On the nose, heady aromas of juicy blueberries, rich dark chocolate and spicy black pepper intoxicate your senses.  First … Read More

Similarities of Pinot Noir & Syrah / Shiraz Pinot Noir and Syrah/Shiraz both originate from France. At home, they are known for being cool-climate grapes. Pinot Noir grows in the continental climate of Burgundy, and Syrah/Shiraz in the cooler, northern … Read More

Similarities of Merlot & Syrah/Shiraz Merlot and Syrah/Shiraz are both French grapes that have become immensely popular outside of their home country. Syrah and Shiraz essentially refers to two different styles of wine, made from the same grape. Syrah is … Read More