Merlot vs Carménère
Characteristics Merlot Carménère Hue Medium Ruby to Garnet Medium Ruby to Garnet Color Red Red Aromas Plum, red berries, chocolate Raspberry, peppercorn, green bell pepper, jalapeno Tannins Medium – soft Moderate Acid Medium Medium Alcohol (%) 13-14.5% 13.5-14.5% Body Medium Medium Intensity Medium Medium plus Key Growing Regions Bordeaux, France, Italy, California Chile, Bordeaux Classic […]
What Foods React Badly with High Tannin Wines? 11 Foods to Avoid
One of the most memorable pairing fails I’ve ever had was with a high tannin wine and an expensive bottle of Syrah that we paid the corkage fee for at a nice restaurant. The flavors in our food clashed with the wine and both were uninspiring. What a waste. Here’s what you need to know […]
Pinotage Wine Guide
Pronunciation: pee-NO-tahj Pinotage is a red wine grape originally hailing from South Africa. Pinotage makes a robust, medium to full-bodied dry red wine with a unique fusion of dark berries, earth, and spice notes. What Kind of Wine is Pinotage? Pinotage is a red wine with a robust character, moderate acidity, medium to pronounced tannins, […]
Sangiovese vs Cabernet Sauvignon
If you’re just getting into wine, you will be faced with a choice: Cabernet Sauvignon or Sangiovese? Which will you choose? Sangiovese has a medium body, high acid and tannins, and crunchy cherry and herbal notes. Cabernet Sauvignon has a heavier body, firmer tannins, black fruit, mint, and spice. Both are used in blends and […]
Easiest Appetizers for Wine Tasting: 14 Great Picks
If you’re in the habit of hosting last-minute wine tastings, or just not that into cooking, then you’ll want super easy appetizer options. The easiest appetizers for wine tastings are pre-packaged, shelf-stable, or easy to grab and go. Foods like popcorn, chips, cheese, olives, and even sushi are great appetizer options that complement wine tastings. […]
Wine Flights: Everything You Need to Know
If you hang around wine people long enough, you’re going to run across the term “wine flight”. A wine flight is not, in fact, an airplane full of wine nerds – though I’d be up for that! A wine flight is a set of different but related servings of wine. Typically a wine flight is […]
What Makes a Wine a Bordeaux?
When someone says ‘Bordeaux’, what exactly do they mean? Bordeaux (Bore-doh) can be a place, a wine, or even a wine style. Bordeaux wines, mostly red blends, originate from France’s Bordeaux region on the Atlantic coast. Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carménère, and Malbec in varying proportions, these wines […]
What Is Carmenere Wine?
Originally from Bordeaux, the best Carmenere wines are from Chile. Check out this dry red wine’s quirky backstory and tips to find delicious Carmenere wines.