Summer Red Wines: 10 Best Options

Best Summer Red Wines The best summer red wines have lighter acid, body, and tannin, making them feel bright and fresh in your mouth. This is exactly the red wine style most people will want to enjoy on a hot summer evening. Here are some good summer red wines to try. Helpful Tip: Red wines […]

Best Red Wine to Drink Without Food? 6 Easy Options

The best red wine to drink without food will be lighter in tannins, alcohol, and body. Look for red wines like bright styles of Pinot Noir, Beaujolais Nouveau and Gamay, lighter Merlot wines, and Dolcetto. What Is the Best Red Wine to Drink Without Food? Here’s a list of the best red wines to drink […]

Grenache vs Pinot Noir

Both Grenache and Pinot Noir share red fruit, softer tannins, and medium alcohol. Grenache has a fuller body with herbs. Pinot Noir has earthy notes and is more intense. Pinot Noir tends to be more complex and more expensive than Grenache. TL;DR: If you like either Grenache or Pinot Noir, then you should try the […]

Gamay vs Pinot Noir Chart

Both Gamay and Pinot Noir share red fruit, a lighter body and tannins, and medium alcohol. Gamay has floral notes; Pinot Noir has earthy notes. Pinot Noir tends to be more complex and more expensive than Gamay. TL;DR: If you like either Gamay or Pinot Noir, then you should try the other wine, too. They’re […]

Petit Verdot vs Pinot Noir

Petit Verdot vs Pinot Noir is a good exercise because these are two very distinctive red wines. Petit Verdot has more color, tannin, and body than Pinot Noir. Petit Verdot is black-fruited. Pinot Noir has red fruit, higher acid, and a lighter body. TL;DR: If you like Pinot Noir’s easy-drinking, mellow tannin, and bright red […]

Petite Sirah vs Pinot Noir

Despite similar sounding names, Petite Sirah vs Pinot Noir are two distinctive red wines. Petite Sirah has more color, tannin, and body than Pinot Noir. Petite Sirah is black-fruited. Pinot Noir has red fruit, higher acid, and a lighter body. TL;DR: If you like Pinot Noir’s easy-drinking, mellow tannin, and bright red fruit and dislike […]

Tannat vs Pinot Noir

Comparing Tannat vs Pinot Noir is an intriguing side-by-side comparison. Tannat has more color, tannin, and body than Pinot Noir. Tannat is black-fruited; Pinot Noir has red fruit, higher acid, and a lighter body. TL;DR: If you like the bright, friendly nature of Pinot Noir, you probably won’t care for Tannat. Tannat Basics: A Powerful […]

Sagrantino vs Pinot Noir

Characteristics Sagrantino Pinot Noir Hue Deep purple to inky black Pale red to garnet Color Red Red Aromas Dark berries, black plum, floral notes Red cherry, strawberry, earthy Tannins Very high Low to moderate Acid Moderate to high Moderate to high Alcohol (%) 14-15.5% 12.5-14.5% Body Full Light to medium Intensity Pronounced Moderate to pronounced […]

Tempranillo vs Pinot Noir

Tempranillo vs Pinot Noir are fun wines to compare. Pinot Noir red fruit, a lighter body and higher acid than Tempranillo. Tempranillo has more tannins, red fruit, and tomato notes. Both wines are widely available. Comparing Tempranillo vs Pinot Noir is a must-try side-by-side tasting for newer red wine enthusiasts. These are both popular red […]

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 […]