Top Grape Varieties for Making Red Wine



Knowing the top red grape varieties will help you to choose better the wines which you are going to make or enjoy, so spend a minute of learning more about top famous grape varieties around the world. The characteristics of all grapes are different and if you learn their most important qualities then you will be able to make the right choice according to your flavor, food, friends and mood.


Merlot grape variety

Merlot is top grape variety for making red wine and the top region that produces Merlot wine is Bordeaux, France. It is also widely popular in parts of USA, mostly California and Washington, but Italy and Chile are also huge producers of Merlot wine. The main characteristics of Merlot grape variety are the juicy body and color, low tannin quantity and the high percent of alcohol. People really love to produce Merlot wines because it’s somehow easier to take care for the whole production process of Merlot wines compared to other wine grape varieties, according to many wine masters. The reason that all Merlot wines contain less tannin is one of the biggest factors why so many people prefer that grape variety rather than Cabernet Sauvignon for example. 

Merlot Vintage

Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety


Cabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous grape variety and the reason for that is pretty simple. Cabernet Sauvignon grows completely careless almost everywhere in the world where the climate is mild and not so cold. This grape variety contains much more tannin than Merlot and the grapes are somehow medium size.  The top countries that produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines are France, Australia, USA (California), South Africa and South America (Chile and Argentina). Many wine producers mix the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with other grape varieties because of the high tannin content, so the aroma of blackcurrant is something usual that you can experience when drinking Cabernet Sauvignon wine no matter where it is produced.


Cabernet Sauvignon: Great Grape to Grow 

 

Pinot Noir grape variety

Pinot Noir grape variety for making red wine is somehow magical and loved wine grape variety and many people around the globe say that it is the best wine grape variety that can be found on the planet. Well, it can be true, but everyone is free to make his choice, so such general conclusion is hard to be made. The reality is that Pinot Noir wine are among the most desired and bought wines. Due to the specific weather conditions that need to present during the growth Pinot Noir production is limited. Top wine regions that make Pinot Noir wines are Burgundy in France and California in US. 

Other countries from where you can expect high quality Pinot Noir wines are Australia, New Zealand and Chile. The low and medium tannin content of this grape variety and the amazing flavor make Pinot Noir perfect wine for lunch, dinner or other special event. It is really good grape variety and most wine makers just don’t mix it with other grape varieties.
 Pinot Noir Grape Harvesting
These three grape varieties for making red wine are among the best and highly used for the production of quality wines. There are also other grape varieties like Zinfandel, Riesling and Shiraz, so it’s up to your choice and curiosity which wine to present on your table. Try them all and you will easily find your winner.