Whine & Wine: Reds

Have you ever had a night with your girls (or boys), where you all just pop open a bottle and let it all out because people suck? I know I have. One of my favorite pastimes is whining & wining. If it were an Olympic sport, I’d be a #GOAT within three cycles.

There are three types of wine: red, white, and rosé. Each type is grown differently and has different tastes and different benefits. Although I have yet to embark on any Napa Valley vineyard tours, I’ve acquired a preference for select types of wine. Let’s start the series off with reds.

Reds:

Cabernet Sauvignon: layers of black cherry, green olives, bell pepper, red currants, oak. and herbs notes, great when paired with red meats, very rich and full-bodied in flavor. Some of my favorites include:

• Cameron Hughes Lot 579 or any of the Napa Valley cabernets post 2012
• Beaulieu Vineyard (BV)
• Robert Mondavi
• Wild Horse Central Coast
• Charles Shaw Blend @ Trader Joe’s

Malbec: tart taste, flavors of sour cherry and spices, notes of oak, best with any meat-based meal especially Mexican, Indian, etc. I don’t personally enjoy Malbec, but I’ve been told the following are affordable and great:

• Bodega NQN Patagonia Universe
• Trivento
• Don Miguel Gascón
• Piattelli

Merlot: easy to like, pairs with anything, notes of cherry, watermelon, strawberry, and plum

• Chateau St. Jean
• Barrister
• Sebastiani
• Pine Ridge

Pinot Noir: cherry, blackberry, plum, beet root, best paired with grilled fish, sushi, or white meat

• Hayman & Hill
• Greenwood Ridge Vineyards
• Lechthaler Trentino

Zinfandel: sweet berry with a slight zest, can range from blush to rich red, flavors of pepper, black cherry, raspberry, and blackberry, best paired with anything tomato-saucy (like pasta or pizza), barbecue meat, and spiced dishes (like curry) depending on the heaviness of the Zinfandel

• literally anything from California, white or red

While I’m no professional wine taster, I’ve dabbled with a few of these specific vineyards’ wines and have had friends recommend me the others I’ve listed. Let me know if you’ve tried any of these or have any recommendations. But in the meantime, grab a bottle, pop the cork, and get to whining & wining!

 

-E.