LESSON TWO: Red Wine Flavor Profiles

Just as we did with white wine, DOMSOM focuses on broader categories versus detailed and complex ways to categorize wine.  Red wine flavors and smells can be broken down into a few simple categories in which nearly all red wines can fall.  

Red Wine Categories:

• Dry and Dirty
  • Dry / High Acid / Earthy Flavors / Minimal Influences / Food Friendly
• Fresh and Fruity
  • Low Acid / Intense Ripe Fruit / Low Tannin / Early Drinking
• Packed with a Punch
  • Dry / High Tannin / High Alcohol / Significant Influences / Intense Flavor / Ageable

Once again, these categories will help you identify the most frequent types of wine styles and how a single grape variety can be completely different depending on how and where it was grown and how it was made into a wine.  We will review a few key topics translated to red wines first to build a strong foundation as we explore Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Syrah / Shiraz.  Let’s get going!