Red Wines: Bolder and more intense in general these wines match with red meat, grilled poultry and spicy foods. Cabernet Sauvignon: Sometimes referred to as :The King of Red Wines", Cabernet Sauvignon is the largest selling red wine type in restaurants today. Dry and flavorful with fruity blackcurrant overtones and complex tastes derived from the soil in which the grapes were grown, "Cab Sauv" works well with steak, roasts, duck and lamb. French wines from the Bordeaux region are composed mostly of Cab Sauv with differing percentages of other grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and/or Malbec. In California a red wine must contain at least 75% of the grape variety to be labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon. Some California producers have determined that a blend similar to the wines of Bordeaux can produce a better wine and so they use less Cab Sauv. In that case the wine cannot be labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon but must be labeled as Red Table Wine. The wine will sometimes be labeled as "Meritage" (pronounced "heritage") if it contains components of the Bordeaux mixture of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in many countries. Australia actually produces some very good ones. Be careful of cheap Cab Sauv from Eastern European countries. Pinot Noir: Rapidly becoming the second most popular red wine grape thanks to the movie "Sideways", Pinot Noir is a bit softer than Cabernet Sauvignon. It has more cherry fruit flavors and works well with lighter red meats and some poultry. Lamb, duck and grilled chicken are good choices. French Red Burgundy is 100% Pinot Noir. In the USA better Pinot Noirs in general are made in cooler climate Oregon although there are some good ones produced in California. The other good area for Pinot Noir is New Zealand. Zinfandel: This is the "California" grape. Actually imported to California from Croatia probably in the mid 1800's, Zinfandel is now only produced in California. If you see a Zinfandel from Spain, Russia or Zimbabwe, watch out! This grape can make a wine with lots of fruit and acidity in a light style or a wine of depth and rounded character depending on how the wine is handled by the winemaker. Perfect with pizza, grilled chicken and pasta with red sauce. Merlot: This was the most popular red wine in restaurants before "sideways" came out. Merlot is a lighter more fruity wine than Cab Sauv and usually less complex. Many wines-by-the-glass features use Merlot since it is lighter and more easy to drink by itself. However in France the great wines of St. Emilion are made from Merlot and not Cab Sauv as in the other areas of Bordeaux. Syrah: Syrah is becoming the glut on the market that Merlot used to be. Please, no more Syrahs! Syrah can be spicy and complex and goes well with roasts such as prime rib. Wines from the Northern Rhone Valley of France are mostly Syrah. The grape is called Shiraz in Australia. Malbec: Some of the best wines from Argentina are made from Malbec. It can produce a deep red wine with a velvety texture.
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