Red Wine Types | Types of Red wine | Vinifera Boutique

Colour

The colour changes much with age and also reflects the 'health' of the wine. Ideally it should be bright and clear, however sediment can be normal in old wine. Below are some examples of wine colour in red wines.

• Thick skinned grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon give intensely coloured wines. Examples could be Bordeaux or South of France.
• Young wine or fruity, light reds. Typical for Beaujolais.
• Pinot Noir grapes give a lighter colour, such as Burgundy.
• Aged wine turns brown. A brown colour could denote a fault in a young wine.

Nose

The smell should be clean and preferably intense. If not this could mean the wine is too young, too old or too cold.

Colour

Below are some examples of white wine colours and what they indicate.

• Young wine or could be good acidity in a better wine
• Young wine, or light, medium-bodied dry wine
• Older, sweeter, or full-bodied with lots of flavour ('ready to drink')
• Darker colours can signify a sweet wine such as a Sauternes

Nose

The smell of flowers and fresh fruit can signify a young wine and ripe fruit that is ready to drink.

Faults

If the wine smells of nail varnish, humid socks or has a musty smell, it could be spoiled. Some causes of faults include corked wine (contaminated), excess heat or dirty barrels in winemaking. If a wine is 'closed' or smells of cabbage, it might need 'to breathe'. An oxidized wine could turn brownish and loose its taste, while white wines can taste of coffee or resin. Excess use of sulphur can result in an unpleasant match-like smell, especially in white wines.

The term 'Organic Wine' can be used to describe wines made using organically grown grapes. These wines are often identifiable from the label shown here. Truly Organic? The certification mainly applies to the grapes, not the winemakers techniques, additives used, or methods applied to transform the grapes into wine.

Natural Wine is taking organic one step further, so wines which are made with the least possible use of technology, chemicals, or additives. The idea in natural wine is to let the grapes express themselves and their location. Therefore naturally these wines are 'only' produced by small growers and the already small winemakers have increased risks due to the non-manipulative ideology. This is the extreme case where one can truly see that wine is not a manufactured product. In the extreme case natural wines are made without any sulphur, although often it is added at bottling.

With Biodynamic wines the consumer can be sure that the winemaker is truly making organic wine. Biodynamics is an increasing trend in the wine world based on the philosophy of organic agriculture, where the farm is a whole organism and the growing is synchronized with nature and timed by stars. The use of compost and other natural products is emphasized, which should be better for nature as well as result in better tasting wines.